Gaining a Life in the name of Jesus

(Act 3:1-10 NIV) 1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Keywords: Prayer Times, Beautiful Temple Gate, Peter, John.

Prayer times are 9am, noon, and 3pm.[1]

Beautiful Temple Gate: The Old Testament and other Jewish sources do not mention a Beautiful gate. It may be a reference to the Susa or Golden Gate on the east side of the temple leading to court of the Gentiles.[2]

From Nehemiah’s Jerusalem there are ten gates. They are the Fish Gate, Sheep Gate, Muster Gate, East Gate, Guard Gate, Water Gate, Fountain Gate, Dung Gate, Valley Gate, and Old Gate.[3] The Modern Jerusalem covered a larger area and consisted of nine gates. They are Sealed Gate, Dung Gate, Zion Gate, Jaffe Gate, New Gate, Damascus Gate, Herod’s Gate, Lions Gate, and Golden Gate.

Simon Peter known in Greek as petros which means rock can be found one hundred eighty-three (183) times in the New Testament. His name is Simon, but Jesus called him Peter. (Matthew 16:18) Cephas is Aramaic for rock. He is the son of Jona. (Matthew 16:17; Luke 1:42) His hometown was Bethsaida. (John 1:44) He was a Galilean fisherman. (Mark 1:16, Luke 5:2-3, and John 21:3) His business partners were James and John. (Luke 5:10) He was married. (Mark 1:30) He lived in Capernaum. (Mark 1:21-31) He associated with John the Baptist. (John 1:40)

Peter was the leader and spokesman for the disciples. (Mark 8:29 and Matthew 17:24) He posed questions to Jesus regarding others concerns. (Matthew 15:15, Matthew 18:21, Mark 11:21, and Luke 12:41) He was presumptuous (Matthew 16:22, John 13:8, and John 18:10), timid (Matthew 14:30 and Matthew 26:69-72), self-seeking (Matthew 19:27), self-sacrificing (Mark 1:18), spiritually perceptive (Matthew 16:16, John 6:68), slow to understand spiritual matters (Matthew 15:15-16), arrested twice and warned to stop preaching about Jesus (Acts 4:1-22, Acts 5:12-40, Acts 12:3-5), and arrested by Herod and freed by an angel. (Acts 12:6-11)

Peter helped establish the Jerusalem church. (Acts 1-5) He spread the gospel to the Gentiles. (Acts 11-12) He served as a bridge to hold together the diverse people of the early church. (Acts 15)[4]

John is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yohanan. He is the brother of James and the son of Zebedee. Matthew 25:56 and Mark 15:40 suggest their mother was Salome. Salome was Mary’s sister making James and John’s cousin to Jesus. James and John were the first called to follow Jesus according to Matthew 4:21-22 and Mark 1:19-20. John was a fisherman by trade on the Sea of Galilee. Luke 5:10 states James and John were partners with Simon (Peter). John is listed in the first four of the twelve in Matthew 10:2, Mark 3:17, Luke 6:14, and Acts 1:13. He is also seen as the inner three from Mark 5:37, Mark 9:2, and Mark 14:32-33. James and John were known as “sons of thunder” in Mark 3:17. John helped prepare the Passover Meal in Luke 22:8.  Peter and John are together in Acts 1:13, Acts 3:1-11, Acts 4:13-20, and Acts 8:14. There are five letters attributed to him. It was believed his died in Ephesus.[5]

The man had been lamed from birth. He would not be allowed in the temple. After meeting Peter and John, he can walk into the temple and be apart of the prayer time. This man has been given a life. He can work for his food instead of being a beggar. He can walk and no long have to depend on others to carry him from place to place.

Can you imagine wanting to go to church, but you cannot? Then one day you are blessed with the dream of walking into church. You are healthy now so others are able to shake your hand and hug you. This is the joy and excitement felt by the lame beggar. He was on the outside looking in and now he is on the inside. The blessing came from believing and calling on Jesus’s name to make him whole. Do you need to be made whole? Pray and call on Jesus.

Bibliography

“Beautiful Gate.” In Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 182. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015.

Cox, Steven L. “Peter,” In Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1253-1254. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015.

Culpepper, R. Alan. “John,” In Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 910-911. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015.

Toussaint, Stanley D. “Acts.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, 349-432. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 1984.

Wilson, Charissa and Eric Mitchell. “Gates of Jerusalem and The Temple.” In Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 616-619. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015.

[1] Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. (Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 1984), 360.

[2] “Beautiful Gate,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015), 182.

[3] Charissa Wilson and Erik Mitchell, “Gates of Jerusalem and The Temple,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015), 617.

[4] Steven L Cox, “Peter,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015), 1254-1255.

[5] R. Alan Culpepper, “John,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015), 910-911.