Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, 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. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.
"It is commonly said that the story of Peter and his associates (Acts 1:1-11:18) is interrupted in chapter nine by the conversion of Paul This is so, but it is equally true that the story of Paul and his associates (Acts 9:1-28:31) is interrupted by Peter's dealings with Aeneas, Dorcas and Cornelius. The ministries of the two men are interlinked thus: Peter central figure Acts 1:1-8:40; Paul Acts 9:1-31; Peter Acts 9:32-11-18; Paul central figure Acts 11:19-28:31. It is important that we bear this fact in mind in our study of the book of Acts, for it is not merely in the chronological record that the ministries of these men are interlinked. The record was given to show a dispensational connection. It is true that Paul's apostleship was entirely separate and distinct from that of the twelve. He was called, on the road to Damascus, 'not of men, neither by man' (Gal. 1:1). Moreover he was called to a different ministry than they: 'to testify the gospel of the grace of God'; to 'preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ' (Acts 20:24; Eph. 3:8). But it must not be supposed from this that there was no connection between their ministries. To begin with, Paul represented the same God as the twelve, against whom Israel was now rebelling. He represented the same Christ, whom Israel was now rejecting. And 'the salvation of God,' which Israel had refused, was now to be 'sent unto the Gentiles' (Acts 28:28; cf. 13:46; 18:6). Furthermore the apostles at Jerusalem soon recognized that because Israel was now refusing the risen, glorified Christ, God had chosen Paul to preach salvation to the Gentiles in spite of Israel, and in a solemn agreement their leaders gave to Paul and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, agreeing to continue their labors with Israel while Paul went to the Gentiles (Gal. 2:2,7,9). Thus Paul's ministry was not merely another program which he had decided to start separately from the church at Jerusalem. It was the next step in the program of God, and unless we see the progress, the development, in the whole program we miss a great deal. This is why—as we shall see especially in the case of Cornelius—the two ministries are thus interlinked." (Stam)
"As we have seen, God began to do something new with the conversion of Saul. But He would teach us at the outset that this does not mean that the old program was immediately to disappear. Though the secret crisis in Israel had passed with the stoning of Stephen, God would not leave the nation any excuse for reject Christ. He would continue to work with His people. He would provoke them to jealousy by the conversion of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11). He would continue to prove, through Paul as well as the other apostles, that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 9:22; 18:28). He would stretch out His hands all day long to a disobedient and gainsaying people (Rom. 10:21). The new program would only gradually displace the old. This is one reason why God now introduces Peter again, in the healing of Aeneas, the raising of Dorcas and the conversion of Cornelius." (Stam)
Lydda - Lod, 11 mi (17.7 km) SE of Joppa.
"Called 'Lod' in the Old Testament (1 Chron. 8:12; Ezra 2:33; Neh. 7:37; 11:35), and still bearing the name 'Ludd'. It is situated in the fertile plain of Sharon, about ten or twelve miles southeast of Joppa on the way to Jerusalem. In old times, the great caravan route from Babylon to Egypt passed through it. At the time of Peter's visit, it was still a town of considerable importance." (Walker)
Sharon - The plain extending southward for 50 mi (80 km) along the Mediterranean Sea from modern Haifa, which stands on Mount Carmel.
"It has the definite article with it, indicating the well-known fertile plain of that name (Isa. 35:2) extending from Joppa to Mt. Carmel, between the central mountains of Palestine and the Mediterranean Sea." (Walker)
Tabitha - Means 'antelope' or 'gazelle.' (Dorcas is Greek for the same.)
near Joppa - About 12 mi (19 km).
"See 2 Chron. 2:16; Ezra 30:7; Jonah 1:3. It was built on an elevated piece of rocky ground which made it conspicuous to vessels approaching that coast. It was, and still is, the port of Jerusalem. It is the only harbour which affords shelter for shipping between Egypt and Mt. Carmel. Its modern name is Jaffa. Philip probably preached there on his way to Gaza to Caesarea (Acts 8:40), and other Christians may have proclaimed the Gospel there." (Walker)
"As the healing of Aeneas foreshadows the restoration of a sick Israel in the future, so the raising of Dorcas speaks of the future resurrection of those in Israel who will have died 'full of good works.' Together, the restoration of living Israel and the resurrection of Israel's saved dead will be the means of turning many to the Lord." (Stam)
a tanner - "A tanner was considered to be unclean because he worked with the skins of dead animals (Lev. 11:40). Peter's staying with him may have helped prepare him to preach to Gentiles, whom he considered unclean." (Ryrie)
"The word 'tanner' only occurs in connexion with this incident (Acts 10:6, 32). That trade was regarded as unclean by the Jews, as having to do with the skins of dead animals. Their strong objections to it are shared by strict Hindus today, who abjure leather of every kind. Peter's continued residence in such a house was a sign that his Hebrew prejudices were weakened. It was also a special preparation for the work which lay next before him, in God's purpose—that of opening the doors of His kingdom to the Gentiles." (Walker)
"It is commonly said that the story of Peter and his associates (Acts 1:1-11:18) is interrupted in chapter nine by the conversion of Paul This is so, but it is equally true that the story of Paul and his associates (Acts 9:1-28:31) is interrupted by Peter's dealings with Aeneas, Dorcas and Cornelius. The ministries of the two men are interlinked thus: Peter central figure Acts 1:1-8:40; Paul Acts 9:1-31; Peter Acts 9:32-11-18; Paul central figure Acts 11:19-28:31. It is important that we bear this fact in mind in our study of the book of Acts, for it is not merely in the chronological record that the ministries of these men are interlinked. The record was given to show a dispensational connection. It is true that Paul's apostleship was entirely separate and distinct from that of the twelve. He was called, on the road to Damascus, 'not of men, neither by man' (Gal. 1:1). Moreover he was called to a different ministry than they: 'to testify the gospel of the grace of God'; to 'preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ' (Acts 20:24; Eph. 3:8). But it must not be supposed from this that there was no connection between their ministries. To begin with, Paul represented the same God as the twelve, against whom Israel was now rebelling. He represented the same Christ, whom Israel was now rejecting. And 'the salvation of God,' which Israel had refused, was now to be 'sent unto the Gentiles' (Acts 28:28; cf. 13:46; 18:6). Furthermore the apostles at Jerusalem soon recognized that because Israel was now refusing the risen, glorified Christ, God had chosen Paul to preach salvation to the Gentiles in spite of Israel, and in a solemn agreement their leaders gave to Paul and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, agreeing to continue their labors with Israel while Paul went to the Gentiles (Gal. 2:2,7,9). Thus Paul's ministry was not merely another program which he had decided to start separately from the church at Jerusalem. It was the next step in the program of God, and unless we see the progress, the development, in the whole program we miss a great deal. This is why—as we shall see especially in the case of Cornelius—the two ministries are thus interlinked." (Stam)
"As we have seen, God began to do something new with the conversion of Saul. But He would teach us at the outset that this does not mean that the old program was immediately to disappear. Though the secret crisis in Israel had passed with the stoning of Stephen, God would not leave the nation any excuse for reject Christ. He would continue to work with His people. He would provoke them to jealousy by the conversion of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11). He would continue to prove, through Paul as well as the other apostles, that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 9:22; 18:28). He would stretch out His hands all day long to a disobedient and gainsaying people (Rom. 10:21). The new program would only gradually displace the old. This is one reason why God now introduces Peter again, in the healing of Aeneas, the raising of Dorcas and the conversion of Cornelius." (Stam)
Lydda - Lod, 11 mi (17.7 km) SE of Joppa.
"Called 'Lod' in the Old Testament (1 Chron. 8:12; Ezra 2:33; Neh. 7:37; 11:35), and still bearing the name 'Ludd'. It is situated in the fertile plain of Sharon, about ten or twelve miles southeast of Joppa on the way to Jerusalem. In old times, the great caravan route from Babylon to Egypt passed through it. At the time of Peter's visit, it was still a town of considerable importance." (Walker)
Sharon - The plain extending southward for 50 mi (80 km) along the Mediterranean Sea from modern Haifa, which stands on Mount Carmel.
"It has the definite article with it, indicating the well-known fertile plain of that name (Isa. 35:2) extending from Joppa to Mt. Carmel, between the central mountains of Palestine and the Mediterranean Sea." (Walker)
Tabitha - Means 'antelope' or 'gazelle.' (Dorcas is Greek for the same.)
near Joppa - About 12 mi (19 km).
"See 2 Chron. 2:16; Ezra 30:7; Jonah 1:3. It was built on an elevated piece of rocky ground which made it conspicuous to vessels approaching that coast. It was, and still is, the port of Jerusalem. It is the only harbour which affords shelter for shipping between Egypt and Mt. Carmel. Its modern name is Jaffa. Philip probably preached there on his way to Gaza to Caesarea (Acts 8:40), and other Christians may have proclaimed the Gospel there." (Walker)
"As the healing of Aeneas foreshadows the restoration of a sick Israel in the future, so the raising of Dorcas speaks of the future resurrection of those in Israel who will have died 'full of good works.' Together, the restoration of living Israel and the resurrection of Israel's saved dead will be the means of turning many to the Lord." (Stam)
a tanner - "A tanner was considered to be unclean because he worked with the skins of dead animals (Lev. 11:40). Peter's staying with him may have helped prepare him to preach to Gentiles, whom he considered unclean." (Ryrie)
"The word 'tanner' only occurs in connexion with this incident (Acts 10:6, 32). That trade was regarded as unclean by the Jews, as having to do with the skins of dead animals. Their strong objections to it are shared by strict Hindus today, who abjure leather of every kind. Peter's continued residence in such a house was a sign that his Hebrew prejudices were weakened. It was also a special preparation for the work which lay next before him, in God's purpose—that of opening the doors of His kingdom to the Gentiles." (Walker)
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