Jesus the Prophet (Acts 3:21-26)

Peter is addressing a Jewish audience here and he was aware of questions that would automatically arise in their minds regarding the Messiah and his kingdom. In particular, Peter deals with the matter of the prophet foretold by Moses. 

There are similarities between Moses and Jesus. Jesus’ ministry involves dealing with a people who are enslaved, except that they are not in bondage to another political system, but to the power of sin. Jesus, as did Moses, performed miracles in order to authenticate that he was sent by God to be the Messiah. Like Moses, Jesus taught what God had revealed to him (John 8:26-29). Jesus and Moses were faithful to their callings. Both Jesus and Moses are described as meek and gentle.

Nevertheless, Jesus was unique. His abilities transcend those possessed by Moses. Jesus teaches profounder truth than Moses did; Jesus teaches many more people than Moses did. Jesus teaches all of his people personally and permanently. And he teaches them more powerfully.

  

Moses recognised the greatness of Jesus when he said about Jesus: ‘And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people’ (3:33). Peter is not referring to people who may not have the opportunity of listening to Jesus. Such will be judged according to the light they had from creation and conscience. Instead he is speaking to those who would not be attentive to what Jesus had to say to them. 

What was the message that Peter had for the crowd in Jerusalem that day? It was not merely that Jesus was able to work astonishing miracles on behalf of unfortunate people. His message was that these citizens of Jerusalem should repent of their sins. If they persisted in refusing to repent, the day would come when they would be cut off from the visible community of God’s people and find themselves under his awful, eternal judgement. 

This is the message that Peter has for us as well: ‘Safety and satisfaction come from listening to Jesus Christ. Repentance brings us into a relationship in which we enjoy the personal, permanent and powerful instruction of Jesus the Prophet.’