Act 3:19-20, 5:26 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 19. Repent ye therefore ] Now that ye are convinced that this was the Messiah, let your minds be changed , and your hearts become contrite for the sins you have committed. And be converted ] επιστρεψατε, Turn to God through this Christ, deeply deploring your transgressions, and believing on his name; that your sins may be blotted out , which are not only recorded against you, but for which you are condemned by the justice of God; and the punishment due to them must be executed upon you, unless prevented by your repentance, and turning to him whom ye have pierced. The blotting out of sins may refer to the ceremony of the waters of jealousy, where the curse that was written in the book was to be blotted out with the bitter water . . Their sins were written down against them, and cried aloud for punishment; for they themselves had said, His blood be upon us, and upon our children , ; and unless they took refuge in this sacrificial blood , and got their sins blotted out by it, they could not be saved. When the times of refreshing shall come ] Dr. Lightfoot contends, and so ought all, that οπωςανελθωσικαιροιαναψυξεως, should be translated, THAT the times of refreshing MAY come . αναψυξις, signifies a breathing time , or respite , and may be here applied to the space that elapsed from this time till the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. This was a time of respite , which God gave them to repent of their sins, and be converted to himself. Taking the word in the sense of refreshment in general, it may mean the whole reign of the kingdom of grace, and the blessings which God gives here below to all genuine believers, peace, love, joy, and communion with himself . .

‏ Acts 3:19-20

Verse 19. Repent ye therefore] Now that ye are convinced that this was the Messiah, let your minds be changed, and your hearts become contrite for the sins you have committed.

And be converted] επιστρεψατε, Turn to God through this Christ, deeply deploring your transgressions, and believing on his name; that your sins may be blotted out, which are not only recorded against you, but for which you are condemned by the justice of God; and the punishment due to them must be executed upon you, unless prevented by your repentance, and turning to him whom ye have pierced. The blotting out of sins may refer to the ceremony of the waters of jealousy, where the curse that was written in the book was to be blotted out with the bitter water. See Clarke on Nu 5:23. Their sins were written down against them, and cried aloud for punishment; for they themselves had said, His blood be upon us, and upon our children, Mt 27:25; and unless they took refuge in this sacrificial blood, and got their sins blotted out by it, they could not be saved.

When the times of refreshing shall come] Dr. Lightfoot contends, and so ought all, that οπωςανελθωσικαιροιαναψυξεως, should be translated, THAT the times of refreshing MAY come. αναψυξις, signifies a breathing time, or respite, and may be here applied to the space that elapsed from this time till the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. This was a time of respite, which God gave them to repent of their sins, and be converted to himself. Taking the word in the sense of refreshment in general, it may mean the whole reign of the kingdom of grace, and the blessings which God gives here below to all genuine believers, peace, love, joy, and communion with himself. See Clarke on Ac 3:21.

Verse 20. Which before was preached unto you] Instead of προκεκηρυγμενον, before preached, ABCDE, fifty-three others, both the Syriac, all the Arabic, the Armenian, Chrysostom, and others, have προκεχειρισμενον, who was before designed, or appointed; and this is without doubt the true reading. Christ crucified was the person whom God had from the beginning appointed or designed for the Jewish people. It was not a triumphant Messiah which they were to expect; but one who was to suffer and die. Jesus was this person; and by believing in him, as thus suffering and dying for their sins, he should be again sent, in the power of his Spirit, to justify and save them.

‏ Acts 5:26

Verse 26. Brought them without violence] On receiving the information mentioned above, proper officers were sent to seize and bring them before the council. The officers, on reaching the temple, found the multitude gladly receiving the doctrine of the apostles, and so intent on hearing all the words of this life that they were afraid to show any hostility to the apostles, lest the people should stone them; we may therefore conclude that the officers entreated them to accompany them to the council; and that they felt it their duty to obey every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, and so cheerfully went with them, trusting in the Lord their God.