Acts 9:36-38 36Now in Joppa was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which translated means Dorcas. She was full of good works and did acts of charitable giving. 37And it happened in those days, she got sick and died; and after they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38And since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, after hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Do not delay to come to us.”
Luke moves on to another miracle story that happened during Peter’s ministry. The story took place in Joppa, the main port city of Judea. Joppa was about ten miles northwest of Lydda, where Peter had raised Aeneas in the previous passage. The story focuses on Tabitha, who is described as a disciple. The feminine form of this word (mathētria) is only used here in the New Testament. Tabitha in Aramaic and Dorcas in Greek mean gazelle in English. Luke describes her as doing good and helping the poor through charity. She may have had funds or been one of the key people of the local church to distribute common resources. She was like many women of the church who keep various ministries running through their dedicated volunteer efforts. She had a significant ministry in the early church, and others recognized it, as evidenced by their care for her body and effort to find Peter.
A great tragedy happened in the ministry when Tabitha got sick and died. Life expectancy was not long in the first century because of various illnesses that could be easily treated today. It was a great blow to the church to lose one of its saints. Verse 27 shows the typical burial custom of washing the body in order to prepare it for burial. The other believers in Joppa heard that Peter was nearby in Lydda. He was making his rounds to different cities and encouraging the churches. Word about Aeneas’ miracle may have reached Joppa, so the believers had hope Peter could do something. What were they expecting? Their faith is evident in their request. It would have taken a good part of the day to go to Lydda, find Peter, and bring him back. Two men would provide spiritual support and confirmation of the need.
The urgency in these verses indicates the faith and hope of the disciples in Joppa. To revive Tabitha is beyond human reason, but not the hope of a Christian. God does not heal or raise every person, and not even the significant women of the church. Many fall ill, and some even die. The outcome should not limit or deter faith. Peter was in a unique time in the development of the church and a special person in God’s plan. We cannot imitate what happened in the early church, but we can still come to God in faith, hoping for miracles to happen.
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