Acts 2:23 - Calvinist Prooftexts Answered

Sometimes the way a verse is translated can appear to support the idea that God predetermined the murder of His Son. This is the way that Acts 2:23 is read and understood by many people, but especially Calvinists. However, the word used in the KJV for "delivered up" (ekdotos) can also be translated "given over" or "given". Note two literal translations of 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. (Green's Literal Translation)

Him, being given you by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by a wicked hand have fastned to a cross, and slain (William Whiston New Testament)

Now take note of a very familiar passage:

For God so loved the world, that he GAVE his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

When you look at the literal translations cited above and compare them with John 3:16 we see that it was God giving Jesus for our salvation that was foreknown and predetermined by God's counsel, not His death. Did God know that the men would ultimately kill HIs Son? Yes (Isa. 53:4-10). However, the Calvinist is wrong to claim that God predetermined this murder to take place. The idea of murder was from thoughts planted into the minds of wicked men by Satan (John 8:39-44).

God gave these men the gift of His Son. That is what was predetermined. These men took God's gift and allowed Satan to influence them to  murder Him. The murder was not God's predetermined plan. But oh joy of joys. Satan's act of hatred was turned over on him because, by killing an innocent man, he forfeited any rights that he had to rule mankind. Now the keys of death and hell belong to Jesus (Rev. 1:18). He offers freedom to all people trapped in Satan's kingdom (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:12-14).

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