Act 9:40 | KingComments | STEP | In Joppa, about nineteen kilometers from Lydda, there is also a church. That church had the privilege to have sister Tabitha in their midst. Her Aramean name means ‘gazelle’, just like the translation of her name in Greek, Dorcas. She was “a disciple”, which means that she was a follower of the Lord Jesus. That she was truly worthy of that name was evidenced by the testimony given of her. She was characterized by “labor of love” ( ). They were works of faith, the proof that she had faith. She was the opposite of Aeneas. While she was engaged in her “labor of love”, she became ill and died. Busy with things that are pleasing to the Lord does not mean immunity to sickness and death. What seemed to be a blow for the church and for those she served with her good works and blessings becomes a testimony to the Lord. In the first place, we see faith in those who took care of her after she died. They wash her and then lay her in an upper room. Normally, after she had been washed, she would have been anointed and buried immediately afterward. Yet they don’t do that, but put her in an upper room. Perhaps they thought of two Old Testament resurrections in which the dead were also laid in an upper room ( ; ). In any case, they show faith in the possibility that Tabitha will arise, because the disciples send two men to Lydda to fetch Peter. They are two men to underline the reliability of the question (cf. ). They get the message to tell Peter to come immediately. Luke does not mention that they have to tell Peter the reason of their request. We know that it was not to attend the funeral, but to prevent it. We also don’t read that Peter has to speak to the Lord about it first. He sees in the request a clear instruction from the Lord to go along. He lets himself being ordered to come and goes along. As soon as he has arrived, he is brought into the upper room. There are all the widows that Tabitha has been serving. They have suffered a great loss because of her death. What they show to Peter are the proofs of true religion ( ), the opposite of pious talk without providing for need ( ). Through what the widows show of Tabitha’s works, we see that her works follow her (cf. ). Peter knows what to do. To do so, he must be alone with the Lord, without anyone to distract him. Only with the body and the Lord does Peter kneel down and pray. This gives him the conviction of the will of God that he can speak the word of authority to Tabitha to arise. For this he turns to the body. After his commanding words to arise, Tabitha opens her eyes. She sees Peter and sits up. Tabitha arises by prayer and the word of power. Only when she sits, Peter gives her his hand and raises her up. Then he calls the saints and the widows and presents her alive. Through being raised, she is able to serve again. It is an indication that our ability to serve God is not limited to this life, but that it continues forever after the resurrection ( ). This is because of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Eternity is full of activity, there will be no boredom. The result of the resurrection of Tabitha is that “many” in Joppa believe in the Lord. In Lydda, after a smaller wonder, “all” who lived in Lydda and Saron turn to the Lord. The wonder of the revival of Tabitha is bigger, but the number of conversions is smaller, because there are “many”, not “all”. After the resurrection of Tabitha, Peter does not return to Lydda, but stays in Joppa for a considerable time. Servants do not always have to be on the road. Especially after a ‘successful’ service it is necessary to be alone with the Lord, to think and pray and wait for new directions from Him. For his stay in Joppa, Peter, the great apostle of circumcision, takes up residence with a simple man, a tanner. The profession of tanner was considered impure by the Jews. Such a man was engaged in the processing of skins, especially to make leather water bags from them. Does Peter’s stay with this man suggest that God can turn something impure into something pure, such as a leather bag containing pure water?

‏ Acts 9:40

Resurrection of Dorcas

In Joppa, about nineteen kilometers from Lydda, there is also a church. That church had the privilege to have sister Tabitha in their midst. Her Aramean name means ‘gazelle’, just like the translation of her name in Greek, Dorcas. She was “a disciple”, which means that she was a follower of the Lord Jesus. That she was truly worthy of that name was evidenced by the testimony given of her. She was characterized by “labor of love” (1Thes 1:3). They were works of faith, the proof that she had faith. She was the opposite of Aeneas.

While she was engaged in her “labor of love”, she became ill and died. Busy with things that are pleasing to the Lord does not mean immunity to sickness and death. What seemed to be a blow for the church and for those she served with her good works and blessings becomes a testimony to the Lord.

In the first place, we see faith in those who took care of her after she died. They wash her and then lay her in an upper room. Normally, after she had been washed, she would have been anointed and buried immediately afterward. Yet they don’t do that, but put her in an upper room. Perhaps they thought of two Old Testament resurrections in which the dead were also laid in an upper room (1Kgs 17:19; 2Kgs 4:21).

In any case, they show faith in the possibility that Tabitha will arise, because the disciples send two men to Lydda to fetch Peter. They are two men to underline the reliability of the question (cf. 2Cor 13:1). They get the message to tell Peter to come immediately.

Luke does not mention that they have to tell Peter the reason of their request. We know that it was not to attend the funeral, but to prevent it. We also don’t read that Peter has to speak to the Lord about it first. He sees in the request a clear instruction from the Lord to go along. He lets himself being ordered to come and goes along.

As soon as he has arrived, he is brought into the upper room. There are all the widows that Tabitha has been serving. They have suffered a great loss because of her death. What they show to Peter are the proofs of true religion (Isa 58:7), the opposite of pious talk without providing for need (Jam 2:15-16). Through what the widows show of Tabitha’s works, we see that her works follow her (cf. Rev 14:13).

Peter knows what to do. To do so, he must be alone with the Lord, without anyone to distract him. Only with the body and the Lord does Peter kneel down and pray. This gives him the conviction of the will of God that he can speak the word of authority to Tabitha to arise. For this he turns to the body. After his commanding words to arise, Tabitha opens her eyes. She sees Peter and sits up. Tabitha arises by prayer and the word of power.

Only when she sits, Peter gives her his hand and raises her up. Then he calls the saints and the widows and presents her alive. Through being raised, she is able to serve again. It is an indication that our ability to serve God is not limited to this life, but that it continues forever after the resurrection (Rev 22:3-5). This is because of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Eternity is full of activity, there will be no boredom.

The result of the resurrection of Tabitha is that “many” in Joppa believe in the Lord. In Lydda, after a smaller wonder, “all” who lived in Lydda and Saron turn to the Lord. The wonder of the revival of Tabitha is bigger, but the number of conversions is smaller, because there are “many”, not “all”.

After the resurrection of Tabitha, Peter does not return to Lydda, but stays in Joppa for a considerable time. Servants do not always have to be on the road. Especially after a ‘successful’ service it is necessary to be alone with the Lord, to think and pray and wait for new directions from Him.

For his stay in Joppa, Peter, the great apostle of circumcision, takes up residence with a simple man, a tanner. The profession of tanner was considered impure by the Jews. Such a man was engaged in the processing of skins, especially to make leather water bags from them. Does Peter’s stay with this man suggest that God can turn something impure into something pure, such as a leather bag containing pure water?