Why is the phrase "You will not let" significant in Acts 13:35? Setting the Scene in Acts 13:35 “So also He says in another Psalm: ‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’” (Acts 13:35) Paul is preaching in Pisidian Antioch. He reaches back to Psalm 16:10 to prove that God had already promised Christ’s resurrection long before Jesus’ earthly life. The Phrase’s Old Testament Source “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.” David wrote the words, but as Peter notes in Acts 2:29–31 and Paul here in Acts 13:35–37, David’s body did decay. The line looked past David to the Messiah. Why “You will not let” Matters • It is a divine pledge. “Will not let” translates a Hebrew form that expresses determined refusal. God personally guarantees that corruption will never touch the “Holy One.” • It underscores God’s active protection. Death and decay are normal; God intervenes supernaturally to prevent them for His Anointed. • It affirms the literal, bodily resurrection. Corruption begins quickly after burial; preventing it demands resurrection, not mere spiritual survival (cf. Romans 6:9). • It highlights Jesus’ holiness. Only the perfectly “Holy One” qualifies for such protection (Luke 1:35; Hebrews 7:26). • It displays covenant faithfulness. God’s promise to the Son cannot be broken (Isaiah 55:3; 2 Corinthians 1:20). • It rebuts every human attempt to keep Christ in the grave. God “will not let” anyone or anything override His redemptive plan (Acts 2:24). How the Apostles Used the Phrase • Peter—Acts 2:27: ties Psalm 16:10 to the empty tomb and eyewitness testimony. • Paul—Acts 13:35–37: contrasts David’s decay with Jesus’ incorruption, showing the verse’s ultimate fulfillment in Christ alone. The shared apostolic argument: because God promised “You will not let,” Jesus rose, proving He is the promised Savior. Implications for Us Today • Assurance of salvation. The same power that kept Jesus from decay guarantees our future resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20–23). • Confidence in Scripture. Prophecy spoken ~1000 years earlier came true in detail; the Word is trustworthy. • Motivation for holy living. We serve a living Lord who conquered decay; our bodies matter, and our hope is tangible (Romans 12:1). • Encouragement in trial. God’s “will not let” still stands: He guards His people, limits the reach of death, and secures eternal life (John 11:25–26; 1 Peter 1:3–5). |
    |