Commentary on Acts 9:31-43

By Bob Myhan

³¹Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

Saul, who had become the focus of Jewish persecution against the church, having been sent away at the direction of Jesus Christ, the persecution subsides and all the local churches are at peace once again.

One can easily imagine it had been very peaceful over the previous three years, Saul having left for Damascus and not returned until recently. But the persecution of Saul had a ripple effect on the neighboring provinces as had the persecution by Saul some three years earlier. Those who had challenged Stephen, having laid their coats at Saul’s feet, as those who are now plotting to kill Saul were all foreign born Jews, or Hellenists.

Once again, they can walk “in the fear of the Lord,” not man, and be comforted instead of persecuted. As a result, “they were multiplied.” The gospel, no doubt, is being spread from house to house.

³²Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. ³³There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. ³⁴And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed." Then he arose immediately. ³⁵So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

As Peter wends his way through Judea, he comes to the city of Lydda, which is approximately eleven miles southeast of Joppa, the seaport from which Jonah set sail back in the days of the divided kingdom. Here was a man who had been unable, for eight years, to rise from bed.

The results of this miracle further corroborate the purpose thereof—to convince listeners that the apostles and others spoke the word of the Lord. There is no indication that they ever announced ahead of time that miracles were going to be performed and never performed a miraculous healing just to ease suffering. The “all” of verse 35 is general not universal. “A great many people” is the thought. Sharon is not a city but the coastal plain in which the city of Lydda lay.

³⁶At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.

Joppa was an ancient seaport, 34-38 miles NW of Jerusalem. Most of its men made their living as fishermen. There were many widows and fatherless children there because of the dangers of fishing. Whether Dorcas was a widow is not revealed. She was not self-absorbed but others-centered.

The plain had probably been evangelized by Philip who lived in Caesarea. (21:8)

³⁷But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." (Rev. 14:13) The body was probably not embalmed, but washed, anointed, and perfumed. It was then dressed and displayed in a room of the home. The mourners were most likely a combination of family members, friends and professionals.

³⁸And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.

News of the miraculous healing at Lydda had spread across the plain to Joppa, and it is no wonder; the mainstream media was probably word of mouth. They had doubtless concluded that, if Peter could heal a man who had been bed-ridden for eight years, it was at least possible that he could raise someone who had recently succumbed to death.

This a another example of the providence of God who is moving Peter closer and closer to Caesarea so that he can unlock the kingdom of heaven for the Gentiles as he had done for the Jews.

³⁹Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

Not only had Dorcas been a disciple; she was also “a worker for the Lord.” Indeed, we were created in Christ “for good works,” are to be “zealous of good works” and “rich in good works.” God’s word equips us unto every good work. Dorcas was already being sorely missed.

Many truths are illustrated in Tabitha’s life. You do what you can with what you have instead of dreaming about what you could do with riches you do not have. Rather than "live and let live," we should "live and help live" by living a life of serving and giving. And we should let the beauty of Jesus be seen in our lives.

We cannot all be like Dorcas in every respect but we can be like her in the essentials. We all have a certain amount of time, talent and money. We should be willing to use whatever we have for the benefit of others.

⁴⁰But Peter put 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. ⁴¹Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴²And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. ⁴³So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.

Her being raised from the dead probably caused mixed emotions among the saints but certainly confirmed the word to unbelievers.

(To be continued)

“Having Shod Your Feet”

By Eddie R. Littrell

There is undoubtedly an allusion here to that which was worn by the soldiers for the preparation and protection of their feet. The Greek is, literally translated, “having underbound the feet,” or having bound on the shoes or sandals.

The protection of the feet and ankles consisted of two parts. First the sandals were probably made to cover the foot and were often armed with spikes to give the soldier a firm foothold on whatever terrain the fighting might take place. Second, the greaves—armor plates—were fitted to the shins, and designed to defend them from any danger.

Since the Christian warrior is to “stand” he must have no unprotected or uncertain foothold. He must be prepared for the adverse places and circumstances of the battle. As his battleground will change, his strength should begin with a firm footing. His preparedness, in this regard, is found in the “gospel of peace.”

With the gospel giving him footing, the Christian can be settled, sure, and restful, just in proportion to the stress around him. He is “thoroughly furnished unto every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17). &

“Taking the Shield of Faith”

By Eddie R. Littrell

 It should be obvious to all that the shield was an indispensable item in the warrior’s armor. The most common shield was about four feet long and two and one-half feet wide. It was held by the left hand and could be used to protect the entire body. It was vitally important to the safety of the warrior. Joined together, these large shields could form a wall, behind which a body of troops could easily protect themselves from the rain of enemy fire.

With this figure, Paul emphasizes the extreme importance of a Christian’s faith. While it is true that the gospel serves as a firm foundation for battle, without developing a strong faith, the Christian leaves himself vulnerable to the constant onslaught of the devil. To develop the faith that can “move mountains” the Christian must give himself “wholly” to “reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Tim. 2:13, 15). To increase his faith, it is necessary to study regularly from the word of God, since “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Faith in God serves as a shield that will enable the Christian to repel all the “fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph. 6:16). Paul is not here dealing with the passions and lusts within us, which must certainly be conquered, but with the constant abuse the Christian must endure at the hands of the world. A strong faith will help the Christian to overcome the slanders and threats hurled by Satan through his human instruments. The faith that has “nothing wavering” (James 1:6) will ward off and quench all the devil’s darts, so that the soul never succumbs to their heat.

This figure also extends to the strength that is found in the combination of many shields. Solomon taught us, “Two are better than one” (Eccl. 4:9, 10). In battle, the soldier must often depend upon his fellow-soldier for assistance and protection. In spiritual warfare, the Christian can look to other Christians for help in time of need. When temptation strikes, we can gain strength from the knowledge and wisdom of others. Their strong faith can help to fortify the weak faith of others. When a fellow Christian falls, other saints should be there with shield in hand, ready to defend and protect, while rescuing the fallen from the line of battle until strength can be restored (see Heb. 12:12,13). &

[Next Week: “The Helmet of Salvation”]