Acts 9:40

But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. BUT PETER PUT THEM ALL FORTH, AND KNEELED DOWN, AND PRAYED - the one in imitation of His Master's way (, and compare ); the other in striking contrast with it. The kneeling befitted the lowly servant, but not the Lord Himself-of whom it is never once recorded that He knelt in the performance of a miracle: and this although, during His mysterious soul-agony in the garden, one of the three evangelists who record that scene, states expressly that He "kneeled down," and the two others, that He "fell on His face," and "upon the ground." And turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her ey...

40._When they were all put forth. _When as he taketh a time to pray, he seemeth as yet to doubt what will be the end. When he healed AEneas he brake out into these words, without making any stop, _AEneas, Jesus Christ make thee whole. _But as the operation of the Spirit is not always alike and the same, it may be that though he knew the power of God, yet he went forward unto the miracle by degrees. Yet it seemeth to be an absurd thing, that he putteth all the saints out of the chamber, for whom it had been better to have seen it with their eyes. But because the Lord had not as yet revealed the time when, and the manner how, he would show forth his power, he desired to be alone, that he might the more fitly pray. Also it might be, that he knew some other reason which moved him to do this, which we know not. It is recorded in the Sacred History, (1 Kings 17:23,) that Elias did th

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 Acts 9:40. _PETER PUT THEM ALL FORTH, AND KNEELED DOWN AND PRAYED_] It was not even known to Peter that God would work this miracle: therefore he put all the people out, that he might seek the will of God by fervent prayer, and during his supplications be liable neither to _distraction_ nor _interruption_, which he must have experienced had he permitted this company of _weeping widows_ to remain in the chamber. _AND TURNING - TO THE BODY_] σωμα, The lifeless body, for the _spirit_ had already departed. _SAID, TABITHA, AROSE._] During his wrestling with God, he had, undoubtedly, received confidence that she would be raised at his word. _AND WHEN SHE SAW PETER, SHE SAT UP._] As Dorcas was a woman so eminently holy, her happy soul had doubtless gone to the paradise of God. Must she no

BUT PETER PUT THEM ALL FORTH - From the room. See a similar case in Matthew 9:25. Why this was done is not said. Perhaps it was because he did not wish to appear as if seeking publicity. If done in the presence of many persons, it might seem like ostentation. Others suppose it was that he might offer more fervent prayer to God than he would be willing they should witness Compare 2 Kings 4:33. TABITHA, ARISE - Compare Mark 5:41....

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

BUT PETER PUT THEM ALL FORTH,.... As he had seen his Lord and Master do, when he raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead, Luke 8:54 AND KNEELED DOWN AND PRAYED; it may be, as yet, he had not the mind of God in this matter, and therefore betook himself to prayer, in which he chose to be private and alone: AND TURNING HIM TO THE BODY; the corpse of Dorcas, after he had prayed, and was well assured that the power of Christ would be exerted in raising of it: SAID, TABITHA, ARISE; which words were spoken in the name and faith of Christ, and were all one as, if Christ himself had spoken them; for to his power, and not to the apostles, is the following miracle to be ascribed: and she opened her eyes; which, upon her death, had been closed by her friends; and perhaps the napkin was not yet bound about her face: or if it was, she must remove it

ACTS 9:40 After avna,sthqi several Western witnesses (itgig, p vgmss syrh with * copsa, G67 arm Cyprian Ambrose) add in slightly varying forms the words evn tw|/ ovno,mati tou/ kuri,ou h`mw/n VIhsou/ Cristou/ (“in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”); compare Acts 4:10, “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” Another Western modification is the addition of paracrh/ma (“immediately”) before h;noixen (E itgig, p copsa, G67 Speculum)....

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;...