raised Him
The resurrection is central to Christian faith, affirming Jesus' victory over death and His divine nature. The Greek word for "raised" (ἐγείρω, egeirō) is used frequently in the New Testament to describe resurrection, indicating a physical rising from the dead. This act fulfills Old Testament prophecies such as Psalm 16:10, which speaks of God not allowing His Holy One to see decay. The resurrection is also a type of the future resurrection of believers, as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, where Christ is described as the "firstfruits" of those who have fallen asleep.

from the dead
This phrase confirms the physical reality of Jesus' resurrection, distinguishing it from spiritual or metaphorical interpretations. The resurrection from the dead is a cornerstone of apostolic preaching, as seen in Acts 2:24, where Peter declares that God raised Jesus, freeing Him from the agony of death. The historical context of first-century Judaism included various beliefs about the afterlife, but the resurrection of Jesus was a unique event that challenged both Jewish and Greco-Roman understandings of life after death. It also serves as a fulfillment of Jesus' own predictions about His death and resurrection, as recorded in passages like Matthew 16:21.

Paul has just rehearsed how Jerusalem’s leaders “found no ground for a death sentence, yet they asked Pilate to have Him executed” (Acts 13:28). The single word “but” signals a divine interruption—human injustice met by heaven’s intervention. Throughout Scripture we see this powerful pivot: “But God was with him” in Joseph’s prison (Acts 7:9), “But God will redeem my life from Sheol” in the Psalms (Psalm 49:15), and “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive” (Ephesians 2:4-5). Every “but” testifies that the story does not end with human failure; God steps in and changes the outcome.

The emphasis falls squarely on God as the Actor. No committee raised Jesus, no mere spiritual force resurrected Him; the personal, sovereign Creator acted. Peter had already declared, “God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses” (Acts 2:32), and Paul echoes the same certainty in Romans 8:11: “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus will also give life to your mortal bodies.” The resurrection is God’s public validation that Jesus is His Son and the promised Messiah (Romans 1:4).

This phrase affirms a literal, bodily resurrection. Jesus did not simply revive or spiritually ascend; He was physically “raised… on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4). Other witnesses confirm it: the empty tomb (Luke 24:1-7), Thomas touching the risen Lord’s wounds (John 20:27-28), and the risen Christ eating broiled fish (Luke 24:42-43). Because God raised Him, believers are united with the same resurrection life: “Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). The power that raised Jesus now energizes our sanctification and guarantees our future resurrection (1 Corinthians 6:14).

The phrase underscores the realm Jesus conquered. Death, the universal enemy introduced in Eden, met its match. “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). His victory transforms graves from final destinations into temporary resting places (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Moreover, His resurrection authenticates every promise He made, for “the last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26). Because He lives, believers share an unshakeable hope: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies” (John 11:25).

Acts 13:30 turns the darkest moment of human history into the brightest. Human authorities condemned Jesus, but God overturned their verdict. God Himself, acting in power, raised His Son bodily from the grave, demonstrating Christ’s divinity, securing our forgiveness, and guaranteeing our own resurrection. The verse is a concise declaration that the gospel hinges not on human effort but on God’s decisive, life-giving power.

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