Ep 382 – Acts 3:17-26

In Acts 3:17-26, Luke continues his record of Peter's address to the crowds gathered in Solomon's Portico. Peter has placed the responsibility for the death of Jesus on the shoulders of the Jews in his audience. They had rejected and been complicit in the murder of the Righteous One of God. But now he is going to give them some great news. First of all, he'll let them know that they had acted in ignorance. Then, he'll assure them that God is not done with them. And he'll refer to a coming day which he calls the times of refreshing. In spite of their unfaithfulness, God will prove faithful, doing for the people of Israel what they never could have done for themselves, and providing for them a blessing they in no way deserved. Peter longs to see his fellow Jews come to faith in Christ. He wants them to recognize that Jesus was the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies and that He was the Messiah for whom they had so long waited. Jesus was the fulfillment of the covenants made with Abraham and with David. He was the chosen seed, the descendant of both men, who would bless the nations. But the people of Israel were going to have to repent, or change their minds, regarding who Jesus was and what He came to do. They were going to have to accept Him as their Messiah. But remarkably, even if they failed to do so, the day was coming when God bless them by turning them from their wickedness.