Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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THE MESSAGE
Acts 3:18
This verse is not available in the MSG!
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Christian Standard Bible®
In this way God fulfilled what he had predicted through all the prophets—that his Messiah would suffer.
In this way God fulfilled what he had predicted through all the prophets—that his Messiah would suffer.
King James Version (1611)
But those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ should suffer, hee hath so fulfilled.
But those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ should suffer, hee hath so fulfilled.
King James Version
But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
English Standard Version
But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.
But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.
New American Standard Bible
"But the things which God previously announced by the mouths of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has fulfilled in this way.
"But the things which God previously announced by the mouths of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has fulfilled in this way.
New Century Version
God said through the prophets that his Christ would suffer and die. And now God has made these things come true in this way.
God said through the prophets that his Christ would suffer and die. And now God has made these things come true in this way.
Amplified Bible
"And so God has fulfilled what He foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ (Messiah, Anointed) would suffer.
"And so God has fulfilled what He foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ (Messiah, Anointed) would suffer.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
"But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
Legacy Standard Bible
But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
Berean Standard Bible
But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
Contemporary English Version
But God had his prophets tell that his Messiah would suffer, and now he has kept that promise.
But God had his prophets tell that his Messiah would suffer, and now he has kept that promise.
Complete Jewish Bible
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 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.
Darby Translation
but God has thus fulfilled what he had announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer.
but God has thus fulfilled what he had announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer.
Easy-to-Read Version
But God said these things would happen. Through the prophets he said that his Messiah would suffer and die. I have told you how God made this happen.
But God said these things would happen. Through the prophets he said that his Messiah would suffer and die. I have told you how God made this happen.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath thus fulfilled.
But those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath thus fulfilled.
George Lamsa Translation
But those things, which God before had preached by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he has so fulfilled.
But those things, which God before had preached by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he has so fulfilled.
Good News Translation
God announced long ago through all the prophets that his Messiah had to suffer; and he made it come true in this way.
God announced long ago through all the prophets that his Messiah had to suffer; and he made it come true in this way.
Lexham English Bible
But the things which God foretold through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he has fulfilled in this way.
But the things which God foretold through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he has fulfilled in this way.
Literal Translation
But what things God before proclaimed through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He fulfilled in this manner.
But what things God before proclaimed through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He fulfilled in this manner.
American Standard Version
But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
Bible in Basic English
But the things which God had made clear before, by the mouth of all the prophets, that the Christ would have to undergo, he has put into effect in this way.
But the things which God had made clear before, by the mouth of all the prophets, that the Christ would have to undergo, he has put into effect in this way.
Hebrew Names Version
But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Messiah should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Messiah should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
International Standard Version
This is how God fulfilled what he had predicted through the voice of all the prophets - that his Christ[fn] would suffer.Psalm 22:1-31; Isaiah 50:6; 53:5; Daniel 9:26; Luke 24:44; Acts 26:22; 1 Peter 1:10-11;">[xr]
This is how God fulfilled what he had predicted through the voice of all the prophets - that his Christ[fn] would suffer.Psalm 22:1-31; Isaiah 50:6; 53:5; Daniel 9:26; Luke 24:44; Acts 26:22; 1 Peter 1:10-11;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
and Aloha, according to that which he had before proclaimed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Meshiha should suffer, hath fulfilled this.
and Aloha, according to that which he had before proclaimed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Meshiha should suffer, hath fulfilled this.
Murdock Translation
and God, according as he had previously announced by the mouth of all the prophets that the Messiah would suffer, hath in this manner fulfilled [fn] .
and God, according as he had previously announced by the mouth of all the prophets that the Messiah would suffer, hath in this manner fulfilled [fn] .
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But those thynges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophetes, that Christe shoulde suffer, he hath so fulfylled.
But those thynges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophetes, that Christe shoulde suffer, he hath so fulfylled.
English Revised Version
But the things which God foreshewed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
But the things which God foreshewed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
World English Bible
But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But God hath thus fulfilled the things which he foretold by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer.
But God hath thus fulfilled the things which he foretold by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer.
Weymouth's New Testament
But in this way God has fulfilled the declarations He made through all the Prophets, that His Christ would suffer.
But in this way God has fulfilled the declarations He made through all the Prophets, that His Christ would suffer.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But God that bifor telde bi the mouth of alle profetis, that his Crist schulde suffre, hath fillid so.
But God that bifor telde bi the mouth of alle profetis, that his Crist schulde suffre, hath fillid so.
Update Bible Version
But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
Webster's Bible Translation
But those things which God before had shown by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
But those things which God before had shown by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
New English Translation
But the things God foretold long ago through all the prophets—that his Christ would suffer—he has fulfilled in this way.
But the things God foretold long ago through all the prophets—that his Christ would suffer—he has fulfilled in this way.
New King James Version
But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
New Living Translation
But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things.
But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things.
New Life Bible
In this way, God did what He said He would do through all the early preachers. He said that Christ must suffer many hard things.
In this way, God did what He said He would do through all the early preachers. He said that Christ must suffer many hard things.
New Revised Standard
In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer.
In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Howbeit, God - what things he had before declared, through the mouth of all the prophets, for his Christ to suffer, - did thus fulfill!
Howbeit, God - what things he had before declared, through the mouth of all the prophets, for his Christ to suffer, - did thus fulfill!
Douay-Rheims Bible
But those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
But those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
Revised Standard Version
But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophetes how yt Christ shuld suffre he hath thus wyse fulfilled.
But those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophetes how yt Christ shuld suffre he hath thus wyse fulfilled.
Young's Literal Translation
and God, what things before He had declared through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He did thus fulfil;
and God, what things before He had declared through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He did thus fulfil;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But God, which by the mouth of all his prophetes had shewed before, yt his Christ shulde suffre, hath so fulfilled it.
But God, which by the mouth of all his prophetes had shewed before, yt his Christ shulde suffre, hath so fulfilled it.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but thus it is that God has accomplished what he had foretold by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer.
but thus it is that God has accomplished what he had foretold by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer.
Simplified Cowboy Version
But all of it had to happen because God had predicted a long time ago that the Top Hand would suffer.
But all of it had to happen because God had predicted a long time ago that the Top Hand would suffer.
Contextual Overview
12When Peter saw he had a congregation, he addressed the people: "Oh, Israelites, why does this take you by such complete surprise, and why stare at us as if our power or piety made him walk? The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his Son Jesus. The very One that Pilate called innocent, you repudiated. You repudiated the Holy One, the Just One, and asked for a murderer in his place. You no sooner killed the Author of Life than God raised him from the dead—and we're the witnesses. Faith in Jesus' name put this man, whose condition you know so well, on his feet—yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes. 17"And now, friends, I know you had no idea what you were doing when you killed Jesus, and neither did your leaders. But God, who through the preaching of all the prophets had said all along that his Messiah would be killed, knew exactly what you were doing and used it to fulfill his plans. 19"Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus. For the time being he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be. Moses, for instance, said, ‘Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you. Every last living soul who refuses to listen to that prophet will be wiped out from the people.' 24"All the prophets from Samuel on down said the same thing, said most emphatically that these days would come. These prophets, along with the covenant God made with your ancestors, are your family tree. God's covenant-word to Abraham provides the text: ‘By your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.' But you are first in line: God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless you as you turn, one by one, from your evil ways."
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
those: Acts 17:2, Acts 17:3, Acts 26:22, Acts 26:23, Acts 28:23, Luke 24:26, Luke 24:27, Luke 24:44, 1 Corinthians 15:3, 1 Corinthians 15:4, 1 Peter 1:10, 1 Peter 1:11, Revelation 19:10
all: Genesis 3:15, Psalms 22:1-30, Psalms 69:1-36, Isaiah 50:6, Isaiah 53:1-12, Daniel 9:26, Zechariah 12:10, Zechariah 13:7
Reciprocal: Isaiah 44:22 - return Matthew 1:22 - that Luke 4:21 - This day Luke 16:16 - Law Acts 2:23 - being Acts 4:28 - to do Acts 7:52 - which showed Acts 15:7 - by my Romans 3:25 - set forth Ephesians 4:10 - fill 2 Peter 1:21 - by the Holy 2 Peter 3:2 - ye may Revelation 22:6 - the holy
Cross-References
Genesis 3:14
God told the serpent: "Because you've done this, you're cursed, cursed beyond all cattle and wild animals, Cursed to slink on your belly and eat dirt all your life. I'm declaring war between you and the Woman, between your offspring and hers. He'll wound your head, you'll wound his heel."
God told the serpent: "Because you've done this, you're cursed, cursed beyond all cattle and wild animals, Cursed to slink on your belly and eat dirt all your life. I'm declaring war between you and the Woman, between your offspring and hers. He'll wound your head, you'll wound his heel."
Job 1:21
Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked I'll return to the womb of the earth. God gives, God takes. God's name be ever blessed.
Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked I'll return to the womb of the earth. God gives, God takes. God's name be ever blessed.
Psalms 90:3
So don't return us to mud, saying, "Back to where you came from!" Patience! You've got all the time in the world—whether a thousand years or a day, it's all the same to you. Are we no more to you than a wispy dream, no more than a blade of grass That springs up gloriously with the rising sun and is cut down without a second thought? Your anger is far and away too much for us; we're at the end of our rope. You keep track of all our sins; every misdeed since we were children is entered in your books. All we can remember is that frown on your face. Is that all we're ever going to get? We live for seventy years or so (with luck we might make it to eighty), And what do we have to show for it? Trouble. Toil and trouble and a marker in the graveyard. Who can make sense of such rage, such anger against the very ones who fear you?
So don't return us to mud, saying, "Back to where you came from!" Patience! You've got all the time in the world—whether a thousand years or a day, it's all the same to you. Are we no more to you than a wispy dream, no more than a blade of grass That springs up gloriously with the rising sun and is cut down without a second thought? Your anger is far and away too much for us; we're at the end of our rope. You keep track of all our sins; every misdeed since we were children is entered in your books. All we can remember is that frown on your face. Is that all we're ever going to get? We live for seventy years or so (with luck we might make it to eighty), And what do we have to show for it? Trouble. Toil and trouble and a marker in the graveyard. Who can make sense of such rage, such anger against the very ones who fear you?
Proverbs 22:5
The perverse travel a dangerous road, potholed and mud-slick; if you know what's good for you, stay clear of it.
The perverse travel a dangerous road, potholed and mud-slick; if you know what's good for you, stay clear of it.
Isaiah 7:23
But that's not the end of it. This country that used to be covered with fine vineyards—thousands of them, worth millions!—will revert to a weed patch. Weeds and thornbushes everywhere! Good for nothing except, perhaps, hunting rabbits. Cattle and sheep will forage as best they can in the fields of weeds—but there won't be a trace of all those fertile and well-tended gardens and fields.
But that's not the end of it. This country that used to be covered with fine vineyards—thousands of them, worth millions!—will revert to a weed patch. Weeds and thornbushes everywhere! Good for nothing except, perhaps, hunting rabbits. Cattle and sheep will forage as best they can in the fields of weeds—but there won't be a trace of all those fertile and well-tended gardens and fields.
Jeremiah 4:3
Here's another Message from God to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: "Plow your unplowed fields, but then don't plant weeds in the soil! Yes, circumcise your lives for God's sake. Plow your unplowed hearts, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem. Prevent fire—the fire of my anger— for once it starts it can't be put out. Your wicked ways are fuel for the fire.
Here's another Message from God to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: "Plow your unplowed fields, but then don't plant weeds in the soil! Yes, circumcise your lives for God's sake. Plow your unplowed hearts, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem. Prevent fire—the fire of my anger— for once it starts it can't be put out. Your wicked ways are fuel for the fire.
Matthew 13:7
A Harvest Story At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?" He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them. "But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance. "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. "The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." He told another story. "God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. "The farmhands came to the farmer and said, ‘Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?' "He answered, ‘Some enemy did this.' "The farmhands asked, ‘Should we weed out the thistles?' "He said, ‘No, if you weed the thistles, you'll pull up the wheat, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.'" Another story. "God's kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it." Another story. "God's kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread—and waits while the dough rises." All Jesus did that day was tell stories—a long storytelling afternoon. His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: I will open my mouth and tell stories; I will bring out into the open things hidden since the world's first day. Jesus dismissed the congregation and went into the house. His disciples came in and said, "Explain to us that story of the thistles in the field." So he explained. "The farmer who sows the pure seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the pure seeds are subjects of the kingdom, the thistles are subjects of the Devil, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, the curtain of history. The harvest hands are angels. "The picture of thistles pulled up and burned is a scene from the final act. The Son of Man will send his angels, weed out the thistles from his kingdom, pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They are going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen. At the same time, ripe, holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father. "Are you listening to this? Really listening? "God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field. "Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it. "Or, God's kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That's how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won't do any good." Jesus asked, "Are you starting to get a handle on all this?" They answered, "Yes." He said, "Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it." When Jesus finished telling these stories, he left there, returned to his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "We've known him since he was a kid; he's the carpenter's son. We know his mother, Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas. All his sisters live here. Who does he think he is?" They got their noses all out of joint. But Jesus said, "A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family." He didn't do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference.
A Harvest Story At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?" He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them. "But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance. "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. "The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." He told another story. "God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. "The farmhands came to the farmer and said, ‘Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?' "He answered, ‘Some enemy did this.' "The farmhands asked, ‘Should we weed out the thistles?' "He said, ‘No, if you weed the thistles, you'll pull up the wheat, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.'" Another story. "God's kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it." Another story. "God's kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread—and waits while the dough rises." All Jesus did that day was tell stories—a long storytelling afternoon. His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: I will open my mouth and tell stories; I will bring out into the open things hidden since the world's first day. Jesus dismissed the congregation and went into the house. His disciples came in and said, "Explain to us that story of the thistles in the field." So he explained. "The farmer who sows the pure seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the pure seeds are subjects of the kingdom, the thistles are subjects of the Devil, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, the curtain of history. The harvest hands are angels. "The picture of thistles pulled up and burned is a scene from the final act. The Son of Man will send his angels, weed out the thistles from his kingdom, pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They are going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen. At the same time, ripe, holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father. "Are you listening to this? Really listening? "God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field. "Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it. "Or, God's kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That's how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won't do any good." Jesus asked, "Are you starting to get a handle on all this?" They answered, "Yes." He said, "Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it." When Jesus finished telling these stories, he left there, returned to his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "We've known him since he was a kid; he's the carpenter's son. We know his mother, Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas. All his sisters live here. Who does he think he is?" They got their noses all out of joint. But Jesus said, "A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family." He didn't do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference.
Romans 14:2
For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.
For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
But those things which God before had showed,.... In the Scriptures of the Old Testament, concerning the betraying of the Messiah, and his sufferings and death, with the various causes, concomitants, and circumstances of them:
by the mouths of all his prophets; which were since the world began; some pointing out one thing or circumstance, and some another:
that Christ should suffer. The Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, "that his Christ should suffer"; but then they leave out the word "his" in the preceding clause, which they put into this; and this entire clause is omitted in the Alexandrian copy:
he hath so fulfilled; in the manner he has, so exactly, so perfectly agreeable to the predictions of them, and yet were unknown to the persons by whom they were fulfilled. So wisely and surprisingly are things ordered and overruled by the wise providence of God, who is a God of knowledge, and by whom all actions are weighed.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
But those things - To wit, those things that did actually occur, pertaining to the life and death of the Messiah.
Had showed - Had announced, or foretold.
By the mouth of all his prophets - That is, by the prophets in general, without affirming that each individual prophet had uttered a distinct prediction respecting this. The prophets âtaken together,â or the prophecies âas a whole,â had declared this. The word âallâ is not infrequently used in this somewhat limited sense, Mark 1:37; John 3:26. In regard to the prophecies respecting Christ, see the notes on Luke 24:27.
Hath so fulfilled - He has caused to be fulfilled in this manner; that is, by the rejection, the denial, and the wickedness of the rulers. It has turned out to be in strict accordance with the prophecy. This fact Peter uses in exhorting them to repentance; but it is not to be regarded as an excuse for their sins. The mere fact that all this was foretold; that it was in accordance with the purposes and predictions of God, does not take away the quilt of it, or constitute an excuse for it. In regard to this, we may remark:
- The prediction did not change the nature of the act. The mere fact that it was foretold, or foreknown, did not change its character. See notes on Acts 1:23.
- Peter still regarded them as guilty. He did not urge the fact that this was foreknown as an excuse for their sin, but to show them that since all this happened according to the prediction and the purpose of God, they might hope in his mercy. The plan was that the Messiah should die to make a way for pardon, and, therefore, they might hope in his mercy.
(3)This was a signal instance of the power and mercy of God in overruling the wicked conduct of people to further his own purposes and plans.
(4)All the other sins of people may thus be overruled, and thus the wrath of man may be made to praise him. But,
- This will constitute no excuse for the sinner. It is no part of his intention to honor God, or to advance his purposes; and there is no direct tendency in his crimes to advance his glory. The direct tendency of his deeds is counteracted and overruled, and God brings good out of the evil. But this surely constitutes no excuse for the sinner.
If it be asked why Peter insisted on this if he did not mean that it should be regarded as an excuse for their sin, I reply, that it was his design to prove âthat Jesus was the Messiah,â and having proved this, he could assure them that there was mercy. Not that they had not been guilty; not that they deserved favor; but that tire fact that the Messiah had come was an argument which proved that any sinners might obtain mercy, as he immediately proceeds to show them.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Acts 3:18. But those things - he hath so fulfilled. — Your ignorance and malice have been overruled by the sovereign wisdom and power of God, and have become the instruments of fulfilling the Divine purpose, that Christ must suffer, in order to make an atonement for the sin of the world. All the prophets had declared this; some of them in express terms, others indirectly and by symbols; but, as the whole Mosaic dispensation referred to Christ, all that prophesied or ministered under it must have referred to him also.
