Jesus did not heal the lame man because God's sovereign purpose reserved that healing for Peter and John at the temple gate in Acts 3.
Les Feldick teaches that Jesus purposely bypassed the lame man, even though He must have passed him for three years. The healing was left for Peter and John so that the miracle done in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth would set in motion the events that unfold in Acts 3.
Acts 3:1-10 — This is the passage where Peter and John heal the lame man at the Beautiful gate, the event for which Jesus reserved the miracle.
John 11:6 — Les compares Jesus' deliberate delay in going to Lazarus to the delayed healing of the lame man, showing that God acts with purpose.
In Acts 3:2, a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried daily to the gate of the temple called Beautiful to ask alms of those entering the temple. When Peter and John were about to enter, the man asked them for money. Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6). The man's feet and ankle bones received strength, and he leaped up, stood, walked, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God (Acts 3:7-8). Scripture also records that when Jesus heard Lazarus was sick, He deliberately abode two days still in the same place (John 11:6), a delay that set the stage for Lazarus to die and be raised.
Les Feldick points out that Jesus must have passed this same begging man for three years, off and on, and yet did not heal him. He asks, "Why didn't He heal him?" and answers that the sovereign God does everything with a purpose. Just as Jesus purposely delayed responding to Mary and Martha so Lazarus would die and then be raised, Jesus purposely bypassed this lame man, who had been lame from his mother's womb and was already about forty years old, so that Peter and John could later come to the temple and precipitate the series of events in Acts 3. Les also emphasizes that the healing was done "on the power of the Messiah, the Christ, the Lord Jesus of Nazareth," not on the power of the resurrection, and that it was a continuation of what Jesus had been doing for three years. Peter and John were still going to the temple at the ninth hour of prayer, showing that they had not yet been told to stop temple worship.
Les Feldick says yes. He asks, "Who must have passed that same begging gentleman for three years, off and on? The Lord Himself. Why didn't He heal him?" He then explains that the sovereign God does everything with a purpose, comparing this to the time Jesus deliberately delayed going to Lazarus so that Lazarus would die and He could raise him.
Les teaches that Jesus purposely bypassed the lame man so that Peter and John could "precipitate these series of events" in Acts 3. When Peter said, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk," the man was healed instantly. Les explains that this healing was not done in the power of the resurrection but on the power of the Messiah, continuing the same work Jesus had been doing for three years.
Les notes that Peter and John went up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer, and that no one had told them to stop temple worship. He sees this as evidence that they were still under the covenant economy going all the way back to Exodus 19, and that they had no concept yet of the grace of God that would be revealed later.
Temple Prayer Context
Les points out that Peter and John went to the temple at the ninth hour of prayer and no one had told them to stop temple worship, showing the context in which the lame man was healed.
The Why Question
Les asks why Jesus did not heal the lame man who had been lame from birth and notes that Christ must have passed him many times. He answers that the sovereign God does everything with a purpose, comparing it to the delayed healing of Lazarus.
Purposely Bypassed
Les says Jesus purposely bypassed this forty-year-old lame man so that Peter and John could later heal him and precipitate the series of events in Acts 3.
The Healing Account
Les retells how Peter and John healed the man at the Beautiful gate in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and the man entered the temple leaping and praising God.
The Power of the Messiah
Les explains that the healing was done on the power of the Messiah, not the power of resurrection, continuing what Jesus had been doing for three years.
Under the Covenant Economy
Les uses the fact that Peter and John went to the temple at the required hour of prayer to show that the Twelve were still under the law and the covenant economy.
The 8 Signs in John's Gospel — What They Mean for Israel
Why, it was just miraculously transported from wherever they were until they were at the shore, and we know that there was no reason to fear. Well, both of these miracles now are right in the middle of the eight, and they're both indicating that He was the powerful Creator, God, over everything.
Why Peter Said "Whom You Crucified" — Acts 3 & 4 Explained
And so you come to verse 5, "...it came to pass on the morrow that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, and the Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, as many were as of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem." Now look at that verse. Take it apart.
Acts 3:2: And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
This verse identifies the lame man and the exact location where he sat daily at the temple gate.
Acts 3:6: Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
This is the moment Peter commands the healing in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Acts 3:8: And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
This verse describes the dramatic result that drew the people's wonder and amazement.
John 11:6: When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
Les uses this verse showing Jesus' deliberate delay to demonstrate that God acts with purpose.
Les Feldick says He must have. The Lord Himself passed the same begging man for three years, off and on, yet He did not heal him. Les explains that the sovereign God does everything with a purpose, and this healing was being reserved for Peter and John.
Les compares it to Jesus' delay when Lazarus was sick. Jesus purposely waited so Lazarus would die and then raise him. In the same way, He purposely bypassed the lame man so that Peter and John could later heal him and set the Acts 3 events in motion.
No. Les says they healed him 'on the power of the Messiah, the Christ, the Lord Jesus of Nazareth.' Peter said, 'In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk,' and the man was healed.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did Jesus Never Heal the Lame Man at the Temple?