Luke the physician wrote how Peter said to the lame man at the temple, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I to you: 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. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering”, and in chapter three and verse twelve of the book of Acts Luke shared how Peter asked the people, “why marvel you at this?” where we read:
And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, You men of Israel, why marvel you at this?
or why look you so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
The verse begins, “And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, You men of Israel, why marvel you at this?” Luke began with the words, “and when Peter saw it” which means “and at the time and moment Peter whose name means a little rock or stone observed, noticed, perceived and discerned that the people rushed toward him, John and the formally lame man”, “he answered unto the people” or “he, Peter, responded and began to speak to the men and women in the temple who were gathered to them”, “you men of Israel” which means “you men, male human beings in the temple who were gathered to Peter, James and the formally lame man belonging to the nation and people of Israel which means God prevails or governed by God”, “why marvel you at this” or “for what reason and cause do you, people gathered in the temple, wonder and admire”? Luke shared how “Peter” observed the people rushing toward him, John and the lame man, and he asked the people for what reason they were in “wonder and admiration” of what happened to the lame man.
The verse continues, “or why look you so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” Luke added the words, “or why look you so earnestly on us” which means “or for what reason and cause do you, people within the temple, observe, gaze, behold and fix their eyes upon Peter, John and the lame man so intently”, “as though by our own power” or “as supposed through our, Peter and John's, selfsame ability, strength and influence” “or holiness” which means “or reverence, piety and godliness” “we had made this man to walk” or “we, Pilate and John, rendered, constituted and appointed this male human being to amble about and tread around”? Luke shared how Peter asked the people who gathered to him why they were acting like “Peter and John” had their own “power” or “godliness” to perform the miracle upon the lame man.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how Peter responded to the people who rushed toward he and John. They were attributing the miracle performed upon the lame man to the “ability or godliness” of “Peter and John”, and Peter began to question why they were “looking” at them “as though” they healed the lame man. Peter and John knew it was the Lord Jesus who cured the lame man because they employed His name to make him whole. God wants everyone to believe and trust in His Son Jesus, and when they submit their lives to Him as their personal “Lord and Savior”, He will perform the greatest miracle upon them by forgiving their sins and granting them everlasting life. Let all who read these words know, Jesus has the “power”, and Jesus is “holy”. He is in the miracle working business, and He is able to make every person whole who yields themselves to Him.
Next time Luke shares how Peter tells the people, “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Son Jesus”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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