Acts 3:6 MEANING



Acts 3:6
(6) Silver and gold have I none.--The narrative of Acts 2:45 shows that the Apostles were treasurers and stewards of the sums committed to their charge by the generous self-denial of the community. Either, therefore, we must assume that the words meant that they had no silver or gold with them at the time, or that, as almoners, they thought themselves bound to distribute what was thus given them in trust, for the benefit of members of the society of which they were officers and for them only. They, obeying their Lord's commands (Matthew 10:9), had no money that they could call their own to give to those that asked them. But they could give more than money.

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth . . . .--The full trust with which the words were spoken was in part a simple act of faith in their Master's promise (Mark 16:18), in part the result of a past experience in the exercise of like powers (Mark 6:13). And the Name in which they spoke could hardly have been a new name to the cripple. Among the beggars at the Temple-gate there had once been the blind man who received his sight at the pool of Siloam (John 9:7-8). The healing of the cripple at Bethesda (John 5:2; John 5:14) could scarcely have been unknown to the sufferer from a like infirmity. What made the call to rise and walk a test of faith was that, but a few weeks before, that Name had been seen on the superscription over the cross on which He who bore it had been condemned to die as one that deceived the people (John 7:12).

Verse 6. - But for then, A.V.; what I have that for such as I have, A.V.; walk for rise up and walk, A.V. and T.R. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. What Peter meant by "in the Name," he clearly explains in vers. 12 and 16, where he shows that they did not work the miracle by their own power or godliness, but that the lame man was healed by the Name of Jesus, in which he believed. So our Lord said of himself, "I am come in my Father's Name" (John 5:43; comp. John 10:25) Observe the full designation of our Lord as "Jesus Christ of Nazareth" (τοῦ Ναζωραίου), as in Acts 4:10, and comp. Matthew 11:23. The faith which was the condition of the healing (ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει, ver. 16) embraced the humiliation and cross of the Christ (as expressed in the word the Nazarene) as well as his power and glory.

3:1-11 The apostles and the first believers attended the temple worship at the hours of prayer. Peter and John seem to have been led by a Divine direction, to work a miracle on a man above forty years old, who had been a cripple from his birth. Peter, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, bade him rise up and walk. Thus, if we would attempt to good purpose the healing of men's souls, we must go forth in the name and power of Jesus Christ, calling on helpless sinners to arise and walk in the way of holiness, by faith in Him. How sweet the thought to our souls, that in respect to all the crippled faculties of our fallen nature, the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth can make us whole! With what holy joy and rapture shall we tread the holy courts, when God the Spirit causes us to enter therein by his strength!Then Peter said, silver and gold have I none,.... The Ethiopic version reads, "we have none"; and so it reads the next clause in the first person plural; that is, they had no money either of gold or silver coin; they had none about them, nor any of their own perhaps any where; none but what was brought to them, and put into their hands as a common stock for the whole church, or the poor of it: nor indeed might any money be carried in a purse into the temple; See Gill on Matthew 10:9, Mark 11:16 though doubtless they might carry it in their hands, or otherwise, for the offerings, or for the poor, or this man would not have lain here for alms.

But such as I have, give I thee; meaning the gift of healing; not that he communicated that to him, but exercised the gift upon him, by curing him of his lameness; and which was much preferable to large quantities of gold and silver, had he had them to give unto him:

in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth: signifying, that it was by the command of Christ he said what follows; and by his power he wrought the cure which commenced upon it; even by the authority and virtue of him, who was treated with so much contempt by the Jews, and had lately been crucified by them: in his name he bid him

rise up and walk; without making use of any medicines, or applying anything to him; but believing that power would go along with the words, and strength would be communicated to him, by him in whose name he spoke, he said these words: and herein lies the difference between the miracles wrought by Christ, and by his disciples; those that were done by him were done in his own name, and by his own power; those that were performed by his disciples, were done in the name of Christ, and by his power alone; and the Jews themselves own, that the disciples performed cures , "in the name of Jesus" (a).

(a) T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 14. 4. & Avoda Zara, fol. 40. 4.

Courtesy of Open Bible