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Selected Verse: Acts 2:23 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ac 2:23 |
Strong Concordance |
Him [5126], being delivered [1560] by the determinate [3724] counsel [1012] and [2532] foreknowledge [4268] of God [2316], ye have taken [2983], and by [1223] wicked [459] hands [5495] have crucified [4362] and slain [337]: |
| |
King James |
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
determinate counsel and foreknowledge--God's fixed plan and perfect foresight of all the steps involved in it.
ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain--How strikingly is the criminality of Christ's murderers here presented in harmony with the eternal purpose to surrender Him into their hands! |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Him, being delivered - ἔκδοτον ekdoton. This word, delivered, is used commonly of those who are surrendered or delivered into the hands of enemies or adversaries. It means that Jesus was surrendered, or given up to his enemies by those who should have been his protectors. Thus, he was delivered to the chief priests, Mar 10:33. Pilate released Barabbas, and delivered Jesus to their will, Mar 15:15; Luk 23:25. He was delivered unto the Gentiles, Luk 18:32; the chief priests delivered him to Pilate, Mat 27:2; and Pilate delivered him to be crucified, Mat 27:26; Joh 19:16. In this manner was the death of Jesus accomplished, by being surrendered from one tribunal to another, and one demand of his countrymen to another, until they succeeded in procuring his death. It may also be implied here that he was given or surrendered by God Himself to the hands of people. Thus, he is represented to have been given by God, Joh 3:16; Jo1 4:9-10. The Syriac translates this, "Him, who was destined to this by the foreknowledge and will of God, you delivered into the hands of wicked men," etc. The Arabic, "Him, delivered to you by the hands of the wicked, you received, and after you had mocked him you slew him."
By the determinate counsel - The word translated "determinate" - τῇ ὡρίσμένῃ tē hōrismenē - mean, properly, "what is defined, marked out, or bounded; as, to mark out or define the boundary of a field," etc. See Rom 1:1, Rom 1:4. In Act 10:42, it is translated "ordained of God"; denoting His purpose that it should be so, that is, that Jesus should be the Judge of quick and dead; Luk 22:22, "The Son of man goeth as it is determined of him," that is, as God has purposed or determined beforehand that he should go; Act 11:29, "The disciples ...determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea," that is, they resolved or purposed beforehand to do it; Act 17:26, "God ...'hath determined' the times before appointed and fixed," etc. In all these places there is the idea of a purpose, intention, or plan implying intention, and marking out or fixing the boundaries to some future action or evens. The word implies that the death of Jesus was resolved by God before it took place. And this truth is established by all the predictions made in the Old Testament, and by the Saviour himself. God was not compelled to give up his Son. There was no claim on him for it. He had a right, therefore, to determine when and how it should be done. The fact, moreover, that this was predicted, shows that it was fixed or resolved on. No event can be foretold, evidently, unless it be certain that it will take place. The event, therefore, must in some way be fixed or resolved on beforehand,
Counsel - βουλή boulē. This word properly denotes "purpose, decree, will." It expresses the act of the mind in willing, or the purpose or design which is formed. Here it means the purpose or will of God; it was his plan or decree that Jesus should be delivered: Act 4:28, "For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel ἡ βουλή σου hē boulē sou determined before to be done"; Eph 1:11, "Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will"; Heb 6:17, "God willing ...to show ...the immutability of his counsel." See Act 20:27; Co1 4:5; Luk 23:51. The word here, therefore, proves that Jesus was delivered by the deliberate purpose of God; that it was according to his previous intention and design. The reason why this was insisted on by Peter was that he might convince the Jews that Jesus was not delivered by weakness, or because he was unable to rescue himself. Such an opinion would have been inconsistent with the belief that he was the Messiah. It was important, then, to assert the dignity of Jesus, and to show that his death was in accordance with the fixed design of God, and therefore that it did not interfere in the least with his claims to be the Messiah. The same thing our Saviour has himself expressly affirmed, Joh 19:10-11; Joh 10:18; Mat 26:53.
Foreknowledge - This word denotes "the seeing beforehand of an event yet to take place." It implies:
1. Omniscience; and,
2. That the event is fixed and certain.
To foresee a contingent event, that is, to foresee that an event will take place when it may or may not take place, is an absurdity. Foreknowledge, therefore, implies that for some reason the event will certainly take place. What that reason As, however, God is represented in the Scriptures as purposing or determining future events; as they could not be foreseen by him unless he had so determined, so the word sometimes is used in the sense of determining beforehand, or as synonymous with decreeing, Rom 8:29; Rom 11:2. In this place the word is used to denote that the delivering up of Jesus was something more than a bare or naked decree. It implies that God did it according to his foresight of what would be the best time, place, and manner of its being done. It was not the result merely of will; it was will directed by a wise foreknowledge of what would be best. And this is the case with all the decrees of God. It follows from this that the conduct of the Jews was foreknown. God was not disappointed in anything respecting their treatment of his Son, nor will he be disappointed in any of the actions of people. Notwithstanding the wickedness of the world, his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure, Isa 46:10.
Ye have taken - See Mat 26:57. Ye Jews have taken. It is possible that some were present on this occasion who had been personally concerned in taking Jesus, and many who had joined in the cry, "Crucify him, Luk 23:18-21. It was, at any rate, the act of the Jewish people by which this had been done. This was a striking instance of the fidelity of that preaching which says, as Nathan did to David, "Thou art the man!" Peter, once so timid that he denied his Lord, now charged this atrocious crime to his countrymen, regardless of their anger and his own danger. He did not deal in general accusations, but brought the charges home, and declared that they were the people who had been concerned in this amazing crime. No preaching can be successful that does not charge to people their personal guilt, and that does not fearlessly proclaim their ruin and danger.
By wicked hands - Greek: "through or by the hands of the lawless or wicked." This refers, doubtless, to Pilate and the Roman soldiers, through whose instrumentality this had been done. The reasons for supposing that this is the true interpretation of the passage are these:
(1) The Jews had not the power of inflicting death themselves.
(2) the term used here, "wicked," ἀνόμων anomōn, is not applicable to the Jews, but to the Romans. It properly means lawless, or those who had not the Law, and is often applied to the pagan, Rom 2:12, Rom 2:14; Co1 9:21.
(3) the punishment which was inflicted was a Roman punishment.
(4) it was a matter of fact that the Jews, though they had condemned him, yet had not put him to death themselves, but had demanded it of the Romans. But, though they had employed the Romans to do it, still they were the prime movers in the deed; they had plotted, and compassed, and demanded his death, and they were, therefore, not the less guilty. The maxim of the common law and of common sense is, "He who does a deed by the instrumentality of another is responsible for it." It was from no merit of the Jews that they had not put him to death themselves. It was simply because the power was taken away from them.
Have crucified - Greek: "Having affixed him to the cross, ye have put him to death." Peter here charges the crime fully on them. Their guilt was not diminished because they had employed others to do it. From this we may remark:
1. That this was one of the most amazing and awful crimes that could be charged to any people. It was malice, and treason, and hatred, and murder combined. Nor was it any common murder. It was their own Messiah whom they had put to death; the hope of their fathers; he who had been long promised by God, and the prospect of whose coming had so long cheered and animated the nation. They had now imbrued their hands in his blood, and stood charged with the awful crime of having murdered the Prince of Peace.
2. It is no mitigation of guilt that we do it by the instrumentality of others. It is often, if not always, a deepening and extending of the crime.
3. We have here a striking and clear instance of the doctrine that the decrees of God do not interfere with the free agency of people. This event was certainly determined beforehand. Nothing is clearer than this. It is here expressly asserted; and it had been foretold with undeviating certainty by the prophets. God had, for wise and gracious purposes, purposed or decreed in his own mind that his Son should die at the time and in the manner in which he did; for all the circumstances of his death, as well as of his birth and his life, were foretold; and yet in this the Jews and the Romans never supposed or alleged that they were compelled or cramped in what they did. They did what they chose. If in this case the decrees of God were not inconsistent with human freedom, neither can they be in any case. Between those decrees and the freedom of man there is no inconsistency, unless it could be shown - what never can be that God compels people to act contrary to their own will. In such a case there could be no freedom. But that is not the case with regard to the decrees of God. An act is what it is in itself; it can be contemplated and measured by itself. That it was foreseen, foreknown, or purposed does not alter its nature, anymore than it does that it be remembered after it is performed. The memory of what we have done does not destroy our freedom. "Our own purposes" in relation to our conduct do not destroy our freedom; nor can the purposes or designs of any other being violate one free moral action, unless he compels us to do a thing against our will.
4. We have here a proof that the decrees of God do not take away the moral character of an action. It does not prove that an action is innocent if it is shown that it is a part of the wise plan of God to permit it, Never was there a more atrocious crime than the crucifixion of the Son of God; and yet it was determined on in the divine counsels. So with all the deeds of human guilt. The purpose of God to permit them does not destroy their nature or make them innocent. They are what they are in themselves. The purpose of God does not change their character; and if it is right to push them in fact, they will be punished. If it is right for God to punish them, it was right to resolve to do it. The sinner must answer for his sins, not for the plans of his Maker; nor can he take shelter in the day of wrath against what he deserves in the plea that God has determined future events. If any people could have done it, it would have been those whom Peter addressed; yet neither he nor they felt that their guilt was in the least diminished by the fact that Jesus was "delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God."
5. If this event was predetermined; if that act of amazing wickedness, when the Son of God was put to death, was fixed by the determinate counsel of God, then all the events leading to it, and the circumstances attending it, were also a part of the decree. The one could not be determined without the other.
6. If that event was determined, then others may also be consistently with human freedom and responsibility. There can be no deed of wickedness that will surpass that of crucifying the Son of God, and if the acts of his murderers were a part of the wise counsel of God, then on the same principle are we to suppose that all events are under his direction, and ordered by a purpose infinitely wise and good.
7. If the Jews could not take shelter from the charge of wickedness under the plea that it was foreordained, then no stoners can do it. This was as clear a case as can ever occur; and yet the apostle did not intimate that an excuse or mitigation for their sin could be pled from this cause. This case, therefore, meets all the excuses of sinners from this plea, and proves that those excuses will not avail them or save them in the day of judgment. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Being delivered (ἔκδοτον)
An adjective: given forth, betrayed.
Ye have taken
The best texts omit.
Wicked hands
The best texts read by the hand of lawless
Crucified (προσπήξαντες)
Only here in New Testament. The verb simply means to affix to or on anything. The idea of the cross is left to be supplied.
Have slain (ἀνείλετε)
See on Luk 23:32. Rev., rendering the aorist more closely, did slay. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God - The apostle here anticipates an objection, Why did God suffer such a person to be so treated? Did he not know what wicked men intended to do? And had he not power to prevent it? Yea. He knew all that those wicked men intended to do. And he had power to blast all their designs in a moment. But he did not exert that power, because he so loved the world! Because it was the determined counsel of his love, to redeem mankind from eternal death, by the death of his only - begotten Son. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel - Bp. Pearce paraphrases the words thus: Him having been given forth; i.e. sent into the world, and manifested by being made flesh, and dwelling among you, as it is said in Joh 1:14; see also Act 4:28.
Kypke contends that εκδοτον, delivered, does not refer to God, but to Judas the traitor "the Jews received Jesus, delivered up to them by Judas; the immutable counsel of God so permitting."
By the determinate counsel, ὡρισμενῃ βουλῃ; that counsel of God which defined the time, place, and circumstance, according (προγνωσει) to his foreknowledge, which always saw what was the most proper time and place for the manifestation and crucifixion of his Son; so that there was nothing casual in these things, God having determined that the salvation of a lost world should be brought about in this way; and neither the Jews nor Romans had any power here, but what was given to them from above. It was necessary to show the Jews that it was not through Christ's weakness or inability to defend himself that he was taken; nor was it through their malice merely that he was slain; for God had determined long before, from the foundation of the world, Rev 13:8, to give his Son a sacrifice for sin; and the treachery of Judas, and the malice of the Jews were only the incidental means by which the great counsel of God was fulfilled: the counsel of God intending the sacrifice, but never ordering that it should be brought about by such wretched means. This was permitted; the other was decreed. See the observations at the end of this chapter.
By wicked hands have crucified and slain - I think this refers to the Romans, and not to the Jews; the former being the agents, to execute the evil purposes of the latter. It is well known that the Jews acknowledged that they had no power to put our Lord to death, Joh 18:31, and it is as well known that the punishment of the cross was not a Jewish, but a Roman, punishment: hence we may infer that by δια χειρων ανομων, by the hands of the wicked, the Romans are meant, being called ανομοι, without law, because they had no revelation from God; whereas the others had what was emphatically termed ὁ νομος του Θεου, the law of God, by which they professed to regulate their worship and their conduct. It was the Jews, therefore, who caused our Lord to be crucified by the hands of the heathen Romans. |
21 To them that are without law [459], as [5613] without law [459], (being [5607] not [3361] without law [459] to God [2316], but [235] under the law [1772] to Christ [5547],) that [2443] I might gain [2770] them that are without law [459].
14 For [1063] when [3752] the Gentiles [1484], which [3588] have [2192] not [3361] the law [3551], do [4160] by nature [5449] the things [3588] contained in the law [3551], these [3778], having [2192] not [3361] the law [3551], are [1526] a law [3551] unto themselves [1438]:
12 For [1063] as many as [3745] have sinned [264] without law [460] shall [622] also [2532] perish [622] without law [460]: and [2532] as many as [3745] have sinned [264] in [1722] the law [3551] shall be judged [2919] by [1223] the law [3551];
18 And [1161] they cried out [349] all at once [3826], saying [3004], Away with [142] this [5126] man, and [1161] release [630] unto us [2254] Barabbas [912]:
19 (Who [3748] for [2258] [1223] a certain [5100] sedition [4714] made [1096] in [1722] the city [4172], and [2532] for murder [5408], was cast [906] into [1519] prison [5438].)
20 Pilate [4091] therefore [3767], willing [2309] to release [630] Jesus [2424], spake [4377] again [3825] to them [4377].
21 But [1161] they cried [2019], saying [3004], Crucify [4717] him, crucify [4717] him [846].
57 And [1161] they that had laid hold [2902] on Jesus [2424] led him away [520] to [4314] Caiaphas [2533] the high priest [749], where [3699] the scribes [1122] and [2532] the elders [4245] were assembled [4863].
10 Declaring [05046] the end [0319] from the beginning [07225], and from ancient times [06924] the things that are not yet done [06213], saying [0559], My counsel [06098] shall stand [06965], and I will do [06213] all my pleasure [02656]:
2 God [2316] hath [683] not [3756] cast away [683] his [846] people [2992] which [3739] he foreknew [4267]. [2228] Wot ye [1492] not [3756] what [5101] the scripture [1124] saith [3004] of [1722] Elias [2243]? how [5613] he maketh intercession [1793] to God [2316] against [2596] Israel [2474], saying [3004],
29 For [3754] whom [3739] he did foreknow [4267], he [4309] also [2532] did predestinate [4309] to be conformed [4832] to the image [1504] of his [846] Son [5207], that [1519] he [846] might be [1511] the firstborn [4416] among [1722] many [4183] brethren [80].
53 [2228] Thinkest thou [1380] that [3754] I cannot [3756] [1410] now [737] pray [3870] to my [3450] Father [3962], and [2532] he shall presently give [3936] me [3427] more [4119] than [2228] twelve [1427] legions [3003] of angels [32]?
18 No man [3762] taketh [142] it [846] from [575] me [1700], but [235] I [1473] lay [5087] it [846] down [5087] of [575] myself [1683]. I have [2192] power [1849] to lay [5087] it [846] down [5087], and [2532] I have [2192] power [1849] to take [2983] it [846] again [3825]. This [5026] commandment [1785] have I received [2983] of [3844] my [3450] Father [3962].
10 Then [3767] saith [3004] Pilate [4091] unto him [846], Speakest thou [2980] not [3756] unto me [1698]? knowest thou [1492] not [3756] that [3754] I have [2192] power [1849] to crucify [4717] thee [4571], and [2532] have [2192] power [1849] to release [630] thee [4571]?
11 Jesus [2424] answered [611], Thou couldest have [2192] no [3756] power [1849] at all against [3762] [2596] me [1700], except [1508] it were [2258] given [1325] thee [4671] from above [509]: therefore [5124] [1223] he that delivered [3860] me [3165] unto thee [4671] hath [2192] the greater [3187] sin [266].
51 (The same [3778] had [4784] not [3756] consented [4784] [2258] to the counsel [1012] and [2532] deed [4234] of them [846];) he was of [575] Arimathaea [707], a city [4172] of the Jews [2453]: [2532] who [3739] also [2532] himself [846] waited for [4327] the kingdom [932] of God [2316].
5 Therefore [5620] judge [2919] nothing [3361] [5100] before [4253] the time [2540], until [2193] [302] the Lord [2962] come [2064], who [3739] both [2532] will bring to light [5461] the hidden things [2927] of darkness [4655], and [2532] will make manifest [5319] the counsels [1012] of the hearts [2588]: and [2532] then [5119] shall every man [1538] have [1096] praise [1868] of [575] God [2316].
27 For [1063] I have [5288] not [3756] [3361] shunned [5288] to declare [312] unto you [5213] all [3956] the counsel [1012] of God [2316].
17 Wherein [1722] [3739] God [2316], willing [1014] more abundantly [4054] to shew [1925] unto the heirs [2818] of promise [1860] the immutability [276] of his [846] counsel [1012], confirmed [3315] it by an oath [3727]:
11 In [1722] whom [3739] also [2532] we have obtained an inheritance [2820], being predestinated [4309] according to [2596] the purpose [4286] of him who worketh [1754] all things [3956] after [2596] the counsel [1012] of his own [846] will [2307]:
28 For to do [4160] whatsoever [3745] thy [4675] hand [5495] and [2532] thy [4675] counsel [1012] determined before [4309] to be done [1096].
26 And [5037] hath made [4160] of [1537] one [1520] blood [129] all [3956] nations [1484] of men [444] for to dwell [2730] on [1909] all [3956] the face [4383] of the earth [1093], and hath determined [3724] the times [2540] before appointed [4384], and [2532] the bounds [3734] of their [846] habitation [2733];
29 Then [1161] the disciples [3101], every [1538] man [846] according to [2531] his ability [2141] [5100], determined [3724] to send [3992] relief [1248] unto [1519] the brethren [80] which dwelt [2730] in [1722] Judaea [2449]:
22 And [2532] truly [3303] the Son [5207] of man [444] goeth [4198], as [2596] it was determined [3724]: but [4133] woe [3759] unto that [1565] man [444] by [1223] whom [3739] he is betrayed [3860] !
42 And [2532] he commanded [3853] us [2254] to preach [2784] unto the people [2992], and [2532] to testify [1263] that [3754] it is [2076] he [846] which [3588] was ordained [3724] of [5259] God [2316] to be the Judge [2923] of quick [2198] and [2532] dead [3498].
4 And declared [3724] to be the Son [5207] of God [2316] with [1722] power [1411], according [2596] to the spirit [4151] of holiness [42], by [1537] the resurrection [386] from the dead [3498]:
1 Paul [3972], a servant [1401] of Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], called [2822] to be an apostle [652], separated [873] unto [1519] the gospel [2098] of God [2316],
9 In [1722] this [5129] was manifested [5319] the love [26] of God [2316] toward [1722] us [2254], because [3754] that God [2316] sent [649] his [846] only begotten [3439] Son [5207] into [1519] the world [2889], that [2443] we might live [2198] through [1223] him [846].
10 Herein [1722] [5129] is [2076] love [26], not [3754] that [3756] we [2249] loved [25] God [2316], but [235] that [3754] he [846] loved [25] us [2248], and [2532] sent [649] his [846] Son [5207] to be the propitiation [2434] for [4012] our [2257] sins [266].
16 For [1063] God [2316] so [3779] loved [25] the world [2889], that [5620] he gave [1325] his [846] only begotten [3439] Son [5207], that [2443] whosoever [3956] believeth [4100] in [1519] him [846] should [622] not [3361] perish [622], but [235] have [2192] everlasting [166] life [2222].
16 Then [5119] delivered he [3860] him [846] therefore [3767] unto them [846] to [2443] be crucified [4717]. And [1161] they took [3880] Jesus [2424], and [2532] led him away [520].
26 Then [5119] released he [630] Barabbas [912] unto them [846]: and [1161] when he had scourged [5417] Jesus [2424], he delivered [3860] him to [2443] be crucified [4717].
2 And [2532] when they had bound [1210] him [846], they led him away [520], and [2532] delivered [3860] him [846] to Pontius [4194] Pilate [4091] the governor [2232].
32 For [1063] he shall be delivered [3860] unto the Gentiles [1484], and [2532] shall be mocked [1702], and [2532] spitefully entreated [5195], and [2532] spitted on [1716]:
25 And [1161] he released [630] unto them [846] him that for [1223] sedition [4714] and [2532] murder [5408] was cast [906] into [1519] prison [5438], whom [3739] they had desired [154]; but [1161] he delivered [3860] Jesus [2424] to their [846] will [2307].
15 And [1161] so Pilate [4091], willing [1014] to content [2425] [4160] the people [3793], released [630] Barabbas [912] unto them [846], and [2532] delivered [3860] Jesus [2424], when he had scourged [5417] him, to [2443] be crucified [4717].
33 Saying, [3754] Behold [2400], we go up [305] to [1519] Jerusalem [2414]; and [2532] the Son [5207] of man [444] shall be delivered [3860] unto the chief priests [749], and [2532] unto the scribes [1122]; and [2532] they shall condemn [2632] him [846] to death [2288], and [2532] shall deliver [3860] him [846] to the Gentiles [1484]:
32 And [1161] there were also [2532] two [1417] other [2087], malefactors [2557], led [71] with [4862] him [846] to be put to death [337].
31 Then [3767] said [2036] Pilate [4091] unto them [846], Take [2983] ye [5210] him [846], and [2532] judge [2919] him [846] according [2596] to your [5216] law [3551]. The Jews [2453] therefore [3767] said [2036] unto him [846], It is [1832] not [3756] lawful [1832] for us [2254] to put [615] any man [3762] to death [615]:
8 And [2532] all [3956] that dwell [2730] upon [1909] the earth [1093] shall worship [4352] him [846], whose [3739] names [3686] are [1125] not [3756] written [1125] in [1722] the book [976] of life [2222] of the Lamb [721] slain [4969] from [575] the foundation [2602] of the world [2889].
28 For to do [4160] whatsoever [3745] thy [4675] hand [5495] and [2532] thy [4675] counsel [1012] determined before [4309] to be done [1096].
14 And [2532] the Word [3056] was made [1096] flesh [4561], and [2532] dwelt [4637] among [1722] us [2254], (and [2532] we beheld [2300] his [846] glory [1391], the glory [1391] as [5613] of the only begotten [3439] of [3844] the Father [3962],) full [4134] of grace [5485] and [2532] truth [225].