Bible Study Acts 2:36 God Had Made That Same Jesus Both Lord And Christ

[WalterandDebbie]

Monday 5-27-24 2nd. Day Of The Weekly Cycle, Iyar 18 5784 70th. Spring Day

That God the Father had not only constituted and appointed Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah, the Lord of lords, and King of kings, and had invested him with that office, power, and authority, but he had made him manifest to be so by the Holy Spirit which he had received, and now poured forth the same, and not another; even him whom they had rejected with so much contempt; whom they had treated in such a scornful and brutish manner; had spit upon, buffeted, and scourged, and at last crucified; and yet, now, even he had all power in heaven, and in earth, given him, and was exalted above every name; that in his name every knee should bow.

Certainly! Acts 2:36 says, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” This verse is part of Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, where he addresses the crowd in Jerusalem. Let’s break it down:

1. Jesus as Messiah (Christ): Peter declares that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Messiah (Christ) sent by God to save the Jewish people. This fulfillment of prophecy is significant because the Jews had been waiting for the promised Messiah for generations.
2. The Crucifixion: Peter boldly states that the Jews were responsible for Jesus’s crucifixion. He doesn’t mince words—Jesus, the one they crucified, is the very Messiah they had been anticipating.
3. God’s Action: The crucial part of Acts 2:36 lies in the phrase “God has made Him both Lord and Christ.” It doesn’t mean that Jesus was made into something He wasn’t already. Instead, it refers to His status as a man who fulfilled God’s plan. Jesus willingly submitted to the Father’s will, even to the point of death on the cross. God raised Him from the dead, confirming His identity as both Lord (supreme ruler) and Christ (Messiah).

In summary, Acts 2:36 emphasizes Jesus’s unique role as both the promised Messiah and the Lord over all creation. His death and resurrection provide hope not only for the Jews but for all of humanity. Through Jesus, God offers salvation and reconciliation to everyone who believes in Him.

 

[TrevorL]

Greetings Walter and Debbie,

God’s Action: The crucial part of Acts 2:36 lies in the phrase “God has made Him both Lord and Christ.” It doesn’t mean that Jesus was made into something He wasn’t already. Instead, it refers to His status as a man who fulfilled God’s plan. Jesus willingly submitted to the Father’s will, even to the point of death on the cross. God raised Him from the dead, confirming His identity as both Lord (supreme ruler) and Christ (Messiah).

We most probably differ here and I suggest that your beliefs differ from what Peter clearly teaches. First it clearly states that God raised Jesus from the dead, implying that there is One God the Father, and here the same One God makes Jesus both Lord and Christ. Where we perhaps differ here is that I consider the position and status of Jesus NOW is a progression from what he was in prospect. The progression is part of the passage that you ignore or try to explain away, and note you only give a small portion of the overall statement and you try to explain away what is the clear teaching of the passage:

Acts 2:33–36 (KJV): 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

I say it is a progression because Jesus is not God the Son who simply resumed his seat on the Father's Throne in heaven, but Jesus was a human, and because of his ministry, trials, crucifixion and death the One God, Yahweh, God the Father raised hm from the dead and exalted him to sit at the Father's right hand in God the Father's Throne. It is this exaltation and status that brings to its fullness his anticipated position of Lord and Christ.

For example as part of the title of Christ as High Priest, he faced two trials before Caiaphas and one before Annas, and in effect these Priests of the Aaronic High Priest Order were judged unfaithful and in anticipation replaced by the faithful High Priest of the Melchizedek Order. Similarly he faced two trials before Pilate and one before Herod, and the representatives of the Roman Empire proved unfaithful and not worthy of their position, while Jesus is the true King who has and will administer the ways of God his Father faithfully.

Kind regards
Trevor

 

[LeviR]

If David is his father, how is he David’s Lord?

Because,

God Had Made That Same Jesus Both Lord And Christ​

 

[TrevorL]

Greetings LeviR,

If David is his father, how is he David’s Lord?
Because,

God Had Made That Same Jesus Both Lord And Christ​

Acts 2 is not speaking about Jesus being "Lord" in some distant past. Another perspective is the following, which revolves around the subject of Son of David by comparison to Son of God:

Matthew 22:41–46 (KJV): 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

Kind regards
Trevor

 

[WalterandDebbie]

Greetings Walter and Debbie,

We most probably differ here and I suggest that your beliefs differ from what Peter clearly teaches. First it clearly states that God raised Jesus from the dead, implying that there is One God the Father, and here the same One God makes Jesus both Lord and Christ. Where we perhaps differ here is that I consider the position and status of Jesus NOW is a progression from what he was in prospect. The progression is part of the passage that you ignore or try to explain away, and note you only give a small portion of the overall statement and you try to explain away what is the clear teaching of the passage:

Acts 2:33–36 (KJV): 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

I say it is a progression because Jesus is not God the Son who simply resumed his seat on the Father's Throne in heaven, but Jesus was a human, and because of his ministry, trials, crucifixion and death the One God, Yahweh, God the Father raised hm from the dead and exalted him to sit at the Father's right hand in God the Father's Throne. It is this exaltation and status that brings to its fullness his anticipated position of Lord and Christ.

For example as part of the title of Christ as High Priest, he faced two trials before Caiaphas and one before Annas, and in effect these Priests of the Aaronic High Priest Order were judged unfaithful and in anticipation replaced by the faithful High Priest of the Melchizedek Order. Similarly he faced two trials before Pilate and one before Herod, and the representatives of the Roman Empire proved unfaithful and not worthy of their position, while Jesus is the true King who has and will administer the ways of God his Father faithfully.

Kind regards
Trevor

Hello Trevor, And how are you all?

What does Acts 2:36 mean?​

Peter finishes the first sermon of the church age by presenting three incredible truths: Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah sent by God to save the Jews; the Jews killed Him; God raised Him from the dead, giving the Jews hope for their own resurrection. As Jesus promised, the apostles and other Jesus-followers will spread variations of this message "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Peter's message is directed to the Jews in Jerusalem, but Jesus has already said the message is for everyone on earth (John 10:16). Because, the truth is, Jesus came to save all of us; we all, with our sin, killed Him; and God raised Him from the dead to give us all hope.

The truths in Peter's message in Acts 2:14–36 carried his audience through an extraordinary range of ideas. The crowd gathered in the first place because the Holy Spirit came on 120 Jesus-followers who started speaking different languages and dialects (Acts 2:4–13) as Joel prophesied (Acts 2:17–18). Joel also wrote that those who do not pay attention to these signs will be counted as God's enemy and treated as such (Acts 2:19–20). But there is yet time to turn to Him (Acts 2:21).

Then Peter shows his audience how this relates to Jesus. Peter's Jewish audience, either directly or through proxy by being of the Jewish nation, took a Man who was also marked by God's miracles and crucified Him (Acts 2:22–23). But God not only raised Him from the dead, His resurrection brings hope for theirs, as well (Acts 2:24–35).

After such a speech of signs, condemnation, and hope, it's no wonder Peter's audience responds, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). Fortunately, when Jesus called His followers to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8), the message they were given was never just to convict others of sin; it was always to lead to repentance, as Peter tells them, "for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).
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Context Summary
Acts 2:14–36 transcribes the first sermon ever given by a Christian. The Holy Spirit that Jesus promised (John 14:16–17) has come upon 120 of His followers in Jerusalem (Acts 1:15; 2:1–4). They immediately start speaking in different languages, shocking a crowd of Jews and proselytes who are in town to celebrate Pentecost (Acts 2:5–11). Some of the crowd dismiss the speech as nonsense; others are very interested (Acts 2:12–13). Peter, combining his natural enthusiasm as spokesman for the group with wisdom from the Spirit, responds by obeying Jesus and being His witness (Acts 1:8).
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Chapter Summary
Acts 2 describes the beginning of the church in three episodes. First, the Holy Spirit comes upon the Jesus-followers in Jerusalem, equipping them with the ability to teach the gospel in different languages (Acts 2:1–13). Second, Peter gives a public declaration using Old Testament prophecy to show Jesus is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah (Acts 2:14–36). Third, people believe. They repent, trust Jesus will forgive their sins, and agree to be baptized as a public sign that they are now Jesus-followers (Acts 2:37–47). That quickly, the church is born.

Love, Walter