What is the meaning of Acts 3:14? You rejected Peter is speaking to the crowd in Jerusalem, reminding them that only weeks earlier they had turned away from their promised Messiah. • John 1:11 says, “He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him,” underscoring the personal nature of this rejection. • Isaiah 53:3 foretold that the Servant would be “despised and rejected,” and Peter identifies that prophecy as fulfilled in their choice. • This rejection was not passive; it was a deliberate decision voiced in unison before Pilate (Luke 23:18). the Holy and Righteous One Peter highlights Jesus’ sinless character, the very reason His sacrifice can atone for sin. • Mark 1:24 shows even demons recognizing Him: “I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” • 2 Corinthians 5:21 affirms, “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf,” proving Jesus’ righteousness. • By calling Him “Holy and Righteous,” Peter sets Jesus apart from every other human, echoing Psalm 16:10 where David’s greater Son would not see decay. and asked that a murderer be released to you The crowd’s demand for Barabbas (Matthew 27:21) exposed how far their values had inverted. • Isaiah 5:20 warns, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil,” exactly what occurred when a killer was preferred over the Author of Life. • Barabbas’s release (John 18:40) paints a vivid picture of substitution: the guilty freed while the innocent is condemned—foreshadowing the gospel itself (Romans 5:8). • This exchange also revealed the depth of human depravity and the extent of God’s grace, as Jesus willingly accepted the sentence meant for sinners (1 Peter 3:18). summary Acts 3:14 confronts us with the stark decision Israel made: rejecting their sinless Messiah and choosing a murderer instead. Peter’s words expose human rebellion, exalt Christ’s absolute holiness, and spotlight the shocking exchange at Calvary that still offers redemption today. |
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