Acts Chapter 3 Verses 1-10

Acts 3:1 “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.”

“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.”  From this we gather that the 9^th hour (about 3 p.m.) was traditionally the hour of prayer in which the people gathered together each day in the temple for prayers.

“And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;”  This man as we discover later was about 40 years of age and had been lame all of his life.  Apparently he had friends or relatives who brought him to the temple each day so that he could beg alms of the people entering at the hour of prayer.  No doubt this was a matter of survival for the man as he would not have been able to do manual work. 

“Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.”  This man was depending on the compassion of others for his livelihood and when he saw Peter and John as he no doubt had asked many others asked an alms of them. 

“And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.”  Peter spoke getting the attention of the lame man who was expecting to receive something from Peter and John.  However, he had no idea what he was about to receive.  He thought maybe they would give him some money. 

“Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”  Peter’s statement here of not having any silver or gold destroys the idea of preaching to make much money.  Can any of the very rich so called evangelists of today say as Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none?”  However, Peter had a gift given unto him of the Lord as we read in Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”  The power to heal was a sign of the apostles.  Paul verified this to us in 2 Cor. 12:12 “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”  Since the signs, wonders and mighty deeds were signs of the apostles, then we would not expect those who were not apostles to manifest these signs.  Peter, using this gift said unto the man, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”

“And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”  None of the so called faith healers of today can do anything close to this.  This man immediately received strength in his feet and ankle bones.  Moreover, the miracle was so great that the man did not have to learn to walk as he leaped up, stood, and walked and entered into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.  This could only be done by our Almighty God. 

“And all the people saw him walking and praising God: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.”  All that came regularly to the temple knew that the man now leaping and walking and praising God was the same man who had been lame all of his life and who begged alms of them as they entered into the temple. 

The man’s response to his healing was that he praised God.  He knew that it was the power of God that had healed him.  This was the appropriate response.  Notice that he did not praise Peter and John, but he praised God.  No doubt he was appreciative of Peter and John for using the gift that God had given them, but the praise properly belonged to God and not to the preachers. 

Verses 11-18

Acts 3:11 “And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. 12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 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. 14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. 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. 17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.”

One of the reasons for gift of performing the signs, wonders, and miracles was given to the apostles was to demonstrate to the people that these men had the authority of God as the apostles of Jesus Christ.  The apostles used these gifts, often to open doors of opportunity to preach unto the people. 

 “And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.”  To see such a miracle as this performed upon a man that they knew to have been lame since his birth, would make the people to wonder what is taking place. 

“And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?”  Peter was quick to point out that it wasn’t by his and John’s power or holiness that enabled the lame man to walk.  The praise belongs to the Lord and not to the apostles.

“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.  But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.”  One thing that stands out in this passage to me is that if you are going to call upon people to repent, then it is needful that you show them that they have sinned.  Calling upon people to repent when they do not see that they have sinned will not lead to repentance.  Peter tells the people that they are guilty of delivering up the Lord, of denying him in the presence of Pilate who was determined to let him go and desiring a murderer to be granted unto them and then being responsible for killing the Prince of life whom God raised from the dead. 

Moreover, Peter pointed out that the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of the fathers, glorified his Son Jesus by raising him from the dead.  Now such charges as this one would think would prick in the heart the children of God among them and cause them to feel the guilt of their sins.  

“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.”  Peter points out to the people that the very one they had crucified and that God had now raised from the dead is the same that hath healed the lame man whom they all knew.  The man was made strong through the apostle’s faith in Christ name.  He also points out that this faith is given them by Jesus Christ who had given the lame man perfect soundness. 

“And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.”  Sin through ignorance is still sin.  They were still guilty of sin, even though it fulfilled the prophecies that Christ should suffer. 

Verses 19-26 

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; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”

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;” From the above we gather that repentance and conversion are not the same thing.  Repentance is to turn from sins.  Conversion is to turn from error to truth and to become the disciples of Jesus Christ.  When we are convicted of our sins and repent, then the Lord sends refreshing to our souls that we have been forgiven of our sins. 

 “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”  In the Old Testament we read of the year of jubilee that once every 50 years the children of Israel were to restore all lands that had been sold, to release the bonds of servitude and otherwise have a new beginning every 50 years.  We never read where the children of Israel ever observed the jubilee.  However, the jubilee was pointing to a much greater new beginning.  Even with the new beginnings we have already received in this life, there is still a new beginning awaiting us.  That new beginning will be when the Lord comes again to take his elect children home to glory.  This will happen in the resurrection from the dead.  The prophets in the Old Testament have spoken of this since the world began. 

“For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.  And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”  Peter quotes from Deu. 18:15-18 “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.  And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”  Peter is telling the people that they should either hear and hearken unto the Lord as that Prophet or be destroyed.  This destruction came in 70 A.D. when the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem. 

“Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.  Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.  Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”  Peter ended his discourse to the people by telling them how blessed they are to be the first to hear this gospel message.