Acts 3 – The Lame Beggar Healed – Questions

Every Wednesday, I get the privilege to sit with some friends and discuss a portion of text for that week. This week we’re going to be looking at Acts 3. Our time usually consist of us sharing questions about the text with each other. I thought, why not post some that I had about the beginning of Acts 3, where Peter and John heal the lame beggar. Here’s the text:

[3:1] Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. [2] And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. [3] Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. [4] And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” [5] And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. [6] But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” [7] And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. [8] And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. [9] And all the people saw him walking and praising God, [10] and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Here are some questions and thoughts I have…

• Peter and John were going to the temple. The more I read the new testament, the more confused I get on how today we think the early church had nothing to do with that…
• Why is this the first healing that was written about in detail? (The end of Acts 2 mentions the apostles doing many signs, so this wasn’t the first?)
• Is the author trying to draw connections to any of Jesus’s healings?
• Why was it so important to look at the apostles?
• Why is it called the Beautiful Gate?

Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get to share these questions, and I’ll write a follow up post about our discussion on them.

Shalom!