[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, (Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham), with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team:
REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]
Acts IX : 31-43
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| St Peter heals Eneas. Palatine Chapel, Palermo. 12th century. |
[31] Now the church had peace throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria; and was edified, walking in the fear of the Lord, and was filled with the consolation of the Holy Ghost.
[32] And it came to pass that Peter, as he passed through, visiting all, came to the saints who dwelt at Lydda.
[33] And he found there a certain man named Eneas, who had kept his bed for eight years, who was ill of the palsy.
[34] And Peter said to him: Eneas, the Lord Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise, and make thy bed. And immediately he arose.
[35] And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron, saw him: who were converted to the Lord.
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| St Peter raises Tabitha. Palatine Chapel, Palermo. |
[36] And in Joppe there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
[37] And it came to pass in those days that she was sick, and died. Whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
[38] And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppe, the disciples hearing that Peter was there, sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not be slack to come unto them.
[39] And Peter rising up, went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber. And all the widows stood about him weeping, and shewing him the coats and garments which Dorcas made them.
[40] And they all being put forth, Peter kneeling down prayed, and turning to the body, he said: Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and seeing Peter, she sat up.
[41] And giving her his hand, he lifted her up. And when he had called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.
[42] And it was made known throughout all Joppe; and many believed in the Lord.
[43] And it came to pass, that he abode many days in Joppe, with one Simon a tanner.
[31] Ecclesia quidem per totam Judaeam, et Galilaeam, et Samariam habebat pacem, et aedificabatur ambulans in timore Domini, et consolatione Sancti Spiritus replebatur. [32] Factum est autem, ut Petrus dum pertransiret universos, deveniret ad sanctos qui habitabant Lyddae. [33] Invenit autem ibi hominem quemdam, nomine Aeneam, ab annis octo jacentem in grabato, qui erat paralyticus. [34] Et ait illi Petrus : Aenea, sanat te Dominus Jesus Christus : surge, et sterne tibi. Et continuo surrexit. [35] Et viderunt eum omnes qui habitabant Lyddae et Saronae : qui conversi sunt ad Dominum.
[36] In Joppe autem fuit quaedam discipula, nomine Tabitha, quae interpretata dicitur Dorcas. Haec erat plena operibus bonis, et eleemosynis, quas faciebat. [37] Factum est autem in diebus illis ut infirmata moreretur. Quam cum lavissent, posuerunt eam in coenaculo. [38] Cum autem prope esset Lydda ad Joppen, discipuli audientes quia Petrus esset in ea, miserunt duos viros ad eum, rogantes : Ne pigriteris venire ad nos. [39] Exsurgens autem Petrus venit cum illis. Et cum advenisset, duxerunt illum in coenaculum : et circumsteterunt illum omnes viduae flentes, et ostendentes ei tunicas, et vestes, quas faciebat illis Dorcas. [40] Ejectis autem omnibus foras, Petrus ponens genua oravit : et conversus ad corpus, dixit : Tabitha, surge. At illa aperuit oculos suos : et viso Petro, resedit.
[41] Dans autem illi manum, erexit eam. Et cum vocasset sanctos, et viduas, assignavit eam vivam. [42] Notum autem factum est per universam Joppen : et crediderunt multi in Domino. [43] Factum est autem ut dies multos moraretur in Joppe, apud Simonem quemdam coriarium.
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Notes
31. the church had peace. It is generally thought that the Jews ceased to persecute the Christians, because all their energies were devoted to resisting the designs of Caligula, who claimed divine honours, and had ordered his statue to be set up in the Temple. This desecration was prevented by the prudence of Petronius, the governor of Judea, and the assassination of Caligula. During these troubled times the Christians were unmolested.
Galilee. St Luke, so far, has no explicit reference to churches having been founded in Galilee, which was the chief field of Christ’s ministry, and after His Resurrection He appeared there to five hundred disciples. We know that He had many Galilean followers ; consequently, when the disciples from Jerusalem were scattered throughout the countries of Judea and Samaria, some must have reached Galilee and founded churches there.
These incidental allusions are proofs that St Luke does not attempt to write a complete history of the Church, but merely aims at giving the more important or typical events.
edified. The Greek word signifies literally “ to build up ” (οἰκοδομεω). It is used metaphorically in the Scriptures of the spiritual progress of the Christian. We have in verse 31 a description of the interior and exterior growth of the Church. The disciples were strengthened in the faith during this period of rest, and their numbers increased.
walking in the fear of the Lord. A Hebrew idiom for “ keeping the commandments of God.”
was filled. Lit. “ was multiplying” (ἐπληθυνετο). The virtues of the primitive Christians won others to the faith. This is the unfailing result of a holy life.
with the consolation, etc. The Holy Spirit, by teaching, admonishing, and consoling, increased the virtue of the faithful and rendered their work fruitful. Hence the Church ‘'multiplied” by the Holy Spirit.
32. visitmg all. St Peter visited the various Christian churches in Palestine, and among these we must include Galilee, his own birth-place.
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| Lydda, Joppa and the Plain of Sharon. |
Cestius Gallus, A.D. 66, burnt the town, when, with the exception of fifty, its male inhabitants were keeping the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem (Josephus, Bell. Jud., ii., xix. 1). It was afterwards known as Diospolis, and in the fourth and fifth centuries was a flourishing centre of Christianity, being an episcopal see. A bishop of Lydda sat in the Council of Nice, A.D. 325, and in the Council of Chalcedon, in A.D. 451. It seems probable that Philip the Evangelist, who, starting from Azotus, preached the gospel to all the cities till he came to Cesarea (supra, viii. 40), had founded these Christian churches of Lydda and Joppe,
33. Eneas. As this paralytic bore a Greek name and was found by St Peter when visiting “ the saints” at Lydda, it has been inferred that he was a Hellenist convert.
kept his bed for eight years. Another example of St Luke’s attention to the duration of an illness, which reminds us that he was a physician by profession.
the Lord Jesus Christ healeth thee. The apostle heals in the name of Jesus, whereas our Lord Himself heals in virtue of His own divine power, e.g. I will, be thou made clean. Lazarus, come forth.
In the original there is evidently a paronomasia or play upon words, which the sacred writers, in true Oriental style, do not disdain to employ. In Greek, the words “Jesus” and “healer” sound much alike, hence on the ears of Eneas the words of Peter sounded much as if he had said, “ Healeth thee the Healer Christ.”
make thy bed. The word ‘‘ bed ” is not in the original. The Greek verb employed here (στρωννυω) signifies to smooth a bed or to furnish a couch with rugs.
35. Saron. “ The Saron ” in the original, and this probably denotes the coast district extending from Joppe to Cesarea, a distance of thirty miles. It was known as “ the Plain of Sharon.” No village or city bearing this name is mentioned in the Scriptures.
The Plain of Saron is frequently referred to in the poetical books of the Old Testament. Cf. The beauty of Carmel and Saron, they shall see the glory of the Lord (Is. xxxv. 2). This district was celebrated for its exquisite beauty and its fertility.
converted to the Lord. Lit. “turned to the Lord” (ἐπεστρεψαν ἐπι τον κυριον). Here the expression signifies “believed in the Lord Jesus.”
It was also used of the Gentiles who became Christians. Cf. For which cause I judge that they, who from among the Gentiles are converted to God, are not to be disquieted (infra, XV. 19). The same expression is found in the Old Testament, where it signifies to repent. Cf. And when in their distress they shall return to the Lord the God of iti'oel, and ahaU seek him, they shall find him (2 Para. xv. 4).
36. Joppe. The modern Joppa, on the south - western coast of Palestine. This city originally belonged to the Philistines.
In the apostolic days, Joppe belonged to the Roman province of Syria. The harbour, though large, was not very safe, but being the nearest port to Jerusalem, it was much frequented. Thither the materials, stone and cedar wood, sent by Hiram, king of Tyre, were brought by sea, and thence conveyed by land to Jerusalem to be employed in the building of the Temple. Under the Machabean rulers, the Jews gained possession of the port and fortified it (B.C. 148), (see 1 Mach, iv. 51-54). From Josephus we learn that Augustus gave the town to Herod the Great, and it passed afterwards to Archelaus. Cestius destroyed the town before besieging Jerusalem (Bell. Jud., ii., xviii. 10). It was rebuilt, but attained a bad reputation as a centre of piracy, consequently Vespasian razed the city to the ground (Bell. Jud., iii., ix, 2). During the Crusades, Simon de Montfort, King Louis, and Richard (Cœr de Lion lived in Joppe, as it was then inhabited by many Christians. It was sufficiently important to be an episcopal see from the earliest centuries, and one of its bishops attended the Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431. At present the population is about 7000, of whom about half are Christians.
disciple. The feminine given here in the Greek (μαθητρια) is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, and is very rarely employed elsewhere.
Tabitha. The word signifies “ a gazelle,” and she may have received this name on account of her beauty. “ Tabitha,” and its Greek equivalent “Dorcas,” were often given as names. As Joppe was a seaport town in which both Greek and Hebrew were spoken, this disciple was known by both these names. She was evidently a person of a certain position and wealth, since her alms were so abundant.
full of good works, etc. Dorcas spent her life in befriending the poor.
37. in those days. — i.e. when St Peter was visiting the churches.
when they had washed. The body of Dorcas was swathed and anointed
ready for burial. As Joppe was only nine miles from Lydda, it is possible that the news of the restoration to health of Eneas had reached Joppe, and that, in consequence, the burial of the corpse was deferred in the hope that St Peter might work a miracle.
an upper chamber. See An not. on i 13.
38. two men. “ Cornelius sends two of his household servants (comp, ch. xiii. 2 , xv. 22 ). In unsafe times and by dangerous roads it was customary to send two messengers, both for mutual protection, and that if anything happened to one, the other might still deliver the message.”
desiring him, that he would not he slach, etc. Better, “entreating him : Delay not to come to us.” The exact words of the petition are given in the original (Μη ὀκνησης διελθειν ἑως ἡμων) From this message we gather that the disciples of Joppe knew what St Peter had done elsewhere, for undoubtedly the cure of Eneas was not the only miracle which the apostle had worked during his visit to the churches.
39. the widows. Either all the Christian widows of Joppe, who came there as mourners, or those whom Dorcas had clothed, and who were wearing the garments provided by her charity.
There was evidently a special provision for widows in the little Christian community of Joppe, as in the mother church in Jerusalem, but the practice of community of goods does not appear to have been adopted in Joppe (see Annot. on vi. 1).
coats, (χιτωνας.) The under garments, which were close-fitting, corresponding to the Latin “tunica.”
garments. The loose outer garment (ἱματιον), which was draped, and held up with a girdle.
40. all being put forth. Thus Jesus had put forth the multitude when He raised the daughter of Jairus, and He allowed none to witness the miracle except the father and mother of the maid and His three apostles, Peter, and James, and John (St Mark v. 37). In this case, St Peter put all out of the room ; he alone saw Dorcas return to life.
Tabitha, arise. The words are very much like those our Lord addressed to the daughter of Jairus. It is probable that St Peter also spoke Aramaic, since he used the Hebrew name “ Tabitha.”
41. giving her his hand. St Peter now touches her. Had he taken her hand before she returned to life, he would have incurred legal pollution.
lifted her up. As she was swathed in linen it would have been difficult for her to stand without some assistance.
42. And it was made known, etc. As conversions resulted from the miracle worked in favour of Eneas, so many were converted through the raising of Dorcas.
Thus after the raising of Lazarus many believed : Many therefore of the Jews who were come to Mary and Martha, and had seen the things that Jesus did, believed in him (St John xi. 46).
Note.— Dorcas had really died. Now, as regards this and other miracles of raising the dead, the student may ask if those thus raised had been judged. The Fathers of the Church think they had not, but they believe that those to whom God, in His prescience, knows another term of life will be granted on earth, pass the time between their death and their return to life in a state of unconsciousness, for no soul admitted to the bliss of heaven or the Beatific Vision would be sent back to earth, and the same holds good of a soul condemned to hell, since, after its condemnation, it has no further opportunity of repenting.
43. many days. An indefinite period, during which St Peter evangelized in the villages around.
Simon a tanner. In the Talmud we read : “ The world cannot do without tanners, but woe to those who choose this trade.” This occupation was greatly disliked by the Jews, since tanners had to handle the skins of animals, and this rendered them legally unclean. All tanneries had to be situated at least fifty cubits from the town wall. That St Peter was not as yet indifferent to these traditions of the Pharisees regarding legal pollution is clear from ch. x., but he doubtless had some special reason for dwelling in the house of Simon the tanner.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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