Bible Study Acts 9: 20-43

 

Commentary of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible

Bible Study Acts 9: 20-43

Text:

20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, [a]saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all those hearing him continued to be astounded, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem destroyed those that called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this One is the [b]Christ.

23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to put him to death, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

26 And when he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples, [c]but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and recounted to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them, [d]moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the [e]Hellenistic Jews, but they were attempting to put him to death. 30 But when the brothers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria was having peace, being built up. And going on in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it continued to multiply.

Peter Heals Aeneas

32 Now it happened that as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the [f]saints who lived at [g]Lydda. 33 And there he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Rise up and make your bed.” Immediately he rose up. 35 And all who lived at [h]Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Peter Raises Tabitha to Life

36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated is called [i]Dorcas). This woman was full of good works and charity which she continually did. 37 And it happened [j]at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. 38 Now since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, pleading with him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, crying and showing all the [k]tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40 But Peter sent 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. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. And calling the [l]saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And it happened that he stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 20: “and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’”

The central thought of Paul’s message was that Jesus Christ is God. This is the message we must preach today, and not the self-help “Jesus” that fixes your life. 

Verse 21: “And all those hearing him continued to be astounded, and were saying, ‘Is this not the one who in Jerusalem destroyed those that called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?’”

Saul astonished the Jews by preaching that Jesus was the Son of God. Saul of Tarsus is number one in several departments. He was number one in suffering; he was number one as a missionary. 

Verse 22: “But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this One is the Christ.”

Paul was intellectually brilliant. In addition to his natural intelligence, he had studied under the famous Rabbi Gamaliel.  He was able to confound those who attempted to tackle him intellectually because of his intelligence and training. 

Verse 23: “And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to put him to death,”

Often when people cannot debate an issue intellectually they resort to violence. “When many days had elapsed" means a period of 3 years, in which he ministered in Nabatean Arabia.

Verse 24: “but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;”

The city of Damascus was a walled city, and therefore the gates were the only realistic means of escape. They were looking for an opportunity to seize Paul and put him to death.

Verse 25: “but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a large basket.”

 “Basket” referred to a large woven hamper suitable for hay, straw, or bales of wool. The disciples were avoiding the gate because they probably knew of the plot and their focus on the gates.

Verse 26: “And when he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

The disciples thought this was a deception on the part of Saul of Tarsus to arrest them, that he was seeking to gain access to the community of believers to persecute them.  They were being persecuted. Paul saw only Peter and James the Lord’s brother at Jerusalem. The others may have been afraid to meet with him (Galatians 1: 18, 19). 

Verse 27: “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and recounted to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.”

Paul’s testimony was convincing to Barnabas otherwise he would not have brought him to the Apostles. Today, we still need people who will extend the right hand of fellowship to new Christians and help them grow in the faith. Barnabas became the sponsor for Saul.

Verse 28: “So he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.”

Paul is accepted into the community of believers at Jerusalem and joins forces with them to preach the gospel.

Verse 29: “And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, but they were attempting to put him to death.”

Hellenistic Jews adopted the Greek language and much of Greek culture through acculturation. These Jews saw Saul, i.e. Paul, as a traitor. That is why they wanted to kill him. Their hatred for Paul overcame any attempt to hear what he was saying and why he became a believer in Christ. 

Verse 30: “But when the brothers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.”

Caesarea was an important port city on the Mediterranean located 30 mi. N of Joppa. It was the capital of the Roman province of Judea and the home to the Roman procurator. It served as the headquarters of a large Roman garrison. At Tarsus, Paul disappeared from prominent ministry for several years.

Verse 31: “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria was having peace, being built up. And going on in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it continued to multiply.”

The church continued to grow. The gospel went into Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. Paul’s conversion and political changes contributed to the peace. While the church may sometimes grow more rapidly during times of affliction, as was the case with Israel in Egypt, constant suffering would eventually wear down even the most devout followers.  Alternatively, periods of rest can also contribute to the church's growth by providing ministers with greater opportunities to spread the Gospel and by encouraging those who might initially be hesitant to join due to fear of persecution.

Verse 32: “Now it happened that as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.”

Lydda was called Lod in the Old Testament, and it was a transportation hub situated approximately 10 miles southeast of Joppa, connecting routes from Egypt to Syria and Joppa to Jerusalem.

Verse 33: “And there he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed.”

He was very sick with palsy, possibly a severe form that left him dumb or immobile. His condition was so extreme that he was bedridden for eight years. Both he and those around him had lost hope of any recovery, expecting him to remain in bed until his death.

Verse 34: “And Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Rise up and make your bed.” Immediately he rose up.’”

Since Peter was an Apostle, he had the sign gifts of an Apostle. There are no Apostles today and as a result there are no sign gifts.  God does still perform miracles today, but not through preachers. 

Verse 35: “And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.”

News of the paralytic's healing spread dramatically, reaching the Plain of Sharon, which stretches north of Joppa along the coast for forty to fifty miles.

Verse 36: “Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated is called Dorcas). This woman was full of good works and charity which she continually did.”

Joppa, an ancient seaport, is situated approximately 38 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Modern-day Jaffa, south of Tel Aviv, corresponds to this location. Notably, it was the port from which Jonah embarked on his voyage. Dorcas was engaged in social service. 

Verse 37: “And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room.”

Notice how the early Christians prepared for burial. The body of the Lord Jesus Christ was buried on the day of death in Jerusalem. However, outside the city, up to three days were allowed for burial. This may have been before the anointing with spices.

Verse 38: “Now since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, pleading with him, ‘Do not delay in coming to us.’”

The Joppa church sent word to Lydda that a beloved woman in their church had died. They requested that Simon Peter come to Joppa, seemingly believing he could resurrect her.

Verse 39: “So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, crying and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.”

The widows were poor and wouldn't have had any clothes if Dorcas hadn't sewn them. As a result, when they showed off the garments Dorcas had made, they were displaying Dorcas' ministry and gift from the Holy Spirit.

Verse 40: “But Peter sent 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.’”

The Bible records three instances where Jesus raised people from the dead, and Peter was present for all three. These include the raising of Jairus' daughter, where Jesus instructed the crowd to leave the room. Similarly, when Peter raised Tabitha, the crowd was told to leave. However, unlike Jesus, Peter knelt and prayed before raising her.

Verse 41: “And he gave her his hand and raised her up. And calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.”

He extended his hand to her and helped her up, welcoming her back to life and offering her fellowship among the living, signifying that she had been restored and was no longer cut off from them.

Verse 42: “And it became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.”

The miracle was widely known throughout Joppa and convinced many people that the gospel was true and from heaven. As Joppa was a port city, news of this miracle quickly spread to other areas. Although some people disregarded it, the miracle's purpose was to affirm a divine revelation, and it impacted many.

Verse 43: “And it happened that he stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.”

Tanning was considered an unclean profession by Jews due to the contact with dead animals it required. As the gospel's message began to dissolve barriers between people, Peter's willingness to stay with a tanner demonstrated this shift.