The Way Home
THE BEAUTIFUL GATE
Story 2 -
Acts 3:1-3; 4:1-21
The two apostles, Peter and John, were one day going up to the Temple at the afternoon hour of prayer, about three o’clock. They walked across the court of the Gentiles, which was a large open square paved with marble. It was called Solomon’s Porch. On its eastern side was a double row of pillars with a roof. In front of this porch was the main entrance to the Temple, through a gate which was called “The Beautiful Gate.” At this gate, outside the Temple, Peter and John saw a lame man. All his life he had never been able to walk; and there he sat, hoping that some of those who went into the Temple might have pity and give him a little money. Peter and John stopped in front of this man; and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at the two apostles, thinking they were about to give him something. But Peter said: “Silver and gold have I none; but what I have that I will give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!”
Then Peter took hold of the lame man’s right hand and raised him up. At once the lame man felt a new power entering into his feet and ankle bones. He leaped up and stood upon his feet, and then began to walk, as he had never done before in all his life. He walked up the steps with the two apostles and went with them into the Temple, walking and leaping and praising God. The people, who now saw him leaping up and running, knew him, for they had seen him every day sitting as a beggar at the Beautiful Gate. Everyone was filled with wonder at the change which had come over him.
After worshiping and praising God in the Temple, and still with Peter and John, the man went out with them into Solomon’s Porch. A great crowd of people then came together to see both the man who had been made well, and the two men who had healed him.
Peter then stood up and spoke to the crowd of people. He said: “You men of Israel, why do you look wondering on this man? Or why do you fix your eyes upon us, as though by our own power or goodness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has in this way shown the power and the glory of His Son Jesus; whom you gave up to His enemies and whom you refused before Pontius Pilate, when Pilate was determined to set Him free. But you refused the Holy One and the Righteous One, and chose the murderer Barabbas to be set free in His place; and you killed the Prince of Life, whom God raised from the dead. We who have seen Him risen from the dead declare that this is true. And the power of Jesus, through faith in Him, has made this man strong. Yes, it is faith in Christ that has given him this perfect soundness before all of you. Now, my brothers, I am sure that you did not know that it was the Son of God and your own Savior whom you sent to the cross. Therefore turn to God in sorrow for this great sin and God will forgive you; and in His own time He will again send Jesus Christ. God who has raised up His Son is ready to bless you, so every one of you turn away from his sins.”
While Peter was speaking, the priests, the captain of the Temple, and the rulers came to them, because they were angry when they heard Peter speak these words. They took hold of Peter and John, and locked them up for the night. But many of those who had heard Peter speaking believed on Jesus and sought the Lord; and the number of followers of Christ grew from three thousand to five thousand.
On the next day the rulers came together. Annas and Caiaphas, the two high priests were present, as well as many of their friends. They had brought Peter and John before the group. The lame man who had been healed was still with the two apostles. The rulers asked: “By what power or through whom have you done this?”
Then Peter spoke boldly to the priests and rulers. He said: “You rulers of the people and elders, if you are asking us about the good deed done to this helpless man, how it was that he was made well, I will tell you that by the name and the power of Jesus of Nazareth, whom you put to death on the cross, whom God raised from the dead; even by Him this man stands here before you strong and well. And there is no salvation except through Jesus Christ, for there is no other person under heaven who can save us from our sins.” When these rulers saw how bold and strong the words of Peter and John were they wondered, especially since they knew that they were plain men; not learned in books and not used to speaking in public. They remembered that they had seen these men among the followers of Jesus, and they felt that in some way Jesus had given them this power. And since the man who had been healed was standing beside them, they could say nothing to deny that a wonderful work had been done.
The rulers sent Peter and John out of the council room, so they could talk in private among themselves. They said to each other: “What shall we do to these men? We cannot deny that they have done a wonderful work, and everyone knows it. But we must stop this from spreading among the people. Let us command them not to speak to any man about the name of Jesus; and let us tell them that if they do speak, we will punish them.”
So they called the two apostles back into the room and said, “We forbid you to speak about Jesus and the power of His name, to any man. If you do not stop talking about Jesus, we will lay hands on you and put you in prison and will have you beaten.”
Peter and John answered: “Whether it is right to obey you or to obey God, you be the judge. As for us, we cannot keep silent; we must speak of what we have seen and heard.”
The rulers were afraid to harm Peter and John, because they knew that the people praised God for the good work they had done. The rulers knew that the people would be angry if harm came to them. So, fearing the people, they let them go. Then Peter and John went to their friends, and gave thanks to God for helping them speak His word without fear.
