Yes—Peter said Israel killed the Messiah in ignorance because they did not know He was the Christ, and that ignorance opened the door for God's mercy rather than immediate destruction.
In Acts 3:17 Peter states plainly that they acted through ignorance. He echoes Jesus' prayer that they did not know what they were doing, and Paul confirms that the rulers would not have crucified the Lord of glory if they had known who He was. Les Feldick calls this God's loophole for Israel—Israel's guilt remained, but because they acted in ignorance they were not destroyed on the spot and were instead called to repentance.
Acts 3:17 — Peter directly answers the question by telling the men of Israel that they crucified the Lord through ignorance.
1 Corinthians 2:8 — Paul confirms that the rulers of this world did not know who Jesus was, otherwise they would not have crucified Him.
Luke 23:34 — Jesus pleaded their ignorance as the basis for forgiveness: they know not what they do.
Scripture records Peter's words to the nation in Acts 3:17: And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. Peter does not excuse the act; in Acts 3:15 he says they killed the Prince of life. Yet he ties the killing to ignorance. Luke 23:34 records the same idea: then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. In 1 Corinthians 2:8 Paul explains why the crucifixion could happen: the princes of this world did not know who Jesus was, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Scripture also shows that this ignorance did not cancel Israel's responsibility. Acts 3:19 calls on the people to repent and be converted, and Peter still charges them in Acts 2:23 with taking Jesus and by wicked hands crucifying and slaying Him. The Bible presents the crucifixion as something God had foretold through the prophets, yet it was still an act for which the nation needed to repent.
Les Feldick describes Peter's words, you killed Him, but you were ignorant, as God's loophole for the nation of Israel. He argues that if Israel had known who they were killing, God would have had to destroy the nation. Because they killed the Messiah in total ignorance, God did not zap the whole human race; instead Peter was able to plead with the people to repent and believe. Les illustrates this with the Old Testament cities of refuge: a farmer clearing rocks who accidentally killed someone could flee to a city of refuge. If the city fathers believed he had no intent to kill, he would be set free because his deed was done in ignorance. Les says this is the backdrop for Israel's response to their Messiah—they were treated as those who killed without knowing, so they escaped the judgment due to premeditated murder. At the same time, Les stresses that Peter's burden in early Acts was to convince Israel who it was they had murdered. The nation still needed to repent. Les also cautions that this teaching must never become an excuse for anti-Semitism, since the whole human race is guilty of the crucifixion.
Peter's ignorance statement means that Israel did not recognize Jesus as the promised Christ. In the same chapter Peter says they killed the Prince of life, so he is not treating the act as innocent. He is saying they did not understand who He was when they demanded His crucifixion. This matches Jesus' prayer that they did not know what they were doing and Paul's statement that the rulers' ignorance was the very reason they crucified the Lord of glory.
Les pointed to the Old Testament law of cities of refuge. A man who unintentionally killed another, with no knowledge or intent, could flee to a city of refuge. If the leaders accepted that he acted in total ignorance, he was set free. Les says this explains the loophole for Israel: because they killed the Messiah without recognizing Him, they were not treated as premeditated murderers, but their act was still a killing for which they needed to repent.
Les states plainly that had they known who they were killing, God would have had to destroy the nation, because it would have been deliberate, premeditated murder of the Messiah. He says otherwise God would have zapped the whole human race, Jew and Gentile alike, but He did not because they did it in total ignorance. Paul's inspired explanation is the same: had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
No. Peter's first response after telling Israel they killed the Prince of life is Repent. Les explains that the nation had not yet been forgiven for rejecting and killing their Messiah, so the call to repentance was still on God's mind. The ignorance kept them from the destruction that would have followed deliberate deicide, but they were still guilty of the death of their Messiah and needed to repent and believe.
Why Did Jesus Never Heal the Lame Man at the Temple?
be set free of the whole thing, but he wasn't, he's still responsible, but Israel demanded it. And so now Peter says, you caused him to be crucified. Verse 14, but you denied the Holy One, and the just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you. And now look at verse 15, almost identical with back in chapter 2, and put in the pronoun you, and you killed the Prince of Life.
God's Loophole for Israel
Les explains that Peter repeated Christ's they know not what they do theme: Israel was ignorant of Jesus' identity, and had they known, God would have had to destroy the nation.
Ignorance and Fulfilled Prophecy
Les stresses that Israel and its rulers acted in total ignorance, quoting Acts 3:17, and that God had still fulfilled what His prophets had said about the Messiah's suffering.
Peter's Accusation of Israel
Les observes that Peter is speaking to Israel alone and charging them with killing their Messiah by demanding His crucifixion, even though Rome carried it out.
The City of Refuge Illustration
Les uses the Old Testament cities of refuge to show that a death caused without knowledge or intent could be treated as innocent, which he says is the backdrop for Israel's escape from the judgment of deliberate murder.
Whole Human Race Guilty
Les balances Peter's blame of Israel by noting Psalm 2 says the kings of the earth and the people conspired together, so the whole human race was guilty, but Peter is dealing with Israel on covenant ground.
They Did Not Know the Lord of Glory
Les cites 1 Corinthians 2:8 to show the rulers did not know who Jesus was; Peter's great burden in Acts was to convince Israel that they had murdered their Messiah.
Repentance Still Required
Les points out that after saying you killed the Prince of Life, Peter's first call is Repent, and this teaching must never be twisted into anti-Semitism.
Acts 3:17: And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
Peter directly tells Israel that crucifying Jesus was done in ignorance.
Acts 3:15: And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
Peter still holds Israel responsible for killing the Messiah before he mentions their ignorance.
1 Corinthians 2:8: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Paul confirms that the rulers were ignorant of Jesus' true identity.
Luke 23:34: Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Jesus pleads the ignorance of those crucifying Him as the basis for forgiveness.
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;
Peter follows his ignorance statement with a call for Israel to repent.
Psalm 2:2: The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Shows that the rulers of the earth jointly conspired against the Lord's anointed.
No. Peter still says they killed the Prince of life and immediately calls them to repent in Acts 3:19. Les explains that ignorance spared Israel the immediate judgment of being treated as premeditated murderers, but the nation still needed to repent and believe.
Because they did not know who He was. Paul says their ignorance was the reason they crucified Him: had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Les points to this as evidence that Peter was telling Israel they acted in ignorance.
Les explicitly cautions against using it that way. He says Peter is laying blame on the Jewish nation because they should have known better, but the whole human race is guilty of the crucifixion. The point is not to accuse the Jewish people but to show God's mercy and the call to repentance.
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