One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. – Acts 3:1

Today's Scripture Reading (February 28, 2024): Acts 3

Several years ago, I attended a worship service at a local Hindu Temple. It was a bit of an intimidating experience. I had actually visited the Temple earlier in the week to enquire about the worship experience and whether it would be okay for me to attend a service. I was formally invited, but the person I spoke to stressed that I would be asked to remove my shoes at the entrance. I replied that that was not a problem.

As a result, on a Friday evening, I arrived at the Temple, took off my shoes, and was invited to sit in a chair with the elders of the Temple while the younger men and women gathered on the floor of the Temple; women on one side and men on the other. It was a thought-provoking experience as I watched the worshippers enter the Temple, often bringing their sacrifices of fruits and vegetables and laying them at the front of the Temple area in front of the images of the gods.

At one point, a worship team came and led the worshippers in songs of praise to the various gods. Fire and food were passed around to the worshippers, which included me, and while it was never mentioned, I suspected that the food had been offered as a sacrifice to the gods.

It was an enlightening experience and one that I very much enjoyed. But my purpose for being there was different from anybody else's. Most, almost all, of the gathered, attended the temple and made sacrifices because they believed in the various gods whose images were prominently displayed at the front of the temple. I was an interloper who did not worship the multiple gods of this Temple. I had attended to gain an understanding of the people and the way their beliefs had shaped their worship experience. As a result, our purposes didn't mesh, but my purpose was recognized by one of the Temple worshippers who exclaimed as I left, "Praise the Lord!" But purpose is important. Just because I attended a Hindu Temple did not mean that I was a Hindu worshipper; neither was I ever accepted as one during my visit.

What is significant in this passage is Luke's choice of words. He says that Peter and John were going to the Temple at three in the afternoon, the hour of prayer. What is significant about the phrase is that while three in the afternoon is the hour of prayer, it is also the hour of sacrifice. Three in the afternoon is when the second lamb of the day would be offered to God to atone for the sin of the nation. Peter and John still believed in the God of Israel and that the hour of prayer was essential. But they also believed that the time of sacrifice had ended. Jesus was now the sacrifice that Israel needed. So, while Peter and John still went to the Temple, their purpose had changed. It was no longer about sacrifice but rather about prayer.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 4