This section gives one detailed account as an example of Luke's earlier note that "the '
apostolic band' has the power to work miracles" ().
Verse 2 :''And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;'' The temple in Jerusalem had several gates, but it is not clear which one might have been called Beautiful. No ancient source mentions the Beautiful Gate, but the Nicanor Gate is probably the best guess. Traditionally the gate is identified with the
Shushan Gate but, according to
C. K. Barrett, that gate was not a suitable location for a beggar.
Verse 3 :
who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. In the
King James Version, he asks for "an alms", reflecting the singular noun ἐλεημοσύνην (
eleēmosunēn) in the Greek text.
Verse 4 :
And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us". Alexander notes that from this point onwards. Peter leads the action, with John playing a "supporting" role.
J. Rawson Lumby suggests that in looking intently at the man, he was able to perceive that he had
faith to be healed. The healing of the lame man in this chapter is the inspiration of some songs. One such example is the children's song "Silver and Gold Have I None".
Verse 7 :
And he (Peter) took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. Alexander argues that there is a
play on words in the phrase "raised him up" (,
ēgeiren auton), which is "almost certainly deliberate", referring to both a physical elevation and a transition to "a new way of life". ==No other name (3:11–26)==