Acts 2:22-36: Jesus Crucified And Raised
Quick Summary
Acts 2:22–36 forms the theological center of Peter’s sermon at Pentecost. Peter proclaims Jesus of Nazareth as the one through whom God acted, whom human authorities rejected, and whom God raised from the dead. Drawing on Psalm 16 and Psalm 110, Peter interprets the resurrection as God’s decisive verdict on Jesus’ life and death. This section announces that Jesus has been exalted as both Lord and Messiah, establishing the foundation for Christian proclamation throughout the book of Acts.
Introduction
Having interpreted the phenomenon of Pentecost through the prophet Joel, Peter turns to proclamation. The crowd now knows what time it is. What they do not yet know is what God has done. Acts 2:22–36 supplies that answer.
This portion of the sermon does not rely on spectacle or emotional appeal. It is deliberate, scriptural, and historically grounded. Peter speaks about a particular person, in a particular place, at a particular time. Luke slows the narrative here because this is the claim on which everything else depends. The Spirit’s outpouring only makes sense if Jesus’ resurrection is true.
Peter’s sermon does not avoid responsibility. It holds together divine action and human failure without softening either. The resurrection is presented not as consolation but as confrontation. God has spoken decisively, and that speech takes the form of raising the one who was crucified.
Verse by Verse Breakdown of Acts 2:22–36 and Commentary
“You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you” (Acts 2:22).
Peter begins with shared ground. Jesus is named plainly and geographically. Nazareth anchors him in ordinary history rather than myth. Peter does not ask the crowd to imagine something new. He asks them to remember what they already know.
The deeds of power are described as acts God did through Jesus. Agency matters here. Jesus is not portrayed as a magician or independent wonder-worker. God is the primary actor. Jesus is the chosen means. Luke emphasizes this to frame the resurrection as continuity rather than contradiction.
“As you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22).
This phrase places responsibility squarely on the hearers. The life of Jesus was not hidden. The resurrection does not rescue an unknown figure from obscurity. It vindicates one whose ministry was public and contested.
“This man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law” (Acts 2:23).
Peter refuses to simplify causality. Jesus’ death belongs simultaneously to God’s purpose and human action. Divine foreknowledge does not erase human responsibility. Luke allows both to stand without explanation.
The language is restrained but unflinching. Peter does not accuse the crowd emotionally. He states what happened. Responsibility is shared, and guilt is real. The resurrection does not undo the crucifixion. It interprets it.
“But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power” (Acts 2:24).
This is the turning point. Human action reaches its limit, and God acts. Death is not defeated by effort or endurance. It is broken by divine intervention. The language of impossibility signals necessity. Resurrection is not reversal alone. It is inevitability grounded in who God is.
Death is portrayed as a force that attempted to restrain Jesus and failed. Luke does not frame resurrection as resuscitation. It is liberation.
“For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me…’” (Acts 2:25).
Peter turns to Scripture not to decorate the argument but to ground it. Psalm 16 is read christologically, not arbitrarily. David’s words are allowed to exceed David’s own experience.
Luke presents Scripture as testimony awaiting fulfillment. The psalm speaks of confidence beyond decay, presence beyond abandonment. Peter argues that such language cannot finally apply to David, whose tomb remains known.
“For David did not ascend into the heavens” (Acts 2:34).
This statement is factual and theological. David’s importance is not diminished. His role is clarified. He is not the endpoint of God’s promise but a witness to it. Scripture points forward, not inward.
Peter interprets Israel’s sacred texts as anticipatory. They look beyond themselves toward a future act of God that resolves their tension.
“Being therefore a prophet, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah” (Acts 2:31).
Resurrection is not a late solution to an unexpected problem. It belongs within God’s long intention. Peter frames it as fulfillment rather than surprise.
“This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses” (Acts 2:32).
Witness becomes central. Authority does not rest in interpretation alone but in encounter. The apostles speak as those who have seen and been changed. Luke presents testimony as public, accountable speech.
Witness does not eliminate doubt. It invites response. The resurrection is proclaimed, not proven.
“Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God… he has poured out this that you both see and hear” (Acts 2:33).
Pentecost is now fully interpreted. The Spirit’s outpouring is not a free-floating event. It flows from Jesus’ exaltation. Resurrection leads to reign. Reign leads to gift.
The sensory experience of Pentecost is tied directly to Jesus’ present activity. What the crowd hears and sees is evidence of enthronement.
“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand’” (Acts 2:34).
Psalm 110 provides language for authority. Jesus’ lordship is not self-assumed. It is granted. God elevates the one rejected by human power.
“Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).
The sermon reaches its climax. Jesus is named as Lord and Messiah, titles dense with political and theological meaning. God’s verdict stands in direct contrast to human judgment.
Luke allows the tension to remain. The one crucified is the one exalted. The resurrection does not erase the cross. It declares what the cross truly means.
This proclamation sets the trajectory for Acts. Jesus reigns. The Spirit moves. Witness follows. The church exists to live within this reality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Peter emphasize Jesus’ humanity?
Peter names Jesus as “a man attested by God” to ground the proclamation in history. The resurrection does not rescue a mythical figure but vindicates a real life lived publicly among the people.
How does Peter hold together God’s plan and human responsibility?
Acts 2:23 presents divine foreknowledge and human action side by side without explanation. Luke refuses to resolve the tension, allowing responsibility and purpose to coexist.
Why are Psalms 16 and 110 used in this sermon?
These psalms speak of life beyond decay and authority beyond death. Peter interprets them as anticipatory texts that find their fulfillment in Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation.
How does this section relate to Pentecost?
Peter connects the Spirit’s outpouring directly to Jesus’ exaltation. Pentecost is presented as evidence that the risen Jesus now reigns and acts.
See Also
Works Consulted
Bruce, F. F. The Book of the Acts. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.
Johnson, Luke Timothy. The Acts of the Apostles. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1992.
Keener, Craig S. Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, Volume 1. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.
