Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
Acts 3:1-8
Peter and John were making their way into the temple. They had no reason to believe this trip would be any different than previous ones. The hour of prayer is a reference to one of three times for prayer that were offered at the temple. The ninth hour was three o’clock in the afternoon.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Daniel 6:10
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
Psalm 55:17
Peter and John encountered a lame man on their way into the temple. The text tells us that this man was “laid daily at the gate of the temple”. This man therefore would have been sitting at this gate on previous days when Peter and John went to pray. This tells us that he was probably not a stranger to them and so had probably asked the same question on previous days.
“Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.”
It is highly likely this was a scene similar to previous days. We don’t know if Peter and John had given the man alms previously. The text focuses only on the events of the day this man encountered the power of God.
When the man asked for alms I believe the anointing came on Peter. There is no indication Peter had tried to minister to the man previously. This day would be different though. A boldness rose up in Peter and he locked his eyes on the lame man.
The man could not have expected Peter’s response to his request for alms. Peter stopped, locked his gaze on the man, and boldly said, “Look on us!” We read that this captured the man’s attention because he “gave heed to them, expecting something of them”.
“Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus of Nazereth rise up and walk.”
We cannot control the anointing. When it comes though there will be a boldness that will be heard. I believe the anointing rose up from Peter’s spirit prompting him to command the man to rise.
“Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”
- Peter did not stop and offer up a quaint prayer for the man.
- Peter did not turn to John and suggest they spend time fasting and praying for direction.
- Peter did not look up to heaven and ask God to heal the man.
- Peter did not talk about his “unworthiness”.
Peter did not have too fast and pray before ministering to the man. I believe this is because he lived in a state of readiness birthed in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
Peter locked his eyes on the man and commanded him to “rise up and walk”. He did ask the man to try. This was a definitive command with no other option offered!
Peter commanded the man to rise and walk. He did not give the man time to think. He “took him by the right hand, and lifted him up”. The man was immediately healed. Strength flowed into his feet and ankle bones! We see in the text that he leapt up and went with Peter and John into the temple walking, leaping, and praising God!
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