Grace Bible Church Gillette, Wyoming

1. After showing the redemptive history of Israel to his audience in the synagogue (Ac 13:17-22), Paul declared that God had brought the Savior to Israel, namely Jesus (Ac 13:23). Jesus was crucified, but this was carried out according to Scripture (Ac 13:27-29). Furthermore, Jesus did not remain in the tomb because God raised Him from the dead (Ac 13:30). His resurrection was witnessed especially by His apostles (Ac 13:31).

2. Paul’s message was that they preached the good news of the promise made to the fathers (Ac 13:32). This was in respect to the promise contained in the Davidic Covenant (Ac 13:23).

3. [33] The good news was that God indeed had fulfilled the promise in the Davidic Covenant. This promise was gloriously fulfilled to the present generation (the better reading would be, “to us, their children” cf. Ac 13:26).

4. How was it fulfilled? It was fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus, being the promised Messianic heir of David.

5. Paul now gives the Scriptural evidence of the resurrection of Christ from Psalm 2:7, “YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.”

6. This verse is not saying that Christ became the Son when He was raised from the dead. Nor is it saying that He was begotten when He was raised from the dead.

7. Rather, the citation connects the Davidic Covenant with the Messiah as the royal King who will sit on David’s throne forever. The clear implication was that the Royal King would not be able to sit on the throne forever if he remained in the tomb. It was necessary that the He be raised from the dead.

8. To explain, Ps 2:7 speaks of the “decree of the Lord” which referred to the Davidic Covenant in 2Sa 7:14 (cf. He 1:5).

a) The Davidic Covenant represented the relationship of the king as a “son” (“I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me” 2Sa 7:14a).

b) This was the relationship applied to David at his installment as king (Ps 2:6-7) and later included Solomon (2Sa 7:12-14).

c) However, Ps 2:7 ultimately referred to Christ, whose relationship has always been the “Son” (Eternal Sonship). It ultimately refers to Christ as the eternal “Son” who will sit on David’s throne forever (2Sa 7:13).

d) To sit on the throne forever, the ultimate Son/King had to be raised from the dead.

9. The phrase, “TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU,” is not teaching that Christ was created. Nor is it teaching that Christ only became the “Son” at His incarnation (Incarnational Sonship) or resurrection.

a) Scripture implies the eternal Sonship of Jesus for He was the Son before creation (He 1:2), equal with the eternal Father (Jn 5:18), and Himself eternal (Jn 1:1; 8:58 cf. Is 9:6).

b) The phrase does not speak of a specific day for Christ because Ps 2:7 is quoted in the NT in connection with several days: 1) His earthly ministry (He 1:5-6), 2) His priestly sacrifice (He 5:1-5 cf. He 10:11-12), 3) and also His resurrection (Ac 13:33). In addition, the context of Ps 2:7 refers to Christ’s enthronement (Ps 2:6) and exaltation (Ps 2:12 cf. He 1:3d).

c) The term “begotten” (gennaō) here as it applied to Jesus, referred to His unique relationship as the eternal Son of God, not His origin. Note that “begotten” did not even refer to David’s birth, but rather his installment as king.

d) Some see the phrase, “He raised up Jesus” without including the phrase “from the dead,” as a play on words. “Raise up” (anistāmi - raise up) sometimes also means to raise up or elevate to a position (cf. He 7:11, 15)

10. The overall point of quoting Ps 2:7 was to say that Jesus, the eternal Son of God, was able to fulfill the Davidic Covenant by being raised from the dead.

B. Jesus’ Resurrection Fulfilled the Covenant Blessings (Ac 13:34 cf. Is 55:3)

1. Paul now gives evidence from two passages from Scripture to prove that Christ was raised from the dead. He adds that the resurrected Savior would no longer “return to decay” (upostepephein eis diaphthoran). In other words, being raised, He is forever alive. He was not just brought to life only to have to die again. The Savior is alive forevermore to fulfill the covenant blessings. In support of this, Is 55:3 is quoted.

2. Paul’s quote was made from the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew text. The original text reads, “I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David.” Paul translates the Septuagint as, “I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY and SURE blessings OF DAVID.” It should be kept in mind that Paul highlighted several points of this prophecy.

a) The “blessings of David” refer to the blessings from everlasting “covenant” (diathāksā LXX) made with David (Davidic Covenant).

b) The blessings of the covenant will be given to Israel (“I will give you” cf. “with you”).

c) The blessings are “holy” (hosios cf. LXX) and “sure” (pista cf. LXX) because the Messiah will fulfill them.

d) The Messiah is able to fulfill the eternal blessings of David only if He was raised “from the dead, no longer to return to decay” (cf. Ro 6:9).

C. Jesus’ Resurrection Fulfilled the Everlasting Covenant (Ac 13:35 cf. Ps 16:10)

1. In another OT reference to the resurrection of Christ, Paul quotes Ps 16:10, “YOU WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.”

2. A connection can be made of the fact that according to Jewish tradition, a dead body did not decay beyond recognition until after three days (cf. Jn 11:39). Christ was raised on the third day. Therefore, Christ who is the “Holy One” did not undergo decay.

3. According to the context, Paul is also making the point that Ps 16:10 ultimately finds it fulfillment in Christ and not David (Ac 13:36-37). The Savior did not undergo decay because He has been raised from the dead

D. David Died and Underwent Decay (Ac 13:36)

1. Paul’s proof that the Psalm was ultimately speaking of the Savior and not David was in the fact that David “fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers.”

2. As great as David was, serving a great “purpose of God” possessing the royal line and being a prophet (Ac 2:30), he was still in the grave. Therefore, he underwent decay. Peter eloquently made this point in his sermon on the day of Pentecost (Ac 2:29).

E. Jesus was Raised and did not Undergo Decay (Ac 13:37)

1. Therefore, the Psalm referred to Jesus, who was raised from the dead. Since he was raised from the dead, He did not undergo decay. This was the same message preached by Peter (Ac 2:30-32).

2. In these three Scriptures, Paul has the necessity and the expectancy of the Savior’s resurrection.

a) The Savior had to be raised from the dead in order that He live forever never to die or decay.

b) The Savior had to be raised from the dead in order to sit upon the Covenant Throne.

c) The Savior had to be raised from the dead in order to dispense the covenant blessings.

F. Applications and Observations

1. God gives His promises in advance and always fulfills them.

2. In this way, God identified the Savior, the resurrected Lord and King.

3. Gospel Approach- Paul showed Israel’s history but then gave the strongest support for the gospel, namely the Scriptures.

a) The Scriptures speak for themselves with God’s authority and faithfulness.

b) The Scriptures have to be interpreted correctly.

c) Interpretation needs to be consistent with the whole of Scripture and consistent with the whole of biblical doctrine.

Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516