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A
3:1-11.
The miracle. Its performance.
B
a
3:12-16.
Explanation. `The Name'.
b
3:17-24.
Prophetic application.
B
a
3:25 to 4:10. Explanation. `The Name'.
b
4:11,12.
Prophetic application.
A
4:13-22.
The miracle. Its acknowledgement.
While each of these members has its own structure, we will not set out
the opening and closing sections in detail, as they are fairly obvious, and
the explanatory teaching is developed in the central members. If we will but
pay attention to the way in which this explanation has been written, a number
of items will fall naturally into place, and we shall be able to concentrate
on the dispensational foreshadowing which this miracle represents.
The miracle of restoration
Explanation and prophetic application
B
a
D
13.
The God of our fathers
3:12-24
Abraham
Isaac Jacob.
E
13.
Glorified His Son Jesus.
F 14,15.Denial, detention and death of Christ.
G 15.
Witnesses to resurrection.
H
16.The Power of the Name.
I
16.Perfect soundness before all.
b
J17,18.Fulfilment. Mouth of prophets.
Suffering.
K 19-21.Repent; refreshing; restitution.
J
21.
Fulfilment. Mouth of prophets.
K 22-24. Hear ... if not ... destroyed.
B
a
D 25.
The God of our fathers
Abraham.
3:25 to
E
26. Raised up His Son Jesus.
4:12
F 4:3-7. Detention and opposition to apostles.
G 2. Witness to resurrection.
H
8-10. The power of the Name.
I
10.
Whole before all.
b
J 11. The rejected Stone
becomes Head.
K 12. Neither the healing
in any other.
J 12. None other name under heaven.
K 12. Whereby saved
(healing of nation).
There is an insistence in this record on the fact that the Lord's name,
in the power of which the lame man was healed, is `Jesus Christ of Nazareth'.
The choice of this name out of the many borne by the Lord, is as inspired as
any other part of Scripture, and has a definite bearing on the teaching of
the passage. Most readers will know that the title never occurs in the
epistles written to the church. Five times in the Acts we meet the title
`Jesus of Nazareth', but on the two occasions when it is used by Peter in
connection with this miracle, it is `Jesus Christ of Nazareth'. This is
important, because it stresses the Messiahship of the rejected One, the
acknowledgment of which is closely connected with the prophetic
interpretation of the miracle. John, who was with Peter in the working of
this miracle, has told us that Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross: