Held Peter and John - The word "held" means that he "adhered" to them; he "joined himself" to them; he was desirous of "remaining" with them and "participating" with them. "He clung to his benefactors, and would not be separated from them" (Prof. Hackett).

All the people ... - Excited by curiosity, they came together. The fact of the cure and the conduct of the man would soon draw together a crowd, and thus furnish a favorable opportunity for preaching to them the gospel.

In the porch ... - This "porch" was a covered way or passage on the east side of the temple. It was distinguished for its magnificence. See the plan and description of the temple, notes on Matthew 21:12.

Held Peter and John - He felt the strongest affection for them, as the instruments by which the Divine influence was converted to his diseased body.

In the porch that is called Solomon's - On this portico see Bp. Pearce's note, inserted in this work, John 10:23 (note).

And as the lame man which was healed,.... This is left out in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, and in the Alexandrian copy, which only read, and as he

held Peter and John; by their clothes or arms, either through fear, lest his lameness should return on their leaving him; or rather out of affection to them for the favour he had received, and therefore hung about them, and was loath to part with them; unless it was to make them known, and point them out as the authors of his cure, that they might be taken notice of by others, and the miracle be ascribed unto them:

all the people ran together unto them; to the man that was healed, and to Peter and John, when they saw him standing, walking, and leaping, and clinging about the apostles; who were

in the porch that is called Solomon's; See Gill on John 10:23.

greatly wondering; at the man that was cured; at the cure that was wrought upon him; and still more at the persons who did it, and the manner in which it was done.

The lame man which was healed

The best texts omit. Render as he held.

Held (κρατοῦντος)

Held them firmly, took fast hold. The verb from κράτος, strength.

Greatly wondering (ἔκθαμβοι)

Wondering out of measure (ἐκ). Compare wonder (Acts 3:10).

And as the lame man which was healed {b} held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.

(b) Either because he loved them who had healed him, or because he feared that if he let them go out of his sight that he would become lame again.

3:11 Ran together... in the porch that is called Solomon's. The marvel assembled a concourse who gathered in Solomon's porch, a great covered portico of the temple, built on foundations that had been reared by Solomon, and hence called by his name.

11. the lame man . held, &c.-This is human nature.

all the people ran together unto them in the porch, &c.-How vividly do these graphic details bring the whole scene before us! Thus was Peter again furnished with a vast audience, whose wonder at the spectacle of the healed beggar clinging to his benefactors prepared them to listen with reverence to his words.

3:1-11 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!