กิจการ 9:37 วิจารณ์

In this chapter we have, I. The famous story of St. Paul's conversion from being an outrageous persecutor of the gospel of Christ to be an illustrious professor and preacher of it. I. How he was first awakened and wrought upon by an appearance of Christ himself to him as he was going upon an errand of persecution to Damascus: and what a condition he was in while he lay under the power of those convictions and terrors (Act 9:1-9). 2. How he was baptized by Ananias, by immediate directions from heaven (Act 9:10-19). 3. How he immediately commenced doctor, and preached the faith of Christ, and proved what he preached (Act 9:20-22). 4. How he was persecuted, and narrowly escaped with his life (Act 9:23-25). 5. How he was admitted among the brethren at Jerusalem: how he preached, and was persecuted there (Act 9:26-30). 6. The rest and quietness which the churches enjoyed for some time after this (Act 9:31). II. The cure wrought by Peter on Eneas, who had long been laid up with a palsy (Act 9:32-35). III. The raising of Tabitha from death to life, at the prayer of Peter (Act 9:36-43).

And Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter,.... The historian having given an account of the dispersion of all the preachers of the Gospel at Jerusalem, excepting the apostles, and of their success in other parts, especially of Philip's, returns to the history of Saul; who, not satisfied with the murder of Stephen, and with the havoc he made of the church at Jerusalem, haling them out of their houses to prison, continued not only to threaten them with confiscation of goods and imprisonment, but with death itself. The phrase here used is an Hebraism; so in Psa 27:12 , "one that breathes out violence", or cruelty; and this shows the inward disposition of his mind, the rage, wrath, malice, envy, and blood thirstiness he was full of; and is observed to illustrate the riches of divine grace in his conversion. And wonderful it is, that that same mouth which breathed out destruction and death to the followers of Christ, should afterwards publish and proclaim the Gospel of the grace of God; that he whose mouth was full of cursing and bitterness, should hereafter, and so very quickly, come forth in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ. And this rage of his, who now ravened as a wolf, as was foretold of Benjamin, of which tribe he was, was against the lambs of Christ, and the sheep of his fold: against the disciples of the Lord; not against wicked men, murderers, and thieves, and other evildoers, but against the harmless and innocent followers of Jesus, and which was an aggravation of his cruelty: and being thus heated, and full of wrath, he went unto the high priest; Annas or Caiaphas, who, notwithstanding the Jews were under the Roman government, had great authority to punish persons with stripes and death itself, who acted contrary to their law.

And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa,.... Some say it was six miles distant, but it must be eight; since from Jerusalem to Joppa were forty miles, and from Jerusalem to Lydda thirty two, and therefore it must be eight miles from thence to Joppa: and the disciples had heard that Peter was there; and also no doubt that he had healed Aeneas of his palsy, and which might induce them to do as follows: they sent unto him two men; very likely of their own company or church; for it is certain here were disciples or believers in Christ, and very likely were formed into a church state; these seem to be converts under Philip's ministry, who when he went from Azotus, preached in all the cities, and so in Joppa, till he came to Caesarea, Act 8:40 though we read nothing in ecclesiastical history of this church at Joppa, until the fifth century, when it appears there was a church in that place (n); and in the same century we read of Fidus bishop of Joppa, that was present in the synod held at Ephesus, anno 431 and in the sixth century of Elias bishop of the same place, in the council at Jerusalem, anno 536 (o) and in the same century a bishop of the church here assisted in the synod of Rome and Constantinople (p). desiring him, that he would not delay to come to them; they entreated he would not refuse to come, and think it too great a burden on him, or make any difficulty about it, or show any aversion to it; but that he would with all readiness and cheerfulness, and without delay immediately come unto them; for the case they wanted him for required speed and haste. (n) Magdeburg. Hist. Eccles. cent. 5. c. 2. p. 2. (o) Reland. Palestina Illustrata, l. 3. p. 867. (p) Magdeburg. ib. cent. 6. c. 2. p. 3.

And having washed her, they did all the things that are done for the dead. [CHRYSOSTOM]

And it happened that in those days she became sick and died. For when the saints, through the frailty of mortal nature, commit some wrong, they fall, as it were, into sudden infirmity in the days of their good works. But when they immediately take to tears, they ascend with hope of recovering their virtue, invoking the help of the saints, recalling their good deeds which they had interrupted, they indeed do what follows.

After they washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. And other things, which are narrated about Peter’s summoning and the showing of Dorcas's alms.

"It happened in those days that she fell ill and died. They washed her and laid her in an upper room." That is, they did everything that was proper to do for the deceased.

Saul, bent on the destruction of the Christians, obtains letters from the high priest, authorizing him to seize those whom he should find at Damascus, and bring them bound to Jerusalem, Act 9:1, Act 9:2. On his way to Damascus, he has a Divine vision, is convinced of his sin and folly, is struck blind, and remains three days without sight, and neither eats nor drinks, Act 9:3-9. Ananias, a disciple, is commanded in a vision to go and speak to Saul, and restore his sight, Act 9:10-16. Ananias goes and lays his hands on him, and he receives his sight, and is baptized, Act 9:17-19. Saul, having spent a few days with the Christians at Damascus, goes to the synagogues, proclaims Christ, and confounds the Jews, Act 9:20-22. The Jews lay wait to kill him, but the disciples let him down over the walls of the city in a basket, by night, and he escapes to Jerusalem, Act 9:23-25. Having wished to associate with the disciples there, they avoid him; but Barnabas takes and brings him to the apostles, and declares his conversion, Act 9:26, Act 9:27. He continues in Jerusalem preaching Christ, and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, who endeavor to slay him; but the disciples take him to Caesarea, and send him thence to his own city Tarsus, Act 9:28-30. About this time, the Churches, being freed from persecution, are edified and multiplied, Act 9:31. Peter heals Eneas at Lydda, who had been afflicted with the palsy eight years: in consequence of which miracle, all the people of Lydda and Saron are converted, Act 9:32-35. Account of the sickness and death of a Christian woman named Tabitha, who dwelt at Joppa; and her miraculous restoration to life by the ministry of Peter, Act 9:36-41. Gracious effects produced among the inhabitants of Lydda by this miracle, Act 9:42, Act 9:43.

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 - Και τοτε δη λουσαν τε, και ηλειψαν λιπ' ελαιῳ - Iliad xviii. 343. "So saying, he bade his train surround with fire A tripod huge, that they might quickly cleanse Patroclus from all stains of clotted gore. They on the blazing hearth a tripod placed, Infused the water, thrust dry wood beneath, And soon the flames, encompassing around Its ample belly, warm'd the flood within. Soon as the water in the singing brass Simmer'd, they bathed him, and with limpid oil Anointed. They stretch'd him on his bed, then cover'd him From head to feet with linen texture light, And with a wide unsullied mantle last." Cowper. The waking or watching of the dead was also practised among the ancient Greeks, as we learn from a preceding paragraph, where Achilles, addressing his dead friend Patroclus, tells him: - Τοφρα δε μοι παρα νηυσι κορωνισι κεισεαι αὑτως· Αμφι δε σε Τρωαι και Δαρδανιδες βαθυκολποι Κλαυσονται, νυκτας τε και ηματα δακρυχεουσαι Il. xviii. 338. - "Mean time, among My lofty galleys thou shalt lie, with tears Mourn'd day and night, by Trojan captives fair And Dardan, compassing thy bier around." Cowper. A similar description is given by Virgil of the funeral obsequies of Misenus, Aeneid vi. ver. 212. Nec minus interea Misenum in littore Teucri Flebant, et cineri ingrato suprema ferebant. Pars calidos latices et aena undantia flammis Expediunt, corpusque lavant frigentis et ungunt Fit gemitus: tum membra toro defleta reponunt, Purpureasque super vestes, velamina nota, Conjiciunt, etc. "Meanwhile, the Trojan troops, with weeping eyes, To dead Misenus pay his obsequies. First from the ground a lofty pile they rear Of pitch-trees, oaks, and pines, and unctuous fir: The fabric's front with cypress twigs they strew; And stick the sides with boughs of baleful yew; The topmost part his glitt'ring arms adorn: Warm waters then, in brazen cauldrons borne, Are pour'd to wash his body, joint by joint; And fragrant oils the stiffen'd limbs anoint. With groans and cries Misenus they deplore. Then on a bier with purple cover'd o'er The breathless body, thus bewail'd, they lay." Dryden. These rites, in many respects, resemble those still used among the native Irish. See the account of the funeral ceremonies of the Egyptians, in the notes on Gen 50:2 (note). The primitive Christians washed the bodies of their dead not only out of decency and affectionate respect to them, but as a token of their firm belief in the resurrection of the dead.

CONVERSION OF SAUL, AND BEGINNINGS OF HIS MINISTRY. (Acts 9:1-25) Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, &c.--The emphatic "yet" is intended to note the remarkable fact, that up to this moment his blind persecuting rage against the disciples of the Lord burned as fiercely as ever. (In the teeth of this, NEANDER and OLSHAUSEN picture him deeply impressed with Stephen's joyful faith, remembering passages of the Old Testament confirmatory of the Messiahship of Jesus, and experiencing such a violent struggle as would inwardly prepare the way for the designs of God towards him. Is not dislike, if not unconscious disbelief, of sudden conversion at the bottom of this?) The word "slaughter" here points to cruelties not yet recorded, but the particulars of which are supplied by himself nearly thirty years afterwards: "And I persecuted this way unto the death" (Act 22:4); "and when they were put to death, I gave my voice [vote] against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to [did my utmost to make them] blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange [foreign] cities" (Act 26:10-11). All this was before his present journey.

when they had washed--according to the custom of civilized nations towards the dead. in an--rather, "the" upper chamber--(compare Kg1 17:19).