_PETER, PREACHING TO THE PEOPLE THAT CAME TO SEE A LAME MAN RESTORED TO HIS FEET, PROFESSETH THE CURE NOT TO HAVE BEEN WROUGHT BY HIS OR JOHN'S OWN POWER OR HOLINESS, BUT BY GOD, THE FATHER, AND HIS SON JESUS, AND THROUGH FAITH IN HIS NAME: WITHAL FAITHFULLY REPREHENDING THEM FOR CRUCIFYING JESUS: W... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW PETER AND JOHN WENT UP TOGETHER, &C.— _About that time,_ according to Grotius and several others; as it does not seem to suit so well with the original, to take it to imply no more than that Peter and John _went up together to the temple._ It maysuffice, once for all, to observe, that the Jews d... [ Continue Reading ]
A CERTAIN MAN, LAME FROM HIS MOTHER'S WOMB— The inveteracy of this man's infirmity, the notoriety of it to most of the Jews, on account of the place where he was laid, not to mention other circumstances which here occur, were sufficient to prove the reality of the miracle, and to render it more cons... [ Continue Reading ]
SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE;— This was after the estates were sold. Ch. Acts 2:45 and plainly shews how far the apostles were from enriching themselves by the treasures which passed through their hands. By his mentioning _gold_ as well as _silver,_ which a beggar like this could not expect to receiv... [ Continue Reading ]
WALKING, AND LEAPING, AND PRAISING GOD.— It was prophesied, Isaiah 35:6 that the lame man should leap as an hart. Now was that prophesy fulfilled, as well as by our Saviour's curing multitudes that had been lame. Nothing can be more beautifullydescriptive of the wondering exultation, the joy and ast... [ Continue Reading ]
HELD PETER AND JOHN,— The man still hung about his two benefactors, as fearing perhaps that he should lose the use of his limbs again, if he parted with them; for he could scarce yet, for joy, believe his own sense and experience. See on John 10:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, &C.— This was wisely introduced here by St. Peter in the beginning of his discourse, that it might be evident he taught no new religion inconsistent with the Mosaic, and was far from having the least design to divert their regard for the God of Israel into any other channel. _Who... [ Continue Reading ]
KILLED THE PRINCE OF LIFE,— Even him _to whom the Father had given to have life in himself,_ John 5:26 and whom he had empowered to give eternal life to those who believed in him. There is a peculiar beauty and energy in the contrast between their _killing the prince of life, and their interceding f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS NAME THROUGH FAITH IN HIS NAME— _And by faith in his name he hath strengthened this man, whom you see and known; yea, his name, and the faith which is in him, hath given him this perfect soundness before you all._ Heinsius. Dr. Heylin renders it, _And his name, through our faith in it, hath... [ Continue Reading ]
I WOT THAT THROUGH IGNORANCE— _I know,—I am sensible,_ &c. Probably if it had not been so, they would have been immediately destroyed, or reserved to vengeance, without any offer of pardon. Yet it is plain that their ignorance, being in itselfhighly criminal, amid such means of information, did not... [ Continue Reading ]
REPENT YE THEREFORE, &C.— Dr. Benson paraphrases these verses thus: "As there is great ground for hope and encouragement, let me intreat of you to _repent,_ and immediately accept of Jesus as the Messiah; that your sins may be blotted out, and the happy and refreshing times may come upon you from th... [ Continue Reading ]
A PROPHET SHALL THE LORD, &C.— See the note on Deuteronomy 18:15; Deuteronomy 18:22. The word _hear,_ Acts 3:23 signifies to _obey._ One cannot imagine a more masterly address than this, to warn the Jews of the dreadful consequence of their infidelity, in the very words of Moses their favourite prop... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM SAMUEL, &C.— _All the prophets from Samuel, and as many as have spoken afterwards._ Or, _And as many of the following ones as have spoken._... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO YOU FIRST— Accordingly the gospel was, by the grace of our blessed Redeemer, every where offered first to the Jews. Had it been otherwise, humanly speaking, many who were converted in this method, might have been exasperated and lost. The word Αναστησας, here rendered _having raised up,_ does n... [ Continue Reading ]