The Lord purposed that a crowd gather upon seeing and hearing of the healing of the lame beggar [type of the sinner before God]. The real test of a preacher is what he does when a crowd gathers. Sadly, many simply entertain, others pride themselves in how many came out to hear them, and all of it is nothing but self-glorying, 1 Timothy 4:3, 4. Our LORD Jesus was not moved by men’s frowns and their jeers, their smiles or their cheers. John, who was with Peter in the healing of the lame man, recorded this concerning the LORD Jesus-“many believed in His name, when they saw the miracles which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for HE knew what was in man,” John 2:23-25.
Peter, being taught of the LORD, and having in him the very Spirit of Christ was not deterred by the crowd gathered, nor did he alter his message to speak of himself, the lame man, or the miracle, but of His LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. As the apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians declared, “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified,” 1 Corinthians 2:2.The scripture says, ‘When Peter saw it, he answered…’v.12.
1. “When he saw the crowd running together unto them…” he took that opportunity to preach Christ to them, especially since the LORD purposed that they be in the porch called ‘Solomon.’ Solomon’s temple had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 B.C. And yet, the temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel now had a porch honoring Solomon, much like religion naming buildings or rooms after deceased contributors. Yet, the lame man had been laid there every day without any help for his desperate condition. There is no help in religious traditions. The LORD Jesus alone is the Savior. Peter therefore, led of the Spirit of Christ, took the opportunity to declare to this excited religious crowd the wonders of One greater than the temple itself Matthew 12:6, and One greater than Solomon, Matthew 12:42.
2. When he saw the people attracted by the miracle, he did not preach on miracles, but rather the crucified, risen and exalted LORD Jesus by whom the lame man was made whole- v.16- “And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” There is nothing that Peter attributes to the lame man by way of condition first, but wholly to the LORD Jesus –His name [the honor, character, and glory of HIS PERSON] and His saving work, granting the lame beggar even the FAITH to believe on Him and live. Perfect soundness is the effect of a perfect sacrifice unto God on behalf of the fallen depraved sinner for whom Christ paid the debt, of which this lame beggar was of that number. Faith is the evidence of salvation, by the Spirit, in every sinner for whom Christ has already paid their sin debt, and righteousness imputed once for all by the Father from the cross- Romans 5:9-11.
3. When he saw the people ready to exalt John and him above measure. v. 12- “why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” Neither the might nor the merit of the cure are due to anything in us. The LORD Jesus Christ alone is worthy of ALL the glory in His perfect obedience unto death, His exaltation into glory, and in the effectual saving for every one of His redeemed, justified ones whom HE makes perfectly whole spiritually and eternally.
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