Acts Study | Session 9 | 3:16-21

Today we pick up our study in Acts 3:16 and work our way down to verse 21. In these verses, we find Peter explaining that the nation had crucified their Messiah in ignorance and that if they would but repent and be converted, their sins would be erased and the times of refreshing would come. 

Peter's Third Point

VERSE 17: And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. Peter now comes to the third point of his sermon: yes, they did indeed put Jesus to death, but they did it through ignorance (Luk 23:34). This point is critical in his sermon. They did it in ignorance. Even the apostles themselves had been walking in ignorance. For example, they did not see the cross coming in spite of the fact that Jesus told them emphatically in the Gospels. Even after the resurrection, they were utterly clueless as to the resurrection that would follow, cf. the women and the disciples in Luk 24:13-27.

The point is, they, just like those who demanded the crucifixion, where walking in ignorance. They were not walking by faith at all, but purely by sight, just like all of the others. The apostles had already had their' come to Jesus moment between his resurrection and ascension when all things were made know unto them, now the nation is getting theirs. 

VERSE 18: But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Having established that they did it in ignorance, Peter goes on to point out that it had to have happened. God used their ignorance to accomplish His purposes. 

VERSE 19: Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Having established that they did it in ignorance, they still did it, the deed was done, and they needed to repent. The word repent speaks of a change of mind in regard to what they had done. The word converted means to turn back or turn around. 

Peter is saying that if they have a change of mind and turn back, their sins will be blotted out, erased, and the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. The times of refreshing are speaking of the Kingdom that would come from the presence of the Lord. In other words, the offer was still on the table in spite of their ignorance. All they needed to do to accept it was to repent and be converted. 

The next verse continues to drive this point home when it says...

VERSE 20: And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: This is no doubt speaking of the Second Coming that would shortly occur if they did. I have no idea how I missed this for so many years! It is called filters! 

VERSE 21: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. The times of restitution speaks of when all things are restored. The word restitution means the restoration of something lost or stolen to its proper owner. In other words, life would go back to the time before the fall of man in the garden so many years ago when man disobeyed and brought death and destruction upon himself and all that would come after him. The Bible says that the last enemy to be defeated is death in 1Cor 15:24-26.