THE KING’S BUSINESS
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the dead, the resurrection not only o f His spirit, but of his “ flesh.” v. 33. “Being therefore by (or, at) the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath poured forth this which ye see and hear." Peter has given two witnesses to the resurrection o f Christ, the witness o f the Scriptures, and the wit ness o f himself and his associates; he here gives a third witness to the certainty o f the resurrection o f the Lord Jesus, the out poured Spirit. The outpouring o f the Spirit which was a fact that Peter’s hearers could see for themselves, right before their eyes, and which we may know experi mentally, was clear proof that Jesus had not only risen, but ascended ; for it was only thé risen and ascended Jesus who could receive and pour out the Spirit. Just so today, the gift o f the Holy Spirit as, a definite experience which we receive, is an experimental proof that Jesus is now at God’s right hand. vs. 34, 35. “For David ascended not into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sik thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies a footstool o f thy feet.” There Is a very significant change in the Revised Version from the Authorized Version. Peter did not say, as the Authorized Version makes him say, “ David is not ascended into the heavens.” What he did say was, as the Revised Ver sion puts it, “ David ascended not into the heavens.” The change o f tenses marks a very definite change o f thought. The tense used in the Greek and properly translated in the Revised Version, indicates a definite past action, and all that Peter says is that David did not ascend at that time, at the time o f his death, but that his body at that time was left in the grave and his spirit in Hades. This does not deny that David had since ascended into the heavens, i.e.-, that his spirit had. The Lord, i.e., the Lord Jesus did ascend and is now sitting on the right hand o f God the Father, and will sit there until the time comes for God to make His enemies the footstool o f His feet, v. 36. “Let all the house of Israel there-
Lord Jesus’ tomb is still at Jerusalem, but it is an empty tomb, the body has passed out o f it. David’s tomb still had the cor rupted remains o f the body o f David in it. vs. 30, 31. “Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of (rather, out of) the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne; he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left in Hades, nor did his flesh see cor ruption.” David was a prophet as well as a king and a Psalmist. A prophet is not one who simply predicts, though David did predict; a prophet is one in whose mouth God puts His words, and through whom He thus reveals His truth. The words may refer to the future, in which case they are not only prophecy but prediction, or they may refer to present revelations o f truth regarding man or God or duty. It is not difficult to prove that David was a prophet; his words have been most wonderfully ful filled centuries after they were spoken. David himself claimed to be a prophet:.in $econd Samuel 23:2 he says “ The Spirit o f the Lord spake by me, and His word'was upon my tongue.” This claim o f David’s is substantiated by the prophecy here quoted and its clear fulfillment. Verse 31 draws a very clear distinction between Christ Himself, who went into Hades, (and afterwards came up out o f it) and His flesh which was put in the sepulcher but was not allowed to see corruption. It is evident from this that conscious existence does not end with that experience which we call death. v. 32. “ This Jesus did God raise up, whereof (or, of which, or, of whom) we all are witnesses.” Having given the testi mony o f the Scriptures to the resurrection o f the Christ, Peter now gives his own per sonal testimony. He and the other Apos tles were “witnesses” o f the fulfillment of the prophecy. They testified to what they had personally seen, and sealed their testi mony by their death. Their testimony, therefore, to this point is unimpeachable,— there can be no question o f the actuality o f the literal resurrection o f Jestis from
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