Acts 9:37

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. AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THOSE DAYS, THAT SHE WAS SICK, AND DIED: WHOM WHEN THEY HAD WASHED - according to the custom of all civilized nations toward the dead. Though the washing of the corpse was in this case, of course, a female operation, the participle is in the masculine gender [ lousantes (G3068)], as the writer's object was not to express by whom the thing was done, but simply to state what was done by those whose business it was (Winer, 27: 6). THEY LAID IN AN (OR 'THE') UPPER CHAMBER - of the house where she was (compare 1 Kings 17:19)....

37._It happened that she was sick. _He saith in plain words that she was sick, that he may the more plainly express her death which followed. To the same end he saith that the corpse was washed and laid in an upper chamber; therefore, these circumstances serve to make the miracle to be believed. Whereas they carry her not straightway to the grave, but lay her in the upper part of the house, that they may keep her there, we may thereby gather that they had some hope of recovering her life. It is likely that the rite of washing, whereof Luke maketh mention, was most ancient; and I do not doubt but that it came from the holy fathers by continual course of times, as if it had been delivered from hand to hand, that in death itself some visible and of the resurrection might comfort the minds of the godly, and lift them up unto some good hope; to wit, seeing the manifestation of eternal life wa...

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 out...

Verse 37. _SHE WAS SICK, AND DIED_] Even her holiness and usefulness could not prevent her from sickness and death. _Dust_ _thou art, and to dust thou shalt return_, is a decree that must be fulfilled, even on the saints; _for the body is dead_, sentenced to death, _because of sin, though the spirit be life because of_ _righteousness_. _WHOM WHEN THEY HAD WASHED_] Having the fullest proof that she was _dead_, they prepared for her interment. In most nations of the world it was customary to wash their dead before they buried them, and before they laid them out _to lie in state_, as _Homer_ tells us was the case with the body of _Patroclus_: - Ὡς εἱπων, ἑταροισιν εκεκλετο διος Αχιλλευς, Αμφι πυρι Ϛησαι τριποδα μεγαν, οφρα ταχιϚα Πατροκλον λουσειαν -...

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....

EXPOSITION ACTS 9:1 _But _for _and, _A.V.; _breathing _for _breathing out, _A.V.; _threatening _for _threatenings, _A.V. THREATENING AND SLAUGHTER. The phrase ἐμπνέων ἀπειλῆς κ.τ.λ., is rather a difficult one, and is variously explained. Schleusner takes the genitives in "threatening and slaughter" as genitives of the thing desired, "punting after threatening and slaughter" (comp. Amos 2:7). Meyer explains it "out of the threatenings and murder [in his heart] breathing hard at the disciples"—an expression indicating passion. Alford, taking nearly the sense of the A.V., makes "threatenings and slaughter" to be as it were the very material of his breath, whether breathed out or breathed in. Considering that ἐμπνέω means "to br

AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THOSE DAYS,.... While Peter was in those parts, and particularly at Lydda, which was near: THAT SHE WAS SICK AND DIED; fell ill with some disorder, and died of it: WHOM, WHEN THEY HAD WASHED; as was the manner of the Jews; and this they did, even though it was on a sabbath day: for so their canon runs f, "they do all the necessaries for the dead (on the sabbath), they anoint him, ומדיחין, "and they wash him";'' yet that of Maimonides deserves some notice g; "it is forbidden to anoint part of the body, as the whole body; but if it is to remove filth, it is lawful; and so it is forbidden to wash part of the body with hot water, but with cold water they may wash his face, his hands, and his feet, but not the whole body.'' This custom still continues, and their usual method is to wash the body with hot water, in which they put dried roses and camomile flowers: li...

CHAPTER 9 __ 1. The vision of Glory on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1). 2. Instructions given to Ananias (Acts 9:10). 3. Saul filled with the Spirit, is baptized and preaches that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:17). 4. Saul persecuted and back in Jerusalem (Acts 9:23). 5. Further Acts of Peter (Acts 9:32). The previous chapter must be looked upon in its main part as a parenthesis. The record now leads us back to the close of the seventh, and the person who was connected with the great tragedy enacted there is prominently brought n

DORCAS. This story is like that of the raising of Jairus-' daughter (Mark 5:22; Mark 5:35; Luke 8:41 f., Luke 8:49). Tabitha (in Gr. _Dorcas,_ Eng. _Gazelle;_ though the Gr. equivalent for the name is given, the woman was called Tabitha by Peter (Acts 9:40) and was a disciple); the nature of some of her good deeds and alms appears in the sequel. Her burial does not follow hard on her death as with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:6;...

SURRENDER (Acts 9:1-9)...