Acts 13:31-35

 

Acts 13:31 (KJB)

And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

 

(Acts 10:40-41 KJV) Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly; {41} Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. After the resurrection of Jesus, He stayed on earth for forty days and appeared to many witnesses and it is interesting, He did not just appear to anyone or walk down Main Street in Jerusalem, instead He appeared to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God to be witnesses. The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, which was written in 54 A.D. had written the following Scripture concerning some of those witnesses. (1 Cor 15:6 KJV) After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. Jesus had appeared to about 500 chosen witnesses at one time and 21 years later, many of them were still alive who saw Him after His resurrection. Many of the witnesses who came with Jesus from Galilee were part of those witnesses.

 

Acts 13:32 (KJB)

And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

 

Paul now states that he is here to announce glad tidings and he is referring to the promise which was made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was the promise of the seed of Abraham who was the Lord Jesus Christ. (Gal 3:29 KJV) And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. He came through the lineage of Abraham and David was also in the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ. The promise even predates Abraham as it was foretold in Genesis 3:15. (Gen 3:15 KJV) And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Abraham was the chosen vessel whereby the seed would come through his lineage.

 

Acts 13:33 (KJB)

God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

 

God had fulfilled the same promise to their present generation because they were the ones who lived to see the seed of Abraham and the fulfillment of the promise physically walk on earth. It was their generation that saw Jesus die and be raised from the dead. Paul then reaches into Psalm 2 and brings up the following verse. (Psa 2:7 KJV) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. This does not mean that Christ became the Son of God upon the resurrection, because He is the eternal Son of God, but it carries with it the meaning that because He conquered death, it confirmed His deity and who He stated that He was. God is giving testimony that Jesus is exactly who He stated He was, even though the world hates and rejects Him, His true testimony comes from the Father. (Rom 1:4 KJV) And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

 

Acts 13:34 (KJB)

And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

 

Since Jesus was raised from the dead by the Father, there will never be another time when Jesus will ever return to this world and be subject to death or corruption in the grave. (Heb 9:28 KJV) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns again, it will have nothing to do with salvation because that issue was determined by His first coming. The second time will be in judgment of the nations and the bringing home of His redeemed. (Isa 55:3 KJV) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. The sure mercies of David are those which spring from the mercy of God. It is the eternal covenant which God made to Abraham and then through David. (Ezek 34:23 KJV) And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. The Lord Jesus Christ is the anti-type of David and is called “David” in Ezekiel 34:23. The name “David” means beloved. Jesus is the one shepherd who has been set up and feeds us spiritually. (John 10:11 KJV) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

 

Acts 13:35 (KJB)

Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

 

The body of the Lord Jesus Christ did not see corruption because His sacrifice was accepted by God the Father and was raised the third day. (Psa 16:10 KJV) For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. David was given the privilege to write this Psalm which teaches that the Holy One of God, whom we know is the Lord Jesus Christ, would not see any type of corruption to His body. Paul includes this in his message because he wants his hearers to understand that Jesus was in the tomb a very short while and was then resurrected.

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