THE APOSTLE OF THE RECONCILIATION

The parts of this miracle which demand a closer attention are those dealing with the explanation and prophetic

application. The actual narrative of the healing of the lame man is too well known to need repetition here. The lame

man is a type of Israel, unable to enter into the temple of God with prayer or praise. The name of Jesus of Nazareth

is the name whereby the lame man was healed. There is a peculiar emphasis upon this title of our Lord. Never does

this title find a place in the epistles of the Church. It emphasizes that name which Israel had hated, and which He

bore written upon the cross:

`And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS

NAZARETH

KING

OF

OF THE

JEWS' (John 19:19).

This title offended the chief priests, and they said to Pilate:

`Write not, The King of the Jews; but that He said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written

I have written' (John 19:21,22).

Vacillating Pilate becomes adamant when the purpose of God so demands. Jesus of Nazareth is the King of the

Jews, and in that despised name the miracle was accomplished, and by that despised Saviour all Israel must be

The title, Jesus (or Jesus Christ) of Nazareth, occurs seven times in the Acts. In the two passages where the

name occurs in the record of the healing of the lame man, the title is Jesus Messiah the One of Nazareth. The title

conveys the thought, `Whom ye crucified, Whom God raised and exalted': the One `of Nazareth' was nevertheless

`The Christ'.

Peter's opening message to Israel: `Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles ...

crucified ... raised ... ' (2:22-24).

Peter's words to the lame man: ` ... In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk' (3:6).

Peter's words to all the people of Israel: ` ... that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth ... crucified ... raised

... doth this man stand here before you whole' (4:10).

False witnesses say that Stephen taught that ` ... this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall

change the customs which Moses delivered us' (6:14).

Peter's opening message to a Gentile, Cornelius: `God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost (holy

spirit) and with power ... slew ... raised' (10:38-40).

Paul's vision, told to Jews at Jerusalem: `Jesus of Nazareth, Whom Thou persecutest' (22:8).

Paul's statement before king Agrippa: `I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary

to the name of Jesus of Nazareth' (26:9).

The lame man is healed by the power of this name, and enters the temple `walking and leaping and praising

God', typically fulfilling the characteristic of Israel's restoration, `then shall the lame man leap as an hart'. The

miracle attracted a great deal of attention, and Peter took the opportunity to enforce its typical teaching. The

inspired narrative is so simply, yet beautifully arranged, that we will set out its structure in detail, hoping that the

very perfectness of the material will be used to impress all with the greater importance of the subject matter.

A A 1 Peter and John go up to the temple.