Acts 3:4

And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Peter, fastening his eyes upon him . . .—See Notes on Luke 4:20, Acts 1:10, where the same characteristic word is used. The gaze was one which read character in the expression of the man’s face, and discerned that he had faith to be healed (Acts 3:16). And he, in his turn, was to look on them that he might read in their pitying looks, not only the wish to heal, but the consciousness of power to carry the wish into effect.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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!

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Fastening his eyes - The word used here denotes "to look intently, or with fixed attention." It is one of the special words which Luke uses (Luke 4:20; Luke 22:56; Acts 1:10; Acts 3:12; Acts 6:15; Acts 7:55; Acts 10:4; etc.) 12 times in all. It is used by no other writer in the New Testament, except twice by Paul, 2 Corinthians 3:7, 2 Corinthians 3:13.

Look on us - All this Was done to fix the attention. He wished to call the attention of the man distinctly to himself, and to what he was about to do. It was also done that the man might be fully apprised that his restoration to health came from him.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

4, 5. Peter fastening his eyes on him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed—that, through the eye, faith might be aided in its birth.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The eye affects the heart, and speaks the compassion he had of this poor man, whom he did not disdain thoroughly and seriously to behold: he excites the lame man’s expectation, and requires his attention, that he might the more mind the manner and means of his cure, and be the better prepared to give God the glory of it.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Peter fastening his eyes upon him,.... Or looking very wistly and intently at him, being, no doubt, under some uncommon impulse of the Spirit of God to take notice of him, and cure him of his disease:

with John; who was also under a like impulse at the same time; and who was equally concerned in this cure, as appears by the notice the man, when healed, took of the one, as well as the other; and by Peter's declaration, Acts 3:11 as also by the following words:

said, look on us; which was said to raise his attention to them, to put him upon observing what manner of men they were, and how unlikely to perform the following cure, and to take notice of the manner in which it would be done. The Jews speak of a supernatural cure effected in such a manner, using such words; and which perhaps is told, with a view to lessen the glory of this (z).

"Elias appeared to one in the likeness of R. Chiyah Rabbah; he said to him, how does my Lord do? he replied to him, a certain tooth distresses me; he said to him, , "look on me"; and he looked on him, and put his finger on it, and he was well.''

(z) T. Hieros. Cetubot, fol. 35. 1.

Geneva Study Bible

And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 3:4. ἀτενίσας, cf. Acts 1:10. βλέψον εἰς ἡμᾶς: it has sometimes been thought that the command was given to see whether the man was a worthless beggar or not (Nösgen), or whether he was spiritually disposed for the reception of the benefit, and would show his faith (as in our Lord’s miracles of healing), or it might mean that the man’s whole attention was to be directed towards the Apostles, as he evidently only expects an alms, Acts 3:5. At the same time, as Feine remarks, the fact that the narrative does not mention that faith was demanded of the man, forms an essential contrast to the narrative often compared with it in Acts 14:9.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, &c.] And doubtless, like Paul at Lystra (Acts 14:9), “perceiving that he had faith to be healed.” For the man’s first act after his cure—“he entered into the temple” (Acts 3:8)—may be taken as an indication of his devout frame of mind.

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 3:4. Ἀτενίσας—βλέψον, fastening his eyes upon him—Look at) Great is the power of a stedfast gaze: ch. Acts 13:9, “Saul set his eyes on Elymas.”

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - Fastening his eyes (ἀτενίσας εἰς αὐτόν). Comp. Luke 4:20, "The eyes of all were fastened upon him (ἤσαν ἀτένιζοντες);" and Acts 22:56, "looking steadfastly." St. Luke also uses the phrase in Acts 1:10; Acts 3:12; Acts 6:15; Acts 7:55; but it is found nowhere else in the New Testament except 2 Corinthians 3:7, 13. Acts 3:4

Vincent's Word Studies

Fastening his eyes (ἀτενἵσας)

See on Luke 4:20; and compare Acts 1:10.

Look (βλέψον)

Attentively. See on Matthew 7:3.