Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible · Acts Capítulo 3

Acts 3:1. Now Peter and John went up together, &c.— About that time, according to Grotius and several others; as it does not seem to suit so well with the original, to take it to imply no more than that Peter and John went up together to the temple. It maysuffice, once for all, to observe, that the Jews divided the time from the rising to the setting of the sun, into twelve hours, which were consequently, at different times of the year, of unequal length, as the days were longer or shorter. The third hour therefore was nine in the morning, and the ninth three in the afternoon; but not exactly: for the third was the middle space between sun-rising and noon; which if the sun rose at five, (the earliest hour of its rising in that climate,) was half an hour after eight; if at seven, (the latest hour of its rising there,) was half an hour after nine, and so on. The chief hours of prayer were the third and ninth; at which seasons the morning andevening sacrifices were offered, and incense, as an emblem representing prayer, burned on the golden altar. Though by the death of Christ all sacrifices, and other things required in the ceremonial law, were utterly abolished, and a new covenant was introduced, yet, that the weak might not be offended and estranged from his divine religion, our Lord suffered his disciples to frequent the assemblies of the Jews, and in some points to comply with the observance of the law, till a more pure and spiritual form of worship could conveniently be established. This is the reason why we find the apostles so frequently in the temple, at the stated hours of prayer.

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Acts 3:2. A certain man, lame from his mother's womb— The inveteracy of this man's infirmity, the notoriety of it to most of the Jews, on account of the place where he was laid, not to mention other circumstances which here occur, were sufficient to prove the reality of the miracle, and to render it more conspicuous. The gate here called beautiful, for its richness and curious workmanship, is by Josephus called "The Corinthian gate." About one hundred and eighty years before this, the city of Corinth had been taken and burned by the Romans; and, in the burning of the city, multitudes of statues and images of brass, gold, and silver, being melted down and running together, they made that mixture which thence was called Corinthian brass, and which the ancients valued above gold or silver. This gate, on the east side of the temple, was made of that brass, and it exceeded the other gates in its dimensions, and in its workmanship, as well as in the richness of the metal, though most of them were covered over with silver or gold. It was thirtycubits high, and fifteen broad, and was added by Herod the Great.

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Acts 3:6. Silver and gold have I none;— This was after the estates were sold. Ch. Act 2:45 and plainly shews how far the apostles were from enriching themselves by the treasures which passed through their hands. By his mentioning gold as well as silver, which a beggar like this could not expect to receive, he probably meant to speak of himself, as continuing still a poor man, and not merely to say that he had no gold about him. How unlike those, of his supposed successors are St. Peter's words and actions! Can the bishop of Rome either say or do the same?

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Acts 3:8. Walking, and leaping, and praising God.— It was prophesied, Isa 35:6 that the lame man should leap as an hart. Now was that prophesy fulfilled, as well as by our Saviour's curing multitudes that had been lame. Nothing can be more beautifullydescriptive of the wondering exultation, the joy and astonishment of this man, than the words before us.

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Acts 3:11. Held Peter and John,— The man still hung about his two benefactors, as fearing perhaps that he should lose the use of his limbs again, if he parted with them; for he could scarce yet, for joy, believe his own sense and experience. See on John 10:23.

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Acts 3:13. The God of Abraham, &c.— This was wisely introduced here by St. Peter in the beginning of his discourse, that it might be evident he taught no new religion inconsistent with the Mosaic, and was far from having the least design to divert their regard for the God of Israel into any other channel. Whom ye delivered up, was peculiarly addressed to the rulers and sanhedrim; and denied,—renounced or disowned him for your king, was more particularly addressed to the common people.

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Acts 3:15. Killed the Prince of life,— Even him to whom the Father had given to have life in himself, Joh 5:26 and whom he had empowered to give eternal life to those who believed in him. There is a peculiar beauty and energy in the contrast between their killing the prince of life, and their interceding for a murderer, a destroyer of life. The Jews had the testimony of the prophets,—the prediction of Christ himself,—the evidence of the Roman soldiers, of his body's being no where to be found; of the women, the disciples and apostles to whom he had appeared, many of whom bore witness before the Sanhedrim to his resurrection; and who, having just now wrought a miracle upon a lame man, declare that they had done it in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whom, say they, you have crucified, but God hath raised from the dead. This surely was evidence sufficient to convince any reasonable and unprejudiced person, and consequently to acquit our Lord of the promise of giving that evil generation sufficient proofs of his being risen from the dead.

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Acts 3:16. And his name through faith in his name— And by faith in his name he hath strengthened this man, whom you see and known; yea, his name, and the faith which is in him, hath given him this perfect soundness before you all. Heinsius. Dr. Heylin renders it, And his name, through our faith in it, hath procured strength to this man, whom you see and know. The faith, I say, which is by him, hath effected this perfect cure, which you all behold.

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Acts 3:17. I wot that through ignorance— I know,—I am sensible, &c. Probably if it had not been so, they would have been immediately destroyed, or reserved to vengeance, without any offer of pardon. Yet it is plain that their ignorance, being in itselfhighly criminal, amid such means of information, did not excuse them from very great guilt. See the note on John 9:41.

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Acts 3:24. From Samuel, &c.— All the prophets from Samuel, and as many as have spoken afterwards. Or, And as many of the following ones as have spoken.

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