Topical Encyclopedia
The miraculous healing of the lame man by the Apostle Peter is a significant event recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, demonstrating the power of God working through His chosen servants. This miracle is a testament to the authority given to the apostles and the continuation of Jesus Christ's ministry through them.
Biblical AccountThe account of the lame man cured by Peter is found in
Acts 3:1-10. Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. As they approached the temple gate called Beautiful, they encountered a man who had been lame from birth. This man was carried daily to the gate to beg for alms from those entering the temple.
When the lame man saw Peter and John, he asked them for money. Peter, directed by the Holy Spirit, looked intently at the man and said, "Look at us!" The man gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. However, Peter declared, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!" (
Acts 3:6).
Peter then took the man by the right hand and helped him up. Immediately, the man's feet and ankles were strengthened. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Accompanying Peter and John into the temple courts, he walked, leaped, and praised God, causing amazement among the people who recognized him as the beggar who had sat at the Beautiful Gate.
Theological SignificanceThis miracle serves as a powerful demonstration of the authority and power bestowed upon the apostles by Jesus Christ. It underscores the truth that the miracles performed by the apostles were not by their own power or piety but through the name and authority of Jesus Christ. Peter's declaration, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth," emphasizes that the source of the healing was not human but divine.
The healing of the lame man also serves as a fulfillment of the messianic prophecies found in the Old Testament, such as
Isaiah 35:6, which speaks of the lame leaping like a deer. This miracle, therefore, acts as a sign of the inbreaking of God's kingdom and the restoration that comes through Christ.
Impact on Early ChurchThe miracle had a profound impact on the early church and the spread of the Gospel. It drew a crowd, providing Peter with the opportunity to preach the message of repentance and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The miracle validated the apostles' message and led to the conversion of many, as recorded in
Acts 4:4, where the number of believers grew to about five thousand.
Furthermore, this event set a precedent for the church's mission, highlighting the importance of faith in Jesus Christ and the power of His name. It also demonstrated the compassion and concern of the early church for the marginalized and afflicted, reflecting the heart of Christ's ministry.
ConclusionThe healing of the lame man by Peter is a profound example of the miracles wrought through the servants of God, showcasing the divine power at work in the early church. It serves as a reminder of the transformative power of faith in Jesus Christ and the continued presence of His Spirit among His people.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Acts 3:7And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Library
The Lame Man Cured by Peter and John.
... the Author of our religion, who wrought many miracles to ... And his name, through faith
in his name, hath made ... it, that the power of working miracles was granted ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture iv the lame man.htm
Paul and Barnabas in Lystra.
... The miracle was wrought for the sake of the ... The Jews attributed the miracles of our
Saviour to Satanical ... stem or trunk, and is circulated through the branches ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xv paul and barnabas.htm
The Unclean Spirits.
... And with the miracles to be wrought, the frog ... There shall not be found among you
any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the unclean spirits.htm
Extracts No. vii.
... the understanding of any man only through the medium ... this world, therefore did his
servants fight; but ... knew for certainty, that those miracles wrought by them ...
/.../ballou/a series of letters in defence of divine revelation/extracts no vii.htm
Matt. Ix. 27-30.
... and if thou exterminate this, thou hast wrought a greater ... These are the greatest
miracles, these the wonderful ... and admirable sort of persons through these, and ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily xxxii matt ix 27-30.htm
A Description of Heart-Purity
... holy heart labours to be affected and wrought upon ... in raising the dead or in working
miracles, but in ... Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth' (John ...
/.../16 a description of heart-purity.htm
Some Gospel Truths Opened, According to the Scriptures; Or, the ...
... bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men ... lively faith of Christ in our
heart, wrought by the ... this life enjoy eternal life and glory through the Lord ...
/.../the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/some gospel truths opened according.htm
Period iii. The Dissolution of the Imperial State Church and the ...
... system of the Church was being wrought out in ... monasteries many others had their origin
through his disciples ... with the most faithful of his servants left Rhodez ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iii the dissolution of.htm
Beginning at Jerusalem. --Luke xxiv. 47.
... and accept of mercy at God's hand through me, lest ... only despised his person, doctrine,
and miracles, but that ... means of his salvations, he has wrought upon them ...
/.../bunyan/jerusalem sinner saved/beginning at jerusalem luke xxiv 47.htm
The Jerusalem Sinner Saved;
... and accept of mercy at God's hand through me, lest ... only despised his person, doctrine,
and miracles, but that ... means of his salvation, he has wrought upon them ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the jerusalem sinner saved.htm
Resources
What is the difference between miracles and magic? | GotQuestions.orgWhat were the miracles of Jesus? What miracles did Jesus perform? | GotQuestions.orgDoes God still perform miracles? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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