How does Acts 2:23 connect with Old Testament prophecies about Jesus? Text for the Study “He was delivered over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.” (Acts 2:23) God’s Plan Foretold Long Before • Peter roots Jesus’ crucifixion in “God’s set plan and foreknowledge,” echoing that every detail was pre-written in the Scriptures. • The Old Testament repeatedly announces that the Messiah would suffer, be delivered up, and die—never as an accident, but as the very heart of God’s redemptive design. Key Prophecies Reflected in Acts 2:23 • Isaiah 53:10—“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him and cause Him to suffer.” – God’s predetermined will matches Peter’s phrase “set plan and foreknowledge.” • Psalm 22:16—“They have pierced my hands and feet.” – “Nailing Him to the cross” mirrors David’s prophetic description of crucifixion centuries before it was practiced by Rome. • Daniel 9:26—“After the sixty-two weeks the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing.” – The Messiah’s “cutting off” foretells His death as part of a divine timetable. • Zechariah 12:10—“They will look on Me, the One they have pierced.” – Peter identifies the very generation who fulfilled this prophecy “by the hands of the lawless.” • Genesis 3:15—“He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” – The earliest promise of a wounded but victorious Redeemer aligns with Christ’s death under human hostility. Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility • Acts 2:23 holds both truths side by side: – God sovereignly “delivered” Jesus. – Humans “put Him to death.” • The prophets also keep this tension: – Isaiah 53:4-5 places the Lord’s will and our transgressions together. – Psalm 22 alternates between divine purpose and human cruelty. The Purpose Behind the Prophecies • Jesus’ death satisfied the righteous demands foretold in the sacrificial system (Isaiah 53:5-6; Leviticus). • By fulfilling these Scriptures, Christ confirmed the reliability of every prophetic word (Luke 24:25-27). • Peter’s audience “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37) realized that ignoring prophecy had led them to oppose God’s own plan—yet that same plan now offered them forgiveness. Takeaway Acts 2:23 is not an isolated statement; it is the New Testament lens through which centuries of prophecy come into sharp focus. From Genesis to Zechariah, God announced, timed, and explained the Messiah’s suffering. Peter simply connects the dots, showing that Jesus’ crucifixion is exactly what the Scriptures said would happen—and exactly what we needed for salvation. |
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