2 And G2532 a certain G5100 man G435 lame G5225 G5560 from G1537 his G846 mother's G3384 womb G2836 was carried, G941 whom G3739 they laid G5087 daily G2250 G2596 at G4314 the gate G2374 of the temple G2411 which G3588 is called G3004 Beautiful, G5611 to ask G154 alms G1654 of G3844 them that entered G1531 into G1519 the temple; G2411
And G1161 there was G2258 a certain G5100 beggar G4434 named G3686 Lazarus, G2976 which G3739 was laid G906 at G4314 his G846 gate, G4440 full of sores, G1669
And G1161 it came to pass, G1096 that as G1722 he G846 was come nigh G1448 unto G1519 Jericho, G2410 a certain G5100 blind man G5185 sat G2521 by G3844 the way side G3598 begging: G4319
For G1063 the man G444 was G2258 above G4119 forty G5062 years old, G2094 on G1909 whom G3739 this G5124 miracle G4592 of healing G2392 was shewed. G1096
And G1161 when he looked G816 on him, G846 he was G1096 afraid, G1719 and G2532 said, G2036 What G5101 is it, G2076 Lord? G2962 And G1161 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Thy G4675 prayers G4335 and G2532 thine G4675 alms G1654 are come up G305 for G1519 a memorial G3422 before G1799 God. G2316
And G2532 said, G5346 Cornelius, G2883 thy G4675 prayer G4335 is heard, G1522 and G2532 thine G4675 alms G1654 are had in remembrance G3415 in the sight G1799 of God. G2316
That was G2258 the true G228 Light, G5457 which G3739 lighteth G5461 every man G3956 G444 that cometh G2064 into G1519 the world. G2889 He was G2258 in G1722 the world, G2889 and G2532 the world G2889 was made G1096 by G1223 him, G846 and G2532 the world G2889 knew G1097 him G846 not. G3756 He came G2064 unto G1519 his own, G2398 and G2532 his own G2398 received G3880 him G846 not. G3756 But G1161 as many as G3745 received G2983 him, G846 to them G846 gave he G1325 power G1849 to become G1096 the sons G5043 of God, G2316 even to them that believe G4100 on G1519 his G846 name: G3686 Which G3739 were born, G1080 not G3756 of G1537 blood, G129 nor G3761 of G1537 the will G2307 of the flesh, G4561 nor G3761 of G1537 the will G2307 of man, G435 but G235 of G1537 God. G2316 And G2532 the Word G3056 was made G1096 flesh, G4561 and G2532 dwelt G4637 among G1722 us, G2254 (and G2532 we beheld G2300 his G846 glory, G1391 the glory G1391 as G5613 of the only begotten G3439 of G3844 the Father,) G3962 full G4134 of grace G5485 and G2532 truth. G225 John G2491 bare witness G3140 of G4012 him, G846 and G2532 cried, G2896 saying, G3004 This G3778 was he G2258 of whom G3739 I spake, G2036 He that cometh G2064 after G3694 me G3450 is preferred G1096 before G1715 me: G3450 for G3754 he was G2258 before G4413 me. G3450 And G2532 of G1537 his G846 fulness G4138 have G2983 all G3956 we G2249 received, G2983 and G2532 grace G5485 for G473 grace. G5485 For G3754 the law G3551 was given G1325 by G1223 Moses, G3475 but grace G5485 and G2532 truth G225 came G1096 by G1223 Jesus G2424 Christ. G5547 No man G3762 hath seen G3708 God G2316 at any time; G4455 the only begotten G3439 Son, G5207 which G3588 is G5607 in G1519 the bosom G2859 of the Father, G3962 he G1565 hath declared G1834 him. And G2532 this G3778 is G2076 the record G3141 of John, G2491 when G3753 the Jews G2453 sent G649 priests G2409 and G2532 Levites G3019 from G1537 Jerusalem G2414 to G2443 ask G2065 him, G846 Who G5101 art G1488 thou? G4771 And G2532 he confessed, G3670 and G2532 denied G720 not; G3756 but G2532 confessed, G3670 G3754 I G1473 am G1510 not G3756 the Christ. G5547 And G2532 they asked G2065 him, G846 What G5101 then? G3767 Art G1488 thou G4771 Elias? G2243 And G2532 he saith, G3004 I am G1510 not. G3756 Art G1488 thou G4771 that prophet? G4396 And G2532 he answered, G611 No. G3756 Then G3767 said they G2036 unto him, G846 Who G5101 art thou? G1488 that G2443 we may give G1325 an answer G612 to them that sent G3992 us. G2248 What G5101 sayest thou G3004 of G4012 thyself? G4572 He said, G5346 I G1473 am the voice G5456 of one crying G994 in G1722 the wilderness, G2048 Make straight G2116 the way G3598 of the Lord, G2962 as G2531 said G2036 the prophet G4396 Esaias. G2268 And G2532 they which G3588 were sent G649 were G2258 of G1537 the Pharisees. G5330 And G2532 they asked G2065 him, G846 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 Why G5101 baptizest thou G907 then, G3767 if G1487 thou G4771 be G1488 not G3756 that Christ, G5547 nor G3777 Elias, G2243 neither G3777 that prophet? G4396 John G2491 answered G611 them, G846 saying, G3004 I G1473 baptize G907 with G1722 water: G5204 but G1161 there standeth one G2476 among G3319 you, G5216 whom G3739 ye G5210 know G1492 not; G3756 He G846 it is, G2076 who G3739 coming G2064 after G3694 me G3450 is preferred G1096 before G1715 me, G3450 whose G3739 G846 shoe's G5266 latchet G2438 I G1473 am G1510 not G3756 worthy G514 to G2443 unloose. G3089 These things G5023 were done G1096 in G1722 Bethabara G962 beyond G4008 Jordan, G2446 where G3699 John G2491 was G2258 baptizing. G907 The next day G1887 John G2491 seeth G991 Jesus G2424 coming G2064 unto G4314 him, G846 and G2532 saith, G3004 Behold G2396 the Lamb G286 of God, G2316 which G3588 taketh away G142 the sin G266 of the world. G2889 This G3778 is he G2076 of G4012 whom G3739 I G1473 said, G2036 After G3694 me G3450 cometh G2064 a man G435 which G3739 is preferred G1096 before G1715 me: G3450 for G3754 he was G2258 before G4413 me. G3450
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Acts 3
Commentary on Acts 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Ac 3:1-26. Peter Heals a Lame Man at the Temple Gate—Hs Address to the Wondering Multitude.
1-11. Peter and John—already associated by their Master, first with James (Mr 1:29; 5:37; 9:2), then by themselves (Lu 22:8; and see Joh 13:23, 24). Now we find them constantly together, but John (yet young) only as a silent actor.
went up—were going up, were on their way.
2. a certain man lame from his mother's womb—and now "above forty years old" (Ac 4:22).
was carried—was wont to be carried.
4, 5. Peter fastening his eyes on him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed—that, through the eye, faith might be aided in its birth.
6. Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee—What a lofty superiority breathes in these words!
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk—These words, uttered with supernatural power, doubtless begat in this poor man the faith that sent healing virtue through his diseased members.
7. And he took … and lifted him up—precisely what his Lord had done to his own mother-in-law (Mr 1:31).
his feet—"soles."
and ankle bones, &c.—the technical language of a physician (Col 4:14).
8. leaping up, stood … walked … entered the temple walking, leaping, and praising God—Every word here is emphatic, expressing the perfection of the cure, as Ac 3:7 its immediateness.
9. all the people saw him, &c.—as they assembled at the hour of public prayer, in the temple courts; so that the miracle had the utmost publicity.
10. they knew that it was he which sat for alms, &c.—(Compare Joh 9:8).
11. the lame man … held, &c.—This is human nature.
all the people ran together unto them in the porch, &c.—How vividly do these graphic details bring the whole scene before us! Thus was Peter again furnished with a vast audience, whose wonder at the spectacle of the healed beggar clinging to his benefactors prepared them to listen with reverence to his words.
12-16. why marvel at this?—For miracles are marvels only in relation to the limited powers of man.
as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk—Neither the might nor the merit of the cure are due to us, mere agents of Him whom we preach.
13. The God of Abraham, &c.—(See on Ac 2:22; Ac 2:36).
hath glorified his Son Jesus—rather, "his Servant Jesus," as the same word is rendered in Mt 12:18, but in that high sense in which Isaiah applies it always to Messiah (Isa 42:1; 49:6; 52:13; 53:11). When "Son" is intended a different word is used.
whom ye delivered up, &c.—With what heroic courage does Peter here charge his auditors with the heaviest of all conceivable crimes, and with what terrific strength of language are these charges clothed!
15. killed the Prince of life—Glorious paradox, but how piercing to the conscience of the auditors.
16. his name, through faith in his name, hath made this man strong, &c.—With what skill does the apostle use the miracle both to glorify his ascended Lord and bring the guilt of His blood more resistlessly home to his audience!
17-21. And now, brethren—Our preacher, like his Master, "will not break the bruised reed." His heaviest charges are prompted by love, which now hastens to assuage the wounds it was necessary to inflict.
I wot—"know."
through ignorance ye did it—(See marginal references, Lu 23:34; Ac 13:27; 26:9).
18. that Christ—The best manuscripts read, "that His Christ."
should suffer—The doctrine of a Suffering Messiah was totally at variance with the current views of the Jewish Church, and hard to digest even by the Twelve, up to the day of their Lord's resurrection. Our preacher himself revolted at it, and protested against it, when first nakedly announced, for which he received a terrible rebuke. Here he affirms it to be the fundamental truth of ancient prophecy realized unwittingly by the Jews themselves, yet by a glorious divine ordination. How great a change had the Pentecostal illumination wrought upon his views!
19. when the times of refreshing shall come—rather, "in order that the times of refreshing may come"; that long period of repose, prosperity and joy, which all the prophets hold forth to the distracted Church and this miserable world, as eventually to come, and which is here, as in all the prophets, made to turn upon the national conversion of Israel.
20. he shall send Jesus Christ—The true reading is, "He shall send your predestinated (or foreordained) Messiah, Jesus."
21. until the times—embracing the whole period between the ascension and the second advent of Christ.
restitution of all things—comprehending, probably, the rectification of all the disorders of the fall.
22-26. a prophet … like unto me—particularly in intimacy of communication with God (Nu 12:6-8), and as the mediatorial Head of a new order of things (Heb 3:2-6). Peter takes it for granted that, in the light of all he had just said, it would be seen at once that One only had any claim to be that Prophet.
him shall ye hear in all things, &c.—This part of the prediction is emphatically added, in order to shut up the audience to the obedience of faith, on pain of being finally "cut off" from the congregation of the righteous (Ps 1:1).
24. foretold of these days—of Messiah; all pointing to "the time of reformation" (Heb 9:10), though with more or less distinctness.
25. Ye are the children … of the covenant—and so the natural heirs of its promises.
in thy seed, &c.—(See on Ga 3:8, &c.).
26. God, having raised up—not from the dead, but having provided, prepared, and given.
his Son Jesus—"His Servant Jesus" (see on Ac 3:13).
sent him to bless you—literally, "sent Him blessing you," as if laden with blessing.
in turning away every one of you from his iniquities—that is, "Hitherto we have all been looking too much for a Messiah who should shed outward blessings upon the nation generally, and through it upon the world. But we have learned other things, and now announce to you that the great blessing with which Messiah has come laden is the turning away of every one of you from his iniquities." With what divine skill does the apostle, founding on resistless facts, here drive home to the conscience of his auditors their guilt in crucifying the Lord of Glory; then soothe their awakened minds by assurances of forgiveness on turning to the Lord, and a glorious future as soon as this shall come to pass, to terminate with the Personal Return of Christ from the heavens whither He has ascended; ending all with warnings, from their own Scriptures, to submit to Him if they would not perish, and calls to receive from Him the blessings of salvation.