Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Testifying, х diamarturomenos (G1263)] - the compound word implying the 'thorough,' complete character of the testimony,
Both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks - better, 'both to Jews and Greeks,' who, lying under a common malady, are recoverable only by a common treatment, Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Bengel and some other critics would restrict the word "repentance here to the change "toward God," which the Gentiles were required to undergo, and "faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," to the change in their view of Him required of the Jews. But the majority of the best critics understand both terms-and with justice-to describe the two-fold change which passes upon everyone who comes under the saving power of the Gospel, whether Jew or Gentile. In this view of the words, "REPENTANCE" denotes that state of the soul which arises from a discovery of its contrariety to the righteous demands of the divine law. This is said to be "toward God," because seeing Him to be the Party dishonoured by sin, it feels all its acknowledgments and compunctions to be properly due to Him as the Great Lawgiver, and directs them to Him accordingly; condemning, humbling itself, and grieving before Him, looking also to Him as its only Hope of deliverance. "FAITH" is said to be "toward our Lord Jesus Christ," because, in the frame of mind just described it eagerly credits the testimony of relief divinely provided in Christ, gladly embraces the overtures of reconciliation in Him, and directs all its expectations of salvation, from its first stage to its last, to Him as the one appointed Medium of all grace from God to a sinful world. Thus we have here a brief summary of all Gospel preaching. And it is easy to see why Repentance is here put before Faith; for the former must of necessity precede the latter. There is, indeed a repentance subsequent to faith, the fruit of felt pardon and restoration-that which drew the tears with which the Saviour's feet were once so copiously moistened (see Luke 7:37-38; Luke 7:47; and Ezekiel 16:63). But that is not the light in which it is here presented.
Glance into the Future (20:22-25)