What is the meaning of Acts 10:40?

God raised Him up

Acts 10:40 begins with a clear declaration: “God raised Him up.”

• This is the Father’s direct, historical action, reversing the verdict of human courts and vindicating His Son (Acts 2:24; Romans 6:4).

• The resurrection is physical, not symbolic; the same Jesus who died now stands alive (Luke 24:39; John 20:27).

• Because God did the raising, every promise tied to Jesus’ life and ministry stands unshakably true (2 Corinthians 4:14; Ephesians 1:19–20).

• For believers, this means hope in our own future resurrection is anchored in God’s proven power (1 Corinthians 15:20–22).

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on the third day

The phrase supplies the specific timing God chose.

• Jesus Himself foretold it repeatedly: “The Son of Man will be raised on the third day” (Luke 18:33; see also Matthew 16:21).

• It fulfills Scripture: “that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4), echoing prophetic patterns like Jonah 1:17 and Hosea 6:2.

• The timetable confirms divine intentionality—God is never late; He acts exactly when He said He would.

• The early church proclaimed this detail as a core gospel fact (Acts 13:30–31), grounding faith in verifiable history rather than vague legend.

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and caused Him to be seen

Resurrection was not private; God made sure witnesses encountered the risen Christ.

• Jesus “presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs” over forty days (Acts 1:3).

• Eyewitnesses included:

– Mary Magdalene and other women (Matthew 28:9)

– Peter (Luke 24:34)

– The Twelve (John 20:19–23)

– More than 500 brethren at once (1 Corinthians 15:6)

– James and, later, Paul (1 Corinthians 15:7–8)

• These appearances move the resurrection from creed to courtroom—observable, testable, and therefore trustworthy (Acts 2:32; 4:20).

• Because He was “seen,” our faith rests on solid testimony, and our mission is to share what the first witnesses saw (Acts 10:41–42).

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summary

Acts 10:40 packs the heart of the gospel into three connected truths: God Himself decisively raised Jesus, He did it precisely on the third day as promised, and He supplied abundant eyewitness evidence. Each element is essential—divine power, prophetic fulfillment, and historical verification—so that every believer can rest assured that the resurrection is factual, foundational, and forever life-changing.