Acts 13:35

35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, 'You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.'

Acts 13:35 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 13:35

Wherefore he saith also in another psalm
( Psalms 16:10 ) or "in another place", as the Syriac version supplies; or "in another section", as the Arabic version; or "elsewhere", as Beza's most ancient copy, the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, read:

thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption;
which cannot be understood of David: the term "Holy One", is not so applicable to him, who was a man subject to infirmities; at least not in such sense as to Christ, who was holy in his nature, and without sin in his life and conversation; besides, David was laid in his grave, and saw corruption, as the apostle afterwards proves: the former part of this passage is not cited, "thou wilt not leave my soul in hell"; which was not absolutely necessary to be mentioned, it being clearly implied in what is produced; for if he should not be suffered to see corruption, then he could not be left in the grave: moreover, the apostle cites that which he intended to reason upon, as he afterwards does, and by it makes it manifestly appear that the words do not belong to David, but the Messiah, and are a clear and pertinent proof of his resurrection from the dead. The Jew F16 objects to the apostle's version of these words, rendering (txv) , by "corruption", whereas he says it signifies a "pit"; but it ought to be observed, that the word in its first proper, and literal sense, signifies "corruption"; and a pit or grave is only called by this name, because dead bodies, or carcasses, are therein corrupted; and instances may be given, wherein the word cannot be understood in another sense than in that of corruption, as in ( Leviticus 22:25 ) ( Psalms 55:23 ) . (See Gill on Acts 2:27).


FOOTNOTES:

F16 R. Isaac, Chizzuk Emuna, par. 2. c. 69. p. 456.

Acts 13:35 In-Context

33 that God has fulfilled the same to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, 'You are my Son. Today I have become your father.'
34 "Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'
35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, 'You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.'
36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw decay.
37 But he whom God raised up saw no decay.
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