God’s Word Interprets God’s Word

Acts 2:22

Men, Israelites, hear these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man from God, having been approved among you by powerful deeds and wonders and miracles, which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know,

Acts 2:23

this One given to you by the before-determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you having taken by lawless hands, having crucified Him , you put Him to death.

Acts 4:27-28

For truly both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the nations and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together against Your holy child Jesus, whom You anointed,

to do whatever Your hand and Your counsel before-determined to be done.

Comment– God predetermined all things relating to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for the benefit of His elect who were unconditionally chosen from before the foundation of the world according to purpose. God did not reveal to the people responsible for the crucifixion the illumination of the knowledge that He was God incarnate. Ephesians 1:4,11 Romans 9:8 Matthew 1:21-23 Romans 9:22-24

Romans 9:11, Hebrews 9:22

1 Corinthians 2:8

which none of the rulers of this age has known. For if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;

Matthew 11:27

All things were yielded up to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him .

2 Corinthians 4:3-7

But also if our gospel is being hidden, it has been hidden in those being lost,

in whom the god of this age has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving, so that the brightness of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves your slaves for the sake of Jesus.

Because it is God who said, “Out of darkness Light shall shine,” who shone in our hearts to give the brightness of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Isa. 42:6, 7, 16

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not from us;

Comment– That treasure in earthen vessels is the Holy Spirit who brings the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The difference between light and darkness or blinded eyes or eyes that see is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 13:16

But your eyes are blessed because they see; and your ears because they hear.

Comment– God regenerates His people through the gift of the Holy Spirit revealing the illumination of the knowledge of the Gospel that God promises to save His people from their sins conditioned on the atoning shed blood of Jesus Christ and His imputed righteousness alone without contribution from those that He represented in His perfect life lived, His death and resurrection Matthew 1:21-23 Romans 4:3-8 Ephesians 2:8-10

John 3:8 Romans 9:15, 18 says God will have mercy on whom He wills and He will harden whom He wills. But yet, God commands all men everywhere from every nation, tribe, language and people to repent and understand they don’t have a righteousness to satisfy a holy, righteous and just God. They must change their minds and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Acts 17:30-31 Romans 3

Comment– The scripture makes it clear that His people can plant the seed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and even water the seed that was planted; but God gives the increase. In other words, God does the saving proven in Romans 10:1-4

The Apostle Paul is praying to God for the salvation of his kinsman according to the flesh because God gives the increase or in other words does the saving.

1 Corinthians 3:5-7

What then is Paul? And what Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, and to each as the Lord gave?

I planted, Apollos watered, but God made to grow

So as neither he planting is anything, nor he watering, but God making to grow.

John 6:29

Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe into Him whom that One sent.

Comment– Is it biblical to say, faith is not the work of Man ? Yes

Romans 3:10-12, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, John 7:29

Romans 10:1-4

Brothers, truly my heart’s pleasure and supplication to God on behalf of Israel is for it to be saved.

For I testify to them that they have zeal to God, but not according to knowledge.

For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God.

For Christ is the end of law for righteousness to everyone that believes

Proverbs 16:4

Jehovah has made all for His purpose, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Revelation 4:11

Lord, You are worthy to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because You created all things, and through Your will they exist and were created.

Highlights and italics added for emphasis

Scripture Literal Translation 1993 Jay P Green