The Shadow of Peter

This event happened … but some question if there were results.

Acts 5:11-15 … "And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them."

I have taken the following discourses from three highly thought of and honored Bible Commentaries. The arguments given are simply and plainly exactly what the Word states. Some have come away thinking the writer of Acts is giving a positive testimony that the shadow of Peter did indeed heal the sick.

But by close observation of what is actually written in the Bible … I can find no proof … of any healing in this manner. Besides, such healing by any man's shadow would bring attention to the man … instead of Jesus.

Read the conclusion all three of these old time men of God came to concerning … "the shadow of Peter."


1.) "As there must have been many diseased people, it is not likely that the apostles, who generally addressed such persons with prayer and the laying on of hands, could reach all those that were brought to them, as fast as their friends could wish.

As they could not get Peter or the other apostles personally to all their sick, they thought if they placed them on that side of the way where the shadow was projected, (the sun probably now declining and consequently the shadow lengthening), they should be healed by the shadow of Peter passing over them, in whose person they thought such miraculous powers were lodged.

But it does not appear that the persons who thus thought and acted were of the number of those converts already made to the faith of Christ; nor does it appear that any person was healed in this way. The writer simply relates the impression made on the people’s minds; and how they acted upon this impression.

I think there is not sufficient evidence here that Peter’s shadow healed any one, though the people thought it could; but allowing that it did, it was God that enabled even an apostle to work a miracle."
(From the commentary of … Adam Clark.)


2.) Concerning the shadow of Peter … "That is, they were laid in the path so that the shadow of Peter as he walked might pass over them. Perhaps the sun was near setting and the lengthened shadow of Peter might be thrown afar across the way.

They were not able to approach him on account of the crowd and they imagined that if they could anyhow come under his influence they might be healed. The writer does not say however, that any were healed in this way, nor that they were commanded to do this. He simply states the impression which was on the minds of the people that it might be.

Whether they were healed by this, it is left for us merely to conjecture. An instance somewhat similar is recorded in Acts 19:12, where it is expressly said however, that the sick were healed by contact with handkerchiefs and aprons that were brought from the body of Paul.

That his shadow "might …" Though there is no certain evidence that any were healed in this way; yet it shows the full belief of the people that Peter had the power of working miracles. Peter was supposed by them to be eminently endowed with this power, because it was by him that the lame man in the temple had been healed and because he had been most prominent in his addresses to the people. The persons who are specified in this verse were those who dwelt at Jerusalem."
(From the commentary of … Albert Barnes.)


3.) "Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets …"

"Such miraculous cures being wrought by the apostles, the people who had sick persons in their houses, hearing of it brought them out "into the streets" and laid them on beds and couches waiting until the apostles came by that way, that at the least, the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

Peter is only mentioned because he was most known, he being the chief speaker and actor. Who these were that fancied there was such a virtue in Peter's shadow and whether any were cured by it is not certain."

(From the commentary of … John Gill.)