Acts 13:40Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

By this he shows the weakness of the law. He excellently added, "everyone," to show that everyone who believes is justified.

None of these things would have had any profit if there were no benefaction. Therefore he finally speaks of the "forgiveness" of sins.

He draws the greater point from what came before. He shows that what the law could not do, the One who suffered accomplished by His death.

But why did he not add a testimony by which they would be convinced that forgiveness of sins takes place through Christ?

Because he first wished to prove that Christ rose. Once this is accepted, it becomes certain from this that forgiveness of sins takes place through Him.

On the other hand, he wished to awaken in them desire for this great blessing.

Thus His death was not a deprivation, but the fulfillment of the prophecies. He mentions historical events because, by not understanding them, the Jews suffered many evils.

He points to this in conclusion when he says, "Beware."

Now, Paul said, addressing the Jews and proselytes present, this preaching of salvation is appointed for you. Those whom this good tidings first reached, the Jews of Jerusalem and their rulers, did not wish to receive it. They did not recognize the Messiah, nor understand the prophecies read every Sabbath in the synagogue.

Yet by condemning the Messiah to death, they could not destroy the promises. Rather, against their own knowledge and expectation, they served their fulfillment. For after He had suffered all that He had to suffer according to the prophets’ predictions, He rose from the dead.

You did not see Him, but through faith in Him you can receive remission of sins and justification, which the law could never provide.

Having proclaimed this promise, the apostle added a threat against unbelief.

"Marvel and perish" means that so great a work will be done by God before your eyes, in your days, that you would not believe it if someone else told you.

You would believe it only if you saw it with your own eyes. But you must believe, because you yourselves will be eyewitnesses of this extraordinary work.

Because of your unbelief and contempt for God's indications, this great work will affect you so that you will marvel and perish.

It will be God's judgment and punishment for your unbelief and contempt.

The prophet Habakkuk says this in God's name about the approaching invasion of the Chaldeans into the land of the Jews. It was God's punishment for the unbelief and corruption of His people.

This was later fulfilled with all the horrors of the terrible devastation of Palestine by the Chaldeans.

A similar judgment and punishment from God may also come upon the apostle's hearers if they disbelieve his preaching about Christ. In that case they would show themselves to be despisers.

The apostle warns them against this judgment: "Beware." God's judgment, in one form or another, can overtake them and will overtake them for unbelief.

For the word of God is immutable. It has always been so. For unbelief and contempt there is punishment, and one must beware of this even now.

"And see," says Saint John Chrysostom, "how he softens the severity of the exhortation. 'Beware, therefore,' he says, 'lest what is spoken come upon you.' This could also be said to us: 'Behold, you despisers,' concerning those who do not believe in the resurrection. For the affairs of the Church are in a very bad state, although you think she is at peace. What are you saying? you will ask. We support the churches with property, and assemblies for prayer take place. But this is not what should be counted in favor of the Church. What then? Whether piety is in her. Has anyone become better by being present in the assembly?"

One may think that the apostle feared to say this in his own words. Therefore he cited the prophetic words, by which the harshness of the warning was greatly removed, and a special force and authority were given to it.

The force of the warning lies in the possibility of an astonishing, even incredible, punishment. Such a punishment could overtake both the ancient Hebrews and those Jews to whom Paul spoke. Precisely because they trusted in their election by God and nearness to Him, they could not admit the possibility of so dreadful a punishment as the invasion of enemies like the Chaldeans.

At the conclusion of his speech the apostle utters a dread warning to his hearers, in case of their unbelief in Christ and in the preaching about Him. This warning is expressed in the words of the prophet Habakkuk (1:5).

So great a work will be accomplished by the Almighty in your days and in your presence that you would not believe it, if you did not see it with your own eyes and someone else told you of it.

It is difficult to decide what event the apostle had in view. Most interpreters see in these words an indication of the Roman devastation of Judea, joined with the final destruction of Jewish independence.

It is possible that by these words the apostle expresses only the general thought: take heed, lest by rejecting the messianic mercies you bring heavy punishments upon yourselves.