Now Peter and John were
going up to the temple at the hour of prayer; it was the ninth hour. As
they went they joined a group who were carrying a man who had been lame from
birth. Each day they laid him at the temple's Beautiful Gate so he could ask
for alms from those who were entering. Seeing Peter and John about to go in, he
asked them for alms. And Peter looked straight at him, and with John said,
"Look at us." And the man his attention upon them, expecting to
receive something in return. But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but
what I have I will give; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."
And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet
and ankles were strengthened. And leaping up he stood there and then he walked
along with them as they entered the temple, walking, leaping and praising God.
And all the people there saw him walking and praising God, and they recognized
him to be the one who sat asking for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple.
They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him; while
he clung to Peter and John… .
In a Nutshell
At 3 o'clock the daily prayer service was transformed by a miracle in which a man, lame from birth, was walking around, giving thanks to God, assisted by Peter and John.
Questions
Were Peter and John expecting the man to walk straight away?
The apostles, Jesus' hand-picked disciples, were
certainly on a learning curve. I suspect that as they read the Psalms and the
Prophets (Joel, Isaiah) they gained new understanding about why they were doing
the things they were doing. This would include their visits to the temple to
pray with all the other worshippers.
The healing took place as they were going in to pray.
It seems that Peter and John might have been intending that the lame man would
accompany them. Why should he sit outside and not join in the prayers to
Almighty God? Had they intended to support him on either side as they prayed
together? If so, this was not going to be any "hit 'n run" healing!
Peter raised him to his feet with a simple command: "Walk!" He said
this as he took his right hand and lifted him up. Then the healing took place,
his legs and feet gaining strength. Look at the last words of our passage. The
healed man is described as "clinging" to the two apostles. This indicates
that the miracle in its early stages meant that the man was in some ways
physically dependent upon Peter and John. Had he worn himself out in his
exuberance? Perhaps that is what it means. Perhaps it indicates had also had to
learn how to walk. He had been lame from birth.
God's Spirit had special work for Peter and John.
That was clear. The healing was a public demonstration of this. All those who had
gathered to pray heard the special message God had given them. They were witnessing
part of the fulfilment of Isaiah's Messianic prophecies where it reads: then shall the lame man leap
like a deer (35:6). What a time of prayer that must have been! It was a holy
and wonderful interruption to the solemn liturgy! The people were granted evidence
that God's grace and favour. The Holy Spirit, supporting Peter and John, was
prompting them to tell those who crossed their path about Jesus, the lamb of
God.