Acts 3
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A HEALING AND A SERMON
A HEALING AND A SERMON
1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
The events outlined in this chapter take place at around 3 P.M.
2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.
Q: Why was this particular gate to the temple called the “Beautiful Gate”?
A: The reason for this is:
The Beautiful gate of the temple, so called because of its magnificent folding doors, fifty feet high and forty feet wide, covered with gold and Corinthian brass, was the favorite pass-way into the temple.
3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.
4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”
5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.
Q: What reason would Peter have for telling this man to look at them?
The reason for this is so that it would cause the man to expect something from them.
The man more than likely was expecting to receive some money from these men but ended up receiving something of far more value.
6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”
Q: What did Peter have for this man?
A: He had the power of the Holy Spirit, which he freely gave to this beggar to heal him.
7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
Q: Why do you think this man leaped up and not just stand?
A: This man had been paralyzed all his life, therefore he is extremely overjoyed to have the use of his legs.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God,
10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Q: Why are these people filled with wonder and amazement?
A: The people are filled with wonder and amazement because they knew who this man was and that he had been crippled and begging at the gate and now they saw him walking around praising God.
11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s.
Q: What is Solomon’s portico and where is it?
A: SOLOMON’S PORTICO A colonnade on the east side of the temple where the early church gathered (John 10:23; Acts 3:11; 5:12).
This portico ran along the eastern wall of Herod’s temple in the court of the Gentiles. It had two rows of columns, while the colonnade on the south side (known as the Royal Portico) had four rows.
The portico was the scene of Christ’s teaching at the Feast of Dedication (John 10:23), and Peter gave a sermon there after his healing of the lame man (Acts 3:11). The early church gathered and the apostles performed miracles there (Acts 5:12).
12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
Peter had to have been understandably upset by the reactions of the men in this area.
Q: Why do you think Peter was speaking specifically to men here?
A: Women were not allowed to enter the temple from the same entrance as the men. The women had a separate entrance to the temple and therefore were not present when this happened.
13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.
Q: Why did Peter mention Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
A: He mentioned these three men because they are known as the patriarchs of the Israelites.
He also mentions them so that the men there will understand that the same God that the patriarchs followed was the same one they followed and that it was this same God that raised Christ from the dead.
14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
Q: Why did Peter say that these men killed the “Author of life”?
A: The reasoning for this is because as we read in John 1:1 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
and as the men of Israel knew God was the creator of all life, and since Christ was the Word and the Word was God, Christ is therefore the Author of life.
16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
Q: Who had to have faith in the name of Jesus for this man to have been healed?
A: Peter and John are the ones that had to have the faith. The man did not have faith in Jesus prior to his being healed.
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.
Q: Why did Peter mention that what happened to Christ was foretold by God through all the prophets?
A: He mentioned this because the men were devout Jews and knew what the scriptures said, especially Isaiah 11:1-5 “1 Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him — a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
3 His delight will be in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, He will not execute justice by what He hears with His ears,
4 but He will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with discipline from His mouth, and He will kill the wicked with a command from His lips.
5 Righteousness will be a belt around His loins; faithfulness will be a belt around His waist.”
This prophecy was one of the most prominent concerning the Messiah.
19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,
Q: What is meant here by
21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.
22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.
23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’
24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.
25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’
26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”