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Why Did They Marvel?

Passage To Study: Acts 3:11-16

11Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

(Verse 11) - Held Peter and John - The word “held” means that he “adhered” to them; he “joined himself” to them; he was desirous of “remaining” with them and “participating” with them. “He clung to his benefactors, and would not be separated from them”.

All the people - Excited by curiosity, they came together. The fact of the cure and the conduct of the man would soon draw together a crowd, and thus furnish a favorable opportunity for preaching to them the gospel.

In the porch - This “porch” was a covered way or passage on the east side of the temple. It was distinguished for its magnificence.

(Verse 12) - When Peter saw it - Saw the people assembling in such multitudes and wondering at the miracle.

He answered - The word “answer,” with us, implies that a question had been asked, or that some subject had been proposed for consideration. But the word is used in a different sense in the Bible. It is often used when no question was asked, but when an occasion was offered for remarks, or when an opportunity was presented to make a statement. It is the same as replying to a thing, or making a statement in regard to some subject, (Dan. 2:26; Acts 5:8).

Ye men of Israel – a common way of referring to the Jews when they wanted to refer to their national behavior.

Why marvel ye at this?  - The particular thing which he intended to reprove here was not that they wondered, for that was proper; but that they looked on himself and John as if they had been the authors of this healing. They ought to have understood it. The Jews were sufficiently acquainted with miracles to interpret them and to know whence they proceeded; and they ought not, therefore, to ascribe them to man, but to inquire why they had been performed by God.

Why look ye - Why do ye fix the eyes with amazement on us, as though we could do this? Why not look at once to God?

By our own power - By any art of healing or by any medicine we had done this.

Or holiness - Piety. As if God had bestowed this on us on account of our personal and eminent piety. It may be remarked that here was ample opportunity for them to establish a reputation of their own. The people were disposed to pay them honor; they might at once have laid claim to vast authority over them; but they refused all such personal honor, and ascribed all to the Lord Jesus. Whatever success may attend the ministers of the gospel, or however much the world may be disposed to do them honor, they should disclaim all power in themselves, and ascribe it to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not by the talents or personal holiness of ministers, valuable as these are, that people are saved; it is only by the power of God, designed to honor his Son. (2 Cor. 3:5-6).

(Verse 13) - The God of Abraham - He is called the God of Abraham because Abraham acknowledged him as his God, and because God showed himself to be his friend. (Cp. Matt. 22:32; Exo. 3:6, 15; Gen. 28:13; 26:24). It was important to show that it was the same God who had done this that had been acknowledged by their fathers, and that they were not about to introduce the worship of any other God. And it was especially important, because the promise had been made to Abraham that in his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed, (Gen. 12:3. Cp. Gal. 3:16).

Hath glorified - Has honored. You denied, despised, and murdered him, but God has exalted and honored him. This miracle was done in the “name” of Jesus, (Acts 3:6). It was the “power of God” that had restored the man; and by putting forth this power, God had shown that he approved the work of his Son, and was disposed to honor him in the view of people. (Cp. John 17:1; Eph. 1:20-22; Phil 2:9-11; Heb. 2:9; Rev. 1:5-18).

Ye delivered up - That is, you delivered him to the Romans to be put to death.

And denied him in the presence of Pilate - Denied that he was the Messiah. Were unwilling to own him as your long-expected King, (John 19:15).

When he was determined - Matt. 27:17-25; Luke 23:16-23. Pilate was satisfied of his innocence; but he was weak, timid, and irresolute, and he yielded to their wishes. The fact that Pilate regarded him as innocent was a strong aggravation of their crime. They should have regarded him as innocent; but they urged on his condemnation against the deliberate judgment of him before whom they had arraigned him, and thus showed how obstinately they were resolved on his death.

(Verse 14) - The Holy One – (Ps. 16:10).

And the Just - The word “just” here denotes “innocent,” or “one who was free from crime.” It is properly used in reference to law, and denotes “one who stands upright in the view of the law, or who is not chargeable with crime.” In this sense, the Lord Jesus was not only personally innocent, but even before his judges he stood unconvicted of any crime. The crime charged on him at first was blasphemy (Matt. 26:65), and on this charge the Sanhedrin had condemned him without proof. But of this charge Pilate would not take cognizance, and hence, before him they charged him with sedition, (Luke 23:2). Neither of these charges were made out, and of course, in the eye of the law, he was innocent and just. It greatly aggravated their crime that they demanded his death still, even after it was ascertained that they could prove nothing against him, thus showing that it was mere hatred and malice that led them to seek his death.

And desired a murderer – (Matt. 27:21).

(Verse 15) - And killed the Prince of life - The word rendered “prince” denotes properly “a military leader or commander.” Hence, in Heb. 2:10, it is translated “captain:” “It became him to make the “Captain of their salvation” perfect through sufferings.” As a captain or commander leads on to victory and is said to obtain it, so the word comes to denote one who is the “cause,” the “author,” the “procurer,” etc. In this sense it is used, (Acts 5:31), “Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel,” etc. In Heb. 12:2 it is properly rendered author, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” The word “author,” or “giver,” would express the meaning of the word here. It also implies that he has dominion over life; an idea, indeed, which is essentially connected with that of his being the author of it. The word “life” here is used in a large sense, as denoting “all manner of life.” In this sense it is used in reference to Christ in John 1:4, “In him was life.” (Cp John 5:26; 1 John 5:11; 1 Cor. 15:45). Jesus is here called the Prince of life in contrast with him whom the Jews demanded in his place, Barabbas. He was a murderer (Luke 23:19; Mark 15:7), one who had destroyed life, and yet they demanded that he whose character it was to destroy life should be released, and the Author of life be put to death.

Whom God hath raised – (Acts 2:24, 32).

(Verse 16) - And his name - The “name” of Jesus is here put for Jesus himself, and it is the same as saying “and he,” etc. In this way the word name is often used by the Hebrews, especially when speaking of God, (Acts 1:15; 4:12; Eph. 1:21; Rev. 3:4). It does not mean that there was any efficacy in the mere name of Jesus that would heal the man, but that it was done by his authority and power.

Through faith in his name - By means of faith in him; that is, by the faith which Peter and John had in Jesus. It does not refer to any faith that the man had himself, for there is no evidence that he believed in him. But it was by means of the faith which the apostles exercised in him that the miracle was performed, and was thus a fulfillment of the declaration in Matt. 17:20, “If ye have faith ye shall to this mountain, remove hence,” etc. This truth Peter repeats two or three times in the verse to impress it more distinctly on the minds of his hearers.

Whom ye see and know - There could therefore, be no mistake. He was well known to them. There was no doubt about the truth of the miracle (Acts 4:16), and the only inquiry was in what way it had been done. This Peter affirms to have been accomplished only by the power of the Lord Jesus.

Perfect soundness. This word is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. It denotes “integrity of parts, freedom from any defect”; and it here means that the cure was perfect and entire, or that he was completely restored to the use of his limbs.

In the presence of you all - You are all witnesses of it, and can judge for yourselves. This shows how confident the apostles were that a real miracle had been performed. They were willing that it should be examined; and this is conclusive proof that there was no attempt at imposture. A deceiver, or one who pretended to work miracles, would have been cautious of exposing the subject to the danger of detection.

The capacity for people to forget what they ought to know is amazing to me.  These folks in Jerusalem had seen a lot, they had witnessed (or at least heard about) all of Jesus miracles, not to mention his resurrection!  There was ample evidence of Who Jesus was and that should have, in their minds, pointed towards the truth of what the Apostles were saying.  Yet, somehow, it didn’t.  This points to two things.  First, it points to how forgetful we are.  We are so dialed in on our own priorities and our own experience that it is difficult (if not impossible) for us get beyond that experience and see the larger picture.  More importantly, it points to the Bible’s continuing assertion that man is incapable of truly apprehending the truth of the Gospel apart from His help by means of revelation.  These folks didn’t understand and were amazed because their hearts were still darkened in unbelief!  God must enlighten the mind in order for spiritual truth to be comprehended – the only alternative to this is amazement at best, and hostility at worst!

I need to be sure that I am praying for the people to whom I witness.  It must be a work of god that enlightens their hearts and mind as it will not happen any other way!