Acts 3:7
And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Acts 3:7
In this moment, Peter and John encounter the man who had sat at the Beautiful Gate, a familiar crippled figure for years. The healing comes not through the apostles’ own power or merit, but through the authority vested in Jesus’ name and the Spirit’s empowerment. The wording—“he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength”—emphasizes a personal, intentional intervention. This is not a gradual healing; it is instantaneous, dramatic, and public. The act of grasping the man’s hand signals partnership and care, bridging human compassion with divine power. The miracle occurs in the context of temple life and a crowd gathering, highlighting how God’s works break into ordinary spaces and reveal the gospel’s power to transform lives, not just souls but bodies and social standing as well.
Historical-cultural notes remind us that the Temple (Solomon’s porch, etc.) was a hub of prayer, ritual, and pilgrims. A healed cripple would instantly disrupt social expectations—someone dependent on alms becomes a person with mobility and dignity. This shows God’s concern for the vulnerable and the way Jesus’ continuing work continues through his apostles.
The miracle demonstrates the continuity between Jesus’ ministry and the apostles’ work. It testifies to the power in Jesus’ name and to faith that trusts God’s action over human technique. Notice the emphasis on “immediately” and “feet and ankle bones received strength”—God’s power to restore shalom body and vocation. The scene also challenges spectators to discern the source of healing, not the recipient’s own piety or the apostles’ charisma, but God’s gracious intervention through faith.
The event foregrounds themes of restoration, dignity, and mission: the cripple is restored so he can participate in worship and witness. It also foreshadows the broader scope of salvation—physical healing as a sign pointing to spiritual healing in Christ and the vindication of Jesus as the Messiah whom Israel had rejected.
This passage invites believers to trust in God’s power to heal, while acknowledging that healing may come in forms beyond physical restoration. We can learn to be agents of God’s healing by extending practical help (financial aid, transportation, medical support) and praying with hopeful faith, not as magical formulas but as intersections of God’s power with human need. The act of reaching out—Peter taking the man by the hand—models discipleship: move toward others in concrete, compassionate action and invite them into a broader community of worship and witness.
Practical examples: volunteer at a healthcare or social-service ministry; offer prayer alongside practical support for someone with a disability; advocate for accessibility in church and public spaces; teach communities to see people with disabilities with dignity as bearers of God’s image.
Cross-References
- Luke 6:19
- Mark 2:9-12
- James 2:14-17
- 1 Corinthians 12:9-10