Act 2:22-24 | RWP | e4.org | Hear these words ( ακουσατε τους λογους τουτους ). Do it now (aorist tense). With unerring aim Peter has found the solution for the phenomena. He has found the key to God's work on this day in his words through Joel. as ye yourselves know ( καθως αυτο οιδατε ). Note αυτο for emphasis. Peter calls the audience to witness that his statements are true concerning "Jesus the Nazarene." He wrought his miracles by the power of God in the midst of these very people here present.

‏ Acts 2:22-24

Hear these words ( ακουσατε τους λογους τουτους ). Do it now (aorist tense). With unerring aim Peter has found the solution for the phenomena. He has found the key to God's work on this day in his words through Joel.

as ye yourselves know ( καθως αυτο οιδατε ). Note αυτο for emphasis. Peter calls the audience to witness that his statements are true concerning "Jesus the Nazarene." He wrought his miracles by the power of God in the midst of these very people here present.

Him ( τουτον ). "This one," resumptive and emphatic object of "did crucify and slay."

Being delivered up ( εκδοτον ). Verbal adjective from εκδιδωμ, to give out or over. Old word, but here only in the N.T. Delivered up by Judas, Peter means.

By the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God ( τη ωρισμενη βουλη κα προγνωση του θεου ). Instrumental case. Note both purpose ( βουλη ) and foreknowledge ( προγνωσις ) of God and "determined" ( ωρισμενη, perfect passive participle, state of completion). God had willed the death of Jesus (Joh 3:16) and the death of Judas (Ac 1:16), but that fact did not absolve Judas from his responsibility and guilt (Lu 22:22). He acted as a free moral agent.

By the hand ( δια χειρος ). Luke is fond of these figures (hand, face, etc.) very much like the Hebrew though the vernacular of all languages uses them.

Lawless men ( ανομων ). Men without law, who recognize no law for their conduct, like men in high and low stations today who defy the laws of God and man. Old word, very common in the LXX.

Ye did crucify ( προσπηξαντες ). First aorist active participle of προσπηγνυμ, rare compound word in Dio Cassius and here only in the N.T. One must supply τω σταυρω and so it means "fastened to the cross," a graphic picture like Paul's "nailed to the cross" ( προσηλωσας τω σταυρω ) in Col 2:14.

Did slay ( ανειλατε ). Second aorist active indicative with first aorist vowel α instead of ο as is common in the Koine. This verb αναιρεω, to take up, is often used for kill as in Ac 12:2. Note Peter's boldness now under the power of the Holy Spirit. He charges the people to their faces with the death of Christ.

God raised up ( ο θεος ανεστησεν ). Est hoc summum orationis (Blass). Apparently this is the first public proclamation to others than believers of the fact of the Resurrection of Jesus. "At a time it was still possible to test the statement, to examine witnesses, to expose fraud, the Apostle openly proclaimed the Resurrection as a fact, needing no evidence, but known to his hearers" (Furneaux).

The pangs of death ( τας ωδινας του θανατου ). Codex Bezae has "Hades" instead of death. The LXX has ωδινας θανατου in Ps 18:4, but the Hebrew original means "snares" or "traps" or "cords" of death where sheol and death are personified as hunters laying snares for prey. How Peter or Luke came to use the old Greek word ωδινας (birth pangs) we do not know. Early Christian writers interpreted the Resurrection of Christ as a birth out of death. "Loosing" ( λυσας ) suits better the notion of "snares" held a prisoner by death, but birth pangs do bring deliverance to the mother also.

Because ( καθοτ ). This old conjunction ( κατα, οτ ) occurs in the N.T. only in Luke's writings.

That he should be holden ( κρατεισθα αυτον ). Infinitive present passive with accusative of general reference and subject of ην αδυνατον. The figure goes with "loosed" ( λυσας ) above.