Acts 3:10, commentary and pictures

The people knew him as the same beggar, lame from birth and about forty years old, who had sat daily for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth he was at once made perfectly sound and free from pain, and went with Peter and John into the temple walking and leaping and praising God in the sight of all. All who saw him were filled with wonder and amazement that the disciples could do the same mighty works Jesus had done, so the news spread and the people ran together greatly astonished. Done openly in the temple in the full light of day by the power Jesus gave His followers after His ascension, the complete cure stood as a visible and irrefutable witness that could not be denied. Filling Jerusalem with excitement and leaving priests and rulers silent with wonder, it proved Christ risen and still working through His apostles and became the occasion for Peter to preach a crucified and risen Saviour.

The Beggar Recognized Healed

The onlookers knew beyond doubt that the healed man was the same disabled beggar who had sat day after day asking alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple. They recognized him as the one who had regularly sat begging at the temple gate, and when they saw him walking and praising God they were astonished at what had happened to him. His restored ability to walk and his joy made the miracle publicly evident before all the people.

He was forty years old, lame from birth and crippled in pain and infirmity all his life. Helpless and far from where Jesus labored, he had long desired to see Jesus and be healed by Him. Friends had carried him to the temple only to find that Jesus had been put to death, and afterward he was brought daily to the gate so that passersby would give a trifle to relieve his wants and meet his needs. He had always been lame and had known only pain and infirmity, a helpless cripple for forty years.

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth he was restored to perfect soundness and the full use of his limbs. Free from pain, he entered with Peter and John into the temple walking and leaping and praising God in the sight of all the people. He rejoiced and was happy in believing in Jesus, and his restored strength after forty years as a helpless cripple showed that Jesus' power to heal continued through His disciples even after His death. The miracle was performed in Jesus' name through power given to His followers after His ascension.

All who saw him were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. They were astonished that the disciples could perform miracles similar to those performed by Jesus. The news spread and the people pressed around the disciples, and many ran together greatly astonished at the cure that had been wrought.

The Miracle's Public Testimony

The healing took place in the temple in the full light of day before a crowd, as Peter and John were going up to the temple to worship, a short time after the descent of the Holy Spirit and immediately after fervent prayer. It was done the day before they were brought as prisoners before Annas and Caiaphas with the other dignitaries of the temple for trial. The miracle was performed in Jesus' name through power given to His followers after His ascension. It shows that Jesus' power to heal continued through His disciples even after His death, and that the truth He taught continued to be proclaimed, with their words and works representing Jesus with boldness and power through the Holy Spirit.

Within only a few hours the helpless cripple was restored to soundness of body in a remarkable, complete cure. He stood beside Peter as a visible, convincing and irrefutable witness that added weight to the preaching and strengthened Peter's testimony. Done publicly and already known to thousands, filling Jerusalem with excitement while all glorified God, the miracle could not be denied. It left priests, rulers, and people silent with wonder, and its public and undeniable character forced the priests, who had hitherto avoided mentioning the crucifixion or resurrection of Jesus, to inquire by what power or by what name the cure had been accomplished.

Denying it was useless, for it proves Christ's resurrection and His power in heaven to keep working miracles on earth through His apostles. So the rulers for fear of the people and exposure as guilty of murdering the Son of God could only threaten further speaking and working in His name. The news spread and the people pressed around the disciples and many ran together greatly astonished at the cure that had been wrought. The healing was the occasion for Peter to preach a crucified and risen Saviour with mighty power, and to affirm Moses' prophecy that God would raise up a Prophet whom the people must hear. It exemplifies genuine medical missionary work empowered by both the divine and the human and traceable to Christ as the true force acting through His workers.