<p>3:7 <i>And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankle-bones received strength<em>- </em></i>The word is used of the strengthening of the early converts, also by the Spirit (Acts 16:5 &quot;So the churches were strengthened in the faith&quot;). Again the idea is that the man was representative of the wider ecclesia; see on 3:6.</p><p>Luke has a favourite Greek word, often translated &ldquo;forthwith&hellip; immediately&rdquo; (Acts 3:7; 5:10; 9:18; 12:23; 13:11; 16:26,33). This is quite some emphasis; and Luke uses the very same word a lot in his Gospel, as if to&nbsp;show that the speed and power and achievement of the Lord&rsquo;s ministry is continued in that of His ministers now (Lk. 1:64; 4:39; 5:25; 8:44,47,55; 13:13; 18:43; 19:11; 22:60). The word is scarcely used outside Luke&rsquo;s writing, although using different words, Mark also notes the speed and immediacy of the Lord's ministry. And Luke uses many other words to stress the speed and urgency and fast moving nature of the Lord&rsquo;s work. They are worth highlighting in your Bible; for our ministry is a continuation of that of our early brethren (Acts 9:18-20,34; 10:33; 11:11; 12:10; 16:10; 17:10,14; 21:30,32; 22:29; 23:30).</p><p>Peter understood what it was to be in Christ. All that he did, all that he preached and taught by word and example, was a witness to the one in whom he lived and had his being. As he reached forth his right hand to lift up the cripple, he was manifesting how the right hand of God had lifted up (in resurrection) and exalted His Son and all those in Him (Acts 3:7). Likewise, he took Tabitha <em>by the hand</em> and then <em>lifted her up</em> and &ldquo;presented her alive&rdquo; (Acts 9:41), just as the Father had done to His Son. When Peter &ldquo;stood up&rdquo; after his conversion (Acts 1:15; 2:14), he was sharing the resurrection experience of his Lord. And now he reflected this in his preaching to others. As God stretched forth His hand to heal through Christ (Acts 4:30), so Peter did (Acts 9:41). And he includes us all in the scope of this wondrous operation: for as God&rsquo;s hand exalted Christ, so it will exalt each of us who humble ourselves beneath it (1 Pet. 5:6). &nbsp;</p>