“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew, hanging him on a tree.”

He points out that they themselves (the Apostles) had been preaching nothing but the truth. As all knew it was due to the efforts of the Sanhedrin that He had been slain and hung on a tree. Thus the Sanhedrin had disgraced Him, for to be hung on a tree was to be treated as a criminal accursed of God. But the truth was that far from God seeing Him as disgraced, He had raised Him up from the dead. The Sanhedrin had subjected Him to a curse, God had declared Him blessed.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Act 5:30. Whom ye slew and hanged on a tree, Whom ye crucified. Heylin. Literally, Whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. See Deu 21:23. Instead of raised up, some read hath raised up.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Act 5:30-32 now presents, in exact reference to the previous , the teaching activity of the apostles as willed by God.

. . .] Comp. Act 3:13 .

] is, with Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Erasmus, and others, to be referred to the raising from the dead , as the following relative sentence contains the contrast to it, and the exaltation to glory follows immediately afterwards, Act 5:31 . Others, such as Calvin, Bengel, de Wette, hold that it refers generally to the appearance of Christ, whom God has made to emerge (Act 3:22 ; Act 3:26 , Act 13:23 ; Luk 1:69 ; Luk 7:16 ).

] to murder with one’s own hands . See Act 26:21 ; Polyb. viii. 23. 8.

Comp. , Job 30:24 . This purposely chosen significant word brings the execution of Christ, which was already in Act 4:10 designated as the strict personal act of the instigators, into prominent view with the greatest possible force as such. So also in the examples in Kypke, II. p. 34. The following aorist . is synchronous with . as its modal definition.

] on a tree: an expression, well known to the hearers, for the stake ( , Gen 40:19 ; Deu 21:22 ; Isa 10:26 ; comp. Act 10:39 ; 1Pe 2:24 ; Gal 3:13 ) on which criminals were suspended. The cross is here designedly so called, not because the was a Roman instrument of death (see, on the other hand, Act 2:36 , Act 4:10 ), but in order to strengthen the representation, because reminded them of the accursed (see on Gal 3:13 ).

Act 5:31 . Him has God exalted by His right hand to be the Leader (not as in Act 3:15 , where a genitive stands alongside), i.e. the Ruler and Head of the theocracy (a designation of the kingly dignity of Jesus, comp. Thuc. i. 132. 2; Aesch. Agam. 250; and , Eur. Tr. 196), and a Saviour (the author and bestower of the Messianic salvation). On the idea, comp. Act 2:36 . As to . , see on Act 2:23 .

. . .] contains the design of : in order to give repentance to the Israelites and the forgiveness of sins. With the exaltation of Christ, namely, was to commence His heavenly work on earth, through which He as Lord and Saviour, by means of the Holy Spirit, would continually promote the work of redemption to be appropriated by men (would draw them to Him, Joh 12:32-33 ) in bringing them by the preaching of the gospel (1Pe 1:23 ) to a change of mind (comp. Act 11:18 ; 2Ti 2:25 ), and so, through the faith in Him which set in with the , making them partakers of the forgiveness of sins in baptism (comp. 1Pe 3:21 ). The appropriation of the work of salvation would have been denied to them without the exaltation of Christ, in the absence of which the Spirit would not have operated (Joh 7:39 ; Joh 16:7 ); but by the exaltation it was given [171] to them, and that, indeed, primarily to the Israelites , whom Peter still names alone , because it was only at a later period that he was to rise from this his national standpoint to universalism (chap. 10).

With the reading . (see the critical remarks), . governs two genitives different in their reference, the one of a person and the other of a thing (see Winer, p. 180 [E. T. 239]; Dissen, ad Pind. Ol. i. 94; Pyth. ii. 56), and could not but accordingly precede; but the emphasis lies on the bold , to which then . . . is added still more defiantly.

. ] of these words, i.e. of what has just been uttered. See on Mat 4:4 . Peter means the raising and exaltation of Jesus. Of the latter the apostles were witnesses, in so far as they had already experienced the activity of the exalted Jesus , agreeably to His own promise (Act 1:5 ), through the effusion of the Spirit (Act 2:33 f.). But Luke, who has narrated the tradition of the externally visible event of the ascension as an historical fact, must here have thought of the eye-witness of the apostles at the ascension.

] as well we as also the Spirit (on the other hand, see Hartung, Partikell. I. p. 181), in which case , according to the Attic usage, is placed after the emphasized idea (Baeumlein, Partik. p. 169). The Holy Spirit, the greater witness, different from the human self-consciousness, but ruling and working in believers, witnesses with them ( , Rom 8:16 ). Comp. Act 15:28 .

. ] to those who obey Him . In an entirely arbitrary manner this is usually restricted by a mentally supplied merely to the apostles ; whereas all who were obedient to God (in a believing recognition of the Messiah preached to them, comp. Act 2:38 , Act 11:17 , and so through the , Rom 1:5 ) had received the gifts of the Spirit. They form the category to which the apostles belong.

[171] Not merely the actual impulse and occasion given, as, after Heinrichs, Kuinoel and de Wette, also Weiss, Petr. Lehrbegr. p. 307 (comp. his bibl. Theol. p. 138), would have us take it. Against this view may be urged the appended , which is not compatible with that more free rendering of .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 1754
THE ENDS OF CHRISTS EXALTATION

Act 5:30-32. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

AMONG the various things which have weight and influence in forming decision of character, there is nothing so powerful as religion. The fear of God operates to the dissipating of all other fear; and the love of God subjugates or refines all creature attachments. Persons actuated by any other principle, will bend to circumstances: but religion will give us an uniform direction, like that of the needle to the pole. We see this very strongly illustrated by the conduct of Peter and the other Apostles. We acknowledge that they were not destitute of a religious principle during their Masters life: but it was not till the day of Pentecost that they fully understood the nature of Christianity, or were completely subjected to its dominion. From that time, the most timid of them were emboldened to confess Him whom they had just before forsaken and denied. They had just been imprisoned for bearing their testimony to his office and character: yet, when threatened with still heavier vengeance, they undauntedly persevered: charging the very rulers themselves with the guilt of murdering the Lord of glory, and affirming that the very person whom they had crucified as a malefactor, was exalted to be the Saviour of the world.
In considering this address of theirs to the Jewish council, it will be proper to notice,

I.

The testimony here borne to the Lord Jesus

Observe,

1.

The testimony itself

[The Jewish rulers conceived, that, in having crucified the Lord Jesus, they had wholly subverted his influence in the world. But the triumph was altogether on the side of Jesus, of whom the Apostle testified, that he was raised to the most exalted state in glory. Jesus had foretold that he would rise again on the third day; and that, as he had come from the Father, so in his ascension he would return to the Father. And now the Apostle declared that this was accomplished in him: and that, though he had been crucified through weakness, he was now raised by the power of God, and seated at the right hand of his majesty on high.

He further declared, that he was invested with the highest honours. He had been crucified as a malefactor who had arrogated to himself the title of The King of the Jews; nor had he interposed to save himself. But he was now exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour; even the Supreme Governor of the universe, and the Saviour of the whole world, of all at least who would believe in him. However strange such claims might appear to his murderers, they were no other than what the prophets had taught them to expect, seeing that every knee was to bow to him, and all the ends of the earth were to be saved by him [Note: Isa 45:22-23.].

To this he added, that he was empowered to bestow the richest blessings. He was to be the one fountain of good to all his believing people, giving repentance to the most obdurate, and forgiveness to the most abandoned, the very instant that they should seek these blessings at his hands.]

2.

The truth and certainty of this testimony

[The Apostles all professed themselves witnesses of these things; that is, witnesses of his resurrection and his ascension, and consequently of those things which were the special objects of his exaltation.

Now certainly they were competent witnesses, both of the resurrection and the ascension of our blessed Lord: for, though they had not actually seen him rise, they had seen him frequently after he had risen, and had even eaten and drunk with him, and beheld him in the very act of ascending into heaven. The very incredulity which they manifested in relation to these things, is a strong confirmation that they did not hastily credit the report of others, or even their own senses, till they were overpowered with such evidence as was absolutely irresistible [Note: Mar 16:14. Luk 24:39-43. Joh 20:25-29.]. They were also as unexceptionable witnesses as could possibly exist: for, being poor illiterate fishermen, they could not frame an imposture that should deceive the whole world; nor had they the smallest inducement to attempt it, since they could expect nothing but contempt and persecution in this world, and eternal misery in the world to come. They gave their testimony too in the most unexceptionable manner. If they had been impostors, they would have gone to a distance, where their conspiracy should not so easily have been detected; or, at least, have delayed till the present ferment had subsided; and have practised their imposition first on the weak and credulous. But, instead of this, they bore their testimony without any loss of time, and in Jerusalem too, where every falsehood could be so easily detected, and before all the Jewish rulers, who were most of all interested in disproving the facts attested.

As for the testimony by which the Jewish rulers endeavoured to invalidate the assertions of the Apostles, it still further established the very point which it was intended to disprove [Note: Mat 28:11-15.]. For, if the guard slept, how could they tell what was done in their sleep? and why were they not punished? Why too did the rulers engage to screen them from punishment, when their disappointment and rage would rather have called forth their most vindictive efforts?

In addition to them, the Holy Ghost himself also bare witness to these things. The Lord Jesus had repeatedly declared, that, after his ascension to heaven, he would send the Holy Ghost to testify of him. On the accomplishment of this promise depended the validity of his pretensions. At the appointed time he fulfilled his word, and sent down the Holy Ghost in a visible manner on his Disciples. In this first instance then the Holy Ghost testified, that Jesus was indeed risen, and that he had ascended to the right hand of God. By the influence of the Holy Ghost, the Apostles were enabled to preach the Gospel in a great diversity of languages which they had never learned. They wrought also many and stupendous miracles in confirmation of their word. They were empowered also, by the imposition of their hands, to communicate the Holy Ghost to others. By all these things the Holy Ghost bore yet further testimony to the Messiahship of Jesus. By his communications also, of light, and peace, and holiness, he testified in the hearts of all who received the Apostles word: and to this hour does he continue to testify unto thousands in the same way.
Can we conceive that God the Father would have interposed in this astonishing manner to aid an imposture? Assuredly the facts so attested must be true; and Jesus is exalted for the ends and purposes which are specified in the text.]
To mark the immense importance of this subject, I proceed to shew,

II.

The interest we have in it

Of what importance this testimony was considered by the Jewish rulers we see by the effect it produced upon them: They were cut to the heart, from a conviction that the testimony was true; and they sought to slay the witnesses, that the truths asserted by them might be no further spread among the people. Now this whole record calls on us,

1.

To believe in Christ ourselves

[We are as much interested in the resurrection and ascension of Christ, as ever the Jews were, because by the one we know him to be the Messiah; and because by the other we know him to be able to fulfil all that he has promised to his believing people. We are perfectly sure that he is a Saviour, yea, the Saviour that was to come into the world; and that he has effected all which was necessary for our salvation, making a full atonement for all our sins, and working out for us a righteousness wherein we may stand perfect before God. We know also that he is a Prince, yea, the Prince who shall rule over the whole world, and bring all things into subjection to his will. In this double capacity we are assured that he is able to give repentance to our souls, by taking away the heart of stone, and giving us a heart of flesh; and at the same time so to blot out our iniquities, that no sin we have committed shall ever rise up in judgment against us, or be imputed to us in the last day. What can be more delightful tidings to fallen man? Let every one of us hear them, and rejoice in them, and bless God for them. Let us renounce every kind and every degree of self-dependence, and have all our righteousness and strength in Christ alone And let none despond: for, if these tidings were proclaimed to those who had so recently imbrued their hands in the Saviours blood, and were at this moment seeking to slay all his chosen Apostles, to whom shall they not be proclaimed? or to whom shall they not be available, provided a penitential frame be really desired, and forgiveness of sins be fervently implored?

At the same time let us receive Christ in his entire character, and look to him unreservedly for all his blessings. Let us not dream of forgiveness without repentance, or think of calling him Saviour without submitting to him as our Ruler and Governor. All that God has united in him for our benefit, must be united in us for his honour: nor must we presume, or even wish, to put asunder, what God has so inseparably joined together As we must have nothing united with Christ for the salvation of our souls, so there must be nothing in Christ which we do not actually receive from him, and manifest to be enjoyed by us as a matter of our daily experience before God.]

2.

To make him known to others

[The Apostles no sooner received the communications of Gods Holy Spirit, than they preached the Saviour to all around them. Nothing could deter them from this blessed work. They had all been imprisoned; but they were not intimidated. They were menaced with severer punishment; but they made no account of any sufferings that could be inflicted on them; and when they were actually beaten, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Lords sake.
Now this shews us what we also are to do. We must confess Christ openly before all, and commend him to all, that they also may be made partakers of his salvation. True, we are not all called to minister after the manner of the Apostles: but in our life and conversation we must preach to all around us, and be living epistles of Christ, known and read of all men.
At this period, through the tender mercy of God, there are greater facilities for the discharge of our duty than ever were afforded us before. There are societies without number for the diffusion of divine knowledge, both at home and abroad: and by aiding them we may all, in our respective spheres, contribute greatly to the spread of the Gospel, and the establishment of the Redeemers kingdom throughout the world [Note: Here any particular society, whatever it may be, whether the Bible Society, or Mission Societies to Jews or Gentiles, or Education Societies, may be commended to the audience for their support.]

Imitate, then, the holy Apostles in their zeal and love; and, whilst you look to Christ for salvation yourselves, endeavour to make him known to the whole world, as their Prince, and as the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him.]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Ver. 30. Ye slew and hanged on a tree ] Constantine the Great, in honour of our Saviour, took away by a law that custom of crucifying men, in use, till then, among the Romans: a lingering and cruel kind of death; as was likewise that of impaling, very usual, saith Illyricus, among the ancients. The malefactors had a stake or pale ( ) thrust in at their anus, and it came out again at their shoulders; so that if the stake did not pierce their hearts or vitals, as it was thrust up, they lived sometimes two or three days in exquisite pain and torment. And to this kind of cruel death, said he, St Paul seemeth to allude, 2Co 12:7 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

30. . .] thus binding on Christ and his work, to the covenant whereof all present were partakers.

] both from the emphatic position of the verb, and from the context, it must refer to the resurrection, not merely, as in Mat 11:11 , Luk 1:69 , Jdg 3:9 , to raising up in the ordinary sense.

, answering to the of the H. P.

] compare reff. and the similar contrast in ch. Act 3:14-15 . The manner of death is described thus barely and ignominiously, to waken compunction in the hearers, to whom the expression was well known as entailing curse and disgrace on the victim.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Act 5:30 . , cf. Act 3:13 . St. Peter, as before, will not dissociate himself from the common wealth of Israel, or his hearers from the message and works of the Christ. : does this word refer to the Resurrection, or to the sending of Jesus into this world, and His raising up by God as the Messiah? The former is the view taken by St. Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Erasmus, and amongst moderns by Meyer-Wendt, Nsgen, Alford, Overbeck, Felten, Blass, Holtzmann, Weiss, Hilgenfeld; but in Act 3:15 , Act 4:10 , the phrase is ( cf. Sir 48:5 : ), although in Act 10:40 , Act 13:37 , the word evidently refers to the Resurrection. Others interpret the word as in Act 3:22 , and as in Act 13:22 , ( cf. Luk 1:69 ; Luk 7:16 ), so Calvin, Bengel, De Wette, Lechler, Hackett, Page. One of the chief arguments for the former interpretation is the contrast marked in the next clause between the death of the Cross and the Resurrection, but this contrast would still be marked by the following verb. Is it not possible that, as in the days of old God had raised up a Saviour, or Saviours, for Israel, cf. Jdg 2:18 , . , Jdg 3:9 ; Jdg 3:15 , . ., St. Peter may now speak of Him as raising up , i.e. , a Saviour? see further, Act 5:31 . , cf. Act 26:21 , “whom ye slew, hanging Him on a tree,” R.V., not as in A.V., “whom ye slew and hanged on a tree,” which would make the words refer to a Jewish mode of punishment, for, according to Jewish law, only those were hanged who were already dead (Deu 21:22 , Jos 10:26 ). The word which means in middle to lay hands upon, and so to slay, to kill, is only used by St. Luke (not in LXX), and forcibly represents the guilt of the Jews in the murder of Jesus, as if they had perpetrated it with their own hands ( cf. Act 26:24 ), “made away with violently,” Page; cf. instances in Wetstein ( trucidastis ). , LXX, Gen 40:19 , Deu 21:22-23 , Jos 10:26 , Est 5:14 ; Est 6:4 (Gal 3:13 ). Although St. Luke uses of crucifixion, Luk 23:39 , St. Peter alone uses the exact phrase of the text given in Act 10:39 , and so he too has , 1Pe 2:24 , for the Cross (although St. Paul uses the same word, Act 13:29 ). The word may therefore have a place amongst the many coincidences between St. Peter’s addresses and the language of his Epistles, see above on pp. 121 ff. The fact that their victim was thus accursed in the eyes of the law aggravated their guilt, and at the same sharply contrasted their act and that of God; for a similar contrast see Act 3:14-15 .

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

raised up. Greek. egeiro. App-178.

Jesus. App-98.

slew = laid hands on. Greek. diacheirizomai. Only here and Act 26:21.

and = having.

tree. App-162.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

30. . .] thus binding on Christ and his work, to the covenant whereof all present were partakers.

] both from the emphatic position of the verb, and from the context, it must refer to the resurrection, not merely, as in Mat 11:11, Luk 1:69, Jdg 3:9, to raising up in the ordinary sense.

, answering to the of the H. P.

] compare reff. and the similar contrast in ch. Act 3:14-15. The manner of death is described thus barely and ignominiously, to waken compunction in the hearers, to whom the expression was well known as entailing curse and disgrace on the victim.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Act 5:30. , of our fathers) ch. Act 3:13.-, hath raised up) of the seed of David: ch. Act 13:23, Act 3:22. For it was this raising up that was referred to by the promises given to the fathers. The same verb occurs, Luk 1:69.-) He had previously said, , , ; he now uses a severer expression [ye have laid violent hands on].- , on a tree) In a tree (the tree of knowledge of good and evil) was the beginning of sin: in a tree was the atonement for it.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

God: Act 3:13-15, Act 22:14, 1Ch 12:17, 1Ch 29:18, Ezr 7:27, Luk 1:55, Luk 1:72

raised: Act 3:26, Act 13:33

ye slew: Act 2:22-24, Act 2:32, Act 4:10, Act 4:11, Act 10:39, Act 13:28, Gal 3:13, 1Pe 2:24

Reciprocal: Gen 40:22 – he hanged 2Sa 22:44 – delivered Psa 2:6 – Yet Psa 22:21 – horns Psa 69:14 – let me Psa 109:31 – to save Mat 21:39 – slew Mar 15:24 – crucified Luk 23:33 – they crucified Luk 24:20 – General Joh 20:25 – We Act 2:23 – ye have Act 2:36 – that same Act 13:23 – raised Act 13:30 – General Act 17:31 – in that Act 24:14 – the God Rom 1:4 – the Son 1Th 1:10 – whom 1Th 2:15 – killed Heb 13:20 – brought 1Pe 5:1 – and a

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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Act 5:30. Having made the reply shown in the preceding verse, the apostles began to preach to these wicked Jews the very doctrine they had forbidden them to preach anywhere. As was always the case, they began their story with the resurrection of Jesus. But they also connected that subject with the guilt of their hearers in the death of the One in whose name they were preaching.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Act 5:30. The God of our fathers. Identifying himself, in the words our fathers, with the glorious line of patriarchs, prophets, and kings whom the children of Israel in their then state of humiliation and subjection remembered with so passionate a love; while he pointed to Jehovah, the Mighty One of Jacob,as the God who had raised up Jesus,raised up not in this place from the dead, as Meyer, following Chrysostom and others, would understand it, but raised up from the seed of David as the Sent of God. This interpretation, adopted by Calvin, Bengel, De Wette, etc., admirably agrees with the order in time of the events named by Peter, raised up from the seed of David, slain by you, exalted to all power. Jesus, the beloved name, shunned and dreaded, and then left unnamed by the high priest, but gloried in by the accused apostle, who makes it the central point of his defence.

Whom ye slew. The Greek word is chosen with pointed significance: And this Glorious One, the Sent of the God of our fathers, ye slew with your own hands.

And hanged on a tree. The cross is here called a tree, a well-known expression to those learned Jewish priests and rabbis who sat in the great council; they would too well remember how, in their sacred law, this death was pronounced accursed (see Deu 21:23).

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

See notes on verse 29

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

5:30 {11} The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

(11) Christ is appointed and indeed declared Prince and preserver of his Church, in spite of his enemies.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Peter also reaffirmed that the God of their fathers had raised Jesus from the dead and that the Sanhedrin was responsible for His crucifixion, an extremely brutal and shameful death. "Hanging Him on a cross" is a euphemism for crucifying Him (cf. Deu 21:22-23; 1Pe 2:24).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)