Acts 9:32-35 32Now it happened, as Peter went through all the places, he went down also to the saints who lived in Lydda. 33And he found there a man named Aeneas, who was lying upon his bed for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and straighten up yourself.” And immediately he rose. 35And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
The story of Acts shifts back to Peter’s ministry. Peter had gone to Samaria to see the response to Philip’s ministry there. Luke does not give any timeframe of when Peter made his various journeys through Samaria and other places. The assumption is that this passage takes place after Saul had left for Tarsus and a time of peace had come to the church. With the growth, Peter took the opportunity to travel to all the places where the church was. He was the primary authority figure and functioned as a form of superintendent to the expanding mission. People looked to him for the truth and his connection to the historical Jesus. His exact role is not mentioned in verse 32, but likely, he preached the gospel by retelling the stories and teachings of Jesus. This passage focuses on his healing ministry. Verse 38 indicates that Lydda was on the coastal plain near Joppa, which was located along the Mediterranean coast. The gospel had reached this town, with a growing group of believers there. It is possible that the church was started there by Philip, who traveled up the coast after meeting the Ethiopian eunuch (8:40).
When Peter arrived in Lydda, he met Aeneas. Verse 33 is not clear if Aeneas was a believer or not when he met Peter, but the assumption is that he soon became one. He had been bedridden as a paralytic for a long time. Being in that type of situation in the first century would have been difficult. He would have relied on family or friends to help him with many essential needs, including sanitation. It was amazing even to be alive for that long while being in a bed. Lydda was probably small enough that people knew each other and knew about Aeneas’ condition.
Peter spoke directly to Aeneas, invoking the powerful name of Jesus the Messiah. Using the word Christ would be important if Aeneas was a Jew. He was likely a Jew, since Peter had not yet started going to the Gentiles (see chapter 10). Aeneas was also influenced to some degree by Hellenism because his name is Greek. Many Hellenistic Jews lived along the coast. Peter commanded Aeneas to get up. The meaning of the word translated straighten up yourself () is unclear. It could refer to picking up his bed, organizing his personal items, or cleaning up the mess he had been lying in for eight years. He had to take some initiative and responsibility in his healing, even just a minimal sign of faith. He quickly obeyed, sensing the power of Jesus filling him physically and enabling him to get up. This event was such a clear miracle and testimony to everyone that word spread all over the area, and many people became new believers. This story has some similarity with how Jesus healed the paralytic in Luke 5:24.
The healing of Aeneas had a profound effect on the people of Lydda and Sharon. The miracles recorded in Acts lead to an expanded mission through the witness of those who were healed. The power of the gospel affects the physical world and not just the spiritual world. Miracles should lead to stronger faith in Jesus and glory to God.
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