Peter was a Jewish man known for his ups and downs while he walked with Jesus (a lot like us, huh?). He was also the first to say, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)
<The following is based on selections from Acts 2 & 3>
As recorded in Acts chapter 2, Peter delivered an impromptu, Spirit-led sermon, the very first presentation of the Gospel through a human being.
His audience? The Jews gathered in Jerusalem for the celebration of Shavuot (Pentecost), the Feast of Firstfruits.
Peter explained that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that day was a fulfillment of a prophetic word given by God through Joel. He declared that Jesus was delivered up to be crucified according to the “determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God,” and that God had raised Him up from the dead.
Peter also testified to David's prophetic knowledge of the Messiah who would take David's place on the throne in Jerusalem.
He went on to affirm the event that had just taken place.
“This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”
Take special note of Peter's declaration in verse 36...
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Let's consider the wording of that verse for a moment. The arrival of the Romans forced the people to learn Greek, and the New Testament was written in Greek to make it accessible to more people throughout the world, but Hebrew and Aramaic were the primary spoken languages in Israel at this time.
The Complete Jewish Bible renders that verse a little differently, recognizing the Jewish speaker and audience here.
“Therefore, let the whole house of Isra’el know beyond doubt that God has made him both Lord and Messiah — this Yeshua, whom you executed on a stake!”
When the other Jews heard these words, they looked to Peter and the other apostles for an answer. “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call... Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
Peter, an observant Jew, declared his faith in Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and the world. Also in Acts chapter 2, we see how the first believers (Peter & the other apostles included) continued in this new faith in the Messiah.
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers... And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple.” -Acts 2:42 & 46
These new believers didn't go out and plant “First Church of Jerusalem.” They continued worshiping daily. Where? In the temple, the same place they had worshiped God before recognizing Jesus as their Messiah.
These early believers did not leave their Jewish faith, nor did they see faith in Messiah as some new religion, and neither do most Jewish believers in Messiah today.
“The Tenach (the Old Testament Scriptures) provides the foundation of our Jewish faith, and the New Covenant Scriptures (which were also written by Jews) the completion of our Jewish faith. In fact, the Hebrew Scriptures themselves affirm that they are not complete, but that God was going to make a New Covenant with the Jewish people (Jeremiah 31:31-34).” -David Chernoff
Peter and all the other Jewish people gathered in Jerusalem knew well the covenants God made with Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as those He made with the nation of Israel.
A New Covenant established by the God of their fathers did not mean a new religion. It meant continuation, fulfillment and completion of promises made before!
In Acts 3, after healing a lame man in the Name of Jesus, Peter addressed the crowds who were “were filled with wonder and amazement.” He first spoke of the death and resurrection of the Messiah. And then, Peter lays the down the basis for the conclusion above regarding the New Covenant. Pay close attention to his references to the prophets...
“But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
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.
And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
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.
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”
All the above is merely a brief overview of the testimony of the first believers. I invite you to read the Book of Acts and Paul's writings if you wish to have a more in depth presentation of the testimony and faith of the first believers.
Next, Part Two - Testimony of Prominent Jewish Believers.
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