Acts 2:30

30 "And so, because he was ¹a prophet and knew that ²GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS * ON HIS THRONE,

Acts 2:30 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 2:30

Therefore being a prophet
Who could foretell things to come, as he did many things concerning the sufferings and death of Christ, and the circumstances attending it, concerning his resurrection, ascension, and session at the right hand of God. So the title of his "Psalms", in the Syriac version, runs thus; the "Book of the Psalms of David, King and Prophet": and in the Arabic version, "the First Book of the Psalms of David the Prophet, King of the Children of Israel". Though the Jews ^F4 will not allow him, nor Solomon, nor Daniel, to be strictly and properly prophets, they make a difference between prophecy, and the Holy Spirit. They own, that the book of Psalms was written under the influence of the Holy Spirit, but not by prophecy; and therefore they place it among the Hagiographa, or holy writings, but not among the Prophets: though after all, Kimchi allows David to be a prophet, since he is called a man of God; for he says this name is not said of any but (aybn le) , "of a prophet" ^F5; and Peter is right in calling him so:

and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him;
as he did in ( Psalms 132:11 ) .

that of the fruit of his loins;
of one that should be of his seed, that should spring from him, even the Virgin Mary, who was of the house and lineage of David:

according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ;
would send him forth, according to the human nature; for this phrase respects not his resurrection from the dead, but his incarnation or exhibition in the flesh, as in ( Acts 3:26 ) ( 13:23 ) . This clause is wanting in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, and in the Alexandrian copy, and should be read in a parenthesis; since it is not in the text in ( Psalms 132:11 ) .

to sit on his throne;
on the throne of David his father; (See Gill on Luke 1:32).

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Maimon. More Nevochim, par. 2. c. 45. Vid. Procop. Gazaeum in Reg. l. 2. c. 23. sect. 2.
F5 Kimchi Praefat. ad Psalm.

Acts 2:30 In-Context

28 'YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.'

29 "Brethren , I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30 "And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE,

31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY.

32 "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.

Cross References

• 1. Matthew 22:43
• 2. Psalms 132:11; 2 Samuel 7:12; Psalms 89:3

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "of the fruit of his loins"