Matthew Henry Commentary Acts 13:38-41

"Be it known unto you therefore, brethren, that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon [you] which is spoken in the prophets: Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; For I work a work in your days, A work which ye shall in no wise believe, if one declare it unto you." — Acts 13:38-41 (ASV)

Let all that hear the gospel of Christ, know these two things:

1. That through this Man, who died and rose again, the forgiveness of sins is preached to you. Your sins, though many and great, may be forgiven, and they may be forgiven without any injury to God's honour.

2. It is by Christ only that those who believe in him, and no one else, are justified from all things—from all the guilt and stain of sin, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses.

The great concern of convinced sinners is to be justified—to be acquitted from all their guilt and accepted as righteous in God's sight. For if any guilt remains charged to the sinner, he is undone. By Jesus Christ we obtain a complete justification, for by him a complete atonement was made for sin. We are justified not only by him as our Judge but by him as the Lord our Righteousness.

What the law could not do for us, because it was weak, the gospel of Christ does. This is the most necessary blessing, bringing with it every other.

The threats are warnings; what we are told will come upon impenitent sinners is designed to awaken us to take care that it does not come upon us. It ruins many that they despise religion. Those who will not wonder and be saved will wonder and perish.