1. Peter's ministry in Lydda and Joppa 9:32-43

Luke now returned to Peter's continuing ministry in Judea. Luke apparently recorded the healing of Aeneas and the raising of Tabitha to show that the gospel was being preached effectively in a region of Palestine that both Jews and Gentiles occupied. Peter, the apostle to the Jews, was responsible for its advancing farther into Gentile territory. Luke thereby helped his readers see the equality of Gentiles and Jews in the church as it continued to expand (cf. Eph. 2:11-3:12).

 The healing of Aeneas at Lydda 9:32-35

Peter continued his itinerant ministry around Palestine (cf. 8:25).

9:32 Lydda (modern Lod, the site of Israel's international airport) lay on the Mediterranean coastal plain about 10 miles from the sea. It was about 25 miles northwest of Jerusalem. It stood at the junction of the roads from Joppa to Jerusalem and the highway from Egypt to Syria.⁴¹⁴There were already "saints"there (cf. vv. 13, 41).

9:33 Peter healed another lame man in Lydda (cf. 3:6-8; Luke 5:17-26).⁴¹⁵Aeneas is a Greek name. He was probably a Hellenistic Jew. We do not know if he was a Christian. The fact that Luke called him a man, but referred to Tabitha as a disciple (v. 36), may imply that he was not a believer.

9:34 Peter announced that the healing was Jesus Christ's work (cf. 1:1; 3:6). Jesus had also told a paralytic in Capernaum to take up his pallet and walk (Matt. 9:6; Mark 2:11; Luke 5:24). He later told another paralytic who lay at the Bethesda pool in Jerusalem to do the same thing (John 5:8).⁴¹⁶The power of Jesus was still at work through Peter. The formerly paralyzed man arose immediately. Later Paul healed Publius' father (28:8).

"I think every one of the different diseases mentioned in Scripture was intended by God to illustrate in some way the effects of sin."⁴¹⁷

9:35 Sharon was the name of the section of maritime plain that stretched from Joppa to Mt. Carmel. Lydda was near its southeastern edge, and Caesarea was at its center on the Mediterranean coast. As with the healing of the lame temple beggar, and Jesus' healings of the paralytics at Capernaum and Jerusalem, the healing of Aeneas resulted in many people hearing the gospel and believing in Jesus.

One of the reasons Luke included this healing in his book seems to have been because the results of this healing affected the people living in this area of Palestine. One of these people was the Gentile Cornelius, who will figure significantly in the next chapter.

 The raising of Tabitha at Joppa 9:36-43

9:36 The site of Joppa (modern Yafo, a suburb of Tel Aviv) was on the Mediterranean coast 10 miles west and a little north of Lydda. It was the ancient seaport for Jerusalem (cf. 2 Chron. 2:16; Jon. 1:3). Tabitha (lit. "Gazelle") was a Jewish Christian, and she was a "disciple"(Gr. mathetria).⁴¹⁸Her name Tabitha is Aramaic, but Dorcas is Greek. She had a marvelous reputation for helping people in her community because she had a servant's heart.

9:37-38 When she died, the believers sent to Peter asking him to come. Apparently they expected him to raise her back to life as Jesus had done since they did not bury her but washed and laid her body in an upper room.

9:39 Luke told this story with much interesting detail. Peter accompanied the two men who came for him to Lydda (cf. 10:7, 23). The widows were evidently wearing the clothing Tabitha had made for them.⁴¹⁹She had made clothes for the poor widows. This was her ministry.

"She had the gift of sewing. Do you mean to tell me that sewing is a gift of the Holy Spirit? Yes, it was for this woman. May I suggest seeking a gift that is practical?⁴²⁰

9:40-41 Peter's procedure here was almost identical to Jesus' when He raised Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:41; Luke 8:51-56). Peter's praying here shows that he was relying on Jesus for his power just as his saying, "Jesus Christ heals you,"manifested that attitude when he healed Aeneas (v. 34). There is only one letter difference in what Peter said (Tabitha qumi) and what Jesus had said (Talitha qumi, lit. "Little girl, get up"). This miracle is another evidence of Jesus' working powerfully through His witnesses in word and deed (1:1-2; cf. John 14:12).⁴²¹Jesus had given the Twelve the power to raise the dead (Matt. 10:8).

9:42 Many people became believers because of the news of this miracle, too. The phrase "believed in the Lord"(v. 42) is similar to "turned to the Lord"(v. 35; cf. 11:21; 15:19). It is another way of saying "became Christians"and emphasizes that the Person they believed in was the Lord Jesus. Notice that turning is believing and that Luke mentioned no other conditions for salvation.

9:43 This verse provides a geographical and ideological transition to the account of Peter's visit to Cornelius (10:1-11:18). Evidently Peter remained in Joppa to confirm these new converts and to help the church in that town. His willingness to stay with a tanner shows that Peter was more broad-minded in his fellowship than many other Jews. Many Jews thought tanners practiced an unclean trade since they worked with the skins of dead animals, and they would have nothing to do with them. However, Peter was about to receive a challenge to his convictions similar to the one that Saul had received on the Damascus road.

Note how God used the invitation of the people of Joppa to bring Peter there. Likewise God often uses what appear initially to be incidental occurrences to open up great ministries. Luke illustrated this divine method repeatedly in Acts.

"It was important to demonstrate that Peter was in the full stream of his usefulness, and the agent of miracles curiously like those performed by his Master (Mt. ix. 23-26; Mk. v. 38-43; Jn. v. 6-9), when the call came to him to baptize a Gentile."⁴²²