Healing a Beggar

Acts 3-4

            In today’s reading, Peter and John heal a crippled man. This action draws a crowd and becomes an opportunity to preach about Jesus. As we’d expect, the Jewish leaders don’t appreciate the effort, but the apostles are defiant. Witness and persecution are two main themes of Acts.

            There are a couple of things to highlight in the passage. First, Peter and John understand the miracle not as their own but an extension of the healing ministry of Jesus. They also see it as a promise of a greater gift to be given—times of refreshing, ultimately poured out on the last day at the resurrection. The chief priests were particularly disturbed at this aspect of the apostles’ teaching, namely, the resurrection of the dead (4:2). Why would that be a problem? Strange as it may sound to our ears, in ancient Israel resurrection was considered a revolutionary idea—not in the sense “no one ever thought of that before,” but in the sense that it was associated with revolutionaries who sought the overthrow of the occupying powers. So, it was considered subversive, dangerous.

            The last thing to notice is Peter’s bold declaration about Jesus: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” It’s an exclusive claim very similar to Yahweh’s in the Old Testament, that He would not share His glory with another. So, Jesus claims to be the exclusive way to salvation.