The story of the lame man is often a good one for explaining the nature of the Kingdom of God. Oftentimes, healing stories are not at all literal, concealing theological themes behind the story’s mystical, eschatological, and theological elements. Peter, a businessman, and a wise man is situated each day at the Beautiful Gate, which is located outside the temple. Scholars have spent considerable time finding the location of the Beautiful Gate, but it is of little homiletical significance.
Those who accept Christ as the Son of God will be healed. God, the Father, will grant salvation to those who acknowledge him as God. This is why Isaiah says that the virgin Mary will give birth to a son who will be called Emmanuel, which means God with us. By announcing this healing event, the man will be healed in faith. The lame man will be healed.
Peter’s action
The lame man was a very unusual person. The way in which he was treated in this story is quite remarkable. He was an outsider, a member of a lower caste. Peter and John passed by him on a daily basis. Normally, they wouldn’t have noticed him. But their compassion for him moved them to act. They prayed for the man’s healing and found that God had chosen him for healing.
While he was addressing the people who crucified His Son, Peter didn’t condemn them. Rather, he was explaining the miracle of healing. After all, the lack of physical wholeness was indicative of sin. Peter’s audience was the audience of the Jews. They were unworthy of the healing that Jesus performed. And yet, they were obedient to Him. That’s a message that’s worth far more than the wealth and fame we have today.
Jesus’ response
The lame man in Acts 3:1-11 is a great example of how people respond to the gospel. A man born a cripple was not likely to see his physical condition improve because he had no faith in Jesus. He was completely dependent on others to move him. Fortunately, Jesus was able to help this man walk. Afterward, the man is healed and is able to walk again.
The people present in Acts 3 would have been stunned and confused by the events described. Some of them might have even denied that the events were real. But people were in awe, and the ensuing conflict and confusion would have made the gospel difficult to receive. Here, a verse-by-verse analysis of Acts 3:10-11 will shed light on the healing of the lame man and reveal how Peter relates it to Jesus’ call for repentance.
Sign and prophecy
The healing of the lame man begins in Acts 3, following a sermon by Peter. After Peter’s message, there was a mixed response to the healing and a subsequent arrest of the two apostles. Peter’s defense is another proclamation of the gospel. Ultimately, the healing of the lame man was God’s way of saying to the nation that God would heal their lameness.
The sign and the prophecy in the healing of the lame man were a way to explain the miraculous healing. The lame man at the beautiful gate longed for something, but God wanted to give him something more. Jews looked for a military and political Messiah. They desired a Savior who would turn their hearts away from iniquities. However, Jesus gave them something more.
Various ways to trust in Jesus
Peter explains to the crowd that Jesus is able to forgive sins and heal the sick. He is not condemning his audience but merely revealing what he can do. He says “Your sins are forgiven” and the man is healed. Peter is speaking to the people, not to condemn them but to show them how simple and powerful it is to trust in Jesus.
The crowd cheers as the lame man stand up in a crowded room. Previously, the man was paralyzed and now he is walking. Some of the crowd reaches out to touch him and some try to take his stretcher away. In the courtyard, other crowd members touch him to witness his recovery. After the man has been healed, he gathers all the ropes around the stretcher and walks through the crowd.
Related Bible Study:
