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ACTS CHAPTER THREE
OBSERVATION STAGE
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the
normative rules of language, context and logic 
.which largely limits the observer to the
content offered by the books of Luke and Acts. Other passages must have a
relationship with the context at hand, such as a Scriptural quotation or
reference in the passage at hand. This will serve to avoid going on
unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more importantly, it will provide the
framework for a proper and objective comparison with passages located
elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.
(Acts 3:1 NKJV) '''Now Peter and John [were going] up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
(Acts 3:2 NKJV) And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was [being carried], whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;
(Acts 3:3 NKJV) who, [having seen] Peter and John about to go into the temple, [was asking] for alms.
(Acts 3:4 NKJV) And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."
(Acts 3:5 NKJV) So he [was giving] them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
(Acts 3:6 NKJV) 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."
(Acts 3:7 NKJV) And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle [were strengthened].
(Acts 3:8 NKJV) So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them - walking, leaping, and praising God.
(Acts 3:9 NKJV) And all the people saw him walking and praising God.
(Acts 3:10 NKJV) Then they [were recognizing] 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.
(Acts 3:11 NKJV) Now as the lame man who was healed [was holding] on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed.
(Acts 3:12 NKJV) [And Peter Having seen (the peoples' being greatly amazed, (v. 11)] 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?
(Acts 3:13 YLT) The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, did glorify His [Servant] Jesus, Whom [you] delivered up [to be crucified] and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, he [Pilate] having given judgment to release [that One],
(Acts 3:14 NKJV) But you denied the Holy One and the Just [One], and asked for a murderer to be granted to you [in the sense of being released to his freedom from being executed],
(Acts 3:15 NKJV) and killed the [Author, i.e., Originator] of life Whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.
(Acts 3:16 NKJV) And His [Jesus'] 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 [the healed, formerly lame man] this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
(Acts 3:17 NKJV) Yet now, brethren, [Peter is referring here to fellow Jews] I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
(Acts 3:18 YLT) But God, what things before He [declared] through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He did thus fulfill.
(Acts 3:19 Holman) Therefore repent and turn ...[to Christ in faith, (v. 16)], so that your sins may be blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the LORD,
(Acts 3:20 NKJV) and that He [God the Father] may send Jesus Christ, Who was preached to you before,
(Acts 3:21 NKJV) 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.
(Acts 3:22 NKJV) 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.
(Acts 3:23 NKJV) And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet [in the sense of willfully refusing to listen to what He has to say] shall be utterly destroyed from among the people [Israel].'
(Acts 3:24 NASB) And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days.
(Acts 3:25 NKJV) 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.'
(Acts 3:26 NKJV) 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 3:1 NKJV) '''Now Peter and John [were going] up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. (Acts 3:2 NKJV) And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was [being carried], whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; (Acts 3:3 NKJV) who, [having seen] Peter and John about to go into the temple, [was asking] for alms. (Acts 3:4 NKJV) And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." (Acts 3:5 NKJV) So he [was giving] them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. (Acts 3:6 NKJV) 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." (Acts 3:7 NKJV) And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle [were strengthened]." =
Chapter 3 continues the context from chapter 2 with Peter's healing of a lame man in the Temple at Jersusalem - especially with Acts 2:43 which speaks of the many wonders and signs which the Apostles performed:
****** EXCERPT FROM ACTS CHAPTER 2 ******
Or
skip to the next section in Acts chapter 3: 
(Acts 2:38 HOLMAN) '''And Peter said to them, "Repent [plural] (and [let each one of you] be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, [singular = after being forgiven and Holy Spirit received],) for the forgiveness of your sins [plural]. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural]. (Acts 2:39 NKJV) For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, [= Gentiles, cf. Acts 10:34-35] as many as the Lord our God will call." (Acts 2:40 NASB) And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" (Acts 2:41 NKJV) Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. (Acts 2:42 NKJV) And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:43 NKJV) Then fear came upon every soul, [in the sense of awe] and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. (Acts 2:44 NKJV) Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, (Acts 2:45 YLT and the possessions and the goods they were selling, and were parting them to all, according as any one had need. (Acts 2:46 NKJV) So continuing [steadfastly] daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, (Acts 2:47 YLT) praising God, and having favour with all the people, and the Lord was adding those being saved every day to the assembly.''' =
The phrase rendered "and
to all who are afar off," in Acts 2:39 NKJV refers to all peoples,
i.e., Gentiles, (cf. Acts 22:21); it is not limited to the remnant or all
Jews who dwelt in far off lands, as some contend, (cf. Acts 10:24-48,
22:21). So the announcement was made by the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:39
that the promise of eternal life through a moment of faith alone in Christ
alone for forgiveness of sins unto eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of
God, (Acts 2:38), was made to Jews and their children and to Gentiles
alike - all those who would be called by the LORD unto repentance unto
faith in Christ for forgiveness of sins unto eternal life in the Eternal
Kingdom of God. This implies that forgiveness of sins is available to all
mankind; but only those who have been called by the LORD in the sense of
being chosen by Him to repent unto a moment of faith alone in His Son/ the
Christ / the Messiah alone will actually choose to believe. The balance of
humanity will not so choose, and hence not be provided with God's
forgiveness of sins, despite its availability .
Note that the word rendered "promise" in verse 39 refers to the
promise of forgiveness of sins unto eternal life for those who repent /
believe in Jesus Christ as per the context of the immediately preceding
verse. It is not limited to the promise of receiving the gift of the Holy
Spirit of Acts 1:4, as some contend.
Although the prophets of the Old Testament largely addressed Israel, the promise of eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God always included Gentiles, (Isa 49:6, 56:7, 57:19; Joel 2:28; Mal 1:11). And although accounts of John the Baptist were limited to his ministry to Israel, there is no indication that he excluded Gentiles. Furthermore, Acts 1:8 speaks of the disciples of Jesus carrying the gospel to the end of the earth which implies the inclusion of all mankind. And finally, although our LORD began sending His disciples to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel," He expanded His ministry, instructing the disciples to carry His message to Gentiles - which included Peter, (Mt 10:5-18; Lk 7:1-10).
(Acts 10:34 NKJV) "Then Peter opened his mouth and said: 'In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality [relative to whom the forgiveness of sins unto eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God applies, i.e., it applies to everyone - Jew and Gentile alike].
(Acts 10:35 NKJV) But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."
Author Luke stipulated that Peter testified and exhorted the people with many more words, saying "Be saved from this perverse generation!" So Luke did not record the many more words that Peter testified to and exhorted the people with, evidently for lack of time and space. But the essence of Peter's exhortation was quoted by Luke which was that they should "Be saved from this perverse generation," in the sense of trusting in Christ for temporal and eternal forgiveness of sins - hence being delivered from the contamination and harm of the perverse, i.e., crooked generation of Peter's time, who characteristically rejected Jesus Christ and behaved in a perverse manner, (cf. Lk 9:41; 11:29; 17:25). And Luke noted that about three thousand individuals in one day believed and were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ as a result. It is implied with so many water baptisms being administered in one day that more than a few believers were participating in such administrations. The phrase rendered "in the name of" refers to Christ's capacity, willingness and trustworthiness through His atoning sacrifice for sins to provide eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God for one who believes in His name. Jesus' Resurrection, His appearances to many in His Resurrection Body, His Ascension in the presence of the Apostles, the precise prediction of all of this in Scripture all work together to provide a trustworthy testimony that Jesus Christ accomplished His mission to provide an atoning sacrifice for the sins of all mankind throughout the ages, such that He can be determined to be trustworthy for all mankind to trust in Him alone for forgiveness of sins unto eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God, (Acts 2:39-41).
The believers were continuing steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles; and in fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers with fellow believers. The Greek verb "proskarterountes" rendered "were continuing steadfastly" implied an ongoing, focused and disciplined effort amongst all the believers to learn the doctrines of the faith, and to grow in fellowship with one another as they shared meals and prayed together. Notice that the Apostles were set about doing the work of the LORD in training up all the believers to become witnesses of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth, as the LORD commanded them, (Lk 24:44-49; Acts 1:5-8). Whereupon, a fear of the LORD pervaded the believers - in the sense of a reverential acknowledgment of the supernatural presence of the LORD made manifest through the words and actions of the Apostles and fellow believers. Many wonders and signs were being done through the Apostles, further enhancing that reverential fear of the LORD; and corroborating that the teaching of the Apostles was from the LORD - with this proof of the work of the Holy Spirit within them. Luke reported that all who believed "were together," in the sense of remaining together physically and being of one accord mentally relative to the pursuit of the Christian faith for the purpose of being witnesses to the world of the gospel. And they had all things in common to the extent that they sold and shared their possessions to provide for one another. They met daily in the Temple, and shared meals with one another from house to house - a fellowship which exemplified gladness and simplicity of heart, which praised God for all the blessings and teaching they received. The favorite meeting place of the early believers was in the Temple at the eastern edge of the outer court called Solomon's Colonnade, (Acts 3:11; 5:12). Their meetings were consistent with the Jewish behavior of the time - attending at the regular times for worship as they did before. They regarded the temple as their sanctuary and the Mosaic Law as their Law - one to live by as a daily rule of life but not as a means to gain eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God. The temple to them was a place where they could share their faith in Jesus Christ and the doctrines of the faith that the Apostles were teaching them with fellow believers; and even with those who had not yet believed. For they were of the remnant of Jews which Scripture points to throughout the generations of Jewish history who were God's chosen people and the light of the gospel to their brethren Jews - and to the world. On the other hand, the doctrines of the faith that they were being instructed in by the Apostles and attempting to live by departed from the typical practices and beliefs of Jewish non-believers who tended to have a dependence upon their idea of keeping the Law for gaining entrance into the Eternal Kingdom of God. Note that this cannot be defined as communism or communal living, as some contend. It was voluntary and according to need, hence it was not part of a governmental type living system which regulated that goods were to be evenly distributed. The context indicates that it was simply sharing in an agape / godly loving - self-sacrificial manner for the benefit of brothers and sisters in the faith - "as every man had need." And it was characterized as joyful, with frequent praising of the LORD for His grace salvation. Later in the book of Acts, Peter made it clear that no one was under any compulsion to sell anything or give anything, (Acts 5:1-4). And the LORD was adding to their number daily. Note that there was evidently no persecution of the new believers reported at this time, (Acts 2:42-47).
****** END OF EXCERPT FROM ACTS CHAPTER 2 ******
(Acts 3:1 NKJV) '''Now Peter and John [were going] up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. (Acts 3:2 NKJV) And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was [being carried], whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; (Acts 3:3 NKJV) who, [having seen] Peter and John about to go into the temple, [was asking] for alms. (Acts 3:4 NKJV) And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." (Acts 3:5 NKJV) So he [was giving] them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. (Acts 3:6 NKJV) 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." (Acts 3:7 NKJV) And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle [were strengthened] (cont.)." =
Peter and John went up together to the Temple at the ninth hour of prayer (3 PM). Note that a prayer service accompanied each of the two daily sacrifices in the Temple, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon at the ninth hour. Their going together indicated that, like the new body of believers, they too were of one accord - united with one key purpose: to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others, as was commanded of them by the LORD Jesus Christ before He ascended, (cf. Lk 24:44-49; Acts 1:5-8; Acts 2:42-47). Peter and John went where and at the time when Jews customarily gathered to pray, implying that they continued to practice their faith as Jews - as did their fellow Apostles and new believers in Jerusalem, (cf. Acts 2:46-47). The city of Jersualem was where Jesus' commanded His disciples to remain and await the baptism of the Holy Spirit in order to empower them to fulfill His mission for them to share the gospel, beginning in Jerusalem, and then in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth, (Lk 24:44-49; Acts 1:5-8). Although there were congregations of new believers in Galilee, (cf. Acts 9:31), as there were elsewhere; Jerusalem was where the LORD told His disciples to begin and centralize His ministry. On the other hand, they continued to adhere to worship practices of Judaism in the Temple, and the daily rule of the Mosaic Law, (Acts 3:1).
Acts 3:2 describes a certain man who was lame from birth; over 40 years of age, (Acts 4:22). Every day he was carried and laid down at the temple gate which was called "Beautiful." This gate was between the Court of the Gentiles and the Court of the Women. It was a Corinthian-style, bronze gate with beautifully carved gold and silver inlays. Josephus features this massive gate of Corinthian bronze - of much greater value than those overlaid with gold and silver - in his two main descriptions of the temple (War 5.201; Ant. 15.418). This was the gate, according to the latter passage, through which ritually pure priests entered the inner temple compound with their wives, based on Mid 2:3. This was Nicanor's Gate, which stood atop 15 rounded 23 cm (9-in) steps rising up from the 61 m (200 ft) square Court of Women (diminished by large chambers on each corner), leading to the Court of Israelites, through which one reached the Court of the Priests and the central shrine; hence it was 'the one outside the shrine' (War 5.201) - visible from and directly east of the Holy of Holies. It was a key gateway into temple services, hence an ideal location for begging for alms, (gifts of charity). So every day the lame man would be carried to the gate to beg for alms from those who passed by. The Court of the Gentiles was as far as Gentiles were allowed to go. The Court of the Women was as far as the women were allowed to go. Pharisees had long used the Court of the Women to gather both men and women for their teaching sessions. It was evidently the place where the Apostles and the new believers gathered also - where they prayed, sang hymns, proclaimed the gospel and the doctrines of their new faith, (cf. Acts 2:42-47). So far there have been stipulated no doctrines or statements unique to the church in the Book of Acts which set the new believers apart from the remnant of Jewish believers. Although the message given by the Apostles beginning at Pentecost was that the Holy Spirit would indwell every believer to empower them to proclaim the gospel, the Holy Spirit often indwelt Old Testament believers in the past to empower them to certain tasks as well; and Scripture teaches that during the Millennial Rule believers, even Israelite believers will be indwelt with the Spirit, (Ez 36:24-27), (Acts 3:2).
Peter, walking along with John, fixed his eyes on the lame man and said, "Look at us." Notice that Peter included John in the "us" - a testimony that they were together of one accord, unlike earlier when they disputed amongst themselves about who was going to be greater in the Kingdom of God, (Lk 9:46-48; 22:24-27). Peter's telling the lame man to "look at us," implied that the lame man was not looking at them attentively in his activity of begging for alms; but characteristically, like most of the beggars at the temple, was lying there listlessly, begging repetitively, without paying specific attention to who was passing by. Hence Peter addressed the need to get his attention so that he could effectively announce to him what he was going to do; whereupon the lame man did give them his attention. Author Luke wrote that the lame man was "expecting something from them." Peter then said to the man, "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." Peter's declaration of an evidently supernatural healing coming upon the lame man in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth - in the sense of the capacity and willingness of the risen Jesus Christ to heal the lame man - demonstrated his (Peter's) faith in the name of Jesus through the Holy Spirit to heal that man. Notice that Peter did not represent himself, nor did he lay hands on the lame man, nor did he pray to God to heal him. Instead and in full confidence in the LORD's willingness and capacity to heal the man as he had declared, Peter "took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately the lame man's feet and ankle bones received strength." Notice that author Luke's medical expertise was being expressed here to describe anatomically the man's healing. The healing was instantaneous, hence supernatural! (Acts 3:1-7).
(Acts 3:8 NKJV) "So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them - walking, leaping, and praising God. (Acts 3:9 NKJV) And all the people saw him walking and praising God. (Acts 3:10 NKJV) Then they [were recognizing] 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. (Acts 3:11 NKJV) Now as the lame man who was healed [was holding] on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed." =
So the lame man, leaping up,
stood and walked and entered the temple with them - walking, leaping, and
praising God. The words rendered "leaping up, stood and walked....
walking, leaping, and praising God, (v. 8); and "walking and praising
God," (v. 9) were emphatic and repetitive in order to convey the
message that the lame man was instantaneously and completely healed
through the supernatural work of God - in Whom the lame man, after he was
healed, expressed faith and praise toward God. Absent in the text was any
reference to his attributing the healing to Peter. So all the people who
were gathered in the temple court saw the lame man walking, leaping and
praising God. It was strategic and advantageous to the cause of Christ
that many Jews were present to witness the miraculous healing work of God
in the midst of their temple worship. It is also remarkable that thousands
of new believers with their numbers growing daily, (Acts 2:41-47
)
- evidently geometrically - were in the midst of thousands of fellow Jews
and their leaders in Jerusalem - even within a temple court; and they did
not experience the persecution that Jesus, His disciples and followers had
just recently encountered, ending in His crucifixion. One can only
attribute this to the sovereignty of God and His decrees to predestine
such things. On the other hand, shortly after Peter finished his sermon
and about 5,000 Jews believed and were saved, (Acts 4:4); the priests and
rulers came upon them greatly disturbed, and arrested them, (Acts 4:1-2).
There is no conclusive evidence that the lame man believed in the name of Jesus to be healed, as some contend. Although Luke indicated that the man expected to receive something, the context of the message implied that he was not sure of what it would be. A specific faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth in order to be healed was not so stipulated by author Luke. Furthermore, every day, faithless, thankless men have recovered from illnesses - often serious ones. Although all healing ultimately comes through the sovereignty and grace of God, it occurs in accordance with His will; and it is not necessarily always dependent upon whether or not He is acknowledged, believed in or praised, (Acts 3:8-9).
Now with their worship and prayer being dramatically interrupted with the lame man's excited, demonstrative and vocal expressions of praising the LORD for his healing, the people in the temple were recognizing that it was the lame man who had sat for years begging for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. The Greek word "ekstaseOs" rendered "amazement" was used to characterize such amazement that one was in awe and in bewilderment - their minds were in shock. For the lame man's condition was from birth! And since he was at this time over 40 years old, his shriveled ankles and misshapen feet were undoubtedly seen over those many years as he daily laid near the Beautiful Gate begging for alms. Hence his being made whole and able to stand, walk and leap, made his healing all the more amazing and miraculous.
Now as the lame man who was healed was holding on to Peter and John as they walked to the porch called Solomon's, all the people in the temple ran together toward them. Solomon's Colonnade was a covered portico of columns running the length of the entire east side of the outer court, just inside the eastern wall of the temple. It was capable of holding a large crowd - and would be a place where many signs and wonders would be performed by the apostles, (Acts 5:12). The many Jews who came running toward Peter, John and the lame man were motivated by their amazement to find out more about the healing of the lame man. They provided a great audience for Peter to address about Jesus, the Source of their amazement, (Acts 3:10-11).
(Acts 3:12 NKJV) "[And Peter Having seen (the peoples' being greatly amazed, (v. 11)] 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? (Acts 3:13 YLT) The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, did glorify His [Servant] Jesus, Whom [you] delivered up [to be crucified] and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, he [Pilate] having given judgment to release [that One], (Acts 3:14 NKJV) But you denied the Holy One and the Just [One], and asked for a murderer to be granted to you [in the sense of being released to his freedom from being executed], (Acts 3:15 NKJV) and killed the [Author, i.e., Originator] of life Whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. (Acts 3:16 NKJV) And His [Jesus'] 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 [the healed, formerly lame man] this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." =
Once again, Peter responded
to a very large crowd of greatly amazed and bewildered Jews, (cf. Acts
2:6-15). And once again, he came right to the issue at hand - giving all
the glory to God through His Servant Jesus: Who Jesus Christ was: the One
Who caused the miraculous healing of the man who was lame from birth: the
Source of forgiveness of sins through repentance unto faith in Him.
Peter's sermon in Solomon's Colonade was in many ways similar to his
sermon at Pentecost - especially in the sense of its key Focus: Jesus
Christ - Who He was, His crucifixion, and repentance / faith in Him for
forgiveness of sins unto eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God, (cf.
Acts 2:14-41 ).
Peter started his sermon by addressing those in his audience: "Men of Israel," and then spoke to them of "The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers." Absent was any address to individuals designated as part of the church, the body of Christ. So Peter asked, "Why do you marvel at this?" (referring to the miraculous healing of the lame man). "Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?" - dispelling the thought that he or John, had the power or the godliness to make the lame man walk. Whereupon Peter indicated that it was God Who healed the lame man, through His Servant Jesus Christ - giving God and His Servant Jesus Christ all the glory. Peter indicated that the miraculous healing of the lame man was a sign that God did glorify His Son, raising Him from the dead and glorifying Him in heaven, from Whom faith in His name provides temporal and eternal salvation. Peter confronted the Jews in an extremely personal way with his declaration that the God of the Jews: "the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers" did glorify, in the sense of raising up from the dead to the highest position of glory in heaven, His Servant Jesus - through Whom Peter would indicate, the lame man was healed, (Acts 3:16). It was this Jesus, Peter declared to the Jews, Whom they saw fit to deliver up to be crucified / executed as a criminal.
And Peter went on to say that the Jews "denied Him," in the sense of denying Who Jesus was, thereby disowning Him as their Messiah / Savior - even after Pilate had given a judgment to the Jews to release Him and not put Him to death - declaring Him to be innocent, (cf. Jn 18:38-39), (Acts 3:12-13).
Peter then repeated his condemnation of the Jews: "But you denied the Holy One and the Just [One], and asked for a murderer to be granted to you," in the sense of another who was a murderer being released to his freedom from being executed. "And killed the [Author, (the Originator)] of life, Whom God raised from the dead, of which we [the Apostles and fellow believers] are witnesses. And His name, through [Peter's moment of] faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him [the lame man] this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." Note that Peter is saying that the faith in Jesus Christ for healing and all temporal deliverances and for eternal life - faith being volitional in nature - comes through Jesus Christ, (as a free gift), which one may then choose to exercise in Him for temporal and eternal salvation.
So despite His being killed by crucifixion, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and lives. The Apostles and many other believers testified that they were witnesses of Christ's Resurrection, (cf. Acts 1:3-9). And through Peter's faith in Him came the healing of the lame man in the presence of the Jews whom Peter accused of Christ's death.
The Greek phrase in Acts 3:13, "ton paida autou IEsoun," rendered "His [God's] Servant Jesus" in the NKJV and the phrase rendered "the Holy One," (Acts 3:14) in the sense of the chosen One, and the phrase rendered "the Just [one]" which refers to His Perfect Righteousness; are Messianic titles which refer to the One, as the Suffering Servant of the LORD, Who bore the sins of all mankind to make intercession for their temporal and eternal salvation. He is qualified to do so because He is Just, i.e., Absolutely Righteous. And He will bring judgment upon the whole world, and rule it forever in the Eternal Kingdom of God on earth. References to this can be found in the Old Testament, which the Jews should have been familiar with:
(Isa 42:1 NKJV) "Behold! My Servant Whom I uphold, My Elect One in Whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles."
(Isa 49:6 NKJV) "Indeed He [the LORD] says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.'
(Isa 49:7 NKJV) Thus says the LORD, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him Whom man despises, To Him Whom the nation [Israel] abhors, To the Servant of rulers: 'Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the LORD Who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.'
(Isa 49:8 NKJV) Thus says the LORD: 'In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate [inheritances]."
(Isa 52:13 NKJV) "Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.
(Isa 52:14 NKJV) Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men"
(Isa 53:11 NKJV) "He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
(Isa 53:12 NKJV) Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors."
The Greek word "archEgos" in the phrase "archEgos tEs zOEs" rendered "Prince of life" in the NKJV, NASB, YLT, KJV and ASV; and "Author of life" in the NIV and "Source of life" in the Holman in Acts 3:15, is best rendered, "Author of life," as in the Source or the Originator of life - which is an available meaning of the phrase. So the phrase rendered "the Author of life," implies that Jesus is the Originator of life, i.e., Creator-God. Peter told the Jews that they had a chance to let the Author of Life, the Holy One, the Just [One] go free; implying that that was the justifiable, righteous course of action for them to take. But Peter declared that the Jews denied Jesus' freedom and asked instead for a murderer to be granted that freedom, (cf. Jn 18:38-40). They demanded further that Jesus be crucified. And so Peter stipulated that Jesus' Humanity was killed on the cross. Peter dramatically declared in verse 15 that the Jews killed the Author of life; but he also declared that God raised Jesus from the dead. He stated that the Apostles and many other believers testified that they were witnesses of His resurrection, (cf. Acts 1:3-9). Peter's words to the crowd of Jews were sharp and convicting; and might have caused his and John's own demise - as such confrontation had previously resulted in our LORD's own crucifixion; were it not for the sovereign plan of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, (Acts 3:14-15).
Peter then concluded his point about the lame man who was miraculously healed - that his healing was through the name of Jesus Christ: "And His name, through [Peter's] 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." Notice the repetitive emphasis on faith in the name of Jesus in the last sentence, (v. 16), in Whose name Peter expressed faith earlier when he pronounced the healing of the lame man; and he became whole. The Jews frequently used the phrase "in the name of" exclusively with the name of God to connote God's presence and power. Peter used the phrase, "in the name of Jesus Christ," which, with the other titles he gave to Jesus, connoted the presence and the power of God - God the Son, (Acts 3:6); (Acts 3:16).
(Acts 3:17 NKJV) "Yet now, brethren, [Peter is referring here to fellow Jews] I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. (Acts 3:18 YLT) But God, what things before He [declared] through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He did thus fulfill. (Acts 3:19 Holman) Therefore repent and turn ...[to Christ in faith, (v. 16)], so that your sins may be blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the LORD, (Acts 3:20 NKJV) and that He [God the Father] may send Jesus Christ, Who was preached to you before, (Acts 3:21 NKJV) 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." =
Peter let up on his stinging accusation of guilt for killing the Holy One of God: "Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers," in the sense that the Jews and their rulers willfully chose not to recognize Who Jesus was and is: the Messiah / Savior of Israel, despite the overwhelming evidence provided through the life of Jesus Christ - as corroborated in Scripture: "But God, what things before He [declared] through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He did thus fulfill." It was clearly a fact to the Jews that Jesus Christ suffered under their hands, and Peter reminded them that Scripture foretold that this was decreed to occur - under their responsibility. On the other hand, although God sovereignly decreed these events to occur, this did not mitigate the guilt of the Jewish rulers and people who, of their own volition, which volition God did not restrain, willfully decided to reject and crucify God's Servant, Jesus, in accordance with Scripture, (Acts 3:17-18).
So
in Acts 3:19a, Peter offered to Israel yet another opportunity to "Repent
and turn... [to faith in Christ, (v. 16)] so that [their] sins may be
blotted out," in the sense of changing their minds from not
trusting in Jesus Christ as their Messiah/Savior to believing in His name,
i.e., His capacity to provide them with eternal forgiveness of sins unto
eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God, (cf. Acts 2:38
;
10:43).
And Peter preached in Acts 3:19b that the Jews were to repent and turn to faith in Christ so that their sins may be blotted out "so that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the LORD," in the sense of the restoration of all things - especially of the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel:
(Acts 1:6 YLT) "They, [the apostles, (v. 2)] therefore, indeed, having come together, were questionning Him [the risen Christ, (vv. 1-3)], saying, "LORD, at this time [are you restoring] the [Kingdom] to Israel?"
So seasons of refreshing
would come "from the presence of the LORD" in the sense of His
return to earth from heaven - His Second Coming - to commence His Eternal
Kingdom of God - the restoration of all things, including the Kingdom of
Israel. Whereupon those that did repent / believe in Jesus would have
eternal life and enter that Kingdom, (cf Acts 2:38
),
(Acts 3:19-20).
But at this time in history, the timeframe for the commencement of the Eternal Kingdom of God had changed from imminent to later. Evidently generations of Israelites will continue to forego trusting alone in Christ as Messiah / Savior for forgiveness of sins, except for the remnant, until the times of restoration have arrived. For Peter declared in Acts 3:20b-21, "That He [God the Father] may send Jesus Christ, Who was preached to you before, (Acts 3:20b), "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, (Acts 3:21)," referring to the commencement of the Eternal Kingdom of God, (cf. Acts 1:6). So the commencement of the Kingdom of God was not imminent at the time of Peter's message in Acts chapter 3. And when that future time does come, Peter declared that God will send His Son, Jesus Christ to commence His Eternal Kingdom - a message which, Peter declared, was repeatedly preached to the Jews and to all mankind since the world began, (Isa 49:6, 56:7, 57:19; Joel 2:28; Mal 1:11).
And
at the time of His Second Coming, all of that generation of Israel will
recognize and trust in her Messiah as a result of God's enablement and
Israel's subsequent response of faith - the response of all of a
generation of Israel - God's chosen people - being that which was the
condition upon which there would be the arrival of their Messiah / Savior
Who would then commence the Eternal Kingdom of God, (cf. Acts 2:14-38
):
(Zech 12:1) '''The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:
(Zech 12:2) "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.
(Zech 12:3) And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.
[Notice that this has not happened in history yet, but is prophesied as occuring at the end of the Tribulation period when our Lord comes in His Second Coming]:
(Zech 12:4) In that day," says the Lord, "I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.
(Zech 12:5) And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts, their God.'
(Zech 12:6) In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place - Jerusalem."
(Zech 12:7) The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah.
(Zech 12:8) In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them.
(Zech 12:9) "It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
(Zech 12:10) And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me Whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
[Notice that all Israel will have the spirit of grace and supplication poured out on them by God and they will recognize finally and nationally their Savior Whom they pierced and this is ‘That Day’ of the Lord’s Second Coming]:
(Zech 12:11) In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
(Zech 12:12) And the land shall mourn, every family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves;
(Zech 12:13) the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of Shimei by itself, and their wives by themselves;
(Zech 12:14) all the families that remain, every family by itself, and their wives by themselves.
(Zech 13:1) In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
(Zech 13:2) It shall be in that day," says the Lord of hosts, "that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.
(Zech 13:3) It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, 'You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the Lord.' And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.
(Zech 13:4) And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive.
(Zech 13:5) But he will say, 'I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.'
(Zech 13:6) And one will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms?' Then he will answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends,' " ''' (Acts 3:21).
(Acts 3:22 NKJV) ''' "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. (Acts 3:23 NKJV) And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet [in the sense of willfully refusing to listen to what He has to say] shall be utterly destroyed from among the people [Israel].' (Acts 3:24 NASB) And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. (Acts 3:25 NKJV) 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.' (Acts 3:26 NKJV) To you first, God, having raised up His [Servant] Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of your iniquities." ''' =
Peter further corroborated his testimony of Who Jesus was by speaking of Moses at the time when Moses addressed the fathers, i.e., the ancient people of Israel of Moses' time; hence the fathers, i.e., the ancestors of the people of Israel to whom Peter was speaking. Peter spoke of Moses' prophesy of the Prophet Who was to come. Moses told them, "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren [i.e., that He will be an Israelite and that He will be a representative for what God has to say to His people, Israel]. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you." Peter concluded that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was that Prophet to come - the One Who would be even greater a prophet than Moses was: For Moses declared that in all things, whatever this Prophet to come will say will be of such great and vital import that every soul who refused to hear what this Prophet had to say shall be utterly destroyed from among the people of Israel. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem - for their unfaithfulness - were utterly destroyed, and the rest of the Jews dispersed in A.D. 70, by Titus, the Roman Emperor, (Mt 23:37-39; Lk 21:20-24).
(Dt 18:15 NIV) "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.
(Dt 18:16 NIV) For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, "Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die."
(Dt 18:17 NIV) The LORD said to me: "What they say is good.
(Dt 18:18 NIV) I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
(Dt 18:19 NIV) If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.' " (Dt 18:15-19); (Acts 3:22-23).
When God spoke to the Israelites at Horeb (Sinai), (Ex 20:18-21; Dt 4:11ff; 5:22-31), the Israelites were so fearful of the LORD's direct communication with them that they requested a prophet. So in response, God appointed Moses to represent what God has to say to them - to be voice of the LORD to them. Thereafter, Moses indicated that the people of Israel would continue to have prophets to communicate God's words to them, (Dt 18:20-22). Furthermore, Moses assured a future generation of Israelites that God would raise up for them a Prophet greater than himself. He would be an Israelite. He would be the voice of the LORD like no other prophet before Him. And Moses said that the Israelites must listen to this Prophet in the sense of obeying Him. For there would be consequences for those who do not. And it is in Him Whom Moses and all the prophets believed in as the One to come through the seed of AbrahamWho would provide for forgiveness of sins unto eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God. And He would come to restore all things, from the kingdom of Israel to the Eternal Kingdom of God, (Dt 18:15-19). And Peter declared that that Prophet is Jesus Christ, (Acts 3:12-21); (Acts 3:22-23).
Peter indicated that all the prophets who had spoken from Samuel and his successors onward, (evidently Samuel was the next prophet after Moses), also announced the days when the Prophet Whom Moses spoke of would come amongst His people Israel, implying the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel as an eternal kingdom, through Whom the Jews and all the peoples of the world would be blessed. Note that this does not say that Scripture contains all the statements made by all the prophets which stipulate this. Since this is the most significant subject of all prophecy to the LORD, then all of the prophets undoubtedly spoke of the coming of God's Son, (Acts 3:24).
Peter exhorted the people of Israel at Solomon's Portico with, "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' " - that is to say, all the families of the earth would be blessed through the Seed, Jesus Christ, in the sense of salvation unto eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God through a moment of faith in Him; (cf. Gen 12:2-3; 15:18-21; 17:1-8; 22:15-18; 26:1-5, 28:13-15; etc.). The point was made that the Jews were heirs - inheritors of the prophets and of the Abrahamic Covenant that God made with His people, Israel; which God confirmed over and over again through His prophets throughout the age. But just as Abraham did, so they must do as Peter had already urged them to do: "Therefore repent and turn ...[to Christ in faith, (v. 16)], so that your sins may be blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the LORD, and that He [God the Father] may send Jesus Christ, Who was preached to you before, 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," (Acts 3:19-21). Note the context of Peter's sermon in Acts chapter 3 was to Israel. It's focus was neither upon the Gentiles nor the church, except to include them both as part of the families of the earth to be blessed - each individual through a moment of faith alone in the Seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ:
(Gen 26:1 NKJV) "There was a famine in the land besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.
(Gen 26:2 NKJV) Then the LORD appeared to him and said: 'Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you.
(Gen 26:3 NKJV) Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
(Gen 26:4 NKJV) And I will make your [Isaac's] descendants [seed] multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed [that is to say, in Isaac's seed, i.e., His Descendant, Jesus Christ, Acts 3:25-26)] all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
(Gen 26:5 NKJV) because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.' "
Peter declared that Israel would be blessed first: "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," ''' in the sense of having paid the penalty for their sins so that a moment of faith alone in Him alone would result in forgiveness of sins unto eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God, (Acts 3:19-21). The phrase rendered, "To you first," is first in the verse, hence in an emphatic position. It implies that first must come the blessing of the Jews - those of whom repented / believed in Jesus for forgiveness of sins. There will be the restoration of the kingdom of the people of the LORD - Israel: For when all of a generation of Israel repents / believes in Jesus for forgiveness of sins, the LORD will have returned to commence the Eternal Kingdom of God, (cf. Acts 3:25-26).