“Petrus autem et Joannes ascendebant in templum ad horam orationis nonam.”
“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.”
“One afternoon Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”
“Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”
“Now Peter and John were going up 305, Esther9, 846 into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.”
Christ in healing a man that was born lame, and well known to all men, both in place and time very famous, by the hands of his Apostles, doth partly confirm them which believed, and partly also calleth others to believe.
To the temple. Though the Jewish ceremonies were shortly to cease, yet it was not unlawful to follow them; and they went to the temple as a proper place for prayer. (Witham) — The ninth hour, that is, about three in the afternoon. But we must here observe, that the Hebrews divided the light into twelve hours, and the dark into twelve hours; so that their hours would be of unequal length: longer in summer, shorter in winter. (Menochius) — The custom of praying three times in the day, is ancient among the Jews. Daniel at Babylon opened his window on the side which looked towards the temple of Jerusalem, and three times a day bent his knees before the Lord. The ancient Fathers of the Church have strongly recommended this established custom of praying three times in the day, morning, noon, and evening. It is indeed not a precept, but a religious observation, to which she invites all her children. See St. Clement of Alexandria, Constit. lib. vii. chap. 24.; Tertullian, de Jejuniis, &c. — In Catholic countries, the toll of a bell at morning, noon, and evening, announces the time for the recital of the Angelus Domini, a short prayer, in honour of the incarnation. At these moments, all, however employed, whether at labour in the field, or at home, all cease from their employment, till they have recited the prayer. The repetition of this, and similar practices, cannot be too strongly recommended to Catholics of the present day. They are of singular advantage in recalling the soul, which is too easily dissipated and distracted, to God, her first beginning, and her last end. (Haydock)
In this chapter we have a miracle and a sermon: the miracle wrought to make way for the sermon, to confirm the doctrine that was to be preached, and to make way for it into the minds of the people; and then the sermon to explain the miracle, and to sow the ground which by it was broken up. I. The miracle was the healing of a man that was lame from his birth, with a word speaking (ver 1-8), and the impression which this made upon the people, ver 9-11. II. The scope of the sermon which was preached here upon was to bring people to Christ, to repent of their sin in crucifying him (ver 12-19), to believe in him now that he was glorified, and to comply with the Father's design in glorifying him, ver 20-26. The former part of the discourse opens the wound, the latter applies the remedy.
Verses 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!