Peter and John went to the temple at the ninth hour because they were still faithfully practicing Jewish temple worship; no one had told them to stop.
In Acts 3:1, Scripture says they went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Les Feldick points out that this was not a church meeting but the regular Jewish temple prayer time, and that these men remained law-keepers who had not yet been told to leave the temple worship.
Acts 3:1 — This verse records exactly where and when Peter and John went, and the text itself identifies the ninth hour as the hour of prayer.
Acts 3:1 records: 'Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.' The book of Acts also shows that the early believers were still devoted to the temple: Acts 2:46 says they were 'continuing daily with one accord in the temple.' Later, in Acts 5:42, the apostles taught 'daily in the temple' after being released from the council. The text itself presents the ninth hour as the established hour of prayer, so their visit was tied to that set Jewish practice.
Les Feldick stresses that Peter and John were not going to a church building; they went 'to the temple.' He asks, 'No one has told them to stop temple worship. They're still rabidly involved in it' (Clip 0). Even after Pentecost, these men were still keeping the Law and following Jewish ritual. Les notes that Christianity has no designated hour of prayer; there is nothing in church doctrine that stipulates a particular time to meet for prayer, whereas the Jewish system had this habit. He explains that Peter and John were still under the covenant economy, going all the way back to Exodus 19, and had no concept yet of the grace that would be poured out later (Clips 3). Les also observes that the temple was still operating and was still the center of Jewish life (Clip 6), and that believing Jews like Ananias were still devout under the Law seven years after Pentecost (Clip 7). The relevance to the question is simple: Peter and John went to the temple at the hour of prayer because they were still practicing Judaism and had not been told to stop.
Les says Christianity never had designated hours of prayer like the Muslim world; Paul never teaches a specific ritual of prayer. The ninth-hour prayer at the temple was a Jewish habit and ritual, not a church instruction (Clips 1, 2, 3).
Acts 3:1 records them going to the temple just a few days after Pentecost. In Acts 5:42 they were still daily in the temple, and Les emphasizes the temple was still operating and the center of Jewish life (Clip 6). No one had told them to stop (Clips 0, 4).
Les teaches that believing Jews at this point were still law-keepers; nobody had told them to quit going to the temple or stop keeping the Law. He says even Ananias, a devout believer, was still under the Law seven years after Pentecost. Peter and John were still under the covenant economy and had no concept yet of the grace that would be revealed later (Clips 3, 7).
Continuing Temple Worship
Les asks where Peter and John went—not to a church on the corner but to the temple—and explains that no one had told them to stop temple worship.
Jewish Habit of Prayer
Les says there is no church doctrine that stipulates an hour for prayer; these men were still under the Jewish habit of going to the temple at the ninth hour.
No Designated Prayer Hours in Christianity
Les contrasts Christianity, which never had designated hours of prayer, with the Jewish practice Peter and John still followed.
Still Under the Law
Les says their temple attendance at the appointed hour shows they were still under the covenant economy and had no concept yet of the grace that would come later.
Still Practicing the Law
Les stresses that the temple had not been closed down and that Peter and John were still practicing the Law.
Was Cornelius Really Saved? Acts 10 Explained Verse by Verse
All right, Peter's down here at Joppa, and Cornelius is up here at Caesarea. Now, verse 8, so when he had declared that his Cornelius had shared all these things unto the men that he's going to send, the servants, he sent them to Joppa. Now we come down to verse 9, and we're going to pick up Peter.
Temple Still Operating
Les points to Acts 5, where believers were daily in the temple, and says the temple was still the operating center of Jewish life.
Believing Jews as Law-Keepers
Les says all believing Jews, like Ananias seven years after Pentecost, were still law-keepers who had not been told to stop temple worship.
Acts 3:1: Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
This is the key verse that records where and when Peter and John went to the temple.
Acts 2:46: And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
This shows that the earliest believers, including Peter and John, continued daily in temple worship after Pentecost.
Acts 5:42: And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
This shows that even later in Acts the apostles were still teaching daily in the temple.
Scripture says they went up into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Les explains that they were still involved in temple worship and no one had told them to stop, so they kept the Jewish practice.
Les says no—Christianity never had designated hours of prayer like the Muslim world. Peter and John were following a Jewish habit, and Paul never teaches a specific ritual of prayer.
Les teaches that believing Jews in Acts were still law-keepers; nobody had told them to quit temple worship or stop keeping the Law. Even Ananias seven years after Pentecost was still a devout man after the Law.
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