Luke the physician wrote how Peter told the people who gathered together after the lame man at the temple was healed, “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Son Jesus; whom you delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you”, and in chapter three and verse fifteen of the book of Acts Luke shared how Peter told the people they, “killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead” where we read:
And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
The verse begins, “And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead;” Luke began with the words, “and killed” which means “and destroyed, allowed to perish, extinguished and abolished with mortal death upon” “the Prince of life” or “the chief leader, Christ, author and captain belonging to life which is real and genuine, active and vigorous, devoted to God and blessed in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever”, “whom God has raised” which means “who God the Heavenly Father lifted up, arose and resurrected” “from the dead” or “from the deceased, departed and destitute”. Luke shared how “Peter” told the Jewish people they “destroyed and extinguished” the mortal “life” of Jesus whom God the Heavenly Father “resurrected from the non-living and deceased.
The verse goes on to say, “whereof we are witnesses.” Luke continued with the word, “whereof” or “of the which” “we are witnesses” which means “we, Peter, John and the other believers in Jesus, exist as those who bare record and testify”. Luke shared how “Peter” told the Jewish people who gathered themselves to him and John that they “bore testimony” of the resurrection of Jesus.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Peter” became very specific with the Jewish people who rushed toward him and John in the temple after healing the lame man. He told them they “killed” Jesus, however, God His the Heavenly Father “raised Him” from being “dead”. “Peter, John, the disciples and other believers” bore record of how they saw Jesus after His death, and they were certain of His resurrection. They were now the “witnesses” for Jesus and His Kingdom. The “witness” of the resurrection continues to this day, and those who believe and trust in Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God. Let all who consider these words understand that their sins “killed” Jesus, but God raised Him from the dead so they may live forever with Him.
Next time Luke shares how Peter tells the people, “his name through faith in his nam has made this man strong”, 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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