32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Acts 9:32–35
The scene now switches from Saul to Peter. He was conducting his own itinerant ministry traveling through Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. Perhaps he just wanted to get away and experience what he had before with John on the way back from assisting Philip in Caesarea. (Acts 8:25) He landed in Lydda which was in earlier times known as Lod. In Nehemiah Lod is called the “land of the craftsmen.” (Nehemiah 11:35) Perhaps Peter wanted to rub shoulders with the common folk and share Jesus. But Peter was Peter, and he was of course vested by God with the gift of healing. His path crossed a bedridden saint named Aeneas who had been paralyzed for eight years. In keeping with the apostle’s innate impetuosity, he announces “the Lord heals you.” The tense indicates immediate wholeness. Seeing Aeneas now spry and on two feet, no doubt testifying of the source of his miracle, “all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.”
36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. 37 And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Acts 9:36–42
Nearby was a seaside town called Joppa, famous for Jonah’s fateful decision to refuse his assignment in Nineveh and book a boat ride to Tarshish. In it was a “disciple” named Tabitha or Dorcas in the Greek, both names meaning “gazelle,” who “was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did,” including sewing “tunics and garments” for the widows there. It is not a stretch to add that she taught them the love of Christ, because when she died unexpectedly they were grief stricken. The disciples there sent for Peter in Lydda begging him with to come quickly but not telling him why. The apostle arrived to much the same setting as when Jesus entered the house of Jairus. (Luke 8:51-56) Tabitha’s body had been washed (she was indeed dead) and placed in an upper room, perhaps delivered there by processional. There the women wept over her. As did Jesus, Peter cleared the room and knelt to pray. It is possible that this was a forceful loud prayer that was overheard outside the room, given the personality of the man who gave utterance. Like Jesus did, Peter issued a command, “Tabitha, arise.” Then amazingly she opened her eyes and seeing Peter, a fellow saint, she sat up, and the he presented her alive to the disciples there.
For the first time reading this familiar story, I thought of what had just happened from Tabitha’s perspective. She was “dead in Christ” and then called back to earth to minister? It is mind blowing. While now able to dispatch earthbound unfinished business, think about, for a good day or so she was in heaven in the arms of her Savior! There is no comparison. But who better to testify of the reality of heaven and the need to accept him without delay! But she may have been like Paul who was called up to the “third heaven,” who could not express in words what he saw.
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 2 Corinthians 12:2–4
Whatever the case, Tabitha’s story “became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.” It is important to note a bit of reality in the historian’s comments, “many,” but not all.
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