Acts 3 · The Lantern

Now, Peter and John, were going up into the temple, for the hour of prayer—the ninth;

Having fasted frequently, and having prayed to the Lord that He would show me the revelation which He promised to show me through that old woman, the same night that old woman appeared to me, and said to me, "Since you are so anxious and eager to know all things, go into the part of the country where you tarry; and about the fifth hour I shall appear unto you, and show you all…

[Daniel 6:10] "Now when Daniel learned of it, that is, of the law which had been enacted, he entered his house, and with the windows in his upper room opened up in the direction of Jerusalem, he continued to bow his knees three times a day and worshipped, and made confession before his God just as he was previously accustomed to do." We must quickly draw from our memory and bri…

Peter and John, with others, used to go together to the temple towards the ninth hour as the day began to decline. This is a time when other people, already drunk, usually play or sleep; it had become the custom of the apostles, however, to be free for holy prayers, fasting until evening.

And, a certain man, who had been, lame from his mother’s womb, was being carried,—whom they used to lay daily at the door of the temple—the [door] called Beautiful, that he might ask alms of them who were entering into the temple:

A miraculous sign again takes place, which both confirms the converts, and draws over the rest; and such, as they were a sign for having wrought. The disease was in the nature of the man, and baffled the art of medicine. He had been forty years lame, as the writer says afterwards, and no one during all that time had cured him.

Whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful. The Beautiful Gate of the temple is the Lord, through whom if anyone enters, he shall be saved. To this gate, the weak Israel, unable to go on his own, is carried by the voices of the law and the prophets, so that he may beseech help from those entering the interior, by hearing the wisdom of faith.

His misfortunes, as it happens, provided support for many, since it was for gain that they let him out at the gate of the temple which the people call 'Beautiful' to ask alms from those entering (for this gate was the most crowded). Begging has its own talent; it knows that those who go into a temple are so disposed that they give alms quite freely, or wish to seem so disposed.

Who, seeing Peter and John about to enter into the temple, was requesting to receive, an alms.

But Peter looking steadfastly at him—with John—said: Look on us!

And, he, gave heed unto them, expecting to receive, something from them.

What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the Church? what between heretics and Christians? Our instruction comes from "the porch of Solomon," who had himself taught that "the Lord should be sought in simplicity of heart.

Hope disappointed the greedy prayer [for alms], but when [hope] withholds [one thing], it has better things in store. How often things despaired of are helpful to burdened people, and prosperity, born from an inauspicious seed, concealing its joyful nearness by sorrowful beginnings, comes in answer to prayer!

He had asked for a donation; he expected a donation. He did not dare to beg that his legs be made whole, since he had no hope that they could do this. And yet he had a feeling that something good was about to happen.

But Peter said—Silver and gold, have none, but, what I have, the same, unto thee do I give:—In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, Walk!

Again, when Peter, accompanied by John, had looked upon the man lame from his birth, before that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, sitting and seeking alms, he said to him, "Silver and gold I have none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

"Silver and gold," he says, "have I none." He does not say, I have none here, as we are wont to speak, but absolutely, I have none. "What then?" he might say, "do you take no notice of me, your suppliant?" Not so, but of what I have, receive thou. Do you remark how unassuming Peter is, how he makes no display even to the object of his beneficence?

"Silver and gold I do not have." He did not say "I do not have with me," as we usually say, but said "I do not have at all." Look: John is silent everywhere, while Peter speaks on his behalf as well. So then, what? Not having silver, do you leave your petitioner without any attention? No. "What I have, I give to you," says Peter.

And, laying hold of him by the right hand, he raised him up; and, instantly, were his feet and ankles strengthened;—

And, leaping forward, he stood and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God.

And all the people saw him, walking and praising God;

And they began to recognise him, that, the same, was he who, for the alms, used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple;—and they were filled with amazement and transport at what had happened unto him.

"And they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him." Needs must it be believed that the name of Christ remits sins, seeing it produces even such effects as this.

The phrase, "they recognized him," is appropriate, as if he were from this time ignorant of the miracle. The same also concerning the man born blind. (see Jn. 9:1) We, too, have been accustomed to use this expression with respect to those whom we have barely come to know.

And they were filled with wonder and amazement. Another Edition for amazement, which is a state of being beyond one's mind, does not properly place 'admiration'; because greater amazement sometimes leads the mind to a state beyond, and transfers it to higher modes of thought beyond the usual manner of thinking.

And, as he held fast Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them, in the portico which is called Solomon’s,—greatly amazed.

"And as he held Peter and John, all the people came together at the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering." From his good feelings and love towards the Apostles, the lame man would not leave them; perhaps he was thanking them openly, and praising them. "And all the people," it is said, "ran together unto them."

All the people ran to them, to the portico called Solomon's. With Israel saved by the apostles, the entire world rushes to the thresholds of the true and peaceful Solomon, of whom it is said: "His government shall increase and peace shall have no end" (Isaiah IX).

Now when they were at the portico of Solomon in which Jesus, that true Solomon, used to walk and where sometimes he disputed with the Pharaisees. The novelty of the event had struck the minds of all.

And Peter, seeing it, made answer unto the people:—Ye men of Israel! Why marvel ye at this man? Or, upon us, why are ye intently looking, as though, by our own power or godliness, we had made him walk?

The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob,—the God of our fathers, hath glorified his servant Jesus:—whom, ye, indeed, delivered up and denied to Pilate’s, face when he had adjudged to release him;

But, ye, denied, the Holy and Righteous One, and claimed a man that was a murderer to be granted you;

I produce now the prophecy of Solomon, which speaketh of Christ, and announces clearly and perspicuously things concerning the Jews; and those which not only are befalling them at the present time, but those, too, which shall befall them in the future age, on account of the contumacy and audacity which they exhibited toward the Prince of Life; for the prophet says, "The ungodly…

And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas to them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

"You denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you." Having said that instead of Christ the Jews requested a robber, Peter explained the matter fully, because by this it is proven that they had the opportunity to release Him. If they already released a robber, then all the more could they have released an innocent man.

But, the Princely Leader of Life, ye slew:—whom, God, raised from among the dead, whereof, we, are witnesses.

To the only God, invisible, Father of truth, who sent forth to us the Saviour and Author of immortality, through whom He also manifested to us the truth and the heavenly life, to Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Observe again how he speaks covertly concerning Christ's power, showing that He raised Himself: just as in his first discourse he had said, "Because it was not possible that He should be holden of it," so here he says, "And killed the Prince of Life." It follows that the Life He had was not from another.

Having said that instead of Christ the Jews requested a robber, Peter explained the matter fully, because by this it is proven that they had the opportunity to release Him. If they already released a robber, then all the more could they have released an innocent man.

And, by the faith of his name, unto this man whom ye see and know, hath his name given strength,—yea, the faith which is through him, hath given unto him this perfect soundness, over against you all!

"And the faith which is through him." This is said because someone is healed through the faith that is directed to Christ. For it is necessary that the faith of both concur, that is, the faith of the one healed and the faith of the one praying over the sick person. This we see in the case of the paralytic and the woman with the flow of blood.

What then is the faith proclaimed through him? He explains it himself. "That they may know you the only true one," (Jn. 17:3) and then: Then, for fear that anyone say, "Therefore even an unbeliever will call upon his name, and even when treating an unbeliever the healing will nonetheless proceed, if the mere call of the name were what secured it"—so that no one may say this, he…

"Through faith in His name, His name has strengthened this man." He speaks thus because the healed man believed as a result of the healing. Does this mean, then, that the lame man stood firmly on his feet by believing in the name of Christ? Even before he believed, the name of Christ, having been invoked, already "strengthened" him.

And now brethren, I know that by way of ignorance ye acted,—just as even your rulers.

And it were the exercise of no ordinary arbitrariness, for those who had departed before the advent of the Lord (not having the Gospel preached to them, and having afforded no ground from themselves, in consequence of believing or not) to obtain either salvation or punishment.

And see that the true doctor does not become angry with the insane assaulting him, but rather pities them and wishes to heal the raging ones from what he suffers. Listen to the doctor hanging on the cross; surrounded by a crowd of raging madmen, he says: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And his voice was not in vain.

Since Peter had strongly rebuked the Jews, he again softens his speech to give them the opportunity to come to their senses; and in their defense he deigned to put forward two circumstances: one — their ignorance, the other — that everything he said had been foretold beforehand.

Howbeit, God—what things he had before declared, through the mouth of all the prophets, for his Christ to suffer,—did thus fulfill!

See how great is the Wisdom of God, when it uses the wickedness of others to bring about that which must be. "He hath fulfilled," he says: that they may not imagine that anything at all is wanting; for whatsoever Christ must needs suffer, has been fulfilled.

In this discourse the Lord shows that the law was necessary to make ready the way, and the ministry of the prophets to prepare men for faith in this marvellous act, that so when the resurrection really took place, those who were troubled at its greatness might remember what was said of old, and be induced to believe.

But why does Peter not cite testimony from Scripture about the crucifixion of Jesus? However, he also says above that "Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken" (Acts 2:23), and now he sets forth the same thing, only more at length, saying: "God… as He foretold by the mouth of all His prophets." He does not bring forward direct tes…

Repent ye, therefore, and turn,—unto the blotting out of your sins; to the end that in that case, there may come seasons of refreshing from the face of the Lord,

meaning the resurrection from the dead in its proper time. Even as he says to the Galatians: "Let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap." Similarly, concerning Onesiphorus, does he also write to Timothy: "The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy in that day; " unto which day and time he charges Timothy himself "to keep what had been committed to h…

Therefore he says: "Repent," not concerning those things done on the cross (for he had said concerning those, that they were in ignorance), but concerning other sins.

Pardon is ready and easy: only repent of evil deeds, not only what they just did, but all of them, and turn to the new life. Confess Jesus, whom they formerly denied, as king and ruler of the universe.

And he may send forth him who had been fore-appointed for you—Christ Jesus:

If the blessed Peter speak of the Divine Word also, as sent to the children of Israel by Jesus Christ, it is not necessary to understand that the Word is one and Christ another, but that they were one and the same by reason of the uniting which took place in His divine and loving condescension and becoming man.

And see now how he advances. In his first sermon, he but slightly hinted at the resurrection, and Christ's sitting in heaven; but here he also speaks of His visible advent. "And He shall send Jesus the Christ ordained (for you), Whom the heaven must (i.e.

"That He may send the Jesus Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the times of the restoration of all things." Peter says this instead of saying: "It is necessary for heaven to receive Him, since He is God and must always sit together with the Father." He shows the reason why He does not come now, saying that everything must come to an end, and then He too wi…

Unto whom, indeed, heaven must needs give welcome, until the times of the due establishment of all things, of which God hath spoken through the mouth of his holy age-past prophets.

Everything endowed with reason will come under one law.… If we must refer to this subject, it will be with great brevity. The Stoics, indeed, hold that, when the strongest of the elements prevails, all things shall be turned into fire. But our belief is that the Word will prevail over the entire rational creation and change every soul into his own perfection.

In another way: "whom heaven must receive" is put in place of "It is necessary that heaven receive it," since indeed it exists as God. How then did he not say, "Which heaven received"? He says this as speaking about the upper times. And by "until the times of the restoration" he indicates the cause, why now it no longer comes.

But how does Peter say: "Whom heaven had to receive?" Has it not yet received Jesus? It has received Him, without any doubt. But why then did he not say: "received"? He speaks thus as a man conversing about former times.

Moses, indeed, said—A prophet, unto you, shall the Lord God raise up among your brethren, like unto me: unto him, shall ye hearken respecting all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you.

When meantime Moses, that faithful and wise steward, perceived that the vice of sacrificing to idols had been deeply ingrained into the people from their association with the Egyptians, and that the root of this evil could not be extracted from them, he allowed them indeed to sacrifice, but permitted it to be done only to God, that by any means he might cut off one half of the…

What is this, "like me"? Christ is born in Bethlehem, and Moses in Egypt. That Moses is an Israelite, as is this Jesus according to the flesh. That Moses is of a priestly lineage, as is this Jesus of David because of the Virgin. Pharaoh opposed that Moses, Herod opposed this Jesus. That Pharaoh killed infants, and this Herod slayed infants; that Moses and this Jesus are male.

He said "will raise up… a Prophet like me." The expression "like me" should be understood not in the sense of nature, but in the sense of activity. Moses likened himself to Christ not by nature, but by actions, because if he had used the expression "like me" in the sense of nature, then not one but many would have risen.

And it shall be—every soul, whatsoever, which shall not hearken unto that prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.

And then the greatness of the punishment: "And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those that follow, after, as many as have spoken have likewise foretold of these days." He has done well to set the distinction here.

And it will come to pass that every soul who does not listen to that Prophet shall be destroyed. Briefly and clearly, with the testimony of the prophets and the law, he teaches that the Lord must be listened to by all nations, condemning indeed the unbelievers and granting the faithful eternal blessing.

"Shall be destroyed from among the people." Being immortal, the human soul is not completely destroyed, but falls from whatever good state it had previously been placed in. So too Judas was destroyed, that is, excluded from the ranks of the apostles.

But, indeed, all the prophets,—from Samuel and those following after, as many as have spoken, have even announced these days.

Now, after the death of Moses and Joshua, and after the judges, arose David, who was deemed worthy of bearing the name of father of the Saviour himself; and he first gave to the Hebrews a new style of psalmody, by which he abrogates the ordinances established by Moses with respect to sacrifices, and introduces the new hymn and a new style of jubilant praise in the worship of Go…

Although the patriarchs and saints of earlier times prophesied many things about Christ by their words and deeds, who wrote properly speaking the time of the prophets had its beginning from Samuel, under whom the period of the kings began in Israel, and i lasted up to the deliverance from the Babylonian captivity.

And all the prophets from Samuel and onwards. Although the patriarchs and saints of earlier times prophesied concerning Christ through their words and deeds, the proper time of the prophets, I say, is that which began with Samuel, under whom the times of the kings in Judea began, and continued until the end of the Babylonian captivity.

Ye, are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God covenanted unto your fathers, saying unto Abraham—And, in thy seed, shall be blessed, all the families of the ground.

"Ye," he says, "are the children of the Prophets, and of the covenant which God made." "Children of the covenant;" that is, heirs. For lest they should think that they received this offer from the favor of Peter, he shows, that of old it was due to them, in order that they may the rather believe that such also is the will of God.

"You are the descendants of the prophets," instead of, Do not be discouraged nor think yourselves alienated from the promises. You are the descendants of the prophets, as I was telling you, and through you these things have come to pass.

"You are sons of the prophets." He says "sons of the prophets" instead of saying "you should neither despair nor think that you have been deprived of the promises." "You are sons of the prophets," so that they spoke "to you" and for your sake all this was accomplished. And what does "sons… of the covenant" mean?

Unto you first, God—having raised up his Servant—hath sent him forth, ready to bless you, when ye are turning away, each one, from your wickednesses.

God raised up his Son and sent him first to you: The Lord had come to his own and among his own, awaiting the first fruits of faith from those people he took his roots from. The others subsequently had to be saved by the preaching of the apostles.

God raised up his Son and sent him first to you: In this way also He was sent especially to the Jews, because He taught them by His bodily presence.

"Jesus," whom God, "having raised up… sent to you first… to bless you." God sent Him to other nations as well, but to you, who crucified and killed Him, He sent Him first. When? Only from the cross? No, even after that, and after the resurrection. To do what? "To bless you" and save you, if you yourselves truly desire to turn away "from your evil deeds."

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