Collection of Prooftexts

We continue reading Paul's preaching in a synagogue on Sabbath in Antioch of Pisidia during his first missionary journey. It seems that Christians have collected, over the years, a set of Old Testament quotations to prove their points among Jewish believers. Later, they used them even among Gentiles. In this piece of preaching recorded in Acts 13, we are able to trace a certain outline.
First of all, Paul delivered a summary of the history of Israel to his audience. Of course, history has always been presented in a highly selective manner. The motive of the presentation is more important than the collection of historical facts. Here, Paul tried to lay the background so that he would prove that Jesus was the Saviour.
Of this man's (David's) posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised (Acts 13:23).
How would Paul prove that Jesus was the Saviour? Paul could not claim to be an eye-witness of Jesus' resurrection as Peter and the other apostles in Jerusalem could. But hadn't the risen Jesus appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus? Yes, but it was a personal revelation, not a public one. Peter, the other apostles and other people in Jerusalem could support the witness of each other but Paul could not because he was alone. Therefore, he had to rely on something else in common with his audience, the Scripture. Paul needed to demonstrate that all that happened to Jesus, including his crucifixion and resurrection, fulfilled the Scripture. In this particular preaching, he stated without proof that Jesus' suffering fulfilled the Scripture.
Though they (people in Jerusalem and their rulers) could charge him with nothing deserving death, yet they asked Pilate to have him killed.
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead (Acts 13:28-30)
To prove Jesus' resurrection, Paul quoted Psalm 2:7b. This quotation appears also in Hebrews 1:5, 5:5.
Paul continued to quote Psalm 16:10b which Peter also used on Pentecost.
Therefore, it seems to me that Christians had found in Psalm 2 and Psalm 16 texts to prove Jesus' resurrection.
Nowadays, we do not rely on these quotations to accept the resurrection of Jesus. We rely on the witnesses of generations of Christians.
Paul was an original thinker. He boldly claimed that forgiveness of sins could only be achieved through faith in Jesus and not through keeping the law of Moses. Paul fully developed this idea in his epistle to the Galatians.
Let it be known to you therefore, brethren, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,
and by him every one that believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses (Acts 13:38-39).
The Vicar General has received my application to become an aspirant of perpetual deacon. He has kindly arranged an interview with me two weeks later. Seeking God's will has always been my first priority and it is even more so now. Many saints have been blessed with a very clear knowledge of God's will. I am not. Probably since I hold on too stubbornly to my own views, I am not able to discern the will of God very clearly. In my teens, Theresa Kwok made a very perceptive remark about me. Alex Kwok would not make a good leader. I know she was both right and wrong at the same time. She was right. I have never liked to lead. That is why I refuse to head the RS panel. Even when I did in La Salle, I stepped down at the earliest convenience. She was wrong because I prefer eliciting the strength of other people instead of mine. If drawing out people's potentials can be a philosophy of management, then I can make a good leader. Of course, success can be measured with different criteria. If getting things done is one, our boss is successful. She manages to clean up the mess left behind by our ex-boss and has put up a beautiful Golden Jubilee show. If winning the hearts of her subordinates is one, our boss has a lot of room to improve. Like many other principals of the Diocesan Catholic secondary schools, our boss hates being contradicted. She can contradict herself, not us. I pray that God's will coincides with hers.

Dear Jesus, help me explore and clarify Your call. My Lord, Your will, not mine, be done. Amen.

Appendix:
Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee.
υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε. (Acts 13:33b, Psalm 2:7b)

I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.ὅτι δώσω ὑμῖν τὰ ὅσια Δαυὶδ τὰ πιστά. (Acts 13:34b)
καὶ διαθήσομαι ὑμῖν διαθήκην αἰώνιον, τὰ ὅσια Δαυιδ τὰ πιστά. (Isaiah 55:3)

Thou wilt not let thy Holy One see corruption.οὐ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν (Acts 13:35b)
οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν. (Psalm 15:10b LXX, 16:10b MT)

Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I do a deed in your days, a deed you will never believe, if one declares it to you. ἴδετε, οἱ καταφρονηταί, καὶ θαυμάσατε καὶ ἀφανίσθητε, ὅτι ἔργον ἐργάζομαι ἐγὼ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ὑμῶν, ἔργον ὃ οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε ἐάν τις ἐκδιηγῆται ὑμῖν. (Acts 13:41)
ἴδετε, οἱ καταφρονηταί, καὶ ἐπιβλέψατε καὶ θαυμάσατε θαυμάσια καὶ ἀφανίσθητε, διότι ἔργον ἐγὼ ἐργάζομαι ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ὑμῶν, ὃ οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε ἐάν τις ἐκδιηγῆται. (Habakkuk 1:5).

I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.τέθεικά σε εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς. (Acts 13:47b)
τέθεικά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς. (Isaiah 49:6b)