Acts 3

Chap. III. ver. 1.—at the hour of prayer.] The Jews had three stated hours of prayer; the first at the third hour of the day, (chap. ii. 15,) answering to our nine o’clock, at which time they offered the morning sacrifices, Exod. xxix. 39; the second at the sixth hour, or noon; the third at the ninth hour, answering to our three in the afternoon, when they offered their evening sacrifices, chap. x. 3, 30. Dr. Whitby.

well known to every Jew left them without reply. How could they doubt, but that God would bestow these blessings on them through the intervention of His Son, when they saw him who had been healed “in His name” stand before them whole? How could they doubt, but that other blessings would follow them that believe, when such mighty signs and wonders were given as evidences of their truth? How could they doubt, but that He, whose word controlled the powers of nature, and restored soundness to the infirm, could with equal ease pour forth the abundance of His grace, and heal the inveterate sickness of a disordered soul? Brewster.

Chap. IV. ver. 1.—the captain of the temple,] The captain of all those priestly and Levitical guards and watches that were kept in the temple. Dr. Lightfoot. See note at Lake xxi. 4.

—and the Sadducees,] Before our Saviour’s passion, the chief agents against Him were the Scribes and Pharisees: but now that the Apostles do not only assert the resurrection of our Lord, but also preach “through Jesus the resurrection from the dead,” ver. 2; the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection of the body, become their fiercest adversaries. Dr. Whitby.

The chief priests and other leading men among the Jews, were for the most part at this time Sadducees in their hearts, although they were forced to conceal it from the people, on account of the unpopularity of their opinions. Ep. Pearce.

—none other name under heaven] It appears from this passage that the invocation of the Virgin Mary, or any other saint, either for eternal salvation or for relief from bodily disease, is not only useless, but sinful. Bp. Mann.

When the Apostle speaks of eternal salvation as attainable by Jesus Christ only, he is not so to be understood as if Christ brought any man to heaven at once, without first leading him in the way thither. For the salvation here spoken of begins in this life. Christ first saves us from our sins, both from the guilt and the power of them. He gives us repentance and grace to love and serve and honour God truly and faithfully in our generation; He applies the merits of His death to us for the pardon of our sins, and for our reconciliation with God: He makes us pure and humble and holy, every way meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; and then, and not till then, He brings us to it. So that the whole of our salvation, from first to last, is begun, continued, and perfected, only by Him; none of us being able to do any thing towards it to any purpose, much less to attain the end of our faith, even the eternal salvation of our souls without Him. Bp. Beveridge.

Christ is the Redeemer of the whole race of mankind from the guilt and corruption produced by the sin of Adam, and all are cleansed by His blood and restored to a possibility of happiness; yet a federal certainty of salvation, which is a most high and valuable privilege, is secured to true believers exclusively. None but Christians can enjoy the blessed hope of everlasting life upon the sure ground of promise; they alone look forward for the prize of their high calling, an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. Nor does it follow that the benefits, which the virtuous heathen will derive from the incarnation of Christ, will be equal to those of the sincere Christian. Christ tells us, that in His Father’s house there are many mansions; and it seems contradictory neither to reason nor to Scripture to suppose that different persons will hereafter enjoy different degrees of happiness, although they may be all eternal, and all certainly purchased by the precious blood of our blessed Redeemer. Bp. Tomline.

Anno DOMINI 23. Ps. 116. 22. Matt. 31. 43.

Acts 3:2

2.—the gate—which is called Beautiful.] This gate being the front and principal entrance of the temple, derived its name from the sumptuousness with which it was built. Josephus says, that being made of Corinthian brass, it exceeded in glory those which were of gold and silver. Dr. Whitby.

2.—and preached through Jesus the resurrection] Or “the resurrection from the dead in Jesus;” that is, that Jesus had risen from the dead, and that an instance of such a resurrection had been exhibited in Him. Ep. Pearce.

The Sadducees were the scepticks of the age, and rejected the belief of the existence of the soul after death, and the rewards and punishments of an invisible world. They are represented as harsh and morose in their conduct, exacting severe recompense, and punishing the promoters of tumults as enemies to that worldly quiet, to which all their hopes of happiness were confined. No wonder then that they were “grieved that the Apostles taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” In these principles we see a striking characteristic of that infidelity, which in every age, as well as in the present, has produced the most fatal consequences. If the language of such professors be that death is an eternal sleep, it is natural to

Peter and John are brought before the council. Anno DOMINI 23.

Acts 3:4

4.—was about five thousand.] Thus there was an increase of two thousand within a very short time. See chap. ii. 41. And it is probable that there were many, both now and afterwards, who, although they believed in Christ, did not think it necessary to join themselves to this society, or who waited to see what was likely to become of it. Archdeacon Paley. We should pause to consider the wonderful rapidity with which the Gospel was propagated. The Jews still remain, but how seldom is it that we can make a single proselyte! There is reason to think that there were more converted by the Apostles in one day, than have since been won over in the last thousand years. Bryant.

Acts 3:5

5.—their rulers, and elders, and scribes.] The Sanhedrin was composed of three descriptions of persons, priests, elders, and doctors of the law; and is often expressed by the enumeration of those parts, “chief priests, scribes, and elders,” Matt. xxvi. 3. In this place there is a different way of enumeration from what is usual, the rulers, elders, and scribes. The title of chief priests was applied to the heads of the twenty-four families sprung from Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron, (between whom the priests’ office was divided by David,) which should by weekly turns perform the duty of the sanctuary. Dr. Hammond.

Acts 3:6

6.—In the name of Jesus] In the name and by the power and authority of Jesus. Pyle.

6.—Annas the high priest.] See note at Luke iii. 2. Caiaphas, it appears, was now high priest, but his father-in-law Annas had been so before; and he is called “the high priest” to distinguish him from some other Annas. Abp. Newcome.

—of the kindred of the high priest.] Of the race of the high priest; that is, of the family out of which the high priests were chosen. Bp. Pearce.

Acts 3:8

8.—filled with the Holy Ghost.] Being endued by the Holy Ghost with extraordinary readiness of speech, (such as was promised, Matt. x. 19, 20;) and with great confidence and boldness. Dr. Hammond.

Acts 3:9

9. And all the people saw him] “The wonders and signs,” referred to at chap. ii. 43, were probably performed in private. Abp. Newcome.

Acts 3:10

10.—and they were filled with wonder] This stupendous miracle appears to have made a prodigious impression on the assembled multitude, for the man was well known as an object of charity.

Acts 3:11

11.—the porch that is called Solomon’s.] See note at John x. 23.

11. This is the stone.] This Jesus is the stone. See note at Matt. xxi. 42.

Acts 3:12

12.—he answered] He spake unto them. See note at Matt. xi. 25.

—as though by our own power or holiness] We should observe how plainly the Apostles here disclaim any excellency or piety in themselves, which might make them worthy to be God’s instruments above others, in working such miracles as these. Dr. Whitby.

12. Neither is there salvation in any other.] By Him, Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

Acts 3:13

13. The God of Abraham, &c.] The Apostles having shewn that it was not by their own authority that this miracle was done, it became necessary to declare who was indeed the author of it. As his hearers were Jews, and as the new religion was to be perfective of the old, St. Peter’s arguments might be expected to be such as should in a national view strongly interest their attention. He commences therefore with a declaration, that “the God of their fathers,” whom he mentions by a well known and endearing appellation, “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob,” had glorified in an especial manner “His Son Jesus:” emphatically his Son, as He had been so declared by a voice from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” Matt. iii. 17. Brewster.

—and denied him] Refused to acknowledge Him as the Christ. Abp. Newcome. Refused to have Him released to you. Dr. Hammond.

Acts 3:14

14.—the Holy One and the Just.] Him who alone was truly holy and just. Dr. Whitby.

Acts 3:15

15.—the Prince of life.] The Person sent by God to lead you to eternal life, having purchased it by His

Peter exhorteth to repentance. Anno DOMINI 33.

Acts 3:16

16. And his name through faith in his name &c.] And we now declare unto you, that the power, through which we have so wondrously and perfectly restored this man, whom ye all knew to be a cripple, was given to us by the same Jesus, as we are His faithful disciples and commissioned to be his apostles: by His authority and power alone it is that we act. Pyle.

Faith is twice mentioned in this verse, because of the Apostles’ faith in performing the miracle, and the cripple’s faith in receiving it. Dr. Lightfoot.

Acts 3:17

17. — I wot that through ignorance &c.] Let us here observe, that men may be guilty of the most heinous sins in following an erroneous conscience: that they may commit the most wicked crimes, under a persuasion that they do well. Abp. Tillotson.

Although the ignorance of the whole nation, and especially of the rulers in this case, was such as took away from them all just excuse for their infidelity, John xv. 22, 24; yet, because it was occasioned by those prejudices which they had contracted through the meanness of His character, and their notions of His temporal kingdom, our Lord bears with them till the time of the effusion of the Holy Ghost, and then calls them again by His Apostles to repentance. Dr. Whitby.

Acts 3:18

18. — those things, which God before had shewed &c.] Thus the many prophecies of Scripture, which foretold that the Messiah should be put to death, have by this means had their completion. Dr. Hammond.

There are many good arguments, different in kind, which conspire to establish the truth of our religion; such as are the intrinsic excellence, reasonableness, and perfection of its doctrine, the miraculous works performed in attestation of it, the special favour of Providence declared in the support and propagation of it; but upon no other ground do the Scriptures build its truth, and our obligation to embrace it, more, than on the exact correspondence and conformity of it to all the ancient Scriptures, which foreshewed or foretold its introduction into the world, to those especially which described the personal character, circumstances, and actions of our Lord. To this He Himself, in His reasonings with incredulous persons, frequently referred them. And this species of proof has some peculiar uses and advantages beyond others. The foreknowledge of future contingent events, as it is for the manner of attaining it most incomprehensible to us, so is it by all acknowledged

Acts 3:19

19. Repent ye therefore,—that your sins, &c.] Amend therefore your lives, that this sin may be pardoned; that so the second coming of Christ, so often spoken of (Matt. xxiv.) for the delivery and rescue of the faithful, giving them rest from their troubles and a quiet profession of the Gospel, but at the same time for the destruction of the obdurate, may, by your repentance, become matter of advantage and comfort to you. Dr. Hammond.

— the times of refreshing] The times of refreshing here spoken of, and the times of the restitution of all things at ver. 21 seem to mean the same thing. Bp. Pearce. The times when ye shall be cheered, revived, and abundantly satisfied with the presence and enjoyment of God, at the last day. Dr. S. Clarke. The expression refers to the time of Christ’s second coming, to give unto all His servants rest with Him after their troubles and persecutions in this world, 2 Thess. i. 6—8; which he will do by raising them from the dead, and causing them to enter into everlasting rest. Dr. Whitby.

Acts 3:21

21. Whom the heaven must receive until &c.] Who is now in heaven, there to remain the Lord and Head of His Church upon earth, to see the whole dispensation of the Gospel age perfected in the accomplishment of all the prophecies concerning it; and then will come again for the solemn trial of all the world. Pyle.

— the times of restitution of all things.] The time when all things shall be disposed, ordered, settled, in a perfect state, from their present imperfect state. Abp. Newcome. See notes at ver. 19.

Acts 3:22

22. — A prophet shall the Lord, &c.] This prophet like unto Moses was our Lord Jesus Christ, who was by birth a Jew, and resembled His predecessor in personal intercourse with God, in miracles, and in legislation, which no other Prophet did, Deut. xxxiv. 10—12; and to whom God at His transfiguration required the world to hearken, Matt. xvii. 5. Dr. Hales.

Acts 3:23

23. — shall be destroyed from among the people.] The execution of this threat was so striking and remarkable in the sad overthrow of the Jewish nation for rejecting

Anno DOMINI 33. b Deut. 15. ch. 7. 37. Peter exhorteth to repentance. CHAP. III, IV. The rulers of the Jews are offended.

Acts 3:24

24.—from Samuel] He seems to be mentioned as the first famous Prophet after Moses whose predictions are extant. Abp. Newcome.

Samuel is reckoned the first of the Prophets after Moses, because prophecy from the death of Moses to the rising of Samuel was very rare, 1 Sam. iii. 1, 2, and because he was the first Prophet after Moses who wrote his prophecies. Dr. Lightfoot.

—foretold of these days.] Of the times of the Christ, or the Messiah. Ep. Pearce.

Acts 3:25

25. Ye are the children of the prophets,] Ye are those to whom their prophecies were directed, and to whom they more immediately belong. Ep. Pearce.

Acts 3:26

26. Unto you first God, having &c.] We should observe that it is to the Jews and concerning the Jews that St. Peter thus speaks, and sets forth the advantages and privileges bestowed on the servants of Christ. The Messiah was indeed to be an universal Saviour, and this Son of Righteousness was to arise and shine upon the whole earth; and yet He was first promised and intended for the Jews. Among them alone He dwelt; to them alone He usually preached; on them alone (with very few exceptions) He wrought miracles. They rendered themselves guilty of a most horrible crime; they rejected the benefits, and slew the Benefactor; but still favour was offered to them, and a pardon was to be obtained. “And now, brethren,” says St. Peter, “I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.—Repent ye therefore, and be converted.” Christ was sent to save them; but the salvation could not be accomplished without something performed on their part; namely, acts of faith, repentance, and amendment. Dr. Jortin.

—his Son Jesus,] This title “His Son,” intimating the divinity of Jesus’s person, is a declaration that He was beyond measure superior to the Prophets who came before Him; none of them, nor any other man, nor any angel, having been ever called the Son of God in the same manner and sense in which Christ was so called, who was the beloved and only-begotten Son of God. Dr. Jortin.

This address of St. Peter was calculated to make a strong impression on the minds of the people. The connexion of present circumstances with prophecies

were converted that heard the word,) imprison him and John. 5 After, upon examination Peter boldly crouching the lame man to be healed by the name of Jesus, and that by the same Jesus only we must be eternally saved, 13 they command him and John to preach no more in that name, adding also threatening, 23 whereupon the church feeth to prayer. 31 And God, by moving the place where they were assembled, testified that he heard their prayer: confirming the church with the gift of the Holy Ghost, and with mutual love and charity.

AND as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,