Charles Spurgeon Commentary Acts 3:13-15

"The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Servant Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him. But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of life; whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses." — Acts 3:13-15 (ASV)

Whom you delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted to you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

I want you to note here how Peter insists that the God of the gospel is the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.

I do not hesitate to say that the god of a large number of those who profess faith nowadays is not the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. The reason I say so is this: they often treat the Old Testament as if it were an altogether secondary volume and speak about the imperfect ideas of God that the Hebrews had, and the imperfect revelation of God in the Old Testament.

I believe that Jehovah—that very Jehovah who parted the Red Sea and drowned the Egyptians, the terrible God of the Old Testament—is the same God who is the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

And we are to take the Godhead as it is revealed, not only in the New Testament, but in the Old Testament also.

There are some who would pick and choose that part of Scripture which they like best and construct a god for themselves out of those chosen texts.

These are those who have other gods before Jehovah; and these are those who make for themselves an image which, if it is not engraved on stone, is yet made out of their own imaginations, which they set up and worship in the place of the one living and true God.

The God of our fathers has glorified his Son Jesus; whom you delivered up, and denied. See how plain-spoken Peter is—how boldly he presses home upon the crowd around him the murder of Christ—the rejection of the Messiah!

It took no small amount of courage and faith to speak like that, and to speak so to people who were full of admiration for him before, and who would be pretty sure to be filled with indignation against him immediately.

A man can speak boldly against those who are his enemies; but when people begin to flatter you and admire you, a softness steals over the bravest heart, and he is inclined to be very gentle.

I admire Peter that he puts it so plainly: You denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted to you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.