3:1 at the hour of prayer. Note that the apostles and their converts continued in the regular practices of the Jewish religion, in addition to their new activities as Christian witnesses. In reality, they were not seeking to establish a new religion but rather to extend and fulfill all that their Biblical faith and practice had been promising would take place when the Messiah came.

3:16 his name. The “name” includes many names, each of which indicates a vital truth concerning Him. Note the following, in the immediate context: “His Son Jesus” (Acts 3:13); “the Holy One and the Just” (Acts 3:14); “The Prince of life” (Acts 3:15); “[His] Christ” (Acts 3:18); “the Lord” (Acts 3:19); and “a prophet” (Acts 3:22). In addition to these, many other names and titles are ascribed in Scripture to Christ. See, for example, John 1:1-34 (Word, Light, Lamb of God, Son of God, etc.) and Isaiah 9:6 (Wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace), in addition to His full name, so to speak, the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:36).

3:19 times of refreshing. The “times of refreshing” in Acts 3:19, beginning with the first coming of Christ, are a foreshadowing of the “times of restitution” in Acts 3:21, at His second coming. The Greek word for “refreshing,” used only here, literally means “reviving,” or “breathing again,” referring evidently to the new birth which results from repentance and conversion. Note also that, when Peter here urged listeners to repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,” he did not add, “be baptized,” as he had in his first sermon (Acts 2:38). This further indicates that baptism is not required for salvation and forgiveness, though its importance and immediacy are undoubtedly still assumed.

3:20 send Jesus Christ. In his first sermon (Acts 2:14-36), Peter had not mentioned Christ’s second coming, though he had covered His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. Now, however, he does emphasize it, as the two “men” had at Christ’s ascension (Acts 1:10-11).

3:21 times of restitution. “Restitution” is from a Greek word used only this one time in the New Testament, though it is closely related to a word meaning “restore.” The promise thus means that, when Christ comes again, He will restore all things to their primeval perfection, before sin and the curse came into the world. Compare Revelation 21:5; 22:3.

3:21 since the world began. Note that God’s prophets have been prophesying the restoration of all things ever “since the world began,” not just beginning some four billion years after the world began, as evolutionists would allege. There is no Biblical basis whatever for the notion of vast ages since creation. Compare Mark 10:6: Luke 1:70. It should be recognized that there is no scientific proof that the world is older than the few thousand years of recorded history. All such age calculations that yield vast eons of time are based upon the premise of uniformitarianism, which is the belief that everything has been uniform from the beginning of time, and there has been no universal catastrophe such as the worldwide Flood. This is an invalid assumption in light of the records of special creation and the worldwide Flood in the days of Noah. See notes on II Peter 3:3-6.

3:22 Moses truly said. See Deuteronomy 18:15,18. This was one of the earliest of the many Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament.

3:25 saying unto Abraham. Here Peter refers back to the very beginning of the people of Israel, quoting the Messianic promise of Genesis 12:3.

3:25 thy seed. The “seed” that will bring such worldwide blessing specifically means “Jesus Christ,” as is evident from the next verse. This interpretation is further confirmed in Galatians 3:16.