Peter’s Miracle of Healing — Acts 3:1-10 Daily Word

The healing miracle recorded in today’s passage illustrates the actual fulfillment of [43] And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. (Acts 2:43, ESV), which speaks of many wonders and signs being done through the apostles, as well as [46] And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, (Acts 2:46, ESV), which describes the believers devoting themselves to meeting together in the temple.

Peter and John went up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. The Jewish people reckoned the daytime as running from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Therefore, to find the equivalent time on our modern clock, one simply adds that number of hours to 6:00 a.m. This means that the third hour corresponds to 9:00 a.m., the sixth hour to noon, and the ninth hour to 3:00 p.m.

Jews had a custom of praying three times a day, with the official prayer times set at early morning, noon, and dusk. At the Jerusalem Temple in particular, offerings were presented in the morning and in the afternoon, and the ninth hour — around noon — was when the largest crowds gathered (Josephus). It was at this time that Peter and John went up to the Temple.

There they encountered a certain man. According to the record in (4:22), he was about forty years old, and he had been placed at the temple gate called the Beautiful Gate in order to beg from those entering. The exact location of the Beautiful Gate is uncertain, but it is generally thought to have been the Susa Gate on the eastern side of the Temple complex. This gate connected the outer court of the Gentiles to the Temple precinct, and it was near Solomon’s Colonnade (3:11), where Peter would preach, as well as close to the market where offerings such as doves were bought and sold. The heavy foot traffic made it an ideal spot for begging.

At the very moment Peter and John were about to enter the Temple gate, others were, for some reason, carrying this man to the Temple entrance. As soon as the man saw Peter and John approaching, he began to beg from them, just as he would have done with anyone else.

But at that moment, Peter and John said to him, “Look at us.” The fact that both apostles said this suggests they intended to offer him something. So “he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.” (v. 4) But then Peter said, [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!” (Acts 3:6a, ESV) — and the man, who had felt a flicker of hope for just a moment, must have felt it collapse into disappointment.

Yet what the man received was far beyond anything he had hoped for. [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!” (Acts 3:6, ESV) — Peter commanded him, in the name of Jesus, to be healed.

From the perspective of Luke, who was a physician, this man was truly unable to walk — he had absolutely no strength in his feet or ankles. Yet the power of the name of Jesus brought strength to his feet and ankles. That strength caused him to leap to his feet and begin walking (v. 8), and as he entered the temple with them, he was walking and leaping and praising God.

This was the fulfillment of the prophetic word in Isaiah 35:5–6. “4b. Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.’ 5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6. then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.”

The reaction of those who witnessed this miracle of healing was, without exception, one of sheer astonishment. Luke records this response in verse 10. [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. (Acts 3:10, ESV) Luke captured well the response to the work that God had brought about. Amazement and awe at what God has done do not necessarily produce faith, but what is certain is that God caused people to believe that the Lord is alive and at work. (4:4)

God entrusted Peter and John with their first ministry.

He sent to them a man who could not walk, so that they might practice the love of treating a neighbor as they would themselves. Because this man had always been there, they could have easily passed him by — but they could no longer look the other way. The Holy Spirit was with them, making known to them what was right. Led by the Spirit, they fixed their gaze on him. And by the authority given by the Holy Spirit, they proclaimed healing in the name of Jesus Christ. And he was truly healed — not only in body, but also in spirit, as he walked and leaped and praised God. When spiritual restoration takes place, a person who had no connection to the gospel is transformed into one who carries the power of the gospel.

To become a witness that no one can deny. Therefore, we pray that restoration — both spiritual and physical — would take place anew within us in the Lord. We desire to proclaim in the name of Jesus, with faith in what He is doing in our lives today. We believe that God will cause us to live as witnesses who testify to the living presence of the Lord, and we will pray together.