THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE NEW ISRAEL (CHAPTER S 3-19). ‘The Lord added to them day by day those who were being saved.' This not only summarises the situation in chapter 2 but will now be the theme of Acts 3-19 which will reveal a huge emphasis on the continuing rapid growth of this new Israel. It wil... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN (3:1-11). ‘Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.' Peter and John being together (compare Acts 1:13) seems to suggest that the Apostles continued to go around in pairs as they had done while preaching during the mini... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MINISTRY OF THE APOSTLES (3:1-6:7). The pouring out of the Holy Spirit having taken place, and the infant church having been shown to be established, Luke now goes on to deal with the way in which the infant church rapidly expanded, firstly through the ministry of the Apostles (Acts 3:1 to Acts... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And a certain man that was lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of those who entered into the temple,' As they passed through the Beautiful gate, which has not yet certainly been identified, they passed a man... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive alms.' When the man saw Peter and John about to go into the Temple, he called on them to give him alms. Luke is bringing out his sad condition. All he could do, surrounded by all the splendour of the Temple, was beg and call o... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, “Look on us.” And he turned his attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.' Immediately, moved in their hearts, Peter and John responded. They turned their eyes and looked at him. At this he waited expectantly, assuming that... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” ' Peter then informed him that he had no money, no silver or gold, the things that men craved after as they sat in the dust. Those could be found in the Temple, but he had... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he took him by the right hand, and raised him up, and immediately his feet and his ankle-bones received strength. And leaping up, he stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.' Then Peter reached out and, taking him by the right... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and they took knowledge of him, that it was he who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.' When the people saw him they were filled with ‘wonder and amazement... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.' The contrast here is significant. The man held on to Peter and John, full of faith and confidence. He would not let them go. The crowd ran together greatly wondering. But w... [ Continue Reading ]
PETER'S SECOND PROCLAMATION TO THE PEOPLE (3:12-26). As in his first message Peter first refers back to the past, but this time it is to ‘the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob', the ones who had received from God the promise of blessing (compare Acts 3:25). He wants the people to know that they bring... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when Peter saw it, he answered, saying to the people, “You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? or why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk?” ' Peter immediately turns the people's gaze away from himself. ‘You men of Israel.' T... [ Continue Reading ]
“The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.” Let them now recognise that the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and... [ Continue Reading ]
“But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.” The heinousness of their crime is brought out by contrast. They denied the Holy and Righteous One -- they refused to l... [ Continue Reading ]
“And by faith in his name has his name made this man strong, whom you behold and know: yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” And the fact that He had been raised and was truly the Prince of Life, and the Holy and Righteous One, was evi... [ Continue Reading ]
“And now, brethren, I know that in ignorance you did it, as did also your rulers.” Peter then makes them a concession. He acknowledges that what they had done they had done in ignorance. When they had done it they had not realised what they were doing. And this was true both of them and their ruler... [ Continue Reading ]
“But the things which God showed beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.” However, he makes it clear that they should not have been ignorant. Let them recognise that what had happened had actually fulfilled what God had shown beforehand through... [ Continue Reading ]
“Repent you therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ who has been appointed for you, even Jesus, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things,... [ Continue Reading ]
“Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up to you from among your brethren, like to me. To him shall you listen in all things whatever he shall speak to you.” Peter's thoughts now turn to justifying his position further in the light of Scripture, by showing Whom it is that they have c... [ Continue Reading ]
“And it shall be, that every soul who will not listen responsively to that prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.” For God had warned severely, that if anyone did not listen to Him responsively as He spoke through that Prophet, he would be cut off from Israel. Here is a clear in... [ Continue Reading ]
“Yes and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days.” But it is not only Moses who had spoken of these days which have now come. It was also all the prophets who followed him from Samuel onwards (see Acts 13:20). All such as had s... [ Continue Reading ]
“You are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Servant, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.... [ Continue Reading ]