THROUGH THIS MAN

Acts 13:37-39 NKJV 

37 but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 

I hope you take a moment and read this 13th chapter. Verses 16-41 contain one of the most concise presentations of the gospel to people of Jewish heritage. Paul, speaking by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, begins with the children of Israel being delivered from Egypt and concludes with Jesus being the fulfillment of the scriptures. Paul refers to Jesus being raised from the dead four times in this brief message. In reading this again, I was amazed at how well the gospel was presented.   

Paul contrasts David, a much-revered king in Jewish history, dying and seeing corruption. The word corruption could also be translated saw decay. David’s body was still in the tomb, but Jesus saw no corruption. God raised him up on the third day.   

Verses 38-39 are the conclusion of Paul’s message. Through this Man, Jesus, is proclaimed to you the forgiveness of sins. To Jewish people who had access to God’s word, they understood sins and forgiveness. Every year they were to present themselves in the temple with an animal sacrifice to cover or atone for their sins. But no longer would they need to depend on an animal sacrifice. Through this Man, Jesus, their sins would be forgiven.   

And through this Man, Jesus, everyone who believes is justified. Those are important words. Everyone meant no one was left out. The only qualifier was believing. They must believe in what Jesus had done for them. When they believed, they were justified or made right, not guilty, before God. And Paul clarifies that what Jesus did to forgive and make right the law of Moses could not do. To Jewish people who lived with a consciousness of sins, this message was either amazingly good news or this message was blasphemous.   

The rest of the chapter reveals how people received Paul’s message. The Gentiles loved hearing it and begged Paul to preach this again. That would make sense. Through Jesus, the wall of racial separation between Jew and Gentile was done away with. No longer would there be first-class and second-class citizens in God’s sight.   

The Jews were of mixed response. Some believed, but when the whole city came to the synagogue the next week to hear the message again, the leaders became jealous and kicked Paul and Barnabus out of the city. That would be the pattern for the rest of the book of Acts. Revival and rejection every time Paul showed up.   

 APPLICATION   

Today, Paul’s message is still valid, still relevant. Through this Man, Jesus, mankind can be forgiven and made right with God by believing in what Jesus has done. God’s words and work have not lost an ounce of power!   

 PRAYER  

Lord, thank You for what You have done for me. Through Jesus, I am forgiven and made right with You!