Acts 3:2
And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
Acts 3:2 tells of a man crippled from birth, about forty years old and nearly helpless in pain, who was carried each day by friends and laid at the Beautiful gate of the temple to beg alms from worshipers to meet his needs. He had long hoped to be healed by Jesus and had pleaded to be carried where healing was taking place, only to be disappointed by His cruel death, so those who pitied him kept bringing him daily until he was known to thousands throughout Jerusalem. A short time after the descent of the Holy Spirit, Peter and John going up to worship saw him asking alms from them. He was healed completely to perfect soundness in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom God raised from the dead, and entered the temple with them walking and leaping and praising God in full view of the people. Made whole from a helpless cripple into a living visible witness to the risen Saviour, his public undeniable cure silenced priests and rulers who could not refute it and gave Peter the occasion to preach Christ with great power.
Lame Man at Gate
The man was lame from his mother's womb, unable to walk since birth, about forty years old, having lived all his life as a nearly helpless cripple in pain and infirmity. His condition left him almost helpless and dependent on others, so friends and kind people carried him each day and laid him at the gate of the temple called Beautiful. There he asked alms of worshipers entering the temple, that passers-by would give a trifle to relieve his wants and meet his immediate needs.
He had long desired and eagerly hoped to see Jesus to be healed, and though almost helpless and far from where the Great Physician was laboring, he by earnest pleading got friends to carry him to the temple. When he was brought there he found the One on whom his hopes were centered put to a cruel death, learning that Jesus had been killed. Those who knew how long he had eagerly hoped to be healed by Jesus pitied his disappointment and continued to bring him there daily, so passers-by would give help. His daily presence at the gate made him familiar to the people and known to thousands throughout Jerusalem.
A short time after the descent of the Holy Spirit and immediately after earnest prayer, Peter and John going up to the temple to worship saw him there within the temple precincts. As they passed on their way to worship, he asked alms from them.
Healing Witnesses to Christ
Acts 3:2 belongs to the witnessing recorded in Acts 3-5, in which disciples who might have been expected to be discouraged and ready to disown their Lord after the crucifixion gave clear, bold testimony under the power of the Holy Spirit with great power and great grace. Their words and works connected with the lame man represented the words and works of their Teacher, so that all who heard recognized they had learned of Jesus and talked as He talked, giving witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The account is an example of Christlike medical missionary work joining human service with divine power, with Christ as the true source and acting force behind the work.
He was healed in the presence of the people within the temple precincts shortly after Pentecost by the power and name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom the rulers crucified and whom God raised and who ascended to heaven to give power to His followers, working through Peter filled with the Holy Spirit the day before Peter and John were brought for trial before Annas and Caiaphas and the other dignitaries. The cure was remarkable and complete to perfect soundness and wholeness, giving full use of his limbs with freedom from pain, and he who had been a helpless cripple for forty years entered with Peter and John into the temple walking and leaping and praising God in full view of the people, rejoicing in faith in Jesus.
Changed from a helpless cripple to a living, visible witness, he stood whole close beside Peter but a few hours before the defense before the Sanhedrin, adding weight to Peter's words, strengthening the testimony, and leaving priests, rulers, and people silent and unable to refute or deny what had happened. The healing proved that the crucified Saviour had risen and was preached with mighty power, and that Christ in heaven has power to perform miracles on earth through His apostles in His name, showing that crucifying Jesus had not stopped miracles in His name nor the proclamation of His truths. Wrought in the full light of day before a crowd and already known to thousands throughout Jerusalem, its public undeniable character made it impossible to deny or cover by falsehood, so news spread, people pressed around and ran together greatly astonished, Jerusalem was filled with excitement, and the rulers were convinced the work must be stopped or Jesus would gain many believers to their own disgrace as guilty of murdering the Son of God. The healing gave Peter the occasion to preach Christ to the people.