Yes, but not because Peter was negligent; he was still preaching a message to Israel about who Jesus was as their Messiah, not about the cross as the means of salvation.
In Acts 3, Peter does refer to the fact that Israel killed the Prince of life and that God raised Him from the dead, but he never connects those events to a gospel of salvation through His shed blood. Les Feldick points out that Peter's repeated statement is "whom you crucified"—an accusation to Israel, not a message of substitutionary atonement. Peter was simply identifying Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah of Israel, and calling the nation to repent.
Acts 3:15 — Peter states that Israel killed the Prince of life and God raised Him from the dead, yet he does not present this as the basis of salvation.
Acts 3:16 — The healing was connected to faith in Jesus' name, not explicitly to His atoning death, burial, and resurrection.
In Acts 3, Peter directly refers to the murder and resurrection of Jesus while preaching in the temple. Verse 13 says, "The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go." Verse 15 continues, "And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses." Then verse 16 shows that the healing of the lame man was tied to faith in Jesus' name: "And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." The text of Acts 3 does not go on to explain the cross as the payment for sins. Instead, Peter's call is, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19).
Les Feldick points out that in Acts 3, Peter never connects salvation to Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. He says, "Any mention of the death, burial, and resurrection? Any mention of the shed blood for atonement? Not a word, but only the name" [Clip 1]. For Peter, the name of Jesus identified who He was: the Christ, the Messiah of Israel [Clip 1]. Les adds that Peter's accusation—"you killed the Prince of life"—is completely different from the message Paul later preached: Peter says, "You killed him," not "He died for your sins" [Clip 4]. God raised Jesus from the dead because He could not be held by death, and He is still able to return and fulfill the Old Testament kingdom promises [Clip 2]. Peter was also limited by revelation; God had not yet told him that He would turn to the Gentiles and form the Body of Christ [Clip 0]. So Les concludes, "never does Peter associate salvation with His death, burial, and resurrection" [Clip 6].
Yes. In Acts 3:13-15 Peter says the people "delivered up" Jesus, "denied him in the presence of Pilate," "killed the Prince of life," and that "God hath raised him from the dead." Les Feldick notes that Peter is absolutely confirming the death, burial, and resurrection [Clip 2]. The point is not that these events are omitted, but that Peter does not make them the content of saving faith. He uses them to identify Jesus as Israel's Messiah and King, and to show that God had vindicated Him [Clip 2].
Les observes that Peter's message was "you killed... your Messiah. Your King"—not "God loved us, and He gave Himself for us" [Clip 4]. If Peter had been on "church ground," Les says he would have said "who died for you" and "who died for your sins," but instead he says "whom you crucified" [Clip 3]. Peter's emphasis is on Israel's guilt and the necessity of recognizing their rejected Messiah, rather than on the cross as the payment for sins.
Acts 3:16 says, "And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong." Les explains that when the Bible mentions the name of someone, it ties that person to who He is. Peter was not telling people to believe in a sacrificial death; he was telling them to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah of Israel [Clip 1]. The object of saving faith in Acts 3 is the identity of Jesus as God's Messiah.
Les emphasizes that Acts 3 is "so Jew only that you can't escape it." Peter identifies God as "the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers," which includes not a single Gentile [Clip 4]. In Acts 2:36 Peter addresses "all the house of Israel" and does not say "and you Gentiles" [Clip 7]. This helps explain why the message is about Israel's rejection of their Messiah rather than the death, burial, and resurrection as a universal gospel.
Revelation Delay
Les explains that in Acts 3 Peter did not yet know God would turn to the Gentiles or form the Body of Christ, so he was not negligent—he simply had not been told.
Faith in the Name
Les shows that Peter makes no mention of the shed blood or atonement in Acts 3; the object of faith is who Jesus is—the Christ, Israel's Messiah.
Resurrection Vindication
Les emphasizes that Peter accused Israel of killing their King, but God raised Jesus from the dead—He is still able to return and give the Kingdom.
Accusation Not Atonement
Les contrasts what Peter said ("whom you crucified") with what he would have said on church ground ("who died for your sins"), showing Peter's message centered on Israel's guilt.
Israel's Guilt
Les points out that Peter's message is "you killed your Messiah, your King," not "He died for us," and that it is addressed strictly to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob without including Gentiles.
No Saving Death Mentioned
Les challenges readers to find any mention of Christ dying for them, shedding blood, or rising as a means of salvation in Acts 3—there is none; Peter simply rehearses who Jesus was.
Never a Saving Association
Les concludes that in Acts, Peter never associates salvation with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection; he only claims Jesus is the Christ whom Israel crucified and God raised.
Israel-Only Audience
Les notes Peter addresses "all the house of Israel" in Acts 2:36 and does not include Gentiles, showing the Jewish focus of the early kingdom message.
Acts 3:13: The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
This verse shows Peter's Jewish-centered address and his direct reference to Israel's rejection of Jesus.
Acts 3:15: And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
Peter plainly states the death and resurrection of Jesus, but not as the gospel of grace.
Acts 3:16: And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
The healing is attributed to faith in Jesus' name, showing the emphasis on His identity.
Acts 3:17: And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
Peter acknowledges Israel's ignorance, which Les links to the Old Testament provision for ignorance.
Acts 3:19: Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
This is the only call to salvation in Acts 3, and it is centered on repentance rather than the atonement.
Acts 2:36: Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Peter's earlier Pentecost message also addresses only the house of Israel and stresses their crucifying of Jesus.
Psalm 110:1: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Les cites this verse to show that even after the resurrection, Jesus was expected to return and take the Kingdom.
He actually mentions both: he says the people killed the Prince of life and that God raised Him from the dead (Acts 3:15). Les Feldick's point is that Peter never associates those events with salvation—he uses them to identify Jesus as Israel's Messiah.
After showing that they had killed their Messiah, Peter told them, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19). The call was for Israel to recognize Jesus as the Christ and repent in light of His identity.
Yes, in Les's view. Peter addresses "the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers," and the message is directed to the house of Israel, not to Gentiles [Clip 4][Clip 7].
Watch the Teaching: What Peter Really Preached in Acts 3 — Israel's Call to Repent