Acts 3: A Lame Man Healed and Second Sermon of Peter
1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
“The writer of the ‘Acts,’ after describing the inner life of the new society, takes up the thread of the story again.” (Schaff's Popular Commentary) They would have always prayed at “the hour of incense” that the people might see the meaning of the Jewish sacrifices, that it was fulfilled in the death of Messiah. Now Peter and John went up together into the temple… not to participate with the Jews in their worship, "which was now antiquated, but that they might have a larger field to sow the seed of the gospel into,…The time of offering up the morning and evening sacrifice was recommended or commanded by God, as a time of prayer;... The ninth hour; about three o’clock in the afternoon, the time of the evening sacrifice.” (Matthew Poole) The Jews reckoned their days from sundown-- and had approximately twelves hours of night and twelve of day.
“In addition the ninth hour was also the time for the offering of the evening sacrifice (Exodus 29:41; Numbers 28:3-4). ‘called in Luke 1:10, ‘the hour of incense’, that is, the hour of the evening sacrifice, when the people stood outside in prayer, while the priest within offered the sacrifice and burnt the incense.’ (P.P. Comm. p. 92).
Point to Note: From this example, various writers assume that the early church was still keeping many of the Jewish laws. But other passages clearly inform us that the apostles understood that they were no longer under the Law of Moses (Acts 15:10-11). We should first remember, being of the Jewish race gave Peter and John the right to enter this court. Reese notes, ‘At the temple, during the hours or prayer, they would find a ready-made audience to whom they might preach.’ (p. 151)
Peter and John are entering the temple-like Paul entered the various synagogues, i.e. to find people to preach to and convert (Acts 17:1-3).” (Mark Dunagan Commentary)
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 from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: 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 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ [Deuteronomy 18:15, 18, 19] 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ [Genesis 22:18; 26:4; 28:14] 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”
"Then said Peter, Silver and gold have I none - How unlike his supposed successor! Can the bishop of Rome either say or do the same?" (Wesley)
“The glory of the Pentecost was not transient; it was the christian shekinah resting for ever on the church. The healing of this impotent man was a most signal miracle, and the firstfruit that followed the day. He was lame from his birth, and generally known, being a notable beggar at the temple gate. His restoration was effectuated in the middle of the afternoon, and amid the crowd of sober, decent, and intelligent people going to worship. The cure was so notorious, and the whole case so clear, that no man attempted to controvert it. In every view it was a godlike display of celestial power….
The impotent man received more than he expected. Perfect soundness was given to his weak and withered limbs. Beauty, proportion, and strength were communicated to his crooked and distorted joints. He walked and leaped in the temple, and attended the council with the apostles the ensuing day. What a striking portrait of converting grace. See that penitent sinner bowed down with a sight and sense of his sins. Mark his silence and his sighs. He secretly groans for redemption through the blood of Christ, and deliverance from the spirit of bondage. By and by, having opened all his anguish in the ears of heaven, mercy smiles from her frowning clouds, and the love of God is shed abroad in his heart. Then his whole soul, enlarged by the comforts of grace, glorifies God in the church, as the impotent man in the temple.
He was healed by the name of Jesus [His name being called Wonderful or Beautiful- Isaiah 9:6 ], that name which had been traduced and slandered as the worst of names. Jesus had been classed with Samaritans, devils, and malefactors. Now, his name was magnified above every name, and his enemies trembled at his power. Guilt whispered that his blood would be visited on their heads. Oh how glorious and energetic is that name in the eyes of awakened sinners. It is life from the dead, it takes away all their sin, it bursts all their bonds, it scatters all their foes, and raises them to participate of all the privileges and glory of their Lord. So now at the gate of the temple, the impotent man was healed; the apostles transferred the reverence of the multitude to their Master, they published the glory of his truth, and thousands were converted by the virtues of his name. — Oh Jesus, let thy name to my poor fainting soul be repeated with all its charms, and make me every whit whole by the sanctifying power of love.” (Sutcliffe's Commentary)
“”The apostles were quick to let the people know that the lame man was not healed by their own power. He was healed through the power of Jesus of Nazareth, whom the people had crucified. The purpose of Peter’s sermon was to bring these people to Christ. They were taught to repent of their sin and be converted. The motivation for such obedience was the fact that Jesus was that prophet spoken of by Moses. The Old Testament worthies pointed to Jesus and to the salvation that can only be obtained through Him. Christ came as fulfillment of the covenant God had made with Abraham. The purpose of His coming was to turn sinners from their iniquities,” (Charles Box's Commentaries)- Jew and Greeks.