Peter and John Went to the Temple - Acts 3:1

Luke the physician wrote how the multitude of new believers in Jesus were, “Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”, and in chapter three and verse one of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “Peter and John went up together into the temple” where we read:

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

The verse begins, “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, ...” Luke began with the words, “Now Peter” which means “moreover Peter who was Jesus' disciple whose name means a little rock or stone” “and John” or “and John whose name means Jehovah is a gracious giver and was also Jesus' disciple” “went up together” which means “ascended with one another” “into the temple” or “into the sacred worship place located in Jerusalem” “at the hour of prayer” which means “at the certain and particular period of time when the people made orations and earnest prayers to God”. Luke shared how Jesus' disciples “Peter and John” ascended to the “temple” in Jerusalem at the time of “prayers and orations” to God.

The verse goes on to say, “... being the ninth hour.” Luke continued with the word, “being” or “existing as” “the ninth hour” which means “the ninth hour of the day or around three o'clock in the afternoon”. Luke shared how it was “three o'clock” in the afternoon when “Peter and John” entered the “temple”.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn about Peter and John going to the “temple” for the “prayer time”. Rather than hiding in the upper room as they did previously, Peter and John were openly walking among the people of Jerusalem and even bold enough to enter the sacred worship place. God desires to have a personal loving relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they submit to Him, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. Those who carefully examine this story of Peter and John will notice the intrepid change that has occurred within them after having the “Holy Spirit” of God poured out upon them.

Next time Luke shares how, “a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried”, 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".