Acts 3:16
And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
The verse tells of a man lame from birth whose feet and ankles were made immediately strong when commanded to rise in Jesus' name, so that he entered the temple walking and leaping and praising God. His cure was complete and perfect soundness, openly shown in the presence of all to people who saw and knew him. Strength and health came through faith in Jesus' name, yea by the faith which is by Him, as the means of receiving what His name and power gave. The miracle did not come from the apostles' own power or holiness, for though ascended to heaven Jesus imparted power to them as His instruments, and all honor belongs to Him. It proves that the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob raised Jesus and glorified His Son, the Prince of life and the Holy One and the Just whom the people denied and killed, and therefore presses the call to repent and be converted for the blotting out of sins before God sends Jesus again.
Healing at Temple Gate
The verse concerns a man lame from his birth who had been unable to walk, whose feet and ankle bones were made immediately strong when he was commanded in Jesus' name to rise up and walk. He was restored to strength and perfect soundness through faith in the name of Jesus, and he entered the temple walking and leaping and praising God.
The healing was complete and entire, a giving of perfect soundness and full strength and health through Jesus' name and through faith in Him, even the faith which is by Him and comes through Him. It was done openly in the presence of all, publicly evident and visible to people who saw and knew the man. The power came from Jesus by His merits and name, not from the apostles' own power or holiness or wealth, for they acted only as instruments while all honor and praise belongs to Him.
The verse belongs to the disciples' witnessing at the temple gate after Jesus had been crucified, when their words and works represented Jesus and testified boldly through the power of the Holy Spirit. It was spoken to men of Israel who marveled at the miracle and wondered where the followers of Jesus obtained such power. The account shows human weakness joined to Christ's strength in service.
Faith in Jesus' Name
Complete strength and perfect health came openly before all to a man whom all saw and knew, through faith in Jesus' name, yea by the faith which is by Him. Faith in Jesus was the means by which the man received what Jesus' name, merits, and power gave, making him strong and giving him full soundness in the presence of all who knew him. The power that healed did not originate with the man himself but with Jesus, whose name through faith did the work.
The miracle did not come from the apostles' own power, holiness, or wealth, for they had no such power of themselves to give. Though Jesus had ascended to heaven He imparted power to His followers, and they acted only as instruments through whom He worked. All honor and praise for the cure therefore belongs to Jesus, not to Peter and John. When Peter commanded the man who had been unable to walk since birth to rise in Jesus' name, his feet and ankles were immediately made strong as a public cure evident to people who knew him.
The healing proves that Jesus was raised from the dead by the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of the fathers, who glorified His Son Jesus. He is the Prince of life, the Holy One and the Just, whom the people delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let Him go, desiring a murderer to be granted unto them instead, and whom they killed. Of His resurrection the disciples are witnesses, and the strength given in His name stands as proof before the men of Israel who marveled at the miracle and wondered where His followers obtained this power after He had been crucified.
Peter charged that the hearers and their rulers acted in ignorance in that denial and killing. He declared that God so fulfilled in Christ's suffering what He had shown beforehand by the mouth of all His prophets. Therefore he pressed with striking force the call to repent and be converted for the blotting out of sins and for refreshing from the presence of the Lord. That refreshing comes before God sends the before-preached Jesus Christ, whom heaven must receive until the restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began, a chapter to be read attentively.
Bold Witness and Application
After Pentecost the disciples preached with fervor and power because Christ dwelt in them as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life that could not be repressed. Their words and works represented Jesus, and they testified boldly through the power of the Holy Spirit. That testimony was clear and distinct, like a trumpet giving a certain sound, boldly charging the Jews.
It astonished and grieved the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, because it taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. For that cause they arrested the witnesses, yet many who heard believed and the number grew to about five thousand men. It remains the example of simple, Christlike preaching in the mind of Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit, which convicts accusers and converts thousands without theatrical methods to attract a congregation. Faith in Christ's name that marks Christians is of lasting value and power to make a person strong and bring healing. The same language applies to prayer for a seriously injured foot, with restoration from swelling, soreness, and pain so that the woman could walk.