How does Acts 3:14 connect to Isaiah 53's prophecy about the Messiah? Setting the Scene in Acts 3 • Peter has just healed the lame man (Acts 3:1-10) and is addressing a crowd in Solomon’s Colonnade. • His charge: “You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.” (Acts 3:14) • Peter frames Jesus with two titles—“Holy” and “Righteous”—then reminds his listeners of their decision to free Barabbas (cf. Mark 15:11-15; John 18:40). The Messianic Title: Holy and Righteous One • “Holy” (Greek: hosios) conveys absolute moral purity (cf. Luke 1:35). • “Righteous” (dikaios) matches Isaiah’s phrase “My righteous Servant” (Isaiah 53:11). • By using both titles, Peter signals that Jesus fulfills Isaiah 53’s description of a uniquely sinless, God-approved Servant. The Rejection Foretold in Isaiah 53 • Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected by men.” – Acts 3:14 records the historical moment when that prophecy materialized. • Isaiah 53:7-8: “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter… For the transgression of My people He was stricken.” – The release of Barabbas (the guilty) while Jesus (the innocent) is condemned dramatizes this substitution. The Innocent for the Guilty—Barabbas and Us • Barabbas stands as a living illustration of Isaiah 53: “He bore the sin of many” (v. 12). • The crowd’s choice pictures the larger gospel truth: – Guilty humanity goes free. – The sinless Servant shoulders the penalty (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18). Bringing the Strands Together • Title alignment: “Holy and Righteous One” (Acts 3:14) = “righteous Servant” (Isaiah 53:11). • Prophetic fulfillment: the rejection, suffering, and substitution described in Isaiah 53 occur in the events Peter recounts. • Peter’s sermon turns prophecy into proof, insisting that the crucified and risen Jesus is the long-anticipated Messiah (Acts 3:15-18). Walking Away with Assurance • Scripture interprets Scripture: Isaiah 53 provides the prophetic framework; Acts 3 supplies the historical fulfillment. • The accuracy of both passages underscores the reliability of God’s Word and confirms Jesus as the promised, sin-bearing Messiah. |
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