JESUS OF NAZARETH

Acts 2:22-24 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it.

Thus begins God's message of eternal salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. It was designed by Him but hidden from all men and women, from the beginning of time until these last days. Immediately before Jesus' ascension back into Heaven, these instructions were given to His apostles: Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:46-47). The time had now come - these were the last days. The apostles were assembled in the right place - Jerusalem. It was the final Day of Pentecost required by the Jewish nation to be observed, which followed forty-nine days celebrating the Feast of the Passover. It was the fiftieth day, Sunday, the first day of the week, when Peter stood up, and, with the other apostles, proclaimed Jesus to be the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

Peter, standing up with the eleven (Vs. 14), began speaking in tongues known to the entire multitude assembled on this day of celebration, so that every man heard them speak in his own language (Vs. 6). This was the beginning of the message inspired by the Holy Spirit of God: Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. With their message directed to the descendents of Jacob, the children of Israel, they were admonished to give heed to what is about to be spoken about the Messiah, Christ Jesus. Because among the Jews He was widely known by this title, and so there would be no doubt as to whom the apostles were speaking of, the Savior was referred to here as Jesus of Nasareth. They continued their message by saying that Jesus was a Man approved of God. God gave His approval when Christ submitted to being baptized by John in the River Jordan. On this occasion, and before a multitude assembled to be baptized by John, a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art My beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased (Luke 3:22; also see Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11).

As further proof that He was the promised Savior, Jesus was undeniably confirmed as the Son of God among the Jewish nation by miracles and wonders and signs. From prison, John the Baptist, having heard of the works of Jesus, sent men to ask Jesus this question: Art thou He that should come, or look we for another? To this Jesus replied, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached (See Luke 7:20-22). Jesus' miraculous works proved Himself to be the Son of God. He confessed that the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father hath sent Me (John 5:36). These marvelous works God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. Indeed, they did know this fact. The miracles that confirmed Jesus, as the Savior, could not be denied. Even the Jewish chief priests and Pharisees said of Jesus: this man doeth many miracles (John 11:47).

Even with this evidence of Jesus' deity, Peter, along with the other apostles, said this about Him in their message of salvation: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. The prophesy of Isaiah (Chapter 53) assures us that God knew His Son would be slain by wicked hands. But it was also God's will that His Son be offered as the ultimate, atoning sacrifice to take away the sins of the world and provide the only way eternal salvation could be available to mankind. Although the death of Jesus was known by God, He also knew beforehand that His Son would be resurrected from His horrible death. The message of salvation on the Day of Pentecost continues by saying this of the Son of God, Christ Jesus: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it. Death comes on mankind by the power of Satan. Resurrection from death comes by the power of God through His Son, Jesus. Jesus of Nazareth destroyed the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb. 2:14b).