What is the meaning of Acts 13:35? So also • Luke records Paul’s sermon to the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, showing how God’s prior words line up perfectly with the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 13:30-33). • “So also” links what Paul just said about God raising Jesus from the dead with a fresh proof from Scripture, underscoring that every detail of the gospel rests on God’s established word (Isaiah 55:11; 2 Timothy 3:16). He says • Paul treats the quoted words as the very speech of God, not merely David’s opinion. The Lord Himself “says,” making the promise unbreakable (Numbers 23:19). • This divine authority is why Paul can preach with certainty that Jesus is alive and offers forgiveness today (Acts 13:38-39). in another Psalm • The specific passage is Psalm 16:10, a psalm of David. Paul calls it “another” because he has already cited Psalm 2:7 (Acts 13:33) and Isaiah 55:3 (treated like a psalm in Jewish liturgy) in the same message. • By switching psalms, Paul weaves a tapestry of Old Testament testimony, showing multiple witnesses to the same truth (Deuteronomy 19:15; Luke 24:27). You will not let • The phrase highlights God’s active protection. The Father takes personal responsibility to keep His promise regarding the Messiah’s body (Psalm 121:4). • This negative—“will not let”—implies a positive: God will intervene to reverse death’s normal outcome (Romans 6:9). Your Holy One • “Holy One” is a Messianic title pointing to Jesus’ sinless character (Mark 1:24; Hebrews 7:26). • David could not ultimately fit this description, because later verses note that David “fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw decay” (Acts 13:36). • Applying the title to Jesus affirms both His deity (Isaiah 57:15) and His perfect obedience leading to the cross (Philippians 2:8-9). see decay • “Decay” refers to the natural corruption of a corpse. By promising that Jesus would never experience this, Scripture foretold His bodily resurrection on the third day (Matthew 28:5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:4). • Peter made the same point earlier at Pentecost (Acts 2:27, 31), stressing that our hope is anchored in a risen Savior whose body never decomposed. • Because Jesus conquered death, believers receive the guarantee of future resurrection and incorruptible life (1 Peter 1:3-4; John 11:25-26). summary Acts 13:35 shows Paul grounding the resurrection of Jesus in Psalm 16:10. By stressing God’s personal pledge (“You will not let”) toward His sinless Messiah (“Your Holy One”), the verse affirms that Jesus’ body never decayed but rose in power. This fulfillment confirms every promise of salvation, assuring us that the same God who kept His word to His Son will also keep His word to all who trust in Him. |
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