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Acts 3: Bible Study, Commentary and Summary

Acts 3: Bible Study, Commentary and Summary

Last updated on: May 25, 2016 at 3:50 pm by Jack Wellman

Acts 3: Bible Study, Commentary and Summary 2016-05-25T15:50:29-05:00 Jack Wellman

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Here is a Bible study with commentary and a summary of Acts chapter three.

Acts 3:6-7 “But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.”

The poor man who was disabled had to beg for a living, so when he saw Peter coming, he him in the hopes of receiving some alms. Peter gave him something much, much better than alms. God used Peter to heal the man and “all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him” (Act 3:9-10). The word for “alms” is Greek (eleēmosynē) and literally means “pity” or “mercy,” and that is just what the man needed, and exactly what he received. Alms had no monetary value; its value was in the act of generosity. Incidentally, all of us are poor beggars before God Who must beg for alms (mercy).

Was the lame man expecting money?

Now that the lame man could walk, would he have to beg anymore? Why or why not?

Has your thinking changed about what alms are?

Acts 3:14-15 “But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.”

Just after the lame man was healed, “all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s” (Acts 3:11), so Peter responds by asking them, “why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk” (Acts 3:12). He reminds them of Jesus’ ministry, betrayal, and murder. They must have heard about His miracles and perhaps, some were witnessed them, so Peter is puzzled by their being astounded as this one miracle. The “Author of Life” is certainly not limited in power.

Why does Peter mention the “Author of Life” in response to this miracle?

Why was Peter so surprised that the people were utterly astounded?

Are there Old Testament references about “the Holy and Righteous One?”

Is the title “Author of Life” intended to show that Jesus is God? In what ways?

What does this healing have to do with “the God of our fathers” glorifying “his servant Jesus?”

Acts 3:19-20 “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.”

Peter continues to give evidence that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah and that Christ, “heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago” (Acts 3:21), even pointing to Moses (Acts 3:22) where he gave a prophetic message about Christ (Deut 18:15-19). This verse says that whoever doesn’t listen to or obey Him, God “will require it of him” or her (Deut 18:19b). Peter’s urgent plea is for them to repent and turn back to God so that their sins can be taken away. When one turns to God they will necessarily turn from their sins (not all…and not all at once) because God grants repentance (2nd Tim 2:25). “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2nd Pet 3:9).

Why must the heavens receive Jesus for now?

What does it mean to have all things restored?

Does restoration mean the same thing as the times of refreshing (Acts 3:19)?

Acts 3:23-24 “And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.”

At the end of his talk, Peter encourages them by saying, “You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Acts 3:25) and being the “sons of the prophets,” why would they not listen to them? These prophets were said to be from Samuel, all the way down to their time? Of course Moses was a prophet (Deut 34:10), and even John the Baptist who was the very last of the Old Testament prophets but entered into the New. His ministry had him walking right out of the Old Testament, with one foot in the Old, yet having one foot in the New Testament, and stepping into it, preparing the way for the Lord (Matt 3:1-3).

Why did Peter call them the “sons of the prophets” if they weren’t related to a prophet?

Who was the first prophet?

Is Peter saying that every prophet proclaimed Christ, from the very first one?

Was John the Baptist an Old Testament prophet, a New Testament prophet, or both?

Explain your answer.

Summary

Acts Chapter three is the second time we’ve heard Peter boldly speak and prove to a huge audience that Jesus is the Christ, the long awaited Messiah that had been foretold for thousands of years by the mouth of God’s prophets. These men had no choice but to listen to Him. They understood that to not choose is to choose to reject Him. Are you on the fence about Christ? The fence, and all on it, will be cast into the fire just as much as those who openly reject Him today. Only if the turn to Christ and trust in Him will they be spared. This is the very best day of you to be saved (2nd Cor 6:2), if not already. No one’s guaranteed another day, another heartbeat, or another breath.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

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