Acts 17:3 - Exposition

It behooved the Christ to suffer, and to rise for Christ must needs have suffered, and risen, A.V .; whom, said he for whom, A.V. ; proclaim for preach. A.V. ; the Christ for Christ, A.V. The line of reasoning adopted by St. Paul in his preaching to the Thessalonian Jews was the same as that of our Lord to the disciples and apostles on the day of his resurrection, as recorded in Luke 24:26 , Luke 24:27 ; 44-47, and that of St. Peter ( Acts 2:22-36 ; Acts 3:18 ; Acts 4:11 , etc.), and it is irresistible. The fulfillment of prophecies relating to the Messiah in the person of Jesus is like the fitting of a key to the intricate wards of the lock, which proves that it is the right key. The preacher of the gospel should carefully study and expound to the people the word of prophecy, and then show its counterpart in the sufferings and glory of Christ. This did St. Paul. Opening ( διανοίγων ); as our Lord had done ( διήνοιγεν ἡμῖν τὰς γραφάς , Luke 24:32 ), the hidden meaning of the prophecies, and then alleging ( παρατιθέμενος ), setting before them the propositions which had thus been established. The process is described in Luke 24:27 as interpreting ("expounded," A.V.). In this verse the opening was showing from the prophets that the Messiah was to die and rise again; the alleging was that Jesus was that very Christ.