Yes — in Acts 2:23, 'determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God' means the crucifixion was part of God's predetermined plan, which He made in eternity past because He already knew all that would happen.
Les Feldick explains that the determinate counsel refers to the Triune God's settled decision in eternity past — a plan for the ages. Foreknowledge means God already knew exactly what every person and every nation would do, including Israel's rejection of Jesus. Because the Godhead knew this before creation, the crucifixion was not an emergency reaction; it was predetermined, yet it never removed the free will of the human actors.
Acts 2:23 — This is the exact verse being asked about; it states that Jesus was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, yet Israel took and crucified Him.
Acts 2:22 — Peter's address to Israel just before the key verse establishes that Jesus was publicly approved by miracles, wonders, and signs.
Acts 2:22-23 (KJV): "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:" The Bible here uses two phrases side by side: God's 'determinate counsel' and 'foreknowledge.' The verse makes clear that Jesus was delivered to crucifixion under both realities — God's predetermined will and His pre-knowledge — while the men of Israel took Him and killed Him with wicked hands.
Les Feldick teaches that 'determinate counsel' refers to a decision made by the Triune God back in eternity past. As he puts it, the Triune God came into counsel and in a split second 'determined' — this was a plan for the ages. He did not need a long afternoon of discussion, but the Godhead could look down through the eons and know exactly what every person in every nation would do; that is what Les calls 'foreknowledge.' Because God had foreknowledge, He could plan for any contingency, and yet He never took away human free will. Israel had absolute freedom to accept the kingdom or reject the Messiah. When Israel rejected and Rome crucified the Lord, it did not throw God a curve. Les underlines that God was not surprised by Israel's rejection or by the Roman crucifixion; it was all predetermined back in eternity past. Les also notes that the same language appears in Ephesians, encouraging students to flip back and forth between the passages to compare them. In his own thinking, the word 'determinate' could be rendered 'determining' in English.
Les Feldick says the determinate counsel refers to what the Triune God determined back in eternity past. He did not need to sit for a whole afternoon and bat the matter back and forth; in a split second the Trinity made a decision. That decision became the plan for the ages, and in His foreknowledge God could see every detail of it coming down through history.
Les explains that before He ever created anything, the Godhead could look down through the eons of time and knew exactly what every person in every nation would do. He says that is called foreknowledge. With that foreknowledge, God could also plan for any contingency. He even says that foreknowledge means that before the world was ever created, before Adam was ever created, God knew what each person would do with the gospel.
No. Les points to Acts 2:23, where Peter told Israel that Jesus was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. God was not surprised when Israel rejected the Messiah, and He was not surprised when Rome crucified Him. It was all predetermined back in eternity past.
No. Les emphasizes that God's foreknowledge never took away the free will of mankind. Israel had absolute freedom to accept the kingdom, but they also had the free will to reject it. Their rejection did not throw God a curve, because He knew what they were going to do.
What Shall We Do? Acts 2 & God's Foreknowledge Explained
Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Why Israel Rejected Their King — Matthew 23 Explained
And he says, You men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know. Now here it comes in verse 23. Him, this Jesus, being delivered by the determinate counsel, now that's spelled with an S, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and…
Foreknowledge and Free Will
Les explains that before creation the Godhead knew exactly what every person would do, which is foreknowledge, and that this did not take away the free will of Israel or anyone else.
Same Language in Ephesians
Les points out that the phrase 'determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God' in Acts 2:23 uses the same word found in Ephesians, inviting comparison between the passages.
God Not Surprised by the Crucifixion
Les says God was not surprised when Israel rejected the Messiah or when Rome crucified Him; it was all predetermined back in eternity past.
The Triune God Determined the Plan
Les explains that in eternity past the Triune God came into counsel and in a split second determined the plan, seeing every detail through foreknowledge.
Foreknowledge Before Creation
Les teaches that foreknowledge means God knew before the world or Adam existed what every person would do with the gospel; this is an all-knowing God.
The Meaning of 'Determinate'
Les suggests that in English the word 'determinate' can be understood as 'determining,' pointing to God's active determination in the crucifixion event.
Acts 2:23: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
This is the verse at the center of the question, stating the relationship between God's predetermined counsel and Israel's act of crucifixion.
Acts 2:22: Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Peter's opening appeal to Israel establishes that Jesus was publicly attested by miracles before the key statement about His being delivered.
Les Feldick teaches it refers to the Triune God's settled decision in eternity past. The Godhead did not need a long debate; in a split second they determined the plan for the ages, seeing every detail through foreknowledge.
Foreknowledge means that before the world was ever created, God knew exactly what every person in every nation and empire would do. He knows the end from the beginning, and He knew what Israel would do with their Messiah.
No. Les says it was all predetermined back in eternity past. God was not surprised when Israel rejected the Messiah or when Rome crucified Him.
No. Les says that though God knew exactly what would happen, He never took away the free will of mankind. Israel had the real ability to accept or reject the kingdom.
Watch the Teaching: What Shall We Do? Acts 2 & God's Foreknowledge Explained