Act 3:6, 16, 4:10 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 6. Silver and gold have I none . The man had asked for money; Peter assures him that he had not that to give; it was done, however, in such a way as to show his willingness to aid him, if he had possessed it. Such as I have . Such as is in my power. It is not to be supposed that he meant to say that he originated this power himself, but only that it was entrusted to him. He immediately adds, that it was derived solely from the Lord Jesus Christ. In the name . Comp. . In , it is said, "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils, etc.--they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." The expression means, by his authority, or in virtue of power derived from him . We are here struck with a remarkable difference between the manner in which the Lord Jesus wrought miracles, and that in which it was done by his apostles. He did it in his own name , and by virtue of his own power. He claimed dominion over disease and death. The apostles never attempted to perform a miracle by their own power . It was only in the name of Jesus; and this circumstance alone shows that there was a radical difference between Christ and all other prophets and teachers. Of Nazareth . This was the name by which he was commonly known. By this name he had been designated among the Jews, and on the cross. It is by no means improbable that the man had heard of him by this name; and it was important that he should understand that it was by the authority of him who had been crucified as an impostor. Rise up and walk . To do this would be evidence of signal power. It is remarkable that, in cases like this, they were commanded to do the thing at once. See similar cases in . It would have been easy to allege that they had no power , that they were lame, or sick, or palsied, and could do nothing until God should give them strength. But the command was to do the thing ; nor did the Saviour or the apostles stop to convince them that they could do nothing. They did not doubt that, if it were done, they would ascribe the power to God. Precisely like this is the condition of the sinner. God commands him to do the thing ; to repent, and believe, and lead a holy life. It is not merely to attempt to do it; to make use of means; or to wait on him; but it is actually to repent and believe the gospel . Where he may obtain power to do it is another question. It is easy for him to involve himself in difficulty, as it would have been in these cases. But the command of God is positive, and must be obeyed. If not obeyed, men must perish; just as this man would have been always lame if he had put forth no effort of his own. When done, a convicted sinner will do just as this man did, instinctively give all the praise to God , . (e) "in the name of Jesus"

Acts 3:6

Verse 6. Silver and gold have I none. The man had asked for money; Peter assures him that he had not that to give; it was done, however, in such a way as to show his willingness to aid him, if he had possessed it.

Such as I have. Such as is in my power. It is not to be supposed that he meant to say that he originated this power himself, but only that it was entrusted to him. He immediately adds, that it was derived solely from the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the name. Comp. Acts 4:10. In Mk 16:17,18, it is said, "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils, etc.--they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." The expression means, by his authority, or in virtue of power derived from him. We are here struck with a remarkable difference between the manner in which the Lord Jesus wrought miracles, and that in which it was done by his apostles. He did it in his own name, and by virtue of his own power. He claimed dominion over disease and death. The apostles never attempted to perform a miracle by their own power. It was only in the name of Jesus; and this circumstance alone shows that there was a radical difference between Christ and all other prophets and teachers.

Of Nazareth. This was the name by which he was commonly known. By this name he had been designated among the Jews, and on the cross. It is by no means improbable that the man had heard of him by this name; and it was important that he should understand that it was by the authority of him who had been crucified as an impostor.

Rise up and walk. To do this would be evidence of signal power. It is remarkable that, in cases like this, they were commanded to do the thing at once. See similar cases in Jn 5:8, Mt 9:6, 12:13. It would have been easy to allege that they had no power, that they were lame, or sick, or palsied, and could do nothing until God should give them strength. But the command was to do the thing; nor did the Saviour or the apostles stop to convince them that they could do nothing. They did not doubt that, if it were done, they would ascribe the power to God. Precisely like this is the condition of the sinner. God commands him to do the thing; to repent, and believe, and lead a holy life. It is not merely to attempt to do it; to make use of means; or to wait on him; but it is actually to repent and believe the gospel. Where he may obtain power to do it is another question. It is easy for him to involve himself in difficulty, as it would have been in these cases. But the command of God is positive, and must be obeyed. If not obeyed, men must perish; just as this man would have been always lame if he had put forth no effort of his own. When done, a convicted sinner will do just as this man did, instinctively give all the praise to God, Acts 3:8.

(e) "in the name of Jesus" Acts 4:10

Acts 3:16

Verse 16. And his name. The name of Jesus is here put for Jesus himself; and it is the same as saying, "and he," etc. In this way the word name is often used by the Hebrews, especially when speaking of God, Acts 1:15, 4:12, Eph 1:21, Rev 3:4. It does not mean that there was any efficacy in the mere name of Jesus that should heal the man, but that it was done by his authority and power.

Through faith in his name. By means of faith in him; that is, by the faith which Peter and John had in Jesus. It does not refer to any faith that the man had himself, for there is no evidence that he believed in him; but it was by means of the faith which the apostles exercised in him that the miracle was wrought, and was thus a fulfillment of the declaration in Mt 17:20, "If ye have faith--ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence," etc. This truth Peter repeats two or three times in the verse, to impress it more distinctly on the minds of his hearers.

Whom ye see and know. There could, therefore, be no mistake. He was well known to them. There was no doubt about the truth of the miracle, Acts 4:16, and the only inquiry was in what way it had been done. This Peter affirms to have been accomplished only by the power of the Lord Jesus.

Perfect soundness. ολοκληριαν. This word is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. It denotes integrity of parts, freedom from any defect; and it here means that the cure was perfect and entire, or that he was completely restored to the use of his limbs.

In the presence of you all. You are all witnesses of it, and can judge for yourselves. This shows how confident the apostles were that a real miracle had been performed. They were willing that it should be examined; and this is conclusive proof that there was no attempt at imposture. A deceiver, or one who pretended to work miracles, would have been cautious of exposing the subject to the danger of detection.

Acts 4:10

Verse 10. Be it known, etc. Peter might have evaded the question, or he might have resorted to many excuses and subterfuges, (Calvin,) if he had been desirous of avoiding this inquiry. But it was a noble opportunity for vindicating the honour of his Lord and Master. It was a noble opportunity also for repairing the evil which he had done by his guilty denial of his Lord. Although, therefore, this frank and open avowal was attended with danger, and although it was in the presence of the great and the mighty, yet he chose to state fully and clearly his conviction of the truth. Never was there an instance of greater boldness; and never could there be a more striking illustration of the fitness of the name which the Lord Jesus gave him, that of a rock, Jn 1:42, Mt 16:17,18. The timid, trembling, yielding, and vacillating Simon, he who just before was terrified by a servant girl, and who on the lake was afraid of sinking, is now transformed into the manly, decided, and firm Cephas, fearless before the great council of the nation, and in an unwavering tone asserting the authority of Him whom he had just before denied, and whom they had just before put to death. It is not possible to account for this change except on the supposition that this religion is true. Peter had no worldly motive to actuate him. He had no prospect of wealth or fame by this. Even the hopes of honour and preferment which they had cherished before the death of Jesus, and which might have been supposed to influence them then, were now abandoned by the apostles. Their Master had died; and all their hopes of human honour and power had been buried in his grave. Nothing but the conviction of the truth could have wrought this change, and transformed this timid disciple to a bold and uncompromising apostle.

By the name. By the authority or power, Acts 3:6.

Of Jesus Christ. The union of these two names would be particularly offensive to the sanhedrim. They denied that Jesus was the Christ, or the Messiah; Peter, by the use of the word Christ, affirmed that he was. In the language then used, it would be, "By the name of Jesus, the Messiah."

Of Nazareth. Lest there should be any mistake about his meaning, he specified that he referred to the despised Nazarene; to him who had just been put to death, as they supposed, covered with infamy. Christians little regard the epithets of opprobrium which may be affixed to themselves or to their religion.

Whom ye crucified. There is emphasis in all the expressions that Peter uses. He had before charged the people with the crime of having put him to death, Acts 2:23, 3:14,15; but he now had the opportunity, contrary to all expectation, of urging the charge with still greater force on the rulers themselves, on the very council which had condemned him and delivered him to Pilate. It was a remarkable providence that an opportunity was thus afforded of urging this charge in the presence of the sanhedrim, and of proclaiming to them the necessity of repentance. Little did they imagine, when they condemned the Lord Jesus, that this charge would be so soon urged. This is one of the instances in which God takes the wise in their own craftiness, Job 5:13. They had arraigned the apostles; they demanded their authority for what they had done; and thus they had directly opened the way, and invited them to the serious and solemn charge which Peter here urges against them.

(a) "that by the name" Acts 3:6,16 (*) "whole" "well"