Acts 13:26-41
There’s a lot of information in these sixteen verses; I can’t touch on them all, but I’ll hit a few.
Here’s the one that hit me the most: …and for many days He appeared to those who had come up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem… (v. 31). Paul is saying here that Jesus appeared alive after His resurrection ?only? to those who had come up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. That alone is strange, that Jesus would appear only to His disciples. But what is doubly strange is that Peter said the same thing a few chapters back: …but God raised Him on the third day and made Him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. (Acts 10:40-41). Peter even emphasizes, “…not to all the people…” (op. cit.) I posted earlier, wondering why Jesus did not appear to Pilate or the Jewish leaders. Again, I wonder – but I do not question!!!
Another item in that verse 31 quote above: …those who had come up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem… All of Jesus’ disciples came with Him to Jerusalem from outside Jerusalem. All twelve, in fact, were Galileans except Judas who very possibly was from either the Transjordan or the south of Judea – but still, not from Jerusalem. I wonder if this item had any bearing on the Jewish leaders’ unwillingness to accept Jesus as the Messiah – not only did He not come from Jerusalem, but also His entire group of followers was from outside Jerusalem. Paul certainly contrasts Jesus’ disciples with …those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers… (v. 27). Interesting…
For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize Him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning Him. (v. 27) Just a bit of clarity on this strange sentence construction: the “them” (five words from the end) refers to “…the utterances of the prophets…, earlier in mid-sentence. So leave out “which are read every Sabbath” and the sentence reads more clearly.
Finally, one last time Paul connects Jesus with His Old Testament forebears: what God promised to the fathers, this He has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus (vv. 32-33). Jesus IS the long-ago promise of the Father through the prophets!!
What a glorious passage!!!
Slava Bohu!