Catholic Commentary on Acts 3

"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." (Acts 3:6)

The Beautiful Gate

Peter and John go up to the Temple at the hour of prayer, three in the afternoon. At the Beautiful Gate sits a man lame from birth, carried there daily to beg from those going in. He sees Peter and John about to enter and asks for money. Peter looks directly at him and says: look at us. The man gives them his full attention, expecting to receive something. Peter says: silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. He takes him by the right hand and helps him up. Immediately his feet and ankles are strengthened. He jumps to his feet, walks, leaps, and enters the Temple courts with them, walking and jumping and praising God.

The man is over forty years old, the text later tells us. He has been lame his entire life. The healing is not gradual; it is instantaneous and complete. The crowd is filled with wonder and amazement. The name of Jesus Christ has done this. Not Peter's power or godliness, as he immediately insists, but the faith that comes through Jesus. The Catechism identifies the name of Jesus as the source of all healing in the sacramental life of the Church: in Baptism, Confirmation, the anointing of the sick, and every blessing, it is the name of Jesus that is invoked because there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (CCC 432).

Peter's Second Sermon

Peter seizes the moment to preach to the gathering crowd in Solomon's Colonnade. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and disowned before Pilate. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. He calls them to repent so that their sins may be wiped out and times of refreshing may come from the Lord. He then announces that Jesus is the fulfilment of Moses' promise: the LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people. All the prophets from Samuel on have foretold these days.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Peter said: silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. The Church in every age must know what she actually has to give. It is not primarily financial resources, institutional influence, or cultural prestige. It is the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. When the Church knows this and acts from it, the lame walk and the people are filled with wonder.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we invoke your name over every paralysed place in our lives and in our world. What Peter and John had, give to us: the confidence to say in your name, walk. Heal what has been lame from birth. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

3
A Lame Man Walks
One afternoon Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.* 3:1 That is, three in the afternoon And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts. 3:2 Literally the temple; also in verse 8 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.
 
Peter looked directly at him, as did John. “Look at us!” said Peter. So the man gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “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! 3:6 SBL, NE, and WH In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!
 
Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God.
 
When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Peter Speaks in Solomon’s Colonnade
(Deuteronomy 18:15–22)
 
11 While the man clung to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and ran to them in the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade.§ 3:11 Literally in the colonnade called Solomon’s 12 And when Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why are you surprised by this? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
 
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant * 3:13 Or His child; also in verse 26 Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him. 14 You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of the fact.
 
16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know has been made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given him this complete healing in your presence.
 
17 And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you.
 
21 Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you. 3:22 Deuteronomy 18:15 23 Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people. 3:23 See Deuteronomy 18:19.
 
24 Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have proclaimed these days. 25 And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’§ 3:25 Genesis 22:18 26 When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

*3:1 3:1 That is, three in the afternoon

3:2 3:2 Literally the temple; also in verse 8

3:6 3:6 SBL, NE, and WH In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!

§3:11 3:11 Literally in the colonnade called Solomon’s

*3:13 3:13 Or His child; also in verse 26

3:22 3:22 Deuteronomy 18:15

3:23 3:23 See Deuteronomy 18:19.

§3:25 3:25 Genesis 22:18