`And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews' (John

And he is careful to remind us, before the story of the crucifixion is ended,

of the prophecy, `They shall look on Him Whom they pierced' (John 19:37).

When this takes place, Zechariah tells us that Israel's restoration will

follow; and this same Jesus of Nazareth, so long despised, shall once more

stand upon the Mount of Olives and accomplish all the purposes of grace that

are awaiting Israel's repentance (Zech. 12 to 14).

The changed attitude towards `Jesus of Nazareth' which brings about the

healing of the nation is seen in Isaiah:

`He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted

with grief: and He hid as it were His face from us (margin); He was

despised, and we esteemed Him not' (53:3).

This is the Jewish estimate of `Jesus of Nazareth', but immediately

following, the prophet reveals to us the surprise which will be expressed by

Israel when they look upon Him Whom they have pierced:

`Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did

esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But (and here note

the dawning revelation of truth), He was wounded for our

transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of

our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed' (Isa.

This passage must be read aloud to be appreciated.  The stress must be

put upon the pronouns `He' and `Our'.  Israel rejected Jesus of Nazareth and

esteemed Him stricken and smitten of God.  But when at last they repent and

believe, they will acknowledge that it was for their sins, not His own, that

He died, and they will then gladly give Him the title which Peter uses in

Acts three and four -- `Jesus the Messiah of Nazareth' (Acts 3:6; 4:10).

Peter's words in Acts 3:19-26 are a direct prophetic exposition of the

meaning of this miracle.  He urges repentance, with a view to the times of

refreshing and restoration that will be brought in by the return of the Lord

from heaven.  This Coming of Christ, and the blessings that will flow from

it, are in perfect harmony with the testimony of Moses and all the prophets

(Acts 3:22-24), and with the covenant made with Abraham and his seed

(3:25,26).  It is impossible to read the church into this passage, especially

when we read the concluding words:

`Ye are the children of the prophets ... Unto you first God, having

raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every

one of you from his iniquities'.

The point of Peter's explanation lies in the word translated

`salvation' (Acts 4:12).  We read that the lame man had been more than forty

years a cripple, which makes us think at once of Israel in their unbelief.

The words `perfect soundness' (Acts 3:16) refer back to Israel's condition as

described in Isaiah 1:6, where the LXX uses the same word, `no soundness'.

The word `whole' in Acts 4:9, `By what means he is made whole', is sesostai,

from sozo `to save'.  The word `salvation' in Acts 4:12 is he soteria,

literally `the healing', `Neither is there salvation in any other'.