Page 37 - acts_study_book1

Act 3:11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together
unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.

And as the lame man which was healed beheld Peter and John, all the people ran together unto
them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering (completely flabbergasted
[Wuest]).

The man is holding on to Peter and John because he has never walked in his life. After the initial
leaping and walking, he is still quite shaky and is learning to walk normally for the first time. The
miracle has caused a crowd of people to gather under the covered terrace on the east side of the
temple.

THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB

Now at the center of an amazed crowd, Peter directs their attention away from himself and
toward God. He explains that the Messiah had already come, but they have rejected Him. He

also informs them that the lame man’s faith in God brought healing to his physical body.

THE CROWD’S ATTENTION TURNED TOWARD GOD

Act 3:12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye

at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made
this man to walk?

When Peter sees the amazement of the crowd, he answers the questions they are thinking. Peter
begins by letting the people know that this healing has come from God’s grace and is not from
his works of righteousness. Grace and healing power both come from God.

THE MESSIAH DENIED

Act 3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified

his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was
determined to let him go.

Peter informs the crowd that the patriarchs were believers, and the Messiah they had believed
in and waited for had already been sent. Jesus had already come, but they denied Him and
delivered Him up to be killed. By reminding these religious Jews of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
Peter gets their spiritual attention. He then proclaims Jesus as the Messiah as evidenced by God
glorifying Him and raising Him from the dead. Most likely these people in the temple are part of

the same crowd who stood before Pilate and cried “Crucify Him!”