who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE,
AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?
Act 4:26
‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND,
AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS [fn]CHRIST.’
4:27
“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, (note: Herod and Pilate were both appointed by Rome)
Act 4:28
to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.
Jesus warned the Jews of His generation of the potential for condemnation, and many of them , mostly outside of the religious leadership, with a few notables who were in leadership - Joseph and Nicodemus for two, did later align with Him. Luke in Acts 20 even mentions myriads (tens of thousands) of Torah - teachers who aligned themselves to Jesus in his day.
Though I think this law is a scandal, in that it attacks free speech, I also believe that it is one thing for a Jewish Believer in Jesus in the 1st Century to call out the Jews in the Land at the time for the death of Jesus (and in particular the leadership), since the leadership was involved in rabble rousing of those Jews who weren't occupied with other matters. It is a whole different matter to condemn all Jewish people everywhere two thousand years after death of Jesus.
Peter even qualifies his strong words to them by partially quoting Jesus' words, "Father forgive them, for they don't know what they do."
Acts 3:17 - 19
“And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.
“But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His [fn]Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
He goes on....
and that He may send Jesus, the [fn]Christ appointed for you,....
“It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God [fn]made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’
Box Act 3:26
“For you first, God raised up His [fn]Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”
See Acts 4: 25 - 31
Act 4:28
Jesus warned the Jews of His generation of the potential for condemnation, and many of them , mostly outside of the religious leadership, with a few notables who were in leadership - Joseph and Nicodemus for two, did later align with Him. Luke in Acts 20 even mentions myriads (tens of thousands) of Torah - teachers who aligned themselves to Jesus in his day.
Though I think this law is a scandal, in that it attacks free speech, I also believe that it is one thing for a Jewish Believer in Jesus in the 1st Century to call out the Jews in the Land at the time for the death of Jesus (and in particular the leadership), since the leadership was involved in rabble rousing of those Jews who weren't occupied with other matters. It is a whole different matter to condemn all Jewish people everywhere two thousand years after death of Jesus.
Peter even qualifies his strong words to them by partially quoting Jesus' words, "Father forgive them, for they don't know what they do."
Acts 3:17 - 19
“But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His [fn]Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
He goes on.... and that He may send Jesus, the [fn]Christ appointed for you,....
“It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God [fn]made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’ Box Act 3:26
“For you first, God raised up His [fn]Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”