PAULS WITNESS
‘The promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that Be hath raised up Jesus again.’
‘And ye are witnesses of these things,’ are the closing words of the Gospel. How they were witnesses is shown in this chapter. Truly St. Paul was not one of those who were in the upper room when Jesus showed Himself to His disciples, but He saw the Lord after His Resurrection. ‘Have I not seen the Lord?’ This was the prerequisite to a true witness. His great theme here is the Resurrection of Christ. Notice three points about his witness to the Resurrection.
I. It is declarative of the innocence of Christ (Acts 13:28; Acts 13:31; Acts 13:33, ‘Thou art My Son’). St. Paul joins these things: ‘They found no cause of death in Him,’ yet He was slain; ‘But God raised Him.’
II. It is a fulfilment of the Divine promises (Acts 13:32-37).
III. In it lies the assurance of our salvation (Acts 13:26; Acts 13:35, ‘The sure mercies of David’).