Teks -- Acts 3:12 (NET)

3:12 When Peter saw this, he declared to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us as if we had made this man walk by our own power or piety?

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Act 3:12 - Answered

Answered ( apekrinato ).

First aorist middle indicative. The people looked their amazement and Peter answered that.

Robertson: Act 3:12 - Ye men of Israel

Ye men of Israel ( Andres Israēleitai ).

Covenant name and so conciliatory, the stock of Israel (Phi 3:5).

Robertson: Act 3:12 - At this man

At this man ( epi toutōi ).

Probably so, though it could be "at this thing."

Robertson: Act 3:12 - Fasten you your eyes

Fasten you your eyes ( atenizete ).

The very verb used about Peter in Act 3:4.

Robertson: Act 3:12 - On us

On us ( hēmin ).

Dative case, emphatic proleptical position before tōi atenizete .

Robertson: Act 3:12 - On us why do ye fasten your eyes? As though

On us why do ye fasten your eyes? As though ( hōs ).

Hōs with the participle gives the alleged reason, not always the true one.

Robertson: Act 3:12 - Power

Power ( dunamei ).

Instrumental case, causa effectiva .

Robertson: Act 3:12 - Godliness

Godliness ( eusebeiāi ).

Causa meritoria .

Robertson: Act 3:12 - Had made

Had made ( pepoiēkosin ).

Perfect active participle of poieō .

Robertson: Act 3:12 - To walk

To walk ( tou peripatein ).

Articular infinitive in the genitive case of result, purpose easily shading off into result (ecbatic infinitive) as here as is true also of hina .

Vincent: Act 3:12 - He answered

He answered

The question expressed in the people's explanations of surprise.

Vincent: Act 3:12 - Men of Israel

Men of Israel

Lit., men, Israelites. An honorable and conciliatory form of address. The term Israelite gradually gave place to that of Jew; but Israel was the sacred name for the Jews, as the nation of the theocracy, the people under God's covenant, and hence was for the Jew his especial badge and title of honor. " To be descendants of Abraham, this honor they must share with the Ishmaelites; of Abraham and Isaac, with the Edomites; but none except themselves were the seed of Jacob, such as in this name of Israelite they were declared to be. Nor was this all, but more gloriously still, their descent was herein traced up to him, not as he was Jacob, but as he was Israel, who, as a prince, had power with God and with men, and had prevailed" (Trench, " Synonyms" ). So Paul, in enumerating to the Philippians his claims to have confidence in the flesh, says he was " of the stock of Israel. " It is said that the modern Jews in the East still delight in this title.

Vincent: Act 3:12 - Our own

Our own ( ἰδίᾳ )

See on Act 1:7.

Wesley: Act 3:12 - Peter answered the people

Who were running together, and inquiring into the circumstances of the fact.

JFB: Act 3:12-16 - why marvel at this?

For miracles are marvels only in relation to the limited powers of man.

JFB: Act 3:12-16 - 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 us, mere agents of Him whom we preach.

Clarke: Act 3:12 - As though by our own power

As though by our own power - Δυναμει, Miraculous energy

Clarke: Act 3:12 - Or holiness

Or holiness - Η ευσεβειᾳ, Meaning religious attachment to the worship of God. Do not think that we have wrought this miracle by any power of our own; or that any supereminent piety in us should have induced God thus to honor us, by enabling us to work it. Instead of ευσεβειᾳ, holiness, the Syriac of Erpen, Armenian, Vulgate, and some copies of the Itala, have εξουσιᾳ, power or authority; but the first appears to be the legitimate reading.

Calvin: Act 3:12 - Men of Israel

12.Men of Israel He beginneth his sermon with a reproving of the people. And yet doth he not simply reprove them because they wonder; for that was altogether profitable and worthy praise; but because they do wickedly ascribe unto men that praise which is due to the work of God. As if he should say, Ye do amiss, in that you stay in us, and stand gazing upon us, whereas you ought rather to look upon God and Christ. Therefore, this is to be amazed evilly, when as our minds do stay in men. And we must note that he condemneth the respect of men; as if, saith he, we by our own power and virtue had done this. Therefore there is an error and corruption in this, if we attribute that unto the godliness and power of men which is proper to God and Christ. And, as concerning power, no man will deny that it cometh of God; yet when they have confessed this in one word, they do not cease to take from God his right, to the end they may adorn the creatures with that which they take from him; as we see the Papists place the power of God in the saints; yea, they include his power in a stone or stock of wood, so soon as the image is consecrated to Barbara or Chrysogonus. But, notwithstanding, let us suppose that they do not offend in that former member; yet do they foolishly think that they have done their duty toward God, when as they leave him the power, and assign the miracles unto the godliness of saints. For why do they run unto them, when they will obtain either rain or fair weather, or be delivered from diseases, unless they do imagine that they have by their godliness deserved that God should grant them this right and privilege? This is, therefore, but a childish starting-hole, ¹⁸⁰ when they confess that God is the author of the power; but they thank the godliness of saints for those benefits which they have received. Howsoever they color the matter, we must always know this, that Peter doth generally condemn those which do so look unto men in miracles, that they think that their holiness is the cause thereof. This is the first part of the sermon, wherein he reproveth superstition. And we must note his manner and order of teaching. For because men are inclined to nothing more than to fall from God unto the creatures, it is very expedient to prevent this vice in time. And if the people were forbidden to look unto the apostles, much more doth the Spirit draw us away from calling upon every petty saint.

TSK: Act 3:12 - Ye men // or // as

Ye men : Act 2:22, Act 13:26; Rom 9:4, Rom 11:1

or : Act 10:25, Act 10:26, Act 14:11-15; Gen 40:8, Gen 41:16; Dan 2:28-30; Joh 3:27, Joh 3:28, Joh 7:18

as : 2Co 3:5

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Act 3:12 - He answered // Ye men of Israel // By our own power or holiness

He answered for he said, an ordinary Hebraism, though no question was put unto him: thus the evangelist tells us that our Saviour answered and said, when there was no previous question spoken of, Mat 11:25 . Nay, Jesus answered and said unto the fig tree, Mar 11:14 ; that is, he spake powerfully unto it.

Ye men of Israel an ingratiating compellation, they ever valuing themselves and others on that account.

By our own power or holiness: holiness, were it never so real and great in men, cannot cause the least miracle, although it is itself, all things considered, a very great one.

Haydock: Act 3:12 - Peter seeing, made answer to the people // Why look you upon us?

Peter seeing, made answer to the people. This is the second sermon, that is related, which, as St. John Chrysostom, observes, was spoken publicly in the temple. ---

Why look you upon us? St. Peter, at the beginning take care to give the glory to God. (Witham)

Gill: Act 3:12 - And when Peter saw it // he answered unto the people, ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this // or why look ye so earnestly on us // as though by our own power and holiness we had made this man to walk

And when Peter saw it,.... That the people ran to them, and looked wistly upon them, and wondered at what was done:

he answered unto the people, ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? either at this man, who was cured of his lameness, or at the cure itself:

or why look ye so earnestly on us; suggesting, that they ought to look to God, and observe his divine power, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, whom they had crucified, whose apostles they were, and in whose name, and by whose power they had wrought this miracle; which shows that they were not self-seeking and vain glorious men, but discovers great sincerity and integrity, much love to Christ, and great regard to his honour, and to the glory of God:

as though by our own power and holiness we had made this man to walk? as if it was any natural power of theirs; or for any merit of theirs, because of their strict religion and piety; or "laudable conversation", as the Arabic version; because they were mightier in themselves and holier than others, that they had such a faculty of curing lame persons; all which they utterly reject, and place it to a right account in the next verse. Instead of "holiness", the Syriac version reads "authority"; and to the same, or like sense, the Vulgate Latin, which seems most agreeable.