Luke the physician wrote how the apostles were put in prison for teaching and preaching, and after an angel freed them, they were teaching and preaching again when the high priest confronted them and asked, “Did not we straightly command you that you should not teach in this name? and, behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree”, and in chapter five and verse thirty-one of the book of Acts Luke shared how Peter and the other apostles said God, “has exalted with his right hand” Jesus “to be a Prince and a Savior” where we read:
Him has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior,
for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
The verse begins, “Him has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, ...” Luke began with the words, “Him has God exalted” which means “Him, Jesus, the Heavenly Father God lifted up on high and raised to dignity, honor and happiness” “with his right hand” or “by using his, God's, right hand of authority and rule” “to be a Prince” which means “to be Christ, the chief leader and captain” “and a Savior” or “and a deliverer and preserver”. Luke shared how “Peter and the apostles” told the “high priest” and the other religious leaders that “God” raised Jesus up by His authority to be “the chief ruler and captain” as well as a “deliverer and preserver” over people.
The verse goes on to say, “... for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” Luke continued the words, “for to give repentance” which means “so He might grant, bestow, furnish and supply a change of mind, reversal and compunction for guilt including reformation” “to Israel” or “to the nation of Israel which means he shall be a prince of God and refers to the family or descendants of Jacob whose name was change to Israel”, “and forgiveness of sins” which means “and release from the bondage and penalty of errors, wrongs, mistakes and missing of the mark”. Luke shared how “Peter and the other apostles” told the “high priest” and the other religious leaders the reason God “exalted” Jesus was for all the people in “Israel” to have provision of a “change of mind” and “release from the bondage and penalty” of their errors, wrongs and violations against the law of God.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we discover the purpose for Jesus coming to the world. The “sins” of people kept them in “bondage “ and they would pay a “penalty of death” for those sins without a “Savior”. (See Romans 6:23) Jesus died on the cross, was raised by God from the dead and exalted to the “right hand” of God, so anyone who believes and trust in Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” may obtain forgiveness of their sins and granted everlasting life with God. Those who are wise will carefully study these words about Jesus and submit themselves to Him to live eternally with God.
Next time Luke shares how Peter and the other apostles said they were, “witnesses of these things” so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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