Acts 3:3

Act 3:3-8. Who, seeing Peter and John, asked an alms — As it seems he did of all who entered in at the gate where he sat begging: an alms was the utmost he expected from them or any others. And Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John — That is, looking steadfastly at him, feeling, doubtless, a strong emotion of soul, which intimated to him that the divine power would be exerted in working an illustrious miracle for the further confirmation of the gospel; said, Look on us — This the lame man readily did, expecting to receive something of them — Namely, for the relief of his temporal necessities. Little did he suppose that a much greater blessing was prepared for him. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none — How unlike was Peter to his supposed successor! Can the bishop of Rome either say this, or do what Peter now did? This, we may observe, was after the estates were sold, as mentioned Act 2:45, and plainly shows how far the apostles were from enriching themselves by the treasures which passed through their hands. But such as I have give I thee — What is in my power, I willingly impart; and thou shalt find it not less valuable than money. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth — That is, by the power of him who, in contempt, is called, Jesus of Nazareth; rise up and walk —

Be immediately and perfectly healed of thy malady. And he took him by the hand — Thereby encouraging him to do as he had said; and lifted him up — In the same name in which he had bid him rise. Not that his doing this could contribute any thing to the lame man’s cure: it was but a sign, intimating the supernatural help that he should receive, if he exerted himself, as he was commanded. When God by his word enjoins us to rise, and walk in the ways of his commandments, if we mix faith with that word, and rely on the power of it, he will give us his Spirit, to take us by the hand, as it were, and lift us up. If we set ourselves to do what we can in dependance on the divine aid, God has promised us his grace to enable us to do what of ourselves we cannot; and by faith in that promise we receive a new nature productive of a new practice: for the grace of God thus received and used shall not be in vain; as it was not here: his feet and ankle-bones received strength — Which would not have been the case if he had not attempted to rise. And he, leaping up — From the place where he lay; stood — In an erect posture, which he had never before been able to do; and walked — Greek, περιεπατει, walked about, with strength and steadiness; and entered with them into the temple — Into the court of Israel, there to offer the first-fruits of his thanksgivings, sometimes walking, and sometimes leaping, for joy, and to show that he was perfectly healed; and praising God — In a rapture of astonishment and thankfulness for so wonderful a mercy bestowed upon him. Thus was the prophecy (Isa 35:6) remarkably fulfilled, Then shall the lame man leap as a hart. This man, being now newly cured, was in this excess of joy and thankfulness: all true converts walk and praise God; but young converts, perhaps, leap more, as it were, in his praises.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 3:3. Ἠρώτα ἐλεημοσύνην λαβεῖν, asked to receive alms) A very similar phrase occurs 1Ma 11:66, ἠξίωσαν αὐτὸν τοῦ δεξιὰς λαβεῖν. Many omit λαβεῖν here in Acts.[26]

[26] Dd Lucif. 109. omit λαβεῖν. But ABCE Vulg. Memph. retain it: and Syr. Theb. ut darent.—E. and T.

The Germ. Vers. of Beng. omits it, after the example of both his Greek Editions.—E. B.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act_3:3-5. Μέλλοντας εἰσιέναι εἰς τ. ἱερ.] For it was through this outermost gate that the temple proper was reached.

ἠρώτα ἐλεημοσ. λαβ.] he asked that he might receive an alms. Modes of expression used in such a case (Merere in me; In me benefac tibi, and the like) may he seen in Vajicra rabb. f. 20. 3, 4.

On λαβεῖν, which in itself might be dispensed with, see Winer, p. 565 [E. T. 760].

ἀτενίσας … βλέψον εἰς ἡμᾶς] They would read from his look, whether he was spiritually fitted for the benefit to be received. Talis intuitus non caruit peculiar! Spiritus motu; hinc fit, ut tarn secure de miraculo pronuntiet, Calvin. Comp. Act_13:9.

ἐπεῖχεν αὐτοῖς] The supplying of τὸν νοῦν serves to make the sense clear. Comp. Luk_14:7; 1Ti_4:16. He was attentive, intent upon them. Comp. Schweigh. Lex. Herod. i. p. 241, and Lex. Polyb. p. 238.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 3:3 . ἠρώτα λαβεῖν : “asked to receive,” R.V., as other English versions except A.V. The expression is quite classical, αἰτῶν λαβεῖν , Aristoph., Plut. , 240, cf. Mar 1:17 , and LXX, Exo 23:15 , for similar instances of a redundant infinitive. The verb is in the imperfect, because the action of asking is imperfect until what is asked for is granted by another, Blass, in loco , and Grammatik des N. G. , pp. 187, 236, and Salmon, Hermathena , xxi. p. 228.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. He asketh an alms. We see how God restored this lame man to his limbs contrary to his expectation. Because he thought that his disease was incurable, he was only careful for maintenance. That is given him which he durst never have asked. In like sort God doth oftentimes prevent us, neither doth he stay until he be provoked. And hence can we not gather any occasion of slothfulness, as if the Lord did therefore meet us of his own accord, that being idle and slothful we may suffer the Lord to do good unto us. For we are commanded to pray, and therefore let us not foreslow [neglect] our duty. But, first of all, under the person of the lame man, we have set before us an example of a man that is not yet illuminated by faith, that he may know how to pray aright. Such doth God prevent, as it is needful, even of his own accord. Therefore, when as he restoreth our souls not only to health, but also to life, he himself is to himself the cause hereof. For this is the beginning of our calling, that he may make those things to be which are not; that he may show himself unto those who seek not after him, (Romans 4:17.) Furthermore, howsoever we be already taught by faith to pray unto God, yet, because we do not always feel our miseries, it cometh not into our mind to seek for remedy; therefore the Lord bringeth the same freely and unlooked for. Finally, howsoever we be bent to pray, yet doth he exceed our hope and petitions with his goodness.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

3. asked an alms] Alms is singular number, and was in early times spelt almesse, which is derived from the Greek ἐλεημοσύνη, which in German becomes Almosen = a gift of charity.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple,.... Just as they were entering through the gate at which he lay, he looked at them; and though they were strangers to him, he concluded they were Israelites by their going into the temple at that time:

asked an alms; of them; prayed them to give him something for his relief and support.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

Ver. 3. Asked an alms] The Dutch beggars ask not, but look pitifully.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Who, seeing Peter ... - There is no evidence that he was acquainted with them or knew who they were. He asked of them as he was accustomed to do of the multitude that entered the temple.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Seeing, though lame: every one hath something that is truly valuable, and matter of praise and thanks unto God.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. About to go in—He lay, therefore, on the chel outside the gate. This platform, chel, really extended entirely round the temple, and was the standing-place in time of war for a line of soldiery. A breastwork lined its edge, so as to form a defensive rampart.

Into the temple—Into the women’s court, where the public worship at the sacrifices was held.

An alms—This English noun has gradually glided from a singular meaning to a plural on account of its terminating in s.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To receive an alms for an alms, A.V. and T.R. The R.T. has ejlehmosunhn labein.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See notes on verse 1

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. λαβεῖν. This infinitive is redundant. A similar pleonasm is found Mar 1:17.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3.] ἠρώτα … λαβεῖν,—so Soph. Aj. 836, αἰτήσομαι δέ σʼ οὐ μακρὸν γέρας λαβεῖν, and Aristoph. Plut. 240, αἰτῶν λαβεῖν τιμικρὸν ἀργυρίδιον.

ἐλεημ, as in ref. Matt.

The Jewish forms of asking alms are given in Vajicra Rabb. f. 20. 3.4 (cited by Meyer),—‘Merere in me:’ ‘In me benefac tibi,’ and the like.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.