Acts 3:18

But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

But {G1161} those things, which {G3739} God {G2316} before had shewed {G4293} by {G1223} the mouth {G4750} of all {G3956} his {G846} prophets {G4396}, that Christ {G5547} should suffer {G3958}, he hath {G4137} so {G3779} fulfilled {G4137}.

But this is how God fulfilled what he had announced in advance, when he spoke through all the prophets, namely, that his Messiah was to die.

But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.

But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.

Context

This verse is part of Peter's second recorded sermon in the Book of Acts, delivered to a crowd gathered in the Temple courts after the miraculous healing of a lame man (Acts 3:6-8). Peter seized this opportunity to proclaim Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Messiah, whom they had rejected and crucified. His address directly confronts their culpability while simultaneously offering a path to repentance. Verse 18 serves as a crucial theological anchor, explaining that Jesus' suffering and death were not an accident or a defeat, but a deliberate part of God's redemptive plan, foretold throughout the Old Testament.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty and Foreknowledge: Peter emphasizes that God had already "shewed by the mouth of all his prophets" that these events would occur. This highlights God's absolute control over history and His perfect knowledge of future events, even the suffering of His Son. It underscores that Jesus' crucifixion was not a tragic accident but part of God's sovereign design for salvation, as also stated in Acts 2:23.
  • Prophetic Fulfillment in Jesus Christ: The core message is that Jesus is the fulfillment of ancient prophecies concerning the Messiah. His suffering was not unforeseen but precisely what the prophets, such as Isaiah in chapter 53 and Psalm 22, had spoken of. This validation of prophecy serves as powerful evidence for Jesus' identity as the Christ.
  • The Necessity of Christ's Suffering: The verse clearly states "that Christ should suffer." This suffering, culminating in His death, was not merely a consequence of human sin but a necessary component of God's plan for atonement and reconciliation. It was through His suffering that salvation became possible, aligning with the biblical understanding of a suffering servant who bears the sins of many.

Linguistic Insight

The term "Christ" in this verse comes from the Greek word Christos (Χριστός), which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ), meaning "Anointed One" or "Messiah." By stating "that Christ should suffer," Peter is specifically referring to the Anointed One, the long-promised King and Deliverer, whose suffering was paradoxically a key part of His mission, despite popular Jewish expectations of a conquering hero.

Related Scriptures

  • Peter reiterates this theme of prophetic fulfillment in other sermons, such as in Acts 2:23, where he speaks of Jesus being delivered by "the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God."
  • The suffering of the Messiah is a central theme in passages like Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, which vividly describe the afflictions of the Anointed One.
  • The triumph over suffering is seen in His resurrection, which Peter also proclaims in Acts 3:15, demonstrating God's ultimate victory.

Practical Application

Acts 3:18 reminds us that God's plan is unfolding precisely as He intended, even through events that seem tragic or chaotic from a human perspective. For believers, this offers immense comfort and assurance: God is in control, and His promises are trustworthy. It underscores the profound significance of Jesus' suffering and death, not as a failure, but as the divinely orchestrated means of our salvation. Understanding this truth deepens our appreciation for Christ's sacrifice and strengthens our faith in God's sovereign hand over all things. It also encourages us to look for the fulfillment of God's word in our own lives and in the world around us.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Isaiah 53:1

    ¶ Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

  • Isaiah 53:12

    Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

  • Acts 2:23

    Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

  • Zechariah 12:10

    And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.

  • Acts 26:22

    Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

  • Acts 26:23

    That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

  • Luke 24:26

    Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

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