Acts 3:14-16 14But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15but you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16And by faith in his name, you see and know, his name strengthened this man, and the faith through him has given him this complete health in the presence of you all.
Peter summarizes quickly the events that took place at the last Passover, now at least over fifty days previous. He repeats his crucial accusation against the crowd, that they disowned their Messiah (see verse 13). The descriptions of Jesus as the Holy and Righteous One stand in sharp contrast to how the people treated Jesus by rejecting him, handing him over to the Romans, and then bending so low as to ask for the release of the murderer, Barrabas. Holy and righteous are similar in meaning when used ethically. Jesus was without sin and so could be called by both terms. The two words also had messianic overtones for the Jews (John 6:69; Zechariah 9:9). Peter also calls Jesus the
The Jews went even farther and killed the very one who is the Author of life. Their murderous intent and action, and Jesus’ offer of life are another significant contrast. The word author (archēgon) can be founder, pioneer, or originator (used also in 5:31 and Hebrews 2:10; 12:2). The early Christians came to understand Jesus as not only the source of eternal salvation but of all life itself (John 1:1-4). His resurrection from the dead confirmed him as the source of eternal life. The crowd would have to accept the fact that the apostles were telling the truth about seeing the resurrected Jesus. If the people had any doubts, the proof was in the miracle of the lame man now walking and leaping. People today have to accept the written testimony of the apostles and over five hundred other witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:4-8).
Peter gets to the heart of the issue in verse 16. It is one thing to recount the story of Jesus. It is another to call for a decision about this story. Peter makes clear at these very early days of the church that salvation and miracles are experienced by faith in Jesus. The name represents the person. The point that is unclear in this verse is whose faith brought the healing. Luke does not state who. It was likely a combination. Peter and John had faith to even address the man and make the claim that he could be healed in the name of Jesus. The man had to accept their offer, stand up, and start walking. The point that is clear is the source of power is the crucified and now resurrected Jesus, the very person the people schemed to kill. The greater miracle was how the man responded to his healing by praising God. Now he was learning more about the name by which he was healed. He now needed to grow his faith in the person of Jesus and the eternal salvation available through Jesus.
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