21 whom it behoveth heaven, indeed, to receive till times of a restitution of all things, of which God spake through the mouth of all His holy prophets from the age.
Lo, I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, Before the coming of the day of Jehovah, The great and the fearful. And he hath turned back the heart of fathers to sons, And the heart of sons to their fathers, Before I come and have utterly smitten the land!
And they were questioning him, saying, that the scribes say that Elijah it behoveth to come first. And he answering said to them, `Elijah indeed, having come first, doth restore all things; and how hath it been written concerning the Son of Man, that many things he may suffer, and be set at nought? But I say to you, That also Elijah hath come, and they did to him what they willed, as it hath been written of him.'
And Jesus answering said to them, `Elijah doth indeed come first, and shall restore all things, and I say to you -- Elijah did already come, and they did not know him, but did with him whatever they would, so also the Son of Man is about to suffer by them.'
And he hath sat, a refiner and purifier of silver, And he hath purified the sons of Levi, And hath refined them as gold and as silver, And they have been to Jehovah bringing nigh a present in righteousness. And sweet to Jehovah hath been the present of Judah and Jerusalem, As in days of old, and as in former years.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 3
Commentary on Acts 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
In this chapter we have a miracle and a sermon: the miracle wrought to make way for the sermon, to confirm the doctrine that was to be preached, and to make way for it into the minds of the people; and then the sermon to explain the miracle, and to sow the ground which by it was broken up.
Act 3:1-11
We were told in general (ch. 2:43) that many signs and wonders were done by the apostles, which are not written in this book; but here we have one given us for an instance. As they wrought miracles, not upon every body as every body had occasion for them, but as the Holy Spirit gave direction, so as to answer the end of their commission; so all the miracles they did work are not written in this book, but such only are recorded as the Holy Ghost thought fit, to answer the end of this sacred history.
Peter and John had each of them a brother among the twelve, with whom they were coupled when they were sent out; yet now they seem to be knit together more closely than either of them to his brother, for the bond of friendship is sometimes stronger than that of relation: there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Peter and John seem to have had a peculiar intimacy after Christ's resurrection more than before, Jn. 20:2. The reason of which (if I may have liberty to conjecture) might be this, that John, a disciple made up of love, was more compassionate to Peter upon his fall and repentance, and more tender of him in his bitter weeping for his sin, than any other of the apostles were, and more solicitous to restore him in the spirit of meekness, which made him very dear to Peter ever after; and it was good evidence of Peter's acceptance with God, upon his repentance, that Christ's favourite was made his bosom friend. David prayed, after his fall, Let those that fear thee turn unto me, Ps. 119:79.
Act 3:12-26
We have here the sermon which Peter preached after he had cured the lame man. When Peter saw it.