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The Book of Acts
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BIBLE STUDY ACTS 3:1-26 REVIEW: According to the book of Acts, the day of Pentecost marked a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. On that day and from then on, the Holy Spirit became the source of POWER, COURAGE, and GUIDANCE within the Church in ways that had not been manifested before! This being the case, it should be said that the Pentecost story of Acts, Chapter 2, is also filled with familiar imagery, recognizable from the events of the Old Testament. “Wind and fire” recall the theophany that Elijah experienced on Mount Sinai (Mt. Horeb) in 1 Kings 19:11-12, as well as his ascension into heaven in 2 Kings 2:11 The loud noise – like the rush of a violent wind – also reminds readers of the loud noise that accompanied God’s giving of the Torah to Moses in Exodus 19:16-19. “Tongues of fire” are also reminiscent of the image of God’s presence at Mount Sinai in the same passage (Ex. 19:18). It is often suggested that Luke deliberately used the imagery of the people speaking in “other languages” in order to illustrate the theological point that this experience represented a reversal of the Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11:1-9. In that story, the LORD had confused the language of those who were building the tower so that they were scattered over the face of the earth. The Church, however, represents a gathering together of all the peoples in Christ. Indeed, Luke seems to emphasize this with his extensive list of “every nation under heaven”. Through the words of Peter in Chapter 2, we also learn something of the requirements for membership in the new community. They are repentance and baptism. This will be a reoccurring theme throughout Acts as the fellowship of the Church increases in numbers. CHAPTER 3:1-10 “Peter and John in the Temple” “One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God, and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him .” This story illustrates the continuity between Jesus’ mission and the mission of the earliest church. After Jesus got into so much trouble with the Temple authorities, which led ultimately to his death, his closest followers (James and Peter) continue seamlessly in the pattern already established. Undeterred, they go right back to doing the same things that they did while Jesus was with them: Prayer, healing, and then teaching in the Temple. Notice that these two pillars of the early church continued in their ritualistic religious practices, namely following designated prayer times at the Temple. The evening temple service, for example, goes back to the instructions of Exodus 29:38-42; Numbers 28:1-8. This shows the gradual nature of the separation between Judaism and Christianity. At least at this point in time, the separation of two distinct religions was not a reality. One God, one temple, one service of prayer for one people of God. CHAPTER 3:11-16 “The Author of Life” “While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s Portico, utterly astonished. When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this prefect health in the presence of all of you.” In this speech, given by Peter after the healing of the man who was “lame from birth,” there are several significant points. 1) The confusion of the Israelites. Peter is concerned that rather than interpreting the work of their God—the God of their ancestors—for what it is, the people might look at Peter and John as somehow responsible for this “sign.” Peter is adamant, however, that no human “power or piety” resulted in this healing. 2) On the contrary, the connection is to be made between the healing of the man and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who Peter calls “the Author of Life.” This phrase, archegos tes zoes (greek), can also be translated “prince of life,” “leader of life, or “founder of life.” The context of the statement is obvious. In contrast to the “murderer” or life-taker (Barabbas) chosen by the Israelites, they effectively killed the life-giving, Jesus. Thus, the healing of this story happens not only by the power of God’s resurrection, but also by the same spirit of Jesus, the prince of life. 3) Thus, central to this story is the naming of the apostles’ mission to be “witnesses” not only of God’s mighty act of resurrection in the Easter event, but also to the identity of Jesus. For he is the “Prince, Author, establisher of Life” and it is in his name that life will be restored. CHAPTER 3:17-26 “The Master Plan” “And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets. Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you from your own people a prophet like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you. And it will be that everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be utterly rooted out of the people.’ And all the prophets, as many as have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, also predicted these days. You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” In this portion of Peter’s speech he addresses the significance of the people, Israel. Not only is Jesus the “Prince of Life” he is also the long-awaited prophet from their own tradition… “You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors…” Jesus’ role, as the “appointed Messiah”, is to usher in “the time of universal restoration” that God promised long ago through his holy prophets, from Moses on. Although these events will lead to something “universal,” this message indicates that God has not abandoned his chosen people. When God raised up his suffering servant, he was sent for the purpose of blessing the people of Israel, “by turning each” from their sin. Repentance attached to the image of “refreshment” is a powerful theme of this passage. -------------------- Joshua W. Magyar, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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