Acts 2:25-32 (NIV)
David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’
“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.”
The Holy Spirit showed Peter a great truth from Scripture that had not made sense to the scholars up to that point. In Psalm 16:8-11, David rejoices that the “Holy One” that he was speaking for would not experience decay, so his body could live in hope.
But, as Peter clearly points out, David died and was buried, and his body decayed. Burials in the middle east at that time were far different than they are today. The body was washed, wrapped in cloths, and laid on a slab in a tomb. After a few months, the tomb was opened, and the bones, which would be all that remained of the now decayed body, would be gathered and placed in an ossuary, or “bone box”, which would be placed in a niche in the tomb. The slab would be wiped clean, and the tomb was then ready for the next occupant.
After a few months, it would be clearly seen that David’s body had decayed, so that all that was left were the bones. So, this psalm couldn’t reasonably be interpreted as talking about him. Scholars were divided, but many landed in the camp of David’s hope of being resurrected someday. But that didn’t really fit what he had written.
But, as Peter could now clearly see, these words fit Jesus, a direct descendant of David, perfectly. Jesus’ body was restored to life and health (even though He still bore the wounds from the nails and the spear – Luke 24:51, John 20:20) before it had a chance to decay. And he used this clear prophecy to not only prove that Jesus physically had risen from the dead, but that it had been God’s plan for the Messiah all along.
Father, this shows clearly why we need Your Spirit to guide us as we read the Scriptures. If we rely only on our own intelligence and education, we are bound to make mistakes as to what You are trying to show us. Thank You for living in our hearts so that we can better understand Your word. Amen.
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