Acts 3

Acts 3:1-26 . PETER HEALS A LAME MAN AT THE TEMPLE GATE--HS ADDRESS TO THE WONDERING MULTITUDE.

1-11. Peter and John--already associated by their Master, first with James ( 1:29 , 5:37 , 9:2 ), then by themselves ( Luke 22:8 ; and see John 13:23 John 13:24 ). Now we find them constantly together, but John (yet young) only as a silent actor.
went up--were going up, were on their way.

2. a certain man lame from his mother's womb--and now "above forty years old" ( Acts 4:22 ).
was carried--was wont to be carried.

4, 5. Peter fastening his eyes on him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed--that, through the eye, faith might be aided in its birth.

6. Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee--What a lofty superiority breathes in these words!
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk--These words, uttered with supernatural power, doubtless begat in this poor man the faith that sent healing virtue through his diseased members.

7. And he took . . . and lifted him up--precisely what his Lord had done to his own mother-in-law ( Mark 1:31 ).
his feet--"soles."
and ankle bones, &c.--the technical language of a physician ( Colossians 4:14 ).

8. leaping up, stood . . . walked . . . entered the temple walking, leaping, and praising God--Every word here is emphatic, expressing the perfection of the cure, as Acts 3:7 its immediateness.

9. all the people saw him, &c.--as they assembled at the hour of public prayer, in the temple courts; so that the miracle had the utmost publicity.

10. they knew that it was he which sat for alms, &c.--(Compare John 9:8 ).

11. the lame man . . . held, &c.--This is human nature.
all the people ran together unto them in the porch, &c.--How vividly do these graphic details bring the whole scene before us! Thus was Peter again furnished with a vast audience, whose wonder at the spectacle of the healed beggar clinging to his benefactors prepared them to listen with reverence to his words.

12-16. why marvel at this?--For miracles are marvels only in relation to the limited powers of man.
as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk--Neither the might nor the merit of the cure are due to us, mere agents of Him whom we preach.

13. The God of Abraham,
hath glorified his Son Jesus--rather, "his Servant Jesus," as the same word is rendered in Matthew 12:18 , but in that high sense in which Isaiah applies it always to Messiah ( Isaiah 42:1 , 49:6 , 52:13 , 53:11 ). When "Son" is intended a different word is used.
whom ye delivered up, &c.--With what heroic courage does Peter here charge his auditors with the heaviest of all conceivable crimes, and with what terrific strength of language are these charges clothed!

15. killed the Prince of life--Glorious paradox, but how piercing to the conscience of the auditors.

16. his name, through faith in his name, hath made this man strong, &c.--With what skill does the apostle use the miracle both to glorify his ascended Lord and bring the guilt of His blood more resistlessly home to his audience!

17-21. And now, brethren--Our preacher, like his Master, "will not break the bruised reed." His heaviest charges are prompted by love, which now hastens to assuage the wounds it was necessary to inflict.
I wot--"know."
through ignorance ye did it--(See marginal references, Luke 23:34 , Acts 13:27 , 26:9 ).