seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Acts 9:32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
I found this in the commentary.Lydda is near modern day Lod, the site of Ben Gurion Airport outside of Tel Aviv.
There is no indication in the Book of Acts that it was common or popularly expected that dead Christians would be resuscitated to life again. This miracle (and a few similar in Acts) is listed just because they were unusual and remarkable.
Peter simply tried to do as Jesus did. Jesus was his leader. He wasn’t trying to lead Jesus anymore, as he did when he told Jesus not to go the way of the cross in Matthew 16:22. Now Peter was letting Jesus lead him.
We should remind ourselves that Dorcas was not resurrected; she was resuscitated to her old life, where she would die again.
Dorcas wasn’t raised for her own sake. She would have enjoyed heaven better! She was raised for the sake of her ministry to others, which is the same reason we have passed from death into life
Now check this out.... Peter stayed with a tanner....He stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner: This sentence would be somewhat shocking to an observant Jew of that time. According to their understanding of the law, it was strictly forbidden to associate with anyone who routinely worked with dead animals.
i. According to the laws of that time, a tanner had to live at least 75 feet (25 meters) outside a village because of his constant ritual uncleanness.
ii. “The trade of a tanner was held in such supreme contempt that if a girl was betrothed to a tanner without knowing that he followed that calling, the betrothal was void.”
Hubby made a big deal out of my getting out of bed this morning. I overslept... We're old and I'm metastatic, so some morning one of us might not wake up. My great granddad died in his sleep. After making coffee, I sat down to today's verses and found Dorca dead. They cleaned her up and put her upstairs for the viewing.... and the mourners were going through her clothes. I wonder if there was any drawing of lots as to who would get what cute little outfit and matching shoes. I know it's irreverent.... but it blew my mind... considering Hubby just went down the hall saying "yeah she's up! Becky's up!". Peter healed the paralyzed guy. He wasn't paralyzed from birth, only eight years... but Peter followed Jesus' example and it worked. Then Peter was called to the home of Tabitha [Dorca in Greek] who was dead. Peter followed the same thing Jesus would have done and Tabitha got up, hopefully, before any of her cute outfits with matching shoes got out the door.
The "new for today" part of these verses is found in verse 43. Peter stayed with the tanner. And then.... When I read the commentary, I found that the tanner couldn't live in town. He dealt with dead bodies. Peter couldn't stay in town after bringing Tabitha [Dorca in Greek] back to life. Tabitha had been dead so Peter was unclean according to the Jewish Tradition. I hadn't noticed that before.
Peter used what Jesus showed him and got a paralyzed guy to pick up his mat.
Peter used what Jesus showed him and got a dead woman to sit up.
Peter had to stay with the tanner.
Peter healed dead people.
