What does Acts 3:10 mean?
A man who had been crippled since birth spends his days at a gate to the temple, begging for alms (Acts 3:2). When Peter and John pass by, they have no money, but Peter heals the man's feet and ankles in Jesus' name. The man rises, "walking and leaping and praising God" (Acts 3:8). The man had been a fixture at the temple and his display attracts the attention of the worshipers, giving Peter a chance to teach them about the one who really healed the man: Jesus (Acts 3:11–26).Later, Stephen will die trying to explain that God cannot be confined to the temple (Acts 7). This formerly-lame man came to the temple regularly, begging for "mercy," translated from the Greek word from which we get the term "alms." He apparently found some mercy in the temple, as worshipers, priests, and scribes passed by. But he found no healing in the rituals of sacrifices and ceremonies. The law was a place-holder—the "guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24). Jesus has come. He has been crucified, buried, and resurrected. He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9) and commissioned His followers to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8).
Now, one of them has acted as such a witness. By the power of Jesus' name, not by the power of the Mosaic law, this man is healed. Peter's faith in Jesus' authority and power, combined with the Holy Spirit's guidance about God's will, has healed this man. We aren't told if he comes to the faith that saves, although by this time five thousand other men, plus women, have done so (Acts 4:4). But the event is an important one for the Jesus-followers. The miracle and Peter's ensuing speech draws the attention of the Sanhedrin—the ruling Jewish court. They command Peter and John to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, a command the men reject (Acts 4:18–20). Peter and John are released and return to their friends who gather to pray. But they don't pray for protection, they pray for boldness. They pray that no matter what comes, they will have the strength to endure it and keep being Jesus' witnesses (Acts 4:23–31). A short time later, as signs and wonders were done regularly and "more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women" (Acts 5:14; cf. Acts 5:12–16), the high priest called for the arrest of the apostles. The men were imprisoned, released by an angel who directed them to teach at the temple, taken by guards back to the Sanhedrin, charged not to speak in Jesus' name, and beaten (Acts 5:17–40). The apostles respond by "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name" (Acts 5:41).
Acts 3:1–10 illustrates one of the ''wonders and signs'' the apostles performed after receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:43). The setting is completely mundane. As Jews, Peter and John go to the temple to pray and find a lame beggar they wish to help. As specially-empowered followers of Jesus, healing the man comes second nature. The act validates Peter's status as witness to Jesus (Acts 1:8), and he is ready with an explanation that ties the event to Jesus' call to repentance (Acts 3:11–26). This miracle, however, catches the attention of the Sanhedrin and starts the long road of church persecution (Acts 4).
Acts 3 is comprised of two sections: the healing of a lame man and the explanation of that healing. First, a man who has been lame his whole life approaches Peter and John to beg from them at the temple. When Peter heals him in Jesus' name, a crowd gathers around. Peter gives witness to Jesus (Acts 1:8) and tells the crowd that Jesus' authority and power healed this man. Looking back as modern readers, we see how, as the man's body symbolically ''repented,'' or turned away, from its broken form into freedom of movement, so the people can repent from their broken thoughts, actions, and beliefs, and find freedom from sin.
