The book of Acts
The healing of a lame man and a new discourse by Peter
Chapter 3
One day Peter and John were going up the terraces to the courts of the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o'clock in the afternoon (there were two others, at nine in the morning and at noon). The apostles and those converted to Christ continued to go to the temple to pray. It was a transition period, and they had not yet separated completely from Judaism, nor had they been forbidden to enter the temple.
A man born lame sat daily at the temple gate called Beautiful to ask for alms. The miserable state of that man contrasted with the architectural beauty of that door. Even today, it is common to see beggars at the door of sumptuous basilicas, cathedrals and temples taking advantage of the piety that those who attend there like to flaunt.
Upon hearing the request for alms from this man, Peter and John fixed their eyes on him and called for his attention. Peter then said that he had no silver or gold to give, but what he had, he would give him. Then he told the lame man, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, to stand up and walk, which seemed impossible to him – he had never been able to do this in his entire life. To the sinner it also seems impossible to get rid of sin and the vices that accompany it, which enslave him from childhood. The message of the Gospel of Christ may seem impractical and empty to him.
After telling the lame man to walk, Peter took his right hand and pulled him up. He was healed immediately, leapt up and entered the temple with them, walking, leaping and praising God (there was no need for physiotherapy). Peter had helped as far as he could, and God did the rest. There were many people going through that door, saw the healing and were filled with wonder and amazement. The miracle had been done in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, who only weeks before had been crucified nearby. The wonderful result now glorified His person.
This reminds us that the Gospel message of Christ continues to be told, announced and preached by the servants of God, but the wonderful transformation it operates in the character of the converted is the work of the Holy Spirit of God. This transformation is also immediate, and is manifested even by the vilest sinner, surprising his family, friends and acquaintances because it is supernatural and wonderful.
When a sinner is converted, the glory is not of the person who brought him the message of the Gospel, but of the Lord Jesus Christ who allowed Himself to be crucified and died to save him from the penalty, power and presence of sin, and gives him a new life of dedication to God.
As the healed beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people present rushed over to the porch where they were (called porch of Solomon), forming a large audience, and Peter took advantage of this great opportunity to witness for Christ by making a speech.
Peter began by explaining that no power or godliness of his own, or of John, had healed the lame man, except for the faith that the two had in the name of Jesus. He continued, reminding them that it was they, the "men of Israel", who had delivered Him to Pilate to be crucified and killed, having accused Him even though His innocence had been admitted and declared by Pilate.
He reminded them that they had preferred the release of a murderer instead of Jesus, the Author of life (see John 1:1-18). In this interesting paradox of Peter, we see that they had asked for life for someone who had taken the life of somebody else, and was therefore subject to the death penalty according to the law of Moses, and in his place they demanded death of an innocent man who was himself the "Prince of Life" (John 1:1-18). This is a perfect figure of how the sinner, subject to eternal condemnation, is replaced by Jesus Christ, innocent of any sin. Jesus received punishment in place of the sinner, so that he, repenting, might be exempted of his guilt and set free.
Peter also said that, in contrast to their rejection, the God of their patriarchs and ancestors had risen Him from the dead and glorified Him, and he and John had been witnesses of all that. Moreover, it was the faith that Peter and John had in His name that had healed the lame man. It should be noted here that all the healings were done because of the faith of the healer and not that of who was healed. The Lord Jesus said to some that He healed, "Your faith has saved you" - not "healed". Faith is for salvation, not for healing the sick (see “Divine Healing").
Having before called his audience "men of Israel", Peter then compassionately changed his accusatory tone. He called them "brethren" (he was also an Israelite), and admitted that they and their leaders had treated the Lord Jesus in such a way out of ignorance. In saying this, Peter is admitting the possibility that, despite the signs and evidence that Jesus had given, they had not recognized that He was indeed the Son of God. Thus, they would have concluded that He lied when He said He was, and was committing blasphemy: This is what their religious leaders told them. Blasphemers were subject to the death penalty. The Lord Jesus Himself declared that they did not know what they were doing (Luke 23:34), just like Paul (1 Corinthians 2:8).
With this assumption, Peter opened to them the possibility of forgiveness through the grace of God for their great sin (he was using his keys as per Matthew 16:19). Peter added that it was through their actions done ignorance that the prophecies that said that Christ would suffer were fulfilled. It is interesting how true prophecies are fulfilled regardless of the will of the people involved.
Peter ended with an exhortation to repent of what they had done and to turn to God so that:
- their sins might be blotted out,
- times of refreshing might come from the Lord for them,
- and the Lord might send them the Christ (Messiah) appointed for them, who was Jesus (to assume the government).
Peter was addressing his exhortation to the "men of Israel", and thus encompassing the whole nation of Israel. As a whole, the nation had rejected and crucified their Messiah. If they repented and were converted their sins would be blotted out, so that times of refreshing might come again from the presence of the Lord.
However, they have not done so yet, and are suffering the consequences of their sin. God knew this would happen, and, having received the Lord Jesus in heaven, is with Him there until "the times of restoration of all things." We know that one day (during the Tribulation) the nation will be converted, and Christ will return to establish His kingdom, when there will be restoration.
Peter mentioned the prophecy of Moses, which then will be fulfilled. Jesus Christ will reign during the Millennium (Revelation 20:4), when all the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah's kingdom will be fulfilled, and Israel will be a blessed nation. His words belie the "doctrine of substitution" whereby the church of Christ would have replaced Israel in God’s covenants and the blessings promised to the nation would have been transferred to it. It is a false doctrine, because the remnant of Israel in the millennium will receive these promised blessings, not the church.
The return of Christ for His church is not contemplated here. We know that before His return to earth, He will rapture His redeemed in the air, including Jewish converts, and later return and establish His reign on earth for a thousand years, and the redeemed will reign with Him over all the earth. The remnant of the nation of Israel will be converted after the rapture of the church and enter the kingdom of Christ on earth, with the Gentiles who qualify. (See HERE).
R David Jones
1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, 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 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.'
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.'
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."
Acts chapter 3