Acts 3

During the Jewish Passover festival, it was the custom for the Roman governor to release one Jewish prisoner as a gesture of good will. Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but the Jews demanded that Pilate release a murderer named Barabbas instead (see Mark 15:6-11).

15 Peter here calls Jesus the author of life. While He was on earth, Jesus raised the dead to life (Luke 7:14-15; John 11:21-25,38-44). But more than that, He gives eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16). Nevertheless, the Jews had caused Him to be put to death. They spared the murderer Barabbas, a taker of life, and killed Jesus, the giver of life! But in the end, God raised him from the dead. And Peter says, “We are witnesses of this” (see Acts 2:24,32).

16 Peter says that the crippled man was healed by faith in the name of Jesus. Having faith in Jesus’ name is the same as having faith in Jesus. From Jesus’ name we can tell who Jesus is. He is both Lord and Christ (see Acts 2:36 and comment).

Here Peter says: “It is Jesus’ name … that has given this complete healing to [the crippled man].” We can understand here that the expression Jesus’ name means Jesus Himself.

For the crippled man to be healed, two things were necessary: first, Jesus’ power; and second, man’s faith—either Peter’s faith or the crippled man’s faith. For any spiritual work to be accomplished, these two things—Jesus’ power and man’s faith—are always necessary.

17 The Jews had killed Jesus in ignorance. God is always ready to forgive those who sin in ignorance (see Luke 23:34; 1 Timothy 1:13). It is suitable that Peter here shows the Jews a little mercy, because it was only a few weeks earlier that he himself had knowingly denied his Lord three times (Mark 14:66-72).

18 However, it was not by accident that Christ suffered and died. The Old Testament prophets, especially Isaiah, had written that Christ must suffer (Isaiah 53:3-12).

19 In this verse we see the unlimited grace and mercy of God. These Jews had just put to death God’s only Son. But now if they repent and turn to God, He will forgive them and wipe away their sins (see Acts 2:38 and comment). They had just taken Christ’s life, but God is ready to give them life—if they repent.

20-21 If the Jews repent, Christ will come to them and restore everything²⁷ (verse 21). Christ had been appointed for the Jews; that is, He had been appointed to be their Savior. Jesus said: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). Some Jews did accept Christ; but most did not.

Peter says that Jesus must remain in heaven until the time appointed by God for Him to return again to earth. Then He will truly restore everything. Then He will fully establish the kingdom of God. Indeed, He will redeem all creation (Romans 8:19-21).

22-23 Peter here quotes from the words of the great Jewish leader MOSES in Deuteronomy 18:15,19. Here Moses talks about a “prophet like me”—that is, Christ—to whom the Jews must listen (see Hebrews 3:3,5-6). Whoever does not listen to Christ will suffer punishment from God.

24 Not counting Moses, Samuel was the first of the regular Old Testament prophets. All of the prophets foretold these days—that is, the days of Christ.

25 The Old Testament prophets spoke about Christ’s coming. In addition, God had made a COVENANT with Abraham, the father of the Jews, at which time God promised Abraham: “Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed” (Genesis 22:18; 26:4). That offspring was Christ. In Christ all the nations of the earth—both Jews and Gentiles—will be blessed. Peter says to the Jews: “… you are heirs of … the covenant.” If the Gentiles can receive the promise of the covenant, surely the Jews, the original heirs, should be able to receive it also.

26 Because the Jews were the original heirs of the prophets and of the covenant, God sent Christ first to them. The opportunity to obtain salvation was given first to the Jews (see Matthew 10:5-6; Luke 24:47; Acts 13:45-46; Romans 1:16). Therefore, Peter exhorts the Jews to repent and to turn from their wicked ways, so that they do not lose the chance for salvation that has come to them through God’s Son, Jesus Christ.