On the Importance of Adversatives Or A Lack Thereof

Reflections for Easter Day

14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them:

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know — 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24 But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible.

- Acts 2:22ff

It all begins with two words in the Greek: Oddly enough, the NASB translates the relative pronoun "on" as an adversative. Thus, they render Acts 2:24 as "but God." However, there is no adversative. Again, there is no adversative. Consider, how strange would it be for Peter to say that it was literally by God's predetermined plan and foreknowledge that Jesus was murdered yet then say, "but God raised Him..." -that would be God working against God! Thus. today is a day to be thankful for God's plan of salvation, the sovereignty of God over evil for the sake of good, the power of God to raise Jesus from the dead, the end of "birth-pains" (wdin) of death.

On Predestination, Evil, Love And Glory

Reflections for Good Friday

14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them:

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know — 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death."

- Acts 2:22f

What is clear are four things.

1) Christology: Jesus Christ has proven his divinity by miracles, wonders and signs. Peter affirms simultaneously that Jesus is also a man.

2) Sovereignty: the murder of Jesus was God's plan; it was no mere accident.

3) Evil: the men who murdered Jesus were guilty and responsible for their actions.

4) Soteriology: God intends to predetermine (orizw) evil for the sake of love, glory and redemption.

On The Humility of Tomorrow

For a practical application of James 4:13-17 note Luke's record of Paul's words:

"But taking leave of them and saying, 'I will return to you again if God wills," he set sail from Ephesus."

- Acts 18:21

On God's Sovereignty Over Moral Evil

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know -this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to held in its power."

- Acts 2:22ff

On the Gift of God

"... And as I, [Peter], began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" When they, [the apostles and brethren who were circumcised], heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."

- Acts 11:15-18