And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
And killed the Prince of life. With what heroic course does Peter here charge his audience with the heaviest of all conceivable crimes, and with what terrific strength of language, rising into a climax of astonishing power, are these charges clothed! The word which in this verse, and in Acts 5:31, is rendered "Prince" х archeegos (G747)] is in Hebrews 2:10 rendered "Captain," and Hebrews 12:2, "Author." This last is evidently the sense here, but with the idea of 'Leader,' as having, by His resurrection, not only brought in life from the dead to His believing people, but Himself become 'the first that should rise from the dead.' There is a manifest control between them as the destroyers and Him as the Giver of life. But that this Giver of life to men should Himself be capable of dying, and be slain by men-this is the wonder of wonders. Glorious, yet awful paradox truly this is-Ye "killed the Prince of life"!