“Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you -- the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through Him are common knowledge -- this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned Him to a cross and killed Him. But God untied the death ropes and raised Him up. Death was no match for Him.” (Acts 2:22-24 MSG)
It was only in the light of Easter that the disciples understood Jesus' work and intention; they now realized that the Messiah had to undergo rejection and suffering, that He was to conquer not Rome but death and evil. We have no reason to mistrust the New Testament assurance. The Easter message and the historical Jesus are joined by a bridge resting on many piers. Jesus proclaimed the good news of the presence of God who, like a forgiving father, seeks His lost children and grants even sinners the company of the Redeemer; the disciples preached the Gospel of Christ, who appeared as Saviour and died on the cross for sinners. In the Holy Spirit Jesus drove out unclean spirits and conquered Satan; from Easter onwards He was extolled as the Lord of all spirits, who gives the Holy Spirit to believers and in Him is ever present with them.
-- Otto Betz in “What Do We Know About Jesus?”
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