I am a Jesus pusher!!! What Jesus are you pushing? Peter clarified it in his concluding sentence of his explanation of Pentecost. He said, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ,” (Acts 2:36). He leaves absolutely no room for a wrongful identification of Jesus. Peter strongly emphasizes this identity in his language. God caused this (touton) Jesus. The Greek word (touton) is often translated “this same.” It is an adjective which modifies Jesus. Inserted between “this” and “Jesus” is the Greek word (ton) which is not translated in our verse. It is the definite article translated “the.” A literal translation of this Greek statement would be “this same (touton) the (ton) Jesus.” Peter is displaying the particular and specific Jesus, the Father has “caused.” The action of God’s causing is focused on this same “the” Jesus.
The next part of Peter’s statement gives content to Jesus. He is the One whom you crucified. God did something marvelous in Jesus; how did we respond? We embraced our traditions instead of Jesus. We listened to our self-sourcing rather than Jesus. We believed our own wisdom instead of His. It was not a misunderstanding or misjudgment. God revealed; we crucified. But wait! He has given us another chance to embrace Jesus. He has not set us aside, but has brought new revelation concerning Jesus. What will we do about Jesus today? I am a Jesus pusher!!!