ACC ~ Acts 3 v25

YOU ARE NOT TO FEEL LIKE CASTAWAYS. CHRYSOSTOM: “Children of the covenant,” that is, heirs. To prevent them from thinking that they are receiving this as a favor from Peter, he reveals that it was owed to them from the beginning, so that they might more readily believe that such is also the will of God. “God, having raised up his servant,” he says, “sent him to you first.” He did not say simply “he sent his servant to you,” but adds that it was after the resurrection and when he had been crucified. Because he did not want them to think that it was he, and not the Father, who granted this favor, he says “to bless you.” For if he is your brother and blesses you, it is a matter of promise. That is, so far from your having no share in these blessings, he wishes you to become advocates and authors of them to others. For you are not to feel like castaways. Again the resurrection. “In turning every one of you,” he says, “from your wickedness,” he blesses you [particularly], not in a general way. What kind of blessing is this? A great one. For turning from wickedness, of course, does not suffice to destroy it. If it does not suffice to destroy, then what is meant by conferring a blessing? It is certainly not that the transgressor immediately becomes blessed but that he is released from his sins. … Then high praise also from the other side, so that for this reason too you are obliged to obey. He calls you “sons of the prophets and of the covenant,” that is, heirs. Why then do you feel towards what is your own as if it were another’s? True, you have done things worthy of condemnation, but you will be able to obtain pardon. Having spoken this, he is then able to say with truth, “God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you.” He does not say, to save you, but what is greater, that the crucified one blesses his crucifiers. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 9.

ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH. BEDE: Christ indeed is the offspring of Abraham, and through faith in his name a blessing is promised to all the families of the earth, namely, Jews and Gentiles. However, the apostle soothed the minds of the Jews in order to make them more well-disposed to believing by saying that, out of the whole world, the Savior chose to visit and bless them first. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 3.25.

Acts