16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. 17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it. 18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. 19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot. 20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. 21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. 23 Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: 24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. 26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. (Acts 13:16-26 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
This latter part of the chapter containeth an historical and practical sermon, preached by St. Paul at the request of the rulers of the synagogue.
Where observe, 1. His prologue or preface, in which he craves their careful attention: withal intimating, that none of them would attend but only such as truly feared God; Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. That is the proper character of a right attentive hearer.
Observe, 2. The narrative which the apostle gives of the many divine favours, benefits, and blessings, which the Lord bestowed of old upon Israel his people; namely, his free election and chusing them before all nations; his wonderful deliverance of them out of Egypt; his great indulgence towards them for forty years in the wilderness, as a mother bears with a child’s forwardness and stubbornness; and his constituting a form of government for them under the judges first, and king afterwards, particularly Saul and David; who is described first by his conformity to the nature of God; he was a man after his own heart.
Secondly, By his conformity to the will of God; He shall fulfill all my will.
Having thus ended the historical part, he next begins the practial part of his discourse; and lays down this grand proposition, That Jesus is the Christ and Saviour of the world.
This assertion he defends and proves, 1. From his stock and family according to the flesh, foretold by God.
2. From the testimony of John the Baptist his forerunner, Of David’s seed hath God, according to his promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance. After this he makes a close application of the whole to them: Men and brethren, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
Learn thence, That the gospel is the doctrine or word of salvation sent by God unto a lost world. The gospel is a message of glad tidings; the glad tidings which the gospel brings, is salvation: and the way and manner how the gospel brings salvation , is threefold;
1. By way of patefaction and discovery; the gospel makes a discovery of salvation exclusively to any other way; no angel in heaven could have discovered it, if God had not first declared it in and by the gospel.
2. By way of tender and offer: Oh this joyful message of salvation is sent to every man’s door! free grace falls upon its knees, and begs of every sinner to accept it.
3. By way of efficacy and power. The gospel brings with it a convincing and converting power, to put men into a state of salvation; and hath also an establishing and confirming power, to preserve them in that estate. Blessed be God, that to us, even to every one of us, is the word of this salvation sent. What monsters then are they who are enemies to the preaching of the gospel? they are enemies to our salvation: The only way to heaven is by Christ, the only way to Christ is by faith, and the only way to faith is by the word. It cometh by hearing.