ACC ~ Acts 3 v11 - 16

OVERVIEW:

The moderns analyze Peter’s speech, which consists in an explanation of the healing of the lame man, pointing out how God glorified the very Jesus whom the Jews had denied and killed (Acts 3:11-15a). He then proclaims that the disciples are witnesses of this resurrection and speaks of how the name of Jesus, and faith in this name, is the source of the man’s healing (Acts 3:15b-16). In the second part of the speech Peter acknowledges the ignorance of his audience and, after pointing out the plan of God, calls them to repentance, explaining that this Jesus is the prophet spoken of by Moses (Acts 3:17-26). Chrysostom accents the theme of the apostles’ humility and that all power comes from God. Cassian and Cassiodorus join him in this second motif. Ammonius speaks of the twofold faith in God, and Chrysostom points out how sure the apostles were of Jesus’ resurrection since they attribute the miracle to him.

3:11 | The People Ran Together

PROTECTED BY THE GUIDANCE OF PETER. ARATOR: After the threshold of the temple, the Porch of Solomon, who is rightly called Peacemaker, holds him [the lame man]. In the reign of faith, who will always be Peacemaker in the world except Christ? He protects all who please him under the guidance of Peter, by whose leadership they stand up. ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1.

3:12 | Why Do You Wonder?

THE APOSTLE’S HUMILITY. CHRYSOSTOM: They increased their glory even more by despising it. They revealed that what had just taken place was not a human act but was divine and that they were worthy of joining the beholders in admiration and not of receiving it from them. Do you see how free of ambition he is and how he rejects the honor paid to him? This is what the ancient fathers also did, as Daniel said, “not because of any wisdom that is in me.” HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 9.

THE GLORY IS GOD’S. CHRYSOSTOM: But what is it that he means? I [Peter] am able, he declares, to speak of far greater miracles, but I am unwilling, for fear that the greatness of the miracles should raise too high a notion of me among people. For this reason Peter also, when they had restored the lame man and all were wondering at them, in order to restrain the people and persuade them that they had exhibited nothing of this power of themselves or from their native strength, says, “Why do you look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” HOMILIES CONCERNING THE STATUES 1.17.

TRUE EXCELLENCE. JOHN CASSIAN: Nor did they think that any one should be renowned for the gifts and marvels of God but rather for the fruits of his own good deeds, which are brought about by the efforts of his mind and the power of his works. For often, as was said above, people of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the truth, both cast out devils and perform the greatest miracles in the name of the Lord. CONFERENCE 15.6.

THE POWER OF THE KINGDOM. CASSIODORUS: It is through the saints’ preaching that God’s might and the glory of the kingdom are made known, in case they might be perhaps less sought if people did not know of them. His might was also made known when Peter and John made the man lame from birth walk, and they said, “Men of Israel, why marvel at this, as if by our strength or devotion we had made this man to walk?” And a little later they say that he was made whole in the name of Christ Jesus. The might of the Lord was also made known when the apostles invoked his name and made manifest diverse powers. EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 144.12.

THE AUTHOR OF LIFE HAS LIFE FROM HIMSELF. CHRYSOSTOM: Notice again how discreetly he speaks of Christ’s power, showing that he raised himself. In his earlier speech he said, “because it was impossible for him to be held in its power;” and here he says that they “killed the Author of life.” Thus, it was not from another that he had his life. For the author of evil would be the one who gave birth to evil, the author of murder, the one who gave birth to murder, and likewise the author of life must be the one who has life from himself. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 9.

3:16 | Made Strong in Jesus’ Name

FAITH FOR HEALING. AMMONIUS: “And the faith which is through him.” This is said because someone is healed through the faith that is directed to Christ. For it is necessary that the faith of both concur, that is, the faith of the one healed and the faith of the one praying over the sick person. This we see in the case of the paralytic and the woman with the flow of blood. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 3.16.

CERTAINTY OF THE RESURRECTION. CHRYSOSTOM: And yet they did not know it was in his name, but they knew this, that he was lame. Those who had made him stand like a healthy man—they themselves confessed that it was not by their own power but by that of Christ. If this were not so and if they did not truly believe that Christ had risen again, they would not have been willing to establish the honor of a dead man rather than their own, especially while the eyes of the multitude were upon them. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 9.