Acts 2:30Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Now he has proved what he wished. Yet even after this he still did not pass on to Christ, but again speaks in praise of David: "Being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him with an oath."

He speaks in this way so that, at least out of respect for David and his lineage, they might receive the word about the Resurrection. Otherwise, it would be as though the prophecy and their honor suffered harm.

"And knowing," he says, "that God had sworn to him with an oath." He did not simply say, "promised," but what was stronger: "sworn to him with an oath."

He swore that "of the fruit of his loins He would raise up Christ according to the flesh, and set Him upon his throne." See how he again points to the lofty truth.

Since he had softened them by his words, he boldly sets forth this saying of the prophet and speaks about the Resurrection.

"God swore with an oath to him." He did not say, "He promised," but, "He swore," indicating by this the immutability of the promise. "To seat Him upon his throne." In many places of divine Scripture, throne is used in place of kingdom. So it is here, and also in the following passage: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever." "To raise up Christ according to the flesh." He says, "according to the flesh," because according to His Godhead He is from eternity and always sits together with the Father. He ascribes everything to the Father so that what is said may be more readily received. But in what manner does He sit upon the throne of David? In that He is King both of the Jews and still more of those who crucified Him.

Then the twelve Apostles come forward to the people. Peter, no longer the former Peter, timid and fearful, but courageous and undaunted, speaks to them.

He says that the extraordinary manifestation now accomplished upon them is the work of the Holy Spirit, whom God once promised to send upon His servants.

He says that Jesus Himself sent this Spirit down upon them, His disciples. This is the same Jesus whom the Jews had recently crucified here, and whom God raised from the dead, glorified, and seated at His right hand.

Therefore Jesus is the Christ. The recent instructions of the Risen One Himself had taught that Christ had to suffer, and only by this path enter into His glory.

"Does David speak in this way of Jesus, and not of himself? Do you wish to know, Israelites?" the Apostle continued, with a renewed feeling of goodwill and love toward them.

"Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you concerning the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. This is known to all. Such a word cannot be counted as disrespect toward our great forefather," the Apostle continued.

"How then," you may think, "did David speak in this way about the resurrection of another, as though about his own?"

"Being a prophet." Here the concept of prophet is taken in a particular and narrow sense, as one who sees beforehand and foretells the future by divine revelation; verse 31, "foreseeing."

"And knowing that God had sworn," and so forth. David expressed the desire to build a temple in Jerusalem to the true God. Through Nathan the prophet, God revealed to him that he would not build this temple, but his son would.

On this occasion God gave such a promise concerning his seed that it could be fulfilled, and was fulfilled, only in the Messiah; 2 Kgs 7:12-16. David then understood this and glorified God in a song; verses 18-29.

Cf. 2 Kgs 7:12; Ps 131:11.

The Apostle's words of praise concerning David as prophet and forefather of the Messiah-King were clearly spoken to awaken the greatest trust in his prophecy. At the same time, they were meant to awaken trust in the explanation of that prophecy as referring to Jesus Christ.

He is the descendant of the glorious King David. Moreover, He is to possess David's throne according to a special revelation given by God to David, not simply, but with an oath. This makes the accomplishment of all this still more certain.

Here, one may say, the Apostle touched the most inward chords of Hebrew spiritual life and expectation. In this way he prepared a path to the fullest possible confidence in himself and in what he proclaimed.