God exalted him
The book of the Acts of the Apostles is a joint composition with the Gospel according to Luke, which some reasonable scholarship* dates after Mark and Matthew, as early as 80 AD and as late as 130 AD; with not later than 90 AD said by many scholars if the "we" in Acts is accepted as the author's personal involvement with Paul. Why is the dating significant? For one, because it's part of Luke-Acts credibility as eyewitness to Paul and therefore even possible with Peter and James in Jerusalem.
Which, while explaining Acts, might not explain the author's extensive use of Mark and Q in his gospel instead of more of his own experience.
Nevermind, belay all that, eh? What interested me in the Acts reading is the theological implications of Acts' author having Peter tell the temple authorities that though they killed Jesus, "God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior," which is relatable to Paul's use of the Christ Hymn in Philippians 2 and theology that God did not exalt Jesus to godliness until Easter.
Which brings further tension to the issue, along with Luke's nativity story (Jesus as Son of God from conception) and Luke's apparently original use of Psalm 2:7 for the Voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism ("you are my beloved Son, this day have I begotten thee") later edited to the words of the Voice in Mark ("you are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased").
So, when, then? It's a great question for Christians to explore together in an adult Sunday school class, if members of the group are able to put on a shelf for the moment their loyalty to the Nicene Creed and their love of the introduction to Gospel John, "In the beginning was the Word, ... " For further consideration, Professor Bart Ehrman has a book, "How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee" - - which is on my bookshelf either here in 7H or abandoned on one of my former church office bookshelves.
Anyway, by the Time "Acts" was written, the Jews instead of the Roman authorities were being blamed for Jesus' crucifixion.
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Upcoming on its annual schedule is Doubting Thomas Sunday featuring the post-resurrection story of Doubting Thomas in Gospel John. A great story in which I feel welcomed and at home. Jesus says "blessed (Gk, "makarioi" happy, maybe content, satisfied to let it be without being too much bothered by it) are those who believe without seeing." All of which brings me back to the poem-a-day that I liked in yesterday's blogpost, and the opening line,
Lock: Damn it … not everyone believes what you believe!
Morpheus: My beliefs do not require them to.
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Here, scroll down, are two principal readings for the Second Sunday of Easter:
First Lesson: Acts 5:27-32
When the temple police had brought the apostles, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man's blood on us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."
The Gospel: John 20:19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
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clipart pinched online