Acts Chapter 3

Peter Heals the Crippled Beggar

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer–at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

1. What’s the situation here?

Peter and John: Dr. Luke says they were partners in the fishing business before they got saved. For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,  and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Luke 5:9-10

That together they prepared the Last Supper in the upper room.Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” Luke 22:8

They were running together to the empty tomb on that 1st Easter morning. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved,John 20:2

They ministered together to the Samaritans. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them Acts 8:14

However, they were quite different from one another…Peter was outgoing and gregarious, always had something to say…never hesitated to give his opinion…quite outspoken. But, John was contemplative and reflective…tender, referring to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved at last supper, he leaned on Jesus’ chest.

The three stated times of prayer for later Judaism were mid-morning (the third hour, 9:00 A.M.), the time of the evening sacrifice (the ninth hour, 3:00 P.M.) and sunset.

This shows us that after the Day of Pentecost, Peter and John still went up to the temple to pray. All the believers there in Jerusalem were Israelites or proselytes, and they continued to go to the temple to pray. Remember we are in a period of transition and change.  Peter and John were still doing things the old way. You went to the temple to pray because that was where God was, but now He wasn’t there anymore, He was inside the believers. They have no idea that the Lord Jesus Christ was going to continue his work by the Holy Spirit through the apostles. Up until this time Jesus was doing the miracles, now they would be doing them. Isaiah 43:18 says “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Gate beautiful…historians tell us this was the eastern gate, made of Corinthian brass, overlaid w/ gold and silver…the sun would rise over the eastern mountains. And as the sun would shine upon it, its glistening brightness could be seen for miles. And this entrance to the temple was dazzlingly brilliant! And worth a fortune.

Beggars considered the temple the best site to operate because the daily throngs came to impress God with their pious good works, including offerings at the temple treasury.

This was a prime spot and since according to Acts 4 this fellow was 40 years old and had been born crippled. This guy had seniority.

So we have a contrast here, this beautiful gate and this unbeautiful crippled beggar. I go to the shopping center and there is always some ugly, dirty, no teeth person with a sign.

2. What spiritual condition might this crippled beggar represent?

He was born crippled, he had never walked, he had always been dependent on someone else. Born that way.  We are born spiritually crippled by sin. Original sin. We don’t become sinners when we commit our first sin, it’s not the sin that makes us sinners, just the contrary, we are sinners from birth and we sin because that’s what sinners do. This concept was the genesis of one of the early churches most contentious arguments. Pelagius a leader in the church taught Pelagianism the view that  humanity as basically good and morally unaffected by the Fall. It denies the imputation of Adam’s sin, original sin, total depravity, and substitutionary atonement. It simultaneously views man as fundamentally good and in possession of libertarian free will. With regards to salvation, it teaches that man has the ability in and of himself (apart from divine aid) to obey God and earn eternal salvation. Pelagianism is overwhelmingly incompatible with the Bible and was historically opposed by Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo, leading to its condemnation as a heresy at Council of Carthage in 431A.D. These condemnations were summarily ratified at theCouncil of Ephesus (A.D. 431).

Augustine taught just the opposite, that man was affected by Adam’s sin and was totally deprave, spiritually dead is unable to do anything to change his position as a sinner by himself. That not through anything he does, but through the grace of God can a man be saved through the finished substitutionary atonement of the cross.

And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: Gen 5:3

Notice, no longer in the image of God.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden partthou shalt make me to know wisdom Psalms 51:5-6

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, Col 2:13

How much power does a dead person have?             

3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

3. Why did this happen and what message was it sending?

“Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert” (Isa. 35:6)

  This is one of the sign of the Kingdom.

Remember that Dr. Luke wrote this book. You will notice that when Dr. Luke records a miracle, he gives a great many details which we don’t find in some other books. He tells specifically what happened. The weakness had been in the feet and ankle bones of this man. Now this man was walking and jumping.

This marks the point where now God is establishing the credibility of the Apostles, through powerful signs and wonders.

This happened at a very busy time of day in full view of thousands of people. This man was well know, he was probably there every day for years, there were probably some there that knew his parents. How would those opposed to these new followers of Jesus explain this?

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.

4. Why is it important that Peter make this disclaimer?

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2 Peter 2:3 (KJV)

Faith healers, miracle workers, TV evangelists, cults have taken advantage of gullible people who were looking for miraculous healings and willing to spend money to by God’s gifts.

5. Why does Peter refer to Jesus as the servant of God?

The first point Peter makes is that Jesus is directly connected to the Old Testament.
The God of these people, the God of Abraham, the God of their fathers, had sent Jesus to them.

He is causing them to think back to the scriptures and is preparing them for what he is about to say. The servant of God was understood to refer to the messiah.

Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, Upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, Isaiah 42:1

And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Isaiah 49:6

Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 14 As many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:Isaiah 52:13-14

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.  Isaiah 53:11-12

You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.

6. How do they know that Jesus is the person spoken of as The Holy and Righteous One?

1 Who has believed our report? …… He is despised and rejected by men,……….And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him……………… Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; ……., And by His stripes we are healed.  …….. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, ………… So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment,  For He was cut off from the land of the living; ……. 9 And they made His grave with the wicked– But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth………. My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 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. Isaiah 53:1-12 (NKJV)

All they had to do was put together the pieces. 

16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. 17 “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you–even Jesus.

7. “By faith in the name of Jesus,” what exactly does that mean?

Faith: is believing in something to the point that you begin to base actions on it. I believe in the planet Pluto based on what the science books say, but it really doesn’t affect my life. I don’t wake up in the morning thinking about how Pluto is doing. I have an intellectual faith but not a practical faith. When I sit in one of my chairs I put operational practical faith in the fact that it will not collapse when I sit on it. If there was a 43.8% chance that I will collapse, I would not put my faith in it.

The name of Jesus: What’s in a name? Do the titles and names of Jesus hold a significance? In the days when the Bible was being written, the Israelites often chose names for their babies based on the child’s character or appearance, i.e. Esau (hairy) and Korah (bald). Some babies were named because of an incident at their birth or their names were based on some hope or prayer of the parent, as in Zechariah’s name (God has remembered). Sometimes babies received the name of an everyday object, like Tamar (palm tree), and Tabitha (gazelle). Parents often named their children by the time of day they were born. For example: Shaharaim (dawn), Hodesh (new moon). The condition of the mother also frequently inspired a name: Leah (exhausted) and Mahli (sick).The name Jesus is a transliteration of the Hebrew “Joshua” (which is why you find Him occasionally referred to as Yeshua by people of Jewish background who have become Christians). The Hebrew word Joshua means ‘Jehovah is salvation’, hence the meaning of Jesus name savior.

Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Name of the LORD used 436 times in the bible.

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. Gen 21:33 (NIV)

Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. Gen 26:25 (NIV)

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.Acts 4:12 (KJV)

And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus,  Acts 9:29 (KJV)

And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?Acts 4:7 (KJV)

So maybe Peter is talking about putting a practical operational belief in the reality that this Jesus who they ignorantly crucified was in fact the son of God and that there is power in His name to perform miracles, just as when He was alive and among them.

8. Peter says they acted ignorantly.

How is it that people can be so deceived as to not being able to hear and understand the truth?

Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Matt 11:25 (NASB)

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor 2:14 (NKJV)

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 1 Cor 1:18-19 (NIV)

That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. 14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.15 For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ Matt 13:13-15 (NLT)

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil onecomes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. Matt 13:19 (NASB)

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you [Acts 3:19-20]

9. It the nation of Israel had repented and turned to God, would Jesus have come back at that point. What would have happened to God's plan to bring salvation to the whole world.

It was always God’s plan to bring salvation to the world through the Jews. They rejected the Messiah so he has temporarily gone a different direction. God’s plan cannot be stopped because He has an infinite number of ways to do what He says will happen. When God says something, it is impossible for it to not happen.

And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: Rev 7:4 (NASB)

One hundred forty-four thousand is the number sealed from the nation Israel, but we will see that out of the earth there will be a multitude of Gentiles saved — too numerous to count.  The 144,000 are sealed, especially because they are going to witness during this period, and it is going to cost them a great deal. If they were not sealed, they sure wouldn’t be able to make it through. God never leaves Himself without a witness upon this earth. This means that in the Great Tribulation the gospel of the Kingdom will be preached through the world. I want to repeat this: the 144,000 witnesses in the Great Tribulation period are going to do in seven years what the church up to the present has not done in over nineteen hundred years. —JVM

He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.’ 24 “Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

10. Where the Jews expecting the messiah?

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” Dan 9:24-27

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zech 9:9 (NASB)

There are theories that pinpoint the exact date of the exact year that Jesus rode into Jerusalem. The dates that I have seen in my review of other people’s research is April 6, either April 6, 32 AD, or April 6, 33 AD. (And, again, the difference in the year depends on whether the 20th year of Artaxerxes was in 444 BC or 445 BC). And, some scholars have claimed that there are exactly 173,880 days from March 5, 444 BC to April 6, 33 AD (and, 173,880 days from March 5, 445 BC to April 6, 32 AD).http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/weeks

(Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon): “Daniel has elucidated to us the knowledge of the end times. However, since they are secret, the wise [rabbis] have barred the calculation of the days of Messiah’s coming so that the untutored populace will not be led astray when they see that the End Times have already come but there is no sign of the Messiah”

Rabbi Moses Abraham Levi: “I have examined and searched all the Holy Scriptures and have not found the time for the coming of Messiah clearly fixed, except in the words of Gabriel to the prophet Daniel, which are written in the 9th chapter of the prophecy of Daniel

  Ancient Judaism once taught that a suffering Messiah would appear, disappear for a time, and would then reappear. The disappearing Messiah was known as Messiah ben Joseph. He would suffer as Joseph did when sold as a slave in Egypt. Messiah ben Joseph would die and be resurrected. His return would then be as Messiah ben David. When Jesus was rejected by the rulers of Israel this ancient Judaic teaching became shrouded to the Jews. Few Jews realize that Judaism today is far removed from what ancient Judaism taught.What evangelical Christianity teaches concerning the Messiah fulfills the ancient sages.

Again they say, “…there was the belief among the Qumran community that the Messiah would suffer initial defeat, but that he would ultimately triumph at the end of days.” [The Qumran community reflects accepted messianic beliefs in ancient Judaism at the time of Jesus.]

“But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.”” (John 12:37-40).

And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:18-19

Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience
Hebrews 4:6

Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
Hebrews 4:11

Maybe unbelief stems from disobedience?

·         MSN…….MacArthur NASB Study Notes

·         NIVSN…..NIV Study Notes. 

·         JVM ….J Vernon McGee,

·         ACC …. Adam Clarke’s Commentary

·         BN …..Barnes Notes

·         WBC……   Wycliffe Bible Commentary

·         CN …… Constables Notes 

·         

http://www.ivybaptistchurch.org/assets/acts_chapter3.pdf

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