Peter and John Heal a Lame Beggar (3:1–10)
Some time after the day of Pentecost—perhaps as much as a couple of years later (Luke does not tell us)—an amazing incident happens near a gate in the temple courts. Two of the apostles, Peter and John, are confronted by a lame beggar who asks them for money. They, in turn, manifest the healing power of Jesus to restore the paralyzed limbs of this destitute man. Cured of his paralysis, the man promptly makes a spectacle in the temple courts by demonstratively praising God for his healing. Such an incident of healing is not out of ordinary in these early days and months of the church. Luke has previously said that they are commonplace in the ministry of the apostles (see 2:43). Luke chooses to tell us about this episode because it attracts a large crowd and gives Peter another unique opportunity to proclaim the gospel.
20 B.C.–A.D. 70
Dimensions are stated in history (Josephus and the Mishnah) but are subject to interpretation, and all drawings vary.
The time of prayer—at three in the afternoon (3:1). According to Josephus, the priests at the temple “twice each day, in the morning and about the ninth hour [= 3 P.M.]” offer the daily animal sacrifice prescribed by the law of Moses (see Num. 28:1–8) and referred to in Judaism as the tamid.34 Following an offering of incense, a sacrificial lamb is slaughtered on the altar. This is accompanied by the priest presenting a cereal offering (an unleavened loaf of wheat flour and oil) and a drink offering (a libation of wine). The priests then lead those in attendance in a time of singing and prayer. The Mishnah describes this time of prayer following the sacrifice:
When he stooped to pour out the drink offering the Prefect waved the towel and Ben Arza [a priest] clashed the cymbal and the levites broke forth into singing. When they reached a break in the singing they blew upon the trumpets and the people prostrated themselves [in prayer]; at every break there was a blowing of the trumpet and at every blowing of the trumpet a prostration [in prayer]. This was the rite of the daily whole-offering in the service of the House of our God.35
In these early stages of the church, the apostles and the other believers (who were all Jewish) continue to observe the set times of worship in the Jerusalem temple.
A man crippled from birth (3:2). It was not at all surprising to find poor and handicapped people begging for a handout in Jerusalem and particularly near the temple. Charitable giving was viewed as particularly meritorious when it was done here.36
THE GOLDEN GATE (THE BEAUTIFUL GATE)
According to Jewish tradition, this gate (from the Early Islamic period) was built upon the foundations of the original Eastern Gate of the Temple Mount.
The temple gate called Beautiful (3:2). This is most likely one of the gates in the Court of Women, either on the west side leading to the Court of the Israelites (also called the Corinthian gate or the gate of the Sanctuary) or on the east side leading to the Court of the Gentiles. Both of these gates were exceptionally grand and ornate in appearance, appropriately fitting the description “beautiful.” Josephus describes their size and splendor well:
Of the gates nine were completely covered with gold and silver, as were the posts and lintels, but the one outside the Sanctuary was of Corinthian bronze, and far more valuable than those overlaid with silver or even with gold. Every gateway had double doors, each half being 45 feet high and 22–1/2 wide. On the inner side however the gateways widened out, and on either hand there was a gate-room 45 feet square, shaped like a tower and over 60 feet high. Each room was supported by two pillars 18 feet round. The other gates were all of the same size, but the one beyond the Corinthian gate, opening out from the court of the Women on the east and facing the gate of the Sanctuary, was much bigger; for its height was 75 feet, that of the doors 50, and the decoration was more magnificent, the gold and silver plates being extremely thick.37
THE GOLDEN GATE (THE BEAUTIFUL GATE)
A reconstruction of the gate as seen in the Jerusalem temple model.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk (3:6). Hoping to get a charitable handout from Peter and John as they pass through the gate, the lame man receives far beyond what he could have imagined. Staring at him, Peter says, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” By this statement, Peter acts not on his own authority, but he is appealing to the risen Jesus to manifest his healing power. Jesus himself, by contrast, heals on the basis of his own authority during his earthly ministry. Other itinerant healers of the time call on various kinds of deities (such as Asclepius) or helper spirits to attempt their healings. Peter calls on the power of the exalted Lord. This healing marks yet another instance of the ongoing work of Christ through the church as Luke has announced at the beginning of his work when he says that his Gospel is an account of “all that Jesus began to do and to teach” (1:1).
The man’s feet and ankles are miraculously strengthened—in fact so much so that he is able to run and jump. Staying close to the apostles’ side, the man accompanies them into the temple courts unable to contain his exuberance over what God has done for him. Because all of the onlookers know well the pitiable state of the man before, they are astonished and wonder what has happened.
Peter Speaks at the Temple (3:11–25)
Taking advantage of this singular opportunity, Peter addresses the crowd. They give their full attention to Peter because there is incontrovertible evidence standing right before them that Peter and John could exercise some kind of supernatural power. What is this power that healed the crippled man so dramatically? Is this a sign to them from God?
In his message, Peter strongly emphasizes that the healing is performed in the power of the risen Jesus. He testifies to the crowd that Jesus is indeed the anticipated Messiah and offers his point on the basis of many Old Testament prophetic texts that find their precise fulfillment in the ministry of Jesus. This is not strictly an informational speech. Peter stresses to the crowd their guilt before God in rejecting the Messiah and, in fact, joining the rest of the mob in demanding his death. Peter then tells them that it is not too late for them to be reconciled to God if they repent of their sin and turn to God by embracing the risen Jesus as the Messiah who will forgive their sin and come again to fulfill God’s kingdom program on earth.
Solomon’s Colonnade (3:11). The entire temple platform was surrounded by beautiful colonnades on the perimeter of the outer court. The colonnade on the east side is referred to as “Solomon’s Colonnade” (or “portico,” “stoa,” or “porch”). On the other side of the eastern temple wall would have been a steep hillside descending to the Kidron Valley. Josephus provides us with a detailed description of the colonnade:
The colonnades were all double, the supporting pillars were 37–1/2 feet high, cut from single blocks of the whitest marble, and the ceiling was panelled with cedar. The natural magnificence of it all, the perfect polish and the accurate jointing afforded a remarkable spectacle, without any superficial ornament either painted or carved. The colonnades were 45 feet wide and the complete circuit of them measures three quarters of a mile, Antonia being enclosed within them.38
This eastern colonnade would then have extended for over three hundred yards. One part of this large area apparently became a popular meeting spot for the first Christians in Jerusalem (see also Acts 5:12). The entire colonnade was destroyed during the Jewish war (A.D. 66–70); only the temple platform remains.
SOLOMON’S COLONNADE
A model of the Royal Stoa as it would have appeared from the northeast.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (3:13). Peter seizes this unique opportunity to address the crowd and begins by immediately clarifying that the man is not healed by any inherent powers that he or John possesses. He points them to the one God that they all worship—the God who reveals himself to Moses at the burning bush as “I Am” (Yahweh), the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (see Ex. 3:4–6).
Servant Jesus (3:13). Yet Peter attributes the healing to God’s glorified servant, Jesus. For the Jew, “Servant” is a significant expression. It is an allusion to the Servant Songs of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 52:13 says that the servant “will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.” Yet this will only follow a period of suffering.
The author of life (3:15). Peter immediately moves on to speak of the suffering the Servant of God experienced. Peter directly accuses the assembled crowd of handing Jesus over to be killed. Presumably many of those present in this crowd are among those who join with the throng in demanding before the Roman proconsul that Jesus be crucified. Their assent makes them guilty of the most heinous crime imaginable. Peter accuses them of the amazing paradox of killing the author of life. This title points to Christ as the source of life, a function normally ascribed to the Father in the Old Testament. Using the same words, the writer of Hebrews later refers to Jesus as “the author of salvation” (Heb. 2:10). Jesus does not remain in the grave, however, for God raises him. Peter and John are now eyewitnesses of this important fact.
Peter once again makes it clear that it is the power of the risen Christ, represented by his name, that has healed the man. Belief in the person and the power of Jesus, not any kind of magic or personal power, has made the man well.
Foretold through all the prophets (3:18). Peter tells them that they acted in ignorance, although this is no excuse before God. It was in the predetermined plan of God that Jesus would die. For most Jews this would have been difficult to see. Where does it explicitly state in the Old Testament that the Messiah would suffer? Part of the difficulty for many Jews is that they do not understand some of the prophecies in the Old Testament as pointing to the Messiah and therefore do not expect a suffering Messiah. For instance, most Jews interpret the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 52–53 as referring to themselves (in a corporate sense): They are the ones who have suffered and there is atoning significance to their suffering. Jesus, however, has used the language and imagery of the Suffering Servant to characterize his own mission (see, for example, Mark 10:45). He would be the representative of the people who would die an atoning death. This prophecy of Isaiah then becomes a central part of early Christian preaching to demonstrate that the Messiah would suffer and die. Yet there are other Old Testament texts that speak in a typological or prophetic way of the suffering of the Messiah.39 The whole sacrificial system, in fact, points to a final and effective sacrifice.
So that your sins may be wiped out (3:19). As in his preaching at Pentecost, Peter now calls on the people to repent and turn to God so that their sins could be wiped out. This is a rare and colorful word that only appears in the Gospels and here in Acts. The term (exaleiphō) is used in the contemporary literature for the erasure or blotting out of a written record. The point is that there would no longer be any record of their complicity in the death of Jesus or any of their transgressions before God. Paul uses the same word in Colossians 2:14 to describe the forgiveness of sins.
Times of refreshing (3:19). By repenting and turning to God’s plan in Jesus as the Messiah, Peter announces that there will be a future blessing. They will be able to participate fully in the future times of refreshing when Jesus returns and the kingdom of God is fully realized. This will be the time when God restores everything, establishing his order on earth.
He must remain in heaven until the time comes (3:21). Peter’s comment indicates that a certain amount of time must elapse until the Messiah returns. As Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matt. 24:36).
All the prophets … have foretold these days (3:24). In this latter part of Peter’s message, he appeals to further prophetic texts that point to the Messiah. He begins with a prophecy of Moses who pointed to a coming “prophet like me” that would arise and lead God’s people (see Deut. 18:15–19). He also points to the covenant promise that God made with Abraham indicating that God would bless the nations through Abraham’s offspring (Gen. 12:3; 22:18; 26:4). For Peter, Jesus the Messiah is the means by which this promise will be realized. At this point, it is doubtful that Peter appreciates the full scope of this promise and that he will soon be proclaiming the gospel to Gentiles (see Acts 10). The first opportunity for responding to these blessings will be extended to Abraham’s physical descendants, the Jews.