Days of Beginning

MEMORY SELECTION: “Upon this Rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” —Matthew 16:18

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:1,2; 2:22-32

THE Apostle Paul, in speaking of Jesus, stated, “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.”—Heb. 2:16-18

Many centuries before the first advent of Jesus, God made a promise to Abraham that in his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed. This was a promise by God of the beginning of an arrangement that would have as its ultimate goal the reconciliation of mankind to himself.

This promise concerning the coming of that seed was not fulfilled for some 1,800 years, until the first advent of Jesus. The Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus was that promised Seed. “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”—Gal. 3:16

In our selected scripture the Apostle Peter is endeavoring to convince his Jewish brethren that Jesus was this promised Seed. First he states that the prophecies foretold that the promised Seed, or the Messiah, would perform many miracles and wonders, and this Jesus did, by the power of God acting through him. Many Jews had observed his miracles. But in spite of this evidence, they had delivered Jesus to wicked hands to be crucified.

But, the apostle continues, God did not leave Jesus in the tomb, but raised him up and did not suffer his Holy One to see corruption. This too was in fulfillment of a prophecy by David contained in Psalm 16:10. And having raised him up, God has set Jesus at his own right hand. (Ps. 110:1) Having presented this evidence, the apostle concludes, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”—Acts 2:36

Jesus indicated that this fact—that he was Christ, or the Messiah—was a great foundation truth, and that it was on this concept that he would build his church. This statement by Jesus is our memory selection quoted above.

Jesus had asked his disciples, “Whom say ye that I am?” And Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus answered and said, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”—Matt. 16:15-17

Then Jesus continues (vs. 18) with a play on words to give emphasis to what he is saying, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.” The meaning of “Peter” is a small rock or stone, one that is movable (petros). But the word “rock” is “petra” in the Greek, and means a huge stone which is immovable. The word petra is feminine and therefore could not refer to Peter, but rather to Peter’s confession—that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, who is the foretold “foundation stone” (Isa. 28:16) and is also the rejected stone. (Ps. 118:22) It is upon this great truth that Christ will build his church.

At the beginning of the 2nd chapter of Acts we have the account of the apostles gathering on the day of Pentecost in the upper room, waiting for the promised baptism of the Holy Spirit. After the Spirit came upon them they were endowed with special powers, the most important of these being spiritual discernment. For the first time the apostles were able to fully discern God’s plans and purposes.

Jesus had told them prior to his death, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when … [it], the spirit of truth is come, … [it] will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:12,13) The Holy Spirit, or power of God, was directed to the minds of the apostles, which enabled them to discern the things of God. This was the day of the beginning of the church.

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