Psalm 2 in Acts 4
When Peter and John were released in Acts 4 by the high priest, the rulers, elders, and scribes of Israel, they returned to the disciples. Acts 4.25-26 then records the disciples reciting the beginning of Psalm 2 together:
"Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples devise futile things? The Kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his messiah" (Ps 2.1-2).
Back in Acts, Luke then records the disciples saying, "For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel . . ." (Acts 4.27).
There's lots of interesting stuff here. First, I had always taken Psalm 2 to be a description of the response of Gentiles to the Messiah, and the extension of his reign over them.
And so it is that, certainly.
Nonetheless, note that the disciples apply Psalm 2 to what just happened to Peter and John at the hands of Israel's leaders. That's interesting for one of two reasons.
First, if Psalm 2 is about the extension of the Messiah's reign over the Gentiles, then it is signficant that the disciples are now grouping Israel with the Gentile nations. While interesting, there's nothing novel in that -- Jesus centers true Israel upon himself and his disciples.
A second possibility, however, suggests itself -- that Psalm 2 not only prophesizes Gentile opposition, but explicitly prophesizes opposition from Israel's rulers.
Consider v. 2 of Psalm 2: "The Kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his messiah."
We know that "earth" can be translated as "land." Indeed, throughout John's Revelation, it almost always should be understood as "land," as in "land of Israel."
In which case, while v. 1 of Psalm 2 discusses Gentiles, v. 2 of Psalm 2 is a prophesy of opposition to God's messiah from Israeli officialdom.
The fact that the disciples apply Psalm 2 to the actions of the high priest and other Israeli leaders lends credence to this thought, as well as the followup statement quoted by Luke. After quoting Ps 2.1-2 the disciples say:
"For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel . . ." (Acts 4.27)
This follows directly on the quotation of verses 1 and 2 of Psalm 2. That is, that gathered together in Jerusalem were BOTH Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles AND the PEOPLES of Israel.
"Peoples of Israel" in Acts 4.27 tracks with "people" in Ps 2.1b, and the kings and rulers of the "land" in Ps 2.2 track with Herod, the high priest, and the elders and scribes of Israel.
If correct, then Psalm 2 expressly prophesizes the opposition of official Isreal to her Messiah.
Nothing earth-shattering, to be sure, but I had never considered that those parts of Ps 2.1-2 might directly apply to Israel, even though I must have read Acts 4 who knows how many times.
"Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples devise futile things? The Kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his messiah" (Ps 2.1-2).
Back in Acts, Luke then records the disciples saying, "For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel . . ." (Acts 4.27).
There's lots of interesting stuff here. First, I had always taken Psalm 2 to be a description of the response of Gentiles to the Messiah, and the extension of his reign over them.
And so it is that, certainly.
Nonetheless, note that the disciples apply Psalm 2 to what just happened to Peter and John at the hands of Israel's leaders. That's interesting for one of two reasons.
First, if Psalm 2 is about the extension of the Messiah's reign over the Gentiles, then it is signficant that the disciples are now grouping Israel with the Gentile nations. While interesting, there's nothing novel in that -- Jesus centers true Israel upon himself and his disciples.
A second possibility, however, suggests itself -- that Psalm 2 not only prophesizes Gentile opposition, but explicitly prophesizes opposition from Israel's rulers.
Consider v. 2 of Psalm 2: "The Kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his messiah."
We know that "earth" can be translated as "land." Indeed, throughout John's Revelation, it almost always should be understood as "land," as in "land of Israel."
In which case, while v. 1 of Psalm 2 discusses Gentiles, v. 2 of Psalm 2 is a prophesy of opposition to God's messiah from Israeli officialdom.
The fact that the disciples apply Psalm 2 to the actions of the high priest and other Israeli leaders lends credence to this thought, as well as the followup statement quoted by Luke. After quoting Ps 2.1-2 the disciples say:
"For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel . . ." (Acts 4.27)
This follows directly on the quotation of verses 1 and 2 of Psalm 2. That is, that gathered together in Jerusalem were BOTH Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles AND the PEOPLES of Israel.
"Peoples of Israel" in Acts 4.27 tracks with "people" in Ps 2.1b, and the kings and rulers of the "land" in Ps 2.2 track with Herod, the high priest, and the elders and scribes of Israel.
If correct, then Psalm 2 expressly prophesizes the opposition of official Isreal to her Messiah.
Nothing earth-shattering, to be sure, but I had never considered that those parts of Ps 2.1-2 might directly apply to Israel, even though I must have read Acts 4 who knows how many times.
posted by Jim at 12:50 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home