PETER AND JOHN WENT UP ... - In Luke 24:53, it is said that the apostles were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. From Acts 2:46, it is clear that all the disciples were accustomed daily to resort to the temple for devotion. Whether they joined in the sacrifices of the temple-servi... [ Continue Reading ]
LAME FROM HIS MOTHER’S WOMB - The mention of this shows that there was no deception in the case. The man had been always lame; he was obliged to be carried; and he was well known to the Jews. WHOM THEY LAID DAILY - That is, his friends laid him there daily. He would therefore be well known to those... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO, SEEING PETER ... - There is no evidence that he was acquainted with them or knew who they were. He asked of them as he was accustomed to do of the multitude that entered the temple.... [ Continue Reading ]
FASTENING HIS EYES - The word used here denotes “to look intently, or with fixed attention.” It is one of the special words which Luke uses (Luke 4:20; Luke 22:56; Acts 1:10; Acts 3:12; Acts 6:15; Acts 7:55; Acts 10:4; etc.) 12 times in all. It is used by no other writer in the New Testament, except... [ Continue Reading ]
SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE - The man had asked for money; Peter assures him that he had not that to give; what he did was done, however, in such a way as to show his willingness to aid him if he had possessed money. SUCH AS I HAVE - Such as is in my power. It is not to be supposed that he meant to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TOOK HIM - He took hold of his hand. To take hold of the hand in such a ease was an offer of aid, an indication that Peter was sincere, and was an inducement to him to make an effort. This may be employed as a beautiful illustration of the manner of God when he commands people to repent and b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE, LEAPING UP - This was a natural expression of joy, and it was a striking fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 35:6; “Then shall the lame man leap as an hart.” The account here given is one that is perfectly natural. The man would be filled with joy, and would express it in this manner. He h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE PEOPLE ... - The people who had been accustomed to see him sit in a public place. AND THEY KNEW ... - In this they could not be deceived; they had seen him a long time, and now they saw the same man expressing his praise to God for complete recovery. The particulars in this miracle are... [ Continue Reading ]
HELD PETER AND JOHN - The word “held” means that he “adhered” to them; he “joined himself” to them; he was desirous of “remaining” with them and “participating” with them. “He clung to his benefactors, and would not be separated from them” (Prof. Hackett). ALL THE PEOPLE ... - Excited by curiosity,... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN PETER SAW IT - Saw the people assembling in such multitudes and wondering at the miracle. HE ANSWERED - The word “answer,” with us, implies that a question had been asked, or that some subject had been proposed for consideration. But the word is used in a different sense in the Bible. It is of... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM - He is called the God of Abraham because Abraham acknowledged him as his God, and because God showed himself to be his friend. Compare Matthew 22:32; Exodus 3:6, Exodus 3:15; Genesis 28:13; Genesis 26:24. It was important to show that it was the same God who had done this that ha... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOLY ONE ... - See Psalms 16:10. Compare the notes on Acts 2:27. AND THE JUST - The word “just” here denotes “innocent,” or “one who was free from crime.” It is properly used in reference to law, and denotes “one who stands upright in the view of the law, or who is not chargeable with crime.” In... [ Continue Reading ]
AND KILLED THE PRINCE OF LIFE - The word rendered “prince” denotes properly “a military leader or commander.” Hence, in Hebrews 2:10, it is translated “captain:” “It became him ...to make the “Captain of their salvation” perfect through sufferings.” As a captain or commander leads on to victory and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS NAME - The “name” of Jesus is here put for Jesus himself, and it is the same as saying “and he,” etc. In this way the word name is often used by the Hebrews, especially when speaking of God, Acts 1:15; Acts 4:12; Ephesians 1:21; Revelation 3:4. It does not mean that there was any efficacy in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, BRETHREN - Though they had been guilty of a crime so enormous, yet Peter shows the tenderness of his heart in addressing them still as his brethren. He regarded them as of the same nation with himself; as having the same hopes, and as being entitled to the same privileges. The expression al... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOSE THINGS - To wit, those things that did actually occur, pertaining to the life and death of the Messiah. HAD SHOWED - Had announced, or foretold. BY THE MOUTH OF ALL HIS PROPHETS - That is, by the prophets in general, without affirming that each individual prophet had uttered a distinct p... [ Continue Reading ]
REPENT YE - See the notes on Matthew 3:2. THEREFORE - Because of your sin in putting Jesus to death, and “because” he is the Messiah, and God through him is willing to show mercy to the chief of sinners. AND BE CONVERTED - This expression conveys an idea not at all to be found in the original. It c... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL SEND ... - Acts 1:1 l. Under this economy of things, he shall send Jesus Christ, that is, the Messiah, to teach people; to redeem them; to save them; to judge the world; to gather his people to himself; and to condemn the wicked. Under this economy they were then. This, therefore, was a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOM THE HEAVENS MUST RECEIVE - The common belief of the Jews was, that the Messiah would reign on the earth forever, John 12:34. On this account they would object that Jesus could not be the Messiah, and hence, it became so important for the apostles to establish the fact that he had ascended to he... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MOSES TRULY SAID - The authority of Moses among the Jews was absolute and final. It was of great importance, therefore, to show not only that they were not departing from his Law, but that he had actually foretold these very things. The object of the passage is not to prove that the heavens must... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS - It shall be, or shall occur. This is not the usual word rendered “it shall come to pass.” It is a word commonly expressing “futurity,” but here it conveys the notion of “obligation.” In this verse Peter has not quoted the passage in Deuteronomy literally, but he has given... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE PROPHETS - That is, the prophets in general. It may be said of the prophets generally, or of all of them, that they have foretold these things. This expression is not to be pressed as if we were to look for distinct predictions of the Messiah in each one of the prophets. The use of language... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE PROPHETS - Greek: “Ye are the sons of the prophets.” The meaning is, not that they were literally the “descendants” of the prophets, but that they were their “disciples,” “pupils,” “followers.” They professed to follow the prophets as their teachers and guides. Teachers am... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO YOU FIRST - To you who are Jews. This was the direction, that the gospel should be first preached to the Jews, beginning at Jerusalem, Luke 24:47. Jesus himself also confined his ministry entirely to the Jews. HAVING RAISED UP - This expression does not refer to his having raised him from the... [ Continue Reading ]