John Calvin Commentary Acts 3

We saw before that many signs were shown by the hands of the apostles; now Luke recounts one of many as an example, according to his common custom: namely, that a lame man, who was lame in his feet from his mother’s womb, was perfectly restored to his limbs. And he diligently gathers all the circumstances that serve to set forth the miracle.

If his legs had been out of joint, or if it had been some disease resulting from some accident, it might have been more easily cured. But a defect of nature could not have been so easily remedied. When he says that he was carried, we gather from this that it was no slight lameness, but that this man lay as if his legs were dead.

Since he was accustomed to ask for alms daily, all the people would thereby know him better. The fact that, being healed, he walked in the temple at the time of prayer, served to spread the fame of the miracle widely. Furthermore, it also significantly sets forth the miracle that, being lifted up and set on his feet, he leaps up immediately and walks joyfully.

Regarding the phrase went up together: because the Greek words επι το αυτο do not signify place any more than they signify time, this latter sense (time) seems to agree better with Peter's text. Yet, because it is not very important, I leave it undecided. It is called the ninth hour of prayer, when the day began to draw towards night.

For since the day from sunrise to sunset had twelve hours (as I have said elsewhere), all that time was divided into four parts. So by the ninth hour is meant the last portion of the day, just as the first hour continued until the third, the third until the sixth, and the sixth until the ninth.

From this we may gather, by a probable conjecture, that this hour was appointed for the evening sacrifice. Furthermore, if anyone asks whether the apostles went up into the temple to pray according to the rite of the law, I do not think that is as likely true as that they went to have a better opportunity to spread the gospel widely.

And if anyone would abuse this passage, as if it were lawful for us to adopt superstitious forms of worship while we are among the ignorant and weak, his reasoning will be frivolous. The Lord appointed that the Jews should offer sacrifice morning and evening (Exodus 29:41). By this practice they were taught to begin and end the day by calling upon the name of God and worshipping Him (Numbers 28:2). Therefore, Peter and John could freely come into the temple, which was consecrated to God; nor did they pollute themselves, since they called upon the God of Israel, so that they might thereby declare their godliness.

First, from the fact that the Lord would have the people of old observe the appointed hours, we gather from this that the Church cannot be without certain discipline. And even today, it would be profitable for us to have such meetings daily, if not for our excessive sluggishness preventing us. And since the apostles go up at that hour, from this we gather that we must not neglect any opportunity that is offered to us for the furtherance of the gospel.

He asks an alms. We see how God restored this lame man’s limbs, contrary to his expectation. Because he thought his disease was incurable, he was only concerned about his maintenance. That was given to him which he would never have dared to ask. In the same way, God often anticipates us, neither does He wait until He is prompted.

And from this, let us not find any occasion for slothfulness, as if the Lord therefore comes to us of His own accord so that, being idle and slothful, we might simply allow the Lord to do good to us. For we are commanded to pray, and therefore let us not neglect our duty.

But, first of all, in the person of the lame man, an example is set before us of someone who is not yet illuminated by faith, that he may know how to pray correctly. God anticipates such a person, as is necessary, even of His own accord.

Therefore, when He restores our souls not only to health but also to life, He Himself is the cause of this. For this is the beginning of our calling: that He may make those things to be which are not; that He may show Himself to those who do not seek after Him (Romans 4:17).

Furthermore, however much we are already taught by faith to pray to God, yet, because we do not always feel our miseries, it does not enter our minds to seek a remedy; therefore, the Lord brings it freely and unexpectedly.

Finally, however inclined we are to pray, He still exceeds our hope and petitions with His goodness.

Look upon us. Peter does not speak this way before he is certain of God’s purpose and intent. And surely, in these words, he commands him to hope for some unique and unusual benefit. Yet, a question may be raised here: did they have the power to work miracles whenever they wished?

I answer that they were ministers of God’s power in such a way that they attempted nothing of their own will or initiative. Instead, the Lord worked through them when He knew it was fitting for it to be so. This is why they healed one person and not all. Therefore, just as in other things, they had the Spirit of God as their guide and director, so also in this matter.

Consequently, before Peter commanded the lame man to arise, he cast and fastened his eyes upon him. This steadfast gaze upon him was not without some particular prompting of the Spirit. This is why he speaks so confidently (and securely, without any fear) about the miracle. Furthermore, by this statement, Peter intended to prompt the lame man to receive the grace of God, even though the man was expecting nothing but alms.

Silver and gold. Peter truly excuses himself that he lacks the help which the lame man required. And therefore he declares that if he were able to relieve his poverty, he would willingly do it, just as everyone ought to consider what the Lord has given him, so that he may help his neighbors with it.

For whatever resources God gives to every person, He intends for them to be an instrument and help to exercise love. Therefore Peter says that he gives what he has. At first, this seemed like a mockery, in that Peter begins to speak of his poverty after he had brought the lame man to a remarkable hope, as if he meant to mock someone gaping in expectation; but he comforts him immediately, so that the miracle might be held in greater esteem by the comparison.

It is horrible wickedness that the Pope, when he is installed, most shamelessly abuses this passage, making a comical, or rather a mocking, play of it. There are two cells, or places made of stone; in one of which, when he sits and the people ask for alms, using these words of Peter, he casts crosses in the air with his fingers. When he is brought into the next cell, or place, he has bags full of money. Then his attendants cry to him,

“He has dispersed, he has given to the poor,”
(Psalms 112:9).

I have mentioned this so that all may see that Satan undoubtedly reigns there, where they so openly mock the sacred Word of God. And to return to the previous point, it is clear enough that Peter was instructed by a certain and sure revelation when he says that he has the gift of healing.

In the name of Jesus. He says that this is the work and benefit of Christ, that He restores to the cripple the use of his feet, for name is taken for power and dominion, or government. Nor must we imagine that there is any magical force in the sound or pronunciation of the word, as the Jews do foolishly fixate on the word Jehovah.

In short, Peter meant to declare that he was only a minister, and that Christ was the author of the miracle. For this ought to have been, and was, his concern: that Christ might be made known to the world, and that His name might be sanctified.

But why does he give Christ this epithet, or title, of Nazareth? I leave to others their own judgment, but I think this: Since Christ was called this in contempt, Peter deliberately meant to express that this Jesus of Nazareth whom they had crucified, and whose name was despised and without honor among the Jews, and was detestable to most of them, was nevertheless the Messiah promised by God, and that all power was given to Him all the more; as Paul says, that he preaches Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Arise and walk. This might seem to be a very ridiculous thing. For the cripple might have readily objected, “Why have you not first given me legs and feet?” For this is a plain mockery when you bid a man without feet to go. But he believed Peter’s words; and he, who was at first so hesitant, now with a ready and joyful mind embraces God’s benefit.

By this appears both the power of the word and also the fruit of faith. The power of the word is twofold: both in that the cripple is so touched that he immediately obeys without delay, and in that it gives strength to his lifeless limbs and does, in a way, renew the man.

And faith also has its reward, in that the cripple obeys Him who commands him to rise, not in vain. Therefore we see how God works by His Word: namely, when He gives success to its preaching, so that it may pierce into the minds of people; secondly, when He gives with His hand those things which are promised there.

Moreover, He does not allow faith to be empty, but she indeed truly enjoys all those good things which she looks for and which are offered to her in the same Word.

And we must remember what I have already said: that we have in this story a type or figure of our spiritual restoration. Namely, that as the Word, laid hold of by faith, restored the cripple’s limbs, so the Lord pierces into our souls by the Word, that He may restore them.

And, first of all, He speaks by a person’s mouth and urges us forward to the obedience of faith; after that, He moves our hearts inwardly by His Spirit, so that the Word may take living root in us; finally, He reaches out His hand, and by all means He finishes His work in us. We gather from Matthew that miracles must be handled in this way.

And all the people saw. He now begins to declare the fruit of the miracle, namely, that the cripple began to show his thankfulness by praising God, and that all the people were filled with great wonder. And here is a double fruit. For he who was healed acknowledges and sets forth the benefit of God; on the other hand, the people are moved, and the news spreads widely, so many come to see it. And whereas Luke says that they were filled with wonder, it only declares a preparation, which a fuller development eventually followed. For it was necessary that they should progress, because this wonder of theirs had served no purpose in itself, but rather made them astonished and amazed, instead of leading them from their own ways to God.

Therefore it was, so to speak, the foundation of the building that was to come, in that the people were touched with amazement. For if we pass over the works of God contemptuously or carelessly, we will never be able to profit by them. Furthermore, this passage teaches us what miracles accomplish by themselves in people; namely, that they produce a confused amazement. For although the Lord calls us directly to Himself, by plainly showing His goodness and power there, yet such is the weakness of our nature, that we stumble or faint midway, until we are helped by doctrine.

Let us, therefore, learn to consider the works of God reverently, so that wondering at them may prepare the way for doctrine. For when doctrine is cold and unprofitable to us, God justly punishes our unthankfulness by this means, because we have despised the glory of His works. Again, because we are not so perceptive that we can see enough in the works of God alone, let us learn to combine with them the help of doctrine. In short, the one ought not to be separated from the other. Experience sufficiently teaches us this. For this is how it came about that the world so wickedly abused miracles.

The Papists repeatedly confront us with miracles. Let us suppose that the miracles they boast of so much are true; yet they greatly err in this: they twist them to a wrong end, namely, to obscure the name of God and infect the pure truth of the gospel with their inventions.

For from where do so many superstitious worshipings of saints come, except only from the abuse of miracles? For when any miracle is performed, people must inevitably be moved. And because they are deaf when they should hear the Word, and do not pay attention to what God means, Satan craftily takes an opportunity for superstition from our amazement.

As, for example, I will acknowledge the power of God in a miracle. If it were performed by Peter, Satan will soon put this in my head and will say this: “Do you not see that this is a man of God? Therefore you owe him divine honor.”

The same thing would have happened to the Jews when they were amazed, if Peter’s sermon had not called them back to the right way. But in Popery, where no one called them back or reproved them, the absurd wonder of people easily gained the upper hand. Therefore, we must all the more seek for medicine from the Word, so that doctrine may direct us to the right end, being uplifted by the miracles.