For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was showed.
forty.
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;
Acts 9:33 And there he found a certain man named AEneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
Matthew 9:20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
was over forty years old
The mention of the man's age highlights the chronic nature of his condition, underscoring the miraculous nature of his healing. In biblical times, reaching the age of forty was significant, often symbolizing a generation or a period of testing and trial, as seen in the Israelites' forty years in the wilderness (Numbers 14:33-34). The fact that the man was over forty emphasizes the long duration of his suffering and the undeniable power of the miracle, as he had been known to the community for many years as a beggar at the temple gate. This detail adds credibility to the miracle, as it was witnessed by many who could attest to the man's previous condition.
- The verse begins with “For,” signaling that what follows explains why the Sanhedrin could not refute Peter and John’s testimony (Acts 4:16: “What shall we do with these men?… a remarkable sign has come about through them, and we cannot deny it.”).
- “For” ties the undeniable facts of the healed man to the apostles’ bold proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 4:10).
- As in John 9:30–33, the word underscores that logical evidence backs the gospel message; truth is not based on wishful thinking but on verifiable acts of God.
- Luke draws attention to a specific individual—no anonymous story but a recognizable person who had sat “at the temple gate called Beautiful” (Acts 3:2).
- His presence in Jerusalem’s public life made his transformation common knowledge (Acts 4:14).
- Personal testimony remains powerful (Mark 5:19); one changed life embodies the gospel in flesh and blood.
- The healing was instantaneous and complete: “Immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened” (Acts 3:7).
- It confirmed Old-Testament promises of Messiah’s power (Isaiah 35:6).
- The miracle authenticated the message of salvation through Jesus (Hebrews 2:3–4).
- Such signs still point back to Christ, never to human glory (Acts 3:12).
- Forty-plus years of lameness magnified the wonder; no natural recovery could explain it (cf. John 5:5, a thirty-eight-year infirmity).
- His age meant he was legally a responsible witness (Numbers 1:3), silencing any claim that youthful imagination or parental coaching shaped his story (John 9:21).
- The long-standing disability pictures humanity’s helplessness until Christ intervenes (Ephesians 2:1).
- It also reassures believers that it is never “too late” for God to act (Luke 1:37).
Acts 4:22 underscores the undeniable, public, and mature nature of the temple beggar’s healing. By highlighting the man’s identity, the miraculous quality of his cure, and his age, Luke provides courtroom-worthy evidence that Jesus is alive and powerful. The verse invites readers to trust the same risen Lord whose works are both historically solid and personally transformative.
(22) The man was above forty years old.--This precision in noting the duration of disease or infirmity is again characteristic of the writer. Comp. the case of the woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8:43); of 'neas (Acts 9:33); of the cripple at Lystra (Acts 14:8).Verse 22. - More than for above, A.V.; wrought for showed, A.V. Wrought; literally, as in ver. 16, came to pass, or happened, or took place.