Acts 3:13

The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob.—Here again we have an echo of our Lord’s teaching. That Name had been uttered in the precincts of the Temple, not improbably in the self-same portico, as part of our Lord’s constructive proof of the resurrection of the dead (Matthew 22:32). Now it was heard again in connection with the witness borne by the Apostles that He Himself had risen. (See also Note on Acts 7:32.)

Hath glorified his Son Jesus.—Better, Servant. The word is that used throughout the later chanters of Isaiah for “the servant of Jehovah” (Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 48:20; Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53:11). It meets us again in Acts 3:26; Acts 4:27; Acts 4:30, and as applied to Christ, is peculiar to the Acts, with the exception of the citation from Isaiah in Matthew 12:18. It is, therefore, more distinctive than “Son” would have been, and implies the general Messianic interpretation of the prophetic language in which it is so prominent.

When he was determined.—Better, when he had decided; the word implying, not a purpose only, but a formal act, as in Luke 23:16.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:12-18 Observe the difference in the manner of working the miracles. Our Lord always spoke as having Almighty power, never hesitated to receive the greatest honour that was given to him on account of his Divine miracles. But the apostles referred all to their Lord, and refused to receive any honour, except as his undeserving instruments. This shows that Jesus was one with the Father, and co-equal with Him; while the apostles knew that they were weak, sinful men, and dependent for every thing on Jesus, whose power effected the cure. Useful men must be very humble. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name, give glory. Every crown must be cast at the feet of Christ. The apostle showed the Jews the greatness of their crime, but would not anger or drive them to despair. Assuredly, those who reject, refuse, or deny Christ, do it through ignorance; but this can in no case be an excuse.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The God of Abraham - He is called the God of Abraham because Abraham acknowledged him as his God, and because God showed himself to be his friend. Compare Matthew 22:32; Exodus 3:6, Exodus 3:15; Genesis 28:13; Genesis 26:24. It was important to show that it was the same God who had done this that had been acknowledged by their fathers, and that they were not about to introduce the worship of any other God. And it was especially important, because the promise had been made to Abraham that in his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed, Genesis 12:3. Compare Galatians 3:16.

Hath glorified - Has honored. You denied, despised, and murdered him, but God has exalted and honored him. This miracle was done in the "name" of Jesus, Acts 3:6. It was the "power of God" that had restored the man; and by putting forth this power, God had shown that he approved the work of his Son, and was disposed to honor him in the view of people. Compare John 17:1; Ephesians 1:20-22; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 2:9; Revelation 1:5-18.

Ye delivered up - That is, you delivered him to the omans to be put to death. See the notes on Acts 2:23.

And denied him in the presence of Pilate - Denied that he was the Messiah. Were unwilling to own him as your long-expected King, John 19:15.

When he was determined ... - Matthew 27:17-25; Luke 23:16-23. Pilate was satisfied of his innocence; but he was weak, timid, and irresolute, and he yielded to their wishes. The fact that Pilate regarded him as innocent was a strong aggravation of their crime. They should have regarded him as innocent; but they urged on his condemnation against the deliberate judgment of him before whom they had arraigned him, and thus showed how obstinately they were resolved on his death.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

13. The God of Abraham, &c.—(See on [1942]Ac 2:22; [1943]Ac 2:36).

hath glorified his Son Jesus—rather, "his Servant Jesus," as the same word is rendered in Mt 12:18, but in that high sense in which Isaiah applies it always to Messiah (Isa 42:1; 49:6; 52:13; 53:11). When "Son" is intended a different word is used.

whom ye delivered up, &c.—With what heroic courage does Peter here charge his auditors with the heaviest of all conceivable crimes, and with what terrific strength of language are these charges clothed!

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob; he mentions them, because the promise of the Messiah was made to them,

Hath glorified his Son Jesus; or his servant, for so also he is called, Isaiah 53:11; and that he might redeem us, he took upon him the form of a servant, and was obedient to the death of the cross, and did that great work of redemption which God sent him into the world to do.

Whom ye delivered up; the rulers, at whose command our blessed Saviour was apprehended, bound, and delivered unto Pilate, Matthew 27:1,2.

And denied him; this is charged upon the common sort of people also, who were earnest in crying, Matthew 27:25, His blood be on us, and on our children. Their sin is here ripped up, and their sore searched to the quick, that they might entertain the word of salvation with the greater attention and desire.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob,.... These titles and epithets of God, which are used in the Old Testament, Exodus 3:6 the apostle chooses to retain, partly to distinguish him from the gods of the Gentiles, and partly to show his regard to the God of Israel, the one, only true, and living God; and that, though he and his fellow apostles were preachers of Christ, yet they were not setters forth of another, or a strange God, but believed in the same God their forefathers did, and to whom they ascribe the glory of this miracle:

the God hath glorified his Son Jesus; by raising him from the dead, setting him at his own right hand, and giving him the gifts of the Spirit for men; which he having bestowed on the apostles, by virtue of this they wrought this miracle, which was a means of setting forth the glory of Christ, and of putting men upon glorifying him, or ascribing honour and glory to him. And in order to awaken their minds, to convict them of their sin, ingratitude, and folly, the apostle adds,

whom ye delivered up; to Pilate, the Roman governor; having first seized him as a thief, bound him as a malefactor, and arraigned, and condemned him to death in the high priest's palace as a blasphemer:

and denied him in the presence of Pilate; or "to", or "against the face of Pilate"; contrary to his sense of things, who more than once called him the King of the Jews, and wrote this as the superscription over him, when they denied him to be their King Messiah, and the Son of God, saying, they had no king but Caesar:

when he was determined to let him go; or release him; that is, "when he judged it right that he should be released", as the Syriac version renders it; for he never came to a point, to a resolution to let him go; though he thought it was but just and equitable that he should be dismissed, being, in his apprehension, an innocent man; and therefore pressed it on the people to agree to release him, to which he was himself strongly inclined.

Geneva Study Bible

The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Acts 3:13. Connection: Do not regard this cure as our work (Acts 3:12); no, God, the peculiar God of our fathers, glorified (by this cure, comp. John 9:3 f., Acts 9:4) His servant Jesus, whom you delivered up (what a stinging contrast!), etc.

τ. πατέρων ἡμ.] embraces the three patriarchs. Comp. on Romans 9:5.

The venerated designation: “the God of Abraham,” etc. (Exodus 3:15 f.), heightens the blame of the contrast.

ἐδόξασε] namely, inasmuch as He granted such a result by means of His name (Acts 3:6).

τὸν παῖδα] is not to be explained, after the Vulgate, with the older interpreters (and still by Heinrichs, Kuinoel), as filium, since only υἱὸς Θεοῦ is throughout used of Christ in this sense; but with Piscator, Bengel, Nitzsch (Stud. u. Krit. 1828, p. 331 ff.), Olshausen, de Wette, Baumgarten, and others, as servum; and the designation of the Messiah as the fulfiller of the divine counsel: servant of God, has arisen from Isaiah 40-66, namely, from the Messianic reference of the עֶבֶד יְהֹוָה there. Comp. Matthew 12:18. So also in Acts 3:26; Acts 4:27; Acts 4:30. Observe that an apostle is never called παῖς (but only δοῦλος) Θεοῦ. Comp. especially Acts 4:29 f.

ὃν ὑμεῖς μέν] This μέν, which pierces the conscience of the hearers, is not followed by any corresponding δέ. Comp. on Acts 1:1. The connection before the mind of Luke was: whom you have indeed delivered up, etc., but God has raised from the dead. But by κρίναντος ἐκείνου ἀπολύειν he was led away from carrying out this sentence, and induced to give to it another turn.

παρεδώκατε] namely, to Pilate.

ἠρνήσασθε αὐτόν] i.e. ye have denied that He is the Messiah, John 19:14-15; Luke 23:2. Comp. also Acts 7:35. The object of the denial was obvious of itself, since Jesus had just been spoken of as the παῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Observe, moreover, that with ἠρνήσ. αὐτόν the relative construction is not carried on, but with rhetorical emphasis the sentence is continued independent of it: and ye have denied Him (comp. Bernhardy, p. 304; Kühner, § 799). This is in keeping with the liveliness of the discourse and its antitheses; but without such a breaking off of the construction αὐτόν would be quite superfluous, as the regimen remains the same as before.

κατὰ πρόσωπον] towards the face; ye have denied Him even unto the face of Pilate (so audaciously!). Comp. Galatians 2:11. There is no Hebraism. See Jacobs, ad Achill. Tat. p. 612; Schweighäuser, Lex. Polyb. p. 540.

κρίναντος ἐκείνου ἀπολύειν] although the latter had decided to release (him). See John 19:4; Luke 23:16. ἐκείνου is designedly used instead of αὐτοῦ, in order to make the contrast felt between what Pilate judged and what they did. Comp. Acts 3:14. See Krüger and Kühner, ad Xen. Anab. iv. 3. 20; Dissen, ad Dem. de cor. p. 319; and the examples from Plato in Ast, Lex. I. p. 658. Chrys. well says: ὑμεῖς ἐκείνου θελήσαντος οὐκ ἠθελήσατε.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 3:13. ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ κ.τ.λ.: the words were wisely chosen, not only to gain attention and to show that the speaker identified himself with the nation and hope of Israel, but also because in Jesus St. Peter saw the fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham.—ἐδόξασε, John 8:54; John 11:4. Again we mark the same sharp contrast as in St. Peter’s former address—God hath glorified … but you put to an open shame. The objections of Weiss, who traces a reviser’s hand in the double mention of the glorification of Jesus in Acts 3:13 and in 15, fail to secure the approval of Spitta, Feine, Jüngst, who all hold that ἐδόξασε refers to the power of the Risen Jesus, shown in the healing of the lame man, which Peter thus expressly emphasises. But the glorification was not, of course, confined to this miracle: “auxit gloria hoc quoque miraculo” (Blass).—τὸν παῖδα: “his Servant,” R.V. (margin, “Child”). Vulgate has filium, which all other English versions (except A.V., “Child”) seem to have followed. But the rendering “Servant” is undoubtedly most appropriate, cf. Acts 3:26, and Acts 4:27; Acts 4:30 (employed in the Messianic sense of Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53:11), where the LXX has παῖς, Hebrew עֶבֶד. In Matthew 12:18 the Evangelist sees the fulfilment of the first passage in Jesus as the Christ, the Servant of Jehovah. Wendt rightly emphasises the fact that no Apostle ever bears the name παῖς θεοῦ, but δοῦλος; cf. Acts 4:29. In the LXX Moses is called both παῖς and δοῦλος. The rendering of R.V. is generally adopted, and by critics of very varying schools, e.g., Overbeck, Nösgen, Holtzmann, Felten, Hilgenfeld. Zöckler, whilst he adopts the rendering “Servant,” still maintains that Luther’s translation, Kind Gottes, cannot be regarded as incorrect (cf. the double meaning of the word in classical literature). Certainly he seems justified in maintaining that in the numerous parallels in the sub-apostolic writings the conception of the Servant by no means always excludes that of the Son, e.g., Epist. ad Diogn., viii., 11 and 9, where of God’s great scheme it is said ἀνεκοινώσατο μόνῳ τῷ παιδί (to His Son alone), called in 11 τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ παιδός; cf. Martyr. Polyc., xiv., 3, where the same phrase occurs, reminding us of Matthew 3:17 (Colossians 1:13, Ephesians 1:6) and Acts 14:1, where God is spoken of as ὁ πατήρ of the well-beloved Son παιδός. In Clem. Rom., Cor[141] 59:2–4, the word is used three times of Jesus Christ, and twice with τοῦ ἠγαπημένου (παιδός), and if there is nothing in the context to determine the exact sense of the word, in the previous chapter St. Clement had written ζῇ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ ζῇ ὁ Κυριος Ἰῃσοῦς Χριστὸς καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον κ.τ.λ.; cf. also Barnabas, Epist. (3, 6), 6, 1; Apost. Const., viii., 5, 14, 39, 40, 41; and Didache 1, ix., 2, 3; x., 2, 3, where, however, at the first introduction of the word, David and Jesus are both called by it in the same sentence. In the Didache 1 the title is found altogether five times, once as above, and four times as applied to Jesus alone. But these passages all occur in the Euctiaristic Prayers of the Didache 1 (placed by Resch as early as 80–90 A.D.), and in them we find not only the title “Lord” used absolutely of Jesus, Acts 9:5, but He is associated with the Father in glory and power, Acts 9:4. Knowledge, faith, and immortality are made known by Him, spiritual food and drink, and eternal life are imparted by Him, Acts 10:2-3. Zöckler, Apostelgeschichte, in loco; Lock, Expositor, p. 183 ff. (1891), “Christology of the Earlier Chapters of the Acts”; Schmid, Biblische Theologie, p. 405. But further: if we bear in mind all that the “Servant of the Lord” must have meant for a Jew, and for a Jew so well versed in the O.T. Prophets as St. Peter, it becomes a marvellous fact that he should have seen in Jesus of Nazareth the realisation of a character and of a work so unique (cf. Isaiah 42:1 ff., Isaiah 49:1-3; Isaiah 49:5; Isaiah 49:8; Isaiah 50:4-9, Isaiah 52:13 to Isaiah 53:12). For if we admit that the word “Servant” may be used, and is sometimes used, of the nation of Israel (cf. Isaiah 41:8; Isaiah 45:4), and if we admit that some of the traits in the portrait of Jehovah’s “Servant” may have been suggested by the sufferings of individuals, and were applicable to individual sufferers, yet the portrait as a whole was one which transcended all experience, and the figure of the ideal Servant anticipated a work and a mission more enduring and comprehensive than that of Israel, and a holiness and innocency of life which the best of her sons had never attained (Driver, Isaiah, pp. 175–180). But not only in His miraculous working, but in His Resurrection and Ascension St. Peter recognised how God had glorified His Servant Jesus; and whilst it was natural that the word “Servant” should rise to his lips, as he recalls the submission to betrayal and death, whilst he never forgets the example of lowliness and obedience which Christ had given, and commends to poor Christian slaves the patience and humility of Him Who was “the first Servant in the world” (1 Peter 2:18-25), he sees what prophets and wise men had failed to see, how the suffering “Servant” is also “the Prince of Life,” cf. chap. Acts 5:15, and Acts 5:31.—ὑμεῖς μὲν: there is no regular answering δὲ in the text (cf. Acts 1:1), but the words in Acts 3:15 ὁ θεὸς ἤγειρεν express the antithesis (Blass, Wendt, Holtzmann). In dwelling upon the action of Pilate and the guilt of the Jews, the Apostle loses the direct grammatical construction; he emphasises the denial (ἠρνήσασθε twice) and its baseness; but nothing in reality was more natural, more like St. Peter’s impetuosity.—κατὰ πρόσωπον, coram, cf. Luke 2:31, 2 Corinthians 10:1—the expression need not be explained as a Hebraism, it is found several times in Polybius; see Dalman, Die Worte Jesu, p. 23. In the LXX it is frequent in various senses, and sometimes simply in the sense of before, in the presence of, a person, 1 Samuel 17:8, 1 Kings 1:23, 1 Chronicles 17:25, Sir 45:3, Jeremiah 52:12; Jeremiah 52:33, Jdt 10:23; Jdt 11:5, etc. Rendall takes the words as usually denoting open encounter with an opposite party face to face, cf. Acts 25:16, Galatians 2:11, and so here; the Jews met Pilate’s proposal to free the prisoner with a point-blank denial. 13b is referred by Hilgenfeld to the revising hand of “the author to Theophilus,” and he sees in its introduction a proof of the anti-Judaism of the reviser, whilst Jüngst prefers to regard the first part of Acts 3:14 as an insertion, but this Hilgenfeld will not accept, as thus the antithesis in Acts 3:15 is not marked.—κρίναντος: “when he had determined,” R.V., not a purpose only, but a decision, Luke 23:16.—ἐκείνου, not αὐτοῦ, emphasising the antithesis between what Pilate had determined and what they had done: ὑμεῖς ἐκείνου θελήσαντος οὐκ ἠθελήσατε (Chrys.).

[141] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. hath glorified his Son Jesus] The Greek is not υἱός but παῖς, and should be rendered Servant, and this would carry the mind back, as St Peter no doubt intended, to Isaiah 42:1, “Behold my servant whom I uphold,” a passage which St Matthew (Matthew 12:18) applies to Jesus.

denied him in the presence of Pilate] alluding to Pilate’s question (John 19:15), “Shall I crucify your king?” to which they answered, “We have no king but Cæsar.”

when he was determined, &c.] Rather, when he had given sentence to release him. For Pilate had pronounced Jesus innocent (John 19:4).

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 3:13. Ὁ Θεὸς, God) Who gave the promise to the patriarchs and fathers. The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, is an appellation frequently occurring in the Acts, more than in the other books of the New Testament, and one appropriate to that period of time.—τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶμ, of our fathers) Is it the same fathers, viz. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: with which comp. Exodus 3:6; Exodus 3:15-16 : or are those ‘fathers’ meant, who lived, for instance, in the time of Moses and Samuel or David, Acts 3:22; Acts 3:24-25, to whom also the promise was given? In the former passage of Moses (Exodus 3:15-16), the appellative, fathers, is employed: in Luke, the proper names, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In Moses at least there is an apposition: there is one also, as we think, in Luke. GOD fulfilled this His promise: therefore all ought to believe.—ἐδόξασε, hath glorified) even before His passion: Matthew 11:27; Matthew 17:5; John 12:28; John 8:50; John 10:36; John 13:3; John 13:31; John 17:5; 2 Peter 1:17; Luke 2:32; Hebrews 3:3; Hebrews 5:5. Others refer the word here to the glorification of Jesus Christ by the present miracle specially, or to the whole of His exaltation, or to both conjointly. The discourse begins far back [with the God of Abraham, etc.], in Acts 3:13; wherefore we regard the order of the facts, and of the time, and of the text, to be the same.—τὸν παῖδα αὐτοῦ, His Servant, or Minister [but Engl. Vers. His Son]) See note on Matthew 12:18 [παῖς in the LXX. expresses the Hebrew עבדי, Isaiah 42:1, “Behold My Servant, whom I have chosen.” So here, and ch. Acts 4:27; Acts 4:30; but not afterwards in the New Testament, as not a suitable expression for Him, now that He is exalted]. [In human fashion, one might call Him the Prime Minister of God, on account of the great dignity and extent of His office.—V. g.]—ὑμεῖς μὲν, ye indeed) The object of this is, that hereby they may be brought to compunction and repentance.—παρεδώκατε, ye have delivered up) This Saviour, who was given to you, ye have given up; whereas ye ought with all zeal to have recognised His glory, and embraced and laid hold of Him.—ἠρνήσασθε, ye have denied) This is opposed to the proper judgment (κρίναντος) of Pilate (Pilate’s own judgment), who tried to let Jesus go.—Πιλάτου, of Pilate) whose blindness is less surprising than yours. Peter shows in this place that the Jews resisted the true judgment of GOD and of men concerning Jesus.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - Servant for Son, A.V.; before the face for in the presence, A.V.; had for was, A.V.; release him for let him go, A.V. The God of Abraham, etc. The continuity of the New Testament with the Old Testament stands out remarkably in St. Peter's address. He speaks to the "men of Israel," and he connects the present miracle with all that God had (lone to their fathers in days gone by. He does not seem conscious of any break or transition, or of any change of posture or position. Only a new incident, long since promised by the prophets, has been added. "tie thrusts himself upon the fathers of old, lest he should appear to be introducing a new doctrine" (Chrysostom). God... hath glorified his Servant Jesus. Servant is manifestly right (so St. Chrysostom). It is the constant meaning of παῖς in the LXX.; son is always υἱός (see ver. 26; Acts 4:27, 30). In Matthew 12:18 the A.V. has "servant." (For the Old Testament usage, see Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53:11). Delivered up; παρεδώκατε, different from the ἔκδοτον of Acts 2:23 (where see note). The word is applied to the action of Judas in delivering up Jesus into the hands of the chief priests (John 19:11), and to the action of Pilate in sending Jesus to execution (Luke 23:25; John 19:16). Here it is spoken of the whole action of the Jews in procuring the death of Jesus. Denied before the face of Pilate. The reference is exact to Luke 23:13-23. To release him. There is a verbal agreement with Luke 23:16, 17, 20. Acts 3:13

Vincent's Word Studies

His son (παῖδα)

Rightly, servant, as Rev. See on Luke 1:54. The A. V. renders, in Matthew 12:18, servant, quoting from Isaiah 42:1; but elsewhere, where applied to Jesus, son or child, which Rev. in every case has changed to servant. The word is continually used, like the Latin puer, in the sense of servant, and in the Septuagint as the servant of God. See 2 Samuel 7:5, 2 Samuel 7:8, 2 Samuel 7:19, 2 Samuel 7:20, 2 Samuel 7:21, 2 Samuel 7:25, 2 Samuel 7:26. Compare Luke 1:69. The term servant of Jehovah, or servant of the Lord, is applied in the Old Testament (1) to a worshipper of God, Nehemiah 1:10; Daniel 6:21; so to Abraham, Psalm 105:6, Psalm 105:42; to Joshua, Joshua 24:29; to Job, Job 1:8. (2) To a minister or ambassador of God called to any service, Isaiah 49:6; of Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah 27:6; of the prophets, Amos 3:7; of Moses, Deuteronomy 34:5. (3) Peculiarly of the Messiah, Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 52:13; as God's chosen servant for accomplishing the work of redemption. "Unless we render servant in the passages where the phrase παῖς Θεοῦ occurs in the New Testament, there will be no allusion throughout it all to that group of prophecies which designate the Messiah as the servant of Jehovah, who learned obedience by the things which he suffered" (Trench, "On the Authorized Version of the New Testament").

When he

He is ἐκείνου, the pronoun of more definite and emphatic reference, the latter, Pilate, "in order to make the contrast felt between what Pilate judged and what they did." This is further emphasized in the next verse.