Acts 13:35

35 Wherefore also he says in another, Thou wilt not suffer thy gracious one to see corruption.

Acts 13:35 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 13:35

Wherefore he saith also in another psalm
( Psalms 16:10 ) or "in another place", as the Syriac version supplies; or "in another section", as the Arabic version; or "elsewhere", as Beza's most ancient copy, the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, read:

thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption;
which cannot be understood of David: the term "Holy One", is not so applicable to him, who was a man subject to infirmities; at least not in such sense as to Christ, who was holy in his nature, and without sin in his life and conversation; besides, David was laid in his grave, and saw corruption, as the apostle afterwards proves: the former part of this passage is not cited, "thou wilt not leave my soul in hell"; which was not absolutely necessary to be mentioned, it being clearly implied in what is produced; for if he should not be suffered to see corruption, then he could not be left in the grave: moreover, the apostle cites that which he intended to reason upon, as he afterwards does, and by it makes it manifestly appear that the words do not belong to David, but the Messiah, and are a clear and pertinent proof of his resurrection from the dead. The Jew F16 objects to the apostle's version of these words, rendering (txv) , by "corruption", whereas he says it signifies a "pit"; but it ought to be observed, that the word in its first proper, and literal sense, signifies "corruption"; and a pit or grave is only called by this name, because dead bodies, or carcasses, are therein corrupted; and instances may be given, wherein the word cannot be understood in another sense than in that of corruption, as in ( Leviticus 22:25 ) ( Psalms 55:23 ) . (See Gill on Acts 2:27).


FOOTNOTES:

F16 R. Isaac, Chizzuk Emuna, par. 2. c. 69. p. 456.

Acts 13:35 In-Context

33 that God has fulfilled this to us their children, having raised up Jesus; as it is also written in the second psalm, *Thou* art my Son: this day have *I* begotten thee.
34 But that he raised him from among [the] dead, no more to return to corruption, he spoke thus: I will give to you the faithful mercies of David.
35 Wherefore also he says in another, Thou wilt not suffer thy gracious one to see corruption.
36 For David indeed, having in his own generation ministered to the will of God, fell asleep, and was added to his fathers and saw corruption.
37 But he whom God raised up did not see corruption.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. 'Mercies' and 'gracious one' (Hosios) are the same word, only singular and plural. It may, and sometimes does, mean 'holy,' but is not the regular word for it, which is Hagios: here it answers to chasid in Hebrew, which is contrasted in Ps. 89.19 with 'holy' (kadosh), which is applied to Jehovah (ver. 18). The beginning of the psalm speaks of the mercies (chasadim) or gracious ways of the Lord, and then in ver. 19 of that One in whom these graces or mercies are centred and conveyed, the Christ, to whom the apostle here applies it. The word chesed is generally 'grace' and 'loving-kindness' in God; chasid, 'pious,' 'gracious' applied to men, and 'merciful,' 'holy' to God: see Heb. 7.26.
  • [b]. See Ps. 16.10.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.