fy their sins, only
make their guilt the more grievous, before God. Not as blind, ignorant
heathen, but as a people who have, and should know, the Word of God,
they wilfully put to death God's Son. Thus we have the first part of
Paul's sermon.

THE RESURRECTION AND FAITH.

19. The second part deals with the resurrection of Christ and its
power through faith. This is the goal Paul has in view when he tells
them that they have slain the Christ, thus effecting their
condemnation by God and forfeiting whatever glory they possessed as
Jews, gaining shame and wrath before God in its stead. To be still
delivered from such condemnation, and to obtain justification and
salvation, as he expresses himself toward the end, it is necessary to
hear and believe the word concerning the selfsame Christ. Moreover,
inasmuch as they with their leaders have refused to receive and
recognize this Messiah when he preached and wrought miracles in
person; now, that he is invisible and absent in the body, they are
called upon to receive him whom they themselves have crucified unto
death, and to believe that he is risen from the dead as Lord over all,
according to the testimony of the apostles.

The dreams of the past they are now utterly to forsake, and their
expectations of a Messiah still to come and elevate them with their
Law and manner of worship to fame, riches and position, and to spread
abroad their Moses and their priesthood in all the earth. They must
now thank God for being placed on the same footing with the gentiles,
in that they may come with them to the Word of salvation for the
purpose of obtaining God's favor, remission of sins and life eternal.

OLD TESTAMENT TESTIMONY.

20. Paul supports his discourse on the resurrection of Christ with
many strong Scripture texts. There is no doubt that he dwelt on these
at length and preached quite a sermon, which, however, has not been
recorded here in full, but only in part. The apostle's purpose was to
point us to the Old Testament Scriptures, that we might there make
diligent study for ourselves of how forcibly the prophets have spoken
concerning Christ, his works and his kingdom.

21. The first text Paul cites is from the Second Psalm, which treats
throughout of the Messiah and his reign, as even the Jews at the time
when wisdom still prevailed had to admit. Christ's own words are: "I
will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my Son; this
day have I begotten thee.