Acts 9:37

9:36-43 Many are full of good words, who are empty and barren in good works; but Tabitha was a great doer, no great talker. Christians who have not property to give in charity, may yet be able to do acts of charity, working with their hands, or walking with their feet, for the good of others. Those are certainly best praised whose own works praise them, whether the words of others do so or not. But such are ungrateful indeed, who have kindness shown them, and will not acknowledge it, by showing the kindness that is done them. While we live upon the fulness of Christ for our whole salvation, we should desire to be full of good works, for the honour of his name, and for the benefit of his saints. Such characters as Dorcas are useful where they dwell, as showing the excellency of the word of truth by their lives. How mean then the cares of the numerous females who seek no distinction but outward decoration, and who waste their lives in the trifling pursuits of dress and vanity! Power went along with the word, and Dorcas came to life. Thus in the raising of dead souls to spiritual life, the first sign of life is the opening of the eyes of the mind. Here we see that the Lord can make up every loss; that he overrules every event for the good of those who trust in him, and for the glory of his name.

Verse 37. - Fell sick for was sick , A.V.; and when they had washed her for whom when they had washed , A.V. For the phrase in those days , comp. Acts 6:1 . The days here meant are those while Peter was in those parts. An upper chamber ( ὑπερώον ), as in Acts 1:13 . The upper chamber was much more private and quiet than a room on the ground floor (see 2 Kings 4:10, 11 ). Acts 9:37

37 . that she was [ fell ] sick, and died ] The proceedings which followed on her death are evidence of its reality. The probable reason for deferring the burial was the knowledge that Peter was close at hand, and the hope of the disciples that the power of Jesus might be exercised through him for the restoration to life of so eminent a disciple as Dorcas.

Acts 9:37-38 . Concerning the general ancient custom of washing the dead , see Dougtaei Anal. II. p. 77 ff., and Wetstein; also Hermann, Privatalterth . § 39. 5. ἐν ὑπερῴῳ ] The article (which Lachmann and Bornemann have, after A C E) was not necessary, as it was well known that there was only one upper room ( Acts 1:13 ) in the house, and thus no mistake could occur. Nor is anything known as to its having usually served as the chamber for the dead; perhaps the room for privacy and prayer was chosen in this particular instance, because they from the very first thought to obtain the presence and agency of Peter. μὴ ὀκνήσῃς κ . τ . λ .] Comp. Numbers 22:16 . “Fides non tollit civilitatem verborum,” Bengel. On the classical ὀκνεῖν (only here in the N. T.), see Ruhnk. ad Tim. p. 190; Jacobs, ad Anthol. III. p. 894. Thou mayest not hesitate to come to us. On διελθ ., comp. Luke 2:15 .

(37) They laid her in an upper chamber. —This implies some little delay in the usual rapidity of Eastern funerals. As Lydda was only nine miles from Joppa, the report of Æneas’s recovery might well have travelled from the one city to the other, and led to the hope that the power which St. Peter had thus put forth might extend even to the farther work of raising from the dead.

Whom, when they had washed - Among most people it has been customary to wash the body before it is buried or burned. They prepared her in the usual manner for interment. In an upper chamber - See the notes on Acts 1:13. There is no evidence that they expected that Peter would raise her up to life.

Acts 9:37 . ἐγέν . δὲ : on the frequency of the formula in Luke see above p. 124, and Plummer, St. Luke , p. 45, on the use of ἐγένετο .— ἀσθενήσασαν : aorist, marking the time when she fell sick (Weiss).— λούσαντες : after the manner of the Jews as well as of the Greeks, cf. instances in Wetstein and Hamburger, Real-Encyclopädie des Judentums , i., 2, 162, “Beerdigung” Outside Jerusalem three days might elapse between the death and burial, but in Jerusalem no corpse lay over night, see Hamburger, u. s. , p. 161; in the case of Ananias and Sapphira we may note the accuracy of this distinction.— ἔθηκαν : burial did not take place until the danger of an apparent death was considered past; in uncertain cases a delay as above might be allowed, or for other special reasons, and children were forbidden to hasten the burial of their parents, Hamburger, u. s. , p. 161; and further for burial and mourning customs, Edersheim, Jewish Social Life , p. 168, and History of the Jewish Nation , p. 311.— ἐν ὑπερῴῳ : the body was usually laid in an upper chamber when burial was delayed; see Hackett’s note and also on Acts 9:39 , and Alford on the article.