THE CREDENTIALS OF THE KINGDOM
A Four-Part Study on Jesus the Miracle Worker
Introduction: The Question of Credentials
On the Day of Pentecost, in the nascent hours of the Church’s public existence, the Apostle Peter stood before a multitude of devout Jews gathered from every nation under heaven and delivered what may be considered the Church’s first theological treatise on the nature of Jesus’ ministry. His declaration, recorded in Acts 2:22, merits careful examination not merely as historical testimony but as Spirit-inspired theological framework:
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.” (Acts 2:22, ESV)
The methodological approach Peter employs here warrants careful attention. Confronted with the task of establishing Jesus’ identity and the legitimacy of His messianic claims, Peter bypasses several compelling categories of evidence. He does not appeal to Jesus’ moral excellence, though Christ’s ethical life remains without peer in human history. He does not cite Jesus’ rhetorical brilliance, though His teaching confounded every challenger. He does not reference Jesus’ interpretive sophistication regarding the Hebrew Scriptures, though His hermeneutical insights exceeded those of every scribe and Pharisee.
Instead, Peter appeals to a single category of evidence: divine attestation through supernatural power. The weight of this appeal demands that we examine the key term with precision.
“Instead, Peter appeals to a single category of evidence: divine attestation through supernatural power.”
The Lexical Force of ἀποδεδειγμένον
The Greek term rendered “attested” in the ESV is ἀποδεδειγμένον (apodedeigmenon), the perfect passive participle of ἀποδείκνυμι. This verb carries the force of demonstrating publicly, proving by evidence, authenticating conclusively. Peter’s claim is thus precise and forceful: Jesus was publicly and decisively validated by God Himself.
