Act 3:1 | KingComments | STEP | Two of the apostles, Peter and John, go to the temple together. Although they are Christians through baptism with the Holy Spirit, they still cling to certain Jewish statutes. One of those statutes is going up to the temple at the hour of prayer. The first period of Christendom is a time of transition. Through the service of Paul, who is called further on in Acts, the truth about Christendom will be fully unfolded. This will detach the hearts from Judaism and connect them with understanding to the glorified Lord in heaven. For all those who still find it difficult to let go of Judaism, in the year 70 the final breakthrough will be worked by God by abandoning Jerusalem to destruction by the Romans. This will put an end to the possibility to visit the temple. They go to the temple as a house of prayer ( ; ). The hour of prayer, the ninth – that is three o’clock in the afternoon our time – is the hour of the evening burnt offering. It is the hour at which Elijah received an answer to his prayer ( ) and the hour at which Daniel also received an answer to his prayer centuries later ( ). It is also the hour when the Lord Jesus did not receive an answer when He called ( ). At that hour Peter and John go to the temple to unfold the power of the Name of the Lord Jesus in front of the crowd. It is nice to see that the first work of power that is described takes place in the context of prayer.

‏ Acts 3:1

To the Temple to Pray

Two of the apostles, Peter and John, go to the temple together. Although they are Christians through baptism with the Holy Spirit, they still cling to certain Jewish statutes. One of those statutes is going up to the temple at the hour of prayer.

The first period of Christendom is a time of transition. Through the service of Paul, who is called further on in Acts, the truth about Christendom will be fully unfolded. This will detach the hearts from Judaism and connect them with understanding to the glorified Lord in heaven. For all those who still find it difficult to let go of Judaism, in the year 70 the final breakthrough will be worked by God by abandoning Jerusalem to destruction by the Romans. This will put an end to the possibility to visit the temple.

They go to the temple as a house of prayer (Isa 56:7b; Lk 19:46). The hour of prayer, the ninth – that is three o’clock in the afternoon our time – is the hour of the evening burnt offering. It is the hour at which Elijah received an answer to his prayer (1Kgs 18:36-38) and the hour at which Daniel also received an answer to his prayer centuries later (Dan 9:21). It is also the hour when the Lord Jesus did not receive an answer when He called (Mt 27:46). At that hour Peter and John go to the temple to unfold the power of the Name of the Lord Jesus in front of the crowd. It is nice to see that the first work of power that is described takes place in the context of prayer.