Acts 3:6, commentary and pictures

Peter and John met a man forty years old and lame from birth who was carried daily to beg at the temple gate, and when they had no money to give him Peter commanded him to rise up and walk by the authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and strength at once entered his feet and ankles so he stood and walked and praised God. The healing was done in the name of Jesus, not by Peter's own power or holiness, showing that the risen and exalted Jesus continues his own healing work through his followers as his instruments under the Holy Spirit. It was public visible proof done in daylight before thousands that astonished the people and could not be denied, and it gave Peter occasion to preach Christ boldly before the people and the rulers who had crucified him. The same power in the name of Jesus is still available today to heal the sick in answer to prayer, to relieve pain and restore strength at once, and to break Satan's hold when believers ask in faith. Having no silver and gold still leaves something to give, for even the poorest may give what they have and lay hold of divine power to teach, to heal, and to press forward in saving souls when difficulties bar the way.

Man and Moment

The man was forty years old, lame from his birth and never able to walk, helpless in pain and infirmity. Friends carried him daily to the temple gate and left him there to beg for alms. He had long wanted Jesus to heal him, but he was far from Him in his helplessness, and then he learned that Jesus had been killed.

Peter and John met him as they were going up to the temple to worship, a short time after the Holy Spirit had come and right after earnest prayer. They looked on him with compassion and asked for his attention. They told him they had no money to give for his needs, which at first disappointed him.

Peter said he had no silver and gold, but he gave what he had. What he gave was healing by the authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, commanding the man to rise up and walk. The healing was not by Peter's own power but through Jesus' name.

The command filled the man with hope and faith as Peter spoke. Strength came at once into his feet and ankles so that he could stand and walk. He was freed from pain, given full use of his limbs and restored to perfect soundness, and he entered the temple walking and leaping and praising God.

Healing Through Jesus Alone

The healing was given not as money but as restoration commanded in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth to rise and walk, and it was accomplished through that name rather than by any power or holiness of Peter himself. As Peter spoke, hope and faith revived in the crippled man, and restored strength came to him so that he walked and leaped and praised God.

The words and works of the disciples represented Jesus and were done under the power of the Holy Spirit. They acted as His instruments and representatives, and by humbling themselves as plain men they turned minds from themselves to the unseen Majesty of heaven still working. Their teaching and words of trust made clear they were continuing the same work the Lord Jesus had carried forward when He was with them, declaring that by His authority they did the works He had done.

The miracle showed that the risen and ascended Jesus imparts power to His followers, so that His healing work continues through His disciples after His death and resurrection. They did the same kind of miracles Jesus had done, and the Jews were astonished because they supposed Jesus was dead and expected all such wonderful works to cease with Him. The man healed had been lame from birth and helpless for forty years, and in Jesus' name he was given full use of his limbs, freed from pain, and brought to happy faith and rejoicing in Jesus.

Jesus, whom the Jews crucified and whom God raised and exalted to His right hand, and not the apostles, was to receive all the honor and praise for the miracle. The apostles as His instruments gave Him the glory as the Prince of life, the Son of the living God.

Public Proof and Preaching

The healing gave a man crippled for forty years full use of his limbs, freedom from pain, and rejoicing faith, restoring one lame from birth to perfect soundness through the same kind of miracles Jesus had done. His restored health became public, visible evidence that the power of Jesus was still at work and strengthened the testimony about Him, for the Jews were astonished because they supposed Jesus was dead and expected all such wonderful works to cease with Him. The cure was wrought in the full light of day before a crowd as a sign and wonder in the name of Jesus, with the sick healed while preaching a crucified and risen Saviour with mighty power. He entered with Peter and John into the temple walking and leaping and praising God in the sight of all the people, and the cure astonished the people. The news spread, the people pressed around, many ran together greatly astonished, it came to the knowledge of thousands and filled Jerusalem with excitement.

The man freed from pain stood a few hours later beside Peter in soundness of body as a convincing witness that added weight to the defense. The miracle gave Peter the occasion to preach Christ to the people gathered there at the temple gate. When the rulers then ordered the disciples to stop preaching in that name, the church turned to prayer and God strengthened their faith by giving the Holy Spirit.

The day after the cure Peter and John were brought for trial before Annas and Caiaphas and the temple dignitaries, who were forced to ask by what power it was done. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit and made firm, courageous yet modest after his conversion, fearlessly declared that the man stood whole before them by Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom they crucified and whom God raised from the dead. The fact of the resurrection shown by the healing could not be refuted, denied, or covered up by falsehood and had to be heard even by priests, rulers, and people who wished not to hear it. It proved that crucifying Jesus did not stop miracles in His name nor the proclamation of the truths He taught. It threatened the leaders with loss of influence over the people, disgrace, and guilt for the murder of the Son of God if Jesus gained many believers, so they dared only threaten the apostles because all men glorified God for what was done.

Healing in His Name Today

Believers with faith may still take a sick person by the hand and bid them arise and be whole in the name of the Lord, and God will heal in answer to prayer. The sick person is to obey the word in faith, and new life enters the body so that they can rise at once, stand, walk, and praise God for recovery. The same kind of command to rise and walk, spoken after prayer, has at once healed women unable to walk because of a severely injured and inflamed foot. It has likewise healed an injured and painfully swollen foot and an injured foot inflamed and threatened with lockjaw, relieving all pain and soreness so that each one stood and walked immediately.

The verse exemplifies Christlike medical missionary work in which human efforts act through divine strength. Christ, the Great Medical Missionary, is the true power behind such healing. Trained medical missionaries may through Jesus perform miracles of healing, and relief from pain can prepare people to listen to the truth.

The power in the name of Jesus of Nazareth also breaks Satan's power over a person when believers earnestly ask the Lord in faith to rebuke him. Having the Spirit of Christ within for resisting Satan is more important than worldly recognition.

Power for Giving and Working

Having no silver and gold does not leave a person with nothing to give, for even one who is very poor can still give such as he has as a little token of regard after being benefited by the truth. That giving may be only a trifling memento, such as a small tin pencil case holding three short common lead pencils, offered in the same spirit of having gold and silver not at command yet giving what one has. Poverty in earthly goods can go together with being rich in faith, an heir with Christ, a member of the royal family, and a child of the heavenly King.

The power available in the name of Jesus Christ is reason to give self and abilities to teach and help those living in ignorance, so they may know God's Word and law and be prepared for the new earth. That name is the authority in which every soul is to take a decided position now and go to work for the saving of souls. Taking that position means acting a personal part toward neighbors by talking with them, praying with them, and opening the Scriptures to them, which strengthens religious life and gives confidence in the One who hears prayer, and it includes spending means to bring souls to Christ and bearing the message of mercy as long as life is spared.

Invoking Jesus Christ of Nazareth means laying hold of divine power for the work God calls His people to do, for power to act in His name comes from God. It means acting through divine power, which is called upon to strengthen God's workers, and God works mightily with them as they rely on it. Taking up the work in that name means relying on Christ rather than on needless expense and display.

Pressing forward in that name means continuing earnest work for the uplifting of humanity and the saving of souls when difficulties seem very large and Satan bars the way through lack of sympathy, neglect, criticism, discouragement, and human agencies made hard. The worker puts trust not in man but in God as sufficiency, cooperates with brethren but still more with Jesus Christ, looks to God in faith with a contrite heart, and turns great difficulties into stronger motives for perseverance and renewed exertion in God rather than letting Satan block the way. Strength to rise and walk given in the name of Jesus Christ assures His people to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, because He loves and continually strengthens them. The words in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth carry full authority to command and charge, charging believers not to devote the means that should sustain the gospel to any other purpose and not to let faith fail when tithes, gifts, and offerings run short.