By Rony Kozman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, Samford University
A MISSION WITH A MESSAGE
Acts 3:12–20, 24–26
Christ died, but God raised Him from the dead. (12–15)
Peter preached to his fellow Israelites as Israel’s prophets did. After Peter heals the “man who was lame from birth” (v. 2), Peter explains that the man was not healed by either Peter or John’s “power or godliness.”
Peter then proclaims the gospel to the people. As he addresses his fellow Israelites, he sounds much like Israel’s prophets who rebuke their fellow people and call them to repentance.
It is important that we in the Church who are Gentiles hear Peter’s strong rebuke as one that comes from one Israelite to his fellow Israelites (v. 12). We are overhearing a rebuke given from one family member to another, and we need to be careful with how we Gentiles proclaim Peter’s rebuke.
Unfortunately, in the sad history of the Church, statements like this have been taken up in ways that characterize the Jewish people as more wicked than the Gentiles, and such stereotypes have been horribly used as an excuse for violence against them. It lands and functions quite differently when Peter the Israelite prophet condemns his own people for their role in the death of Jesus and calls upon them to repent.
Although the people killed Jesus, Peter proclaims that God raised Him from the dead. The Resurrection was witnessed by Peter, John and the other apostles.
Further, the healing of the lame man, which is the restoration of this man’s life, is further testimony that “the Source of life” has in fact been raised from the dead.
God raising Jesus validates Jesus as the Messiah whom God had sent, and Jesus’ suffering was foretold in the prophets. In fact, even the people’s role in the death of Jesus and their ignorance of Jesus’ messianic identity fulfilled what God said through the prophets, that the Messiah would suffer.
Repentance and faith in Christ restore us to God. (16–20)
Like Israel’s prophets who chastise their people for their injustice and call them to repent from their sinful ways, Peter does the same. But the sin and injustice he calls them to turn away from is the death and rejection of Jesus.
Peter here sounds like Jesus when He pronounced woes upon the Pharisees and the teachers of the law: “Woe to you! You build tombs for the prophets and your fathers killed them. Therefore, you are witnesses that you approve the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their monuments.
“Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ so that this generation may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world” (Luke 11:47–50).
When Peter preaches, he does not neglect to call his own people to turn from their injustice with prophetic directness.
We are blessed through our relationship with God through Christ. (24–26)
Even the Resurrection is not the end. Peter calls them to turn from their sins.
They can still turn and trust in Him so that they can receive forgiveness of their sins and so that God will send Jesus to come again and restore all things (vv. 19–21). And those who do not repent will be cut off from their people (vv. 22–23).
EDITOR’S NOTE — The Sunday School lesson outlines are provided by Lifeway.
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