Acts 3:25

25 Ye are the chyldren of the Prophetes and of the covenaunt which God hath made vnto oure fathers sayinge to Abraham: Eve in thy seede shall all the kinredes of the erth be blessed.

Acts 3:25 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 3:25

Ye are the children of the prophets
Of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are called prophets, ( Psalms 105:15 ) being lineally and naturally descended from them; to them belonged the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah, and the promises of him; they were heirs of them;

and of the covenant which God made with our fathers;
so the phrase (tyrb ynb) , "children of the covenant", is used by the Jews, as peculiar to themselves; (See Gill on Romans 9:8) and so (Nyyrwa rb) , "a son of the law" F14, is also used by them in a like sense; the law, the covenant, and the promises, externally belonging to them:

saying unto Abraham,
( Genesis 22:18 )

and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed;
meaning the Messiah, that sprung from him, and is called the son of Abraham; in whom, not only all Abraham's spiritual seed among the Jews, or the elect of God in that nation, and who were truly the children of Abraham, and of the promise, but even all the chosen of God among the Gentiles, in every nation, and of every kindred and family among them, are blessed in Christ, with all spiritual blessings; with peace, pardon, righteousness, redemption, and salvation: for this is not a form of blessing the Gentiles would use, when they blessed themselves, or others; saying, God bless thee, as he blessed Abraham's seed; for no one instance can be produced, when the Gentiles ever used such a form of blessing as this; but a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles by the Messiah, and of their being blessed in him; see ( Galatians 3:16 ) and though this sense is departed from by modern Jews, it was what the ancient synagogue gave into F15.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 62. 1.
F15 Sepher Chasidim, sect. 961. apud Allix, Judgment of the Jewish Church, p 57.

Acts 3:25 In-Context

23 For the tyme will come yt every soule which shall not heare that same Prophet shalbe destroyed from amonge the people.
24 Also all the Prophetes from Samuel and thence forth as many as have spoken have in lykwyse tolde of these dayes.
25 Ye are the chyldren of the Prophetes and of the covenaunt which God hath made vnto oure fathers sayinge to Abraham: Eve in thy seede shall all the kinredes of the erth be blessed.
26 Fyrst vnto you hath God raysed vp his sonne Iesus and him he hath sent to blysse you that every one of you shuld turne from youre wickednes.
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