Acts 2:33-36 32This Jesus God raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured forth this which you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at M\my right hand,35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ 36Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Peter continues to offer proofs for his logical connection between Jesus and Israel’s Scripture. Verse 32 makes the important connection between the prophetic words of David and Jesus of Nazareth. Peter continues his brief summary about Jesus, mentioning his resurrection next. Peter and the other disciples were standing before the people as witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. Many people died for Israel over the centuries, including the countless lives lost in various battles. None of them rose from the dead. By rising from the dead, Jesus confirmed that everything he said was the truth, and he met the deepest human needs for reconciliation with God and victory of sin and death.
Because Jesus rose from the dead, he is confirmed as the Lord and Messiah. He is the only one qualified to be exalted at the right hand of God. Peter already mentioned in verse 30 about the exaltation of David’s descendant to the throne. In verse 33, the throne is in heaven. The right hand represents the highest place of honor. Peter quotes from Psalm 110:1 in verses 34-35. This psalm was a favorite for the early Christians, as indicated by its frequent quotation (Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20, 22; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12-13; 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22).
Peter makes another important connection in verse 33 with the event that the crowd of Jews was seeing. The resurrected and exalted Jesus was the one who had first received the Holy Spirit. Peter does not mention how or when, but the reader of Luke’s Gospel knows that Jesus was born by the Holy Spirit and received a special anointing at his baptism. Jesus’ ministry was clearly empowered by the Holy Spirit, for no one could do what he did unless the Spirit was with him. As the Mediator of the Spirit, Jesus could then pass on the Spirit to his followers. What the people saw came through the agency of Jesus.
There are several significant theological truths about this. One is that Jesus, as the Son of God and second person of the Trinity, grants the Spirit to his disciples. Another is that Jesus’ resurrection confirmed his status as Lord. Only he was qualified to be exalted, and that was proven by his resurrection from the dead. Paul the Apostle wrote the very same idea in Romans 1:4: “who was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.” A third note is that Jesus’ resurrection and subsequent exaltation guarantee his final victory of his enemies, namely, the powers of Satan and darkness.
Peter makes a clear application in verse 36 and merges all these ideas into a brief statement of God the Father’s confirmation of all that Jesus did. The Father’s raising of the Son proved Jesus’ status as Lord and Messiah. Jesus was already those before his death, but his total obedience and complete faith in the Father before going to the cross were confirmed for all to see by his resurrection from the dead. The people of Jerusalem had the sad part of causing the crucifixion, but in their hatred toward Jesus, they actually saw God’s unconditional love toward them. Their sin led to Jesus’ death, yet his death was also part of God’s plan to reveal his love. Jesus’ resurrection was the crucial factor that proved all God’s plan, which was prophesied long ago.
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