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Bible Study Project: Interpretation
Passage: Acts 9:36-43
Darnesha Henderson
Psychology, Liberty University
Bible 104: Survey of Old and New Testament
Professor Robert Allen
September 19, 2022
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BIBLE STUDY PROJECT: INTERPRETATION
Passage: Acts 9:36-43
Summary
The theme of Acts 9:36-43 is God is sovereign and can use anyone at any time to
accomplish His will and ultimately receive glory. In the passage, the disciples sent two men and
called for Peter to come from Lydda to Joppa to pray for Tabitha. God's purpose is shown by
Tabitha being raised from the dead. Verse 42 says that many believed in the Lord after seeing
Tabitha alive. Starting at verse 40, "Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his
knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her
eyes and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he
called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42This became
known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord" (Acts 9:40-43 NIV - - bible
gateway 2022). God had the choice of not healing Tabitha, He could have done anything he
wanted to, but He had a plan. Peter also had the option of not coming and praying for Tabitha,
but Peter obeyed the Holy Spirit and came to Joppa to pray for Tabitha.
The entire story reveals obedience and faith. The disciples' adherence to the Holy Spirit,
confidence in God's ability to raise Tabitha from the dead, obedience to send two men to get
Peter to come and pray, and faith that God would raise her from the dead. The two men's
dedication to believing what the disciples told them to do and the obedience of the two men to go
to Lydda to get Peter. Then it also shows Peter's obedience because the disciples sent the two
men and the faith in God's power to go because Tabitha was dead. Verse 40 says, Peter sent them
all out of the room; then, he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman,
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he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up (Acts 9:40 NIV - - bible
gateway 2022). Then it shows the obedience of the widows and all in the room to obey what
Peter told them to do, leave the room. The faith to go and believe that God had the power to raise
Tabitha from the dead. The obedience and faithfulness to wait until Peter prayed and came back
into the room expecting that Tabitha would be raised from the dead. Finally, many had the
observation and faith after hearing all over Joppa and then believing in the Lord.
Identify
God is a sovereign God and requires glory. Jesus healed and raised Tabitha from the
dead, promising even more remarkable things they would do. Peter believed in the promises of
God and that anything he asked in Jesus's name, considering, would be done.
John 14:9-14, "Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been
among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say,
'Show us the Father? 10 don't you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me?
The words I say to you, I do not speak on my authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me,
doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at
least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes
in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these
because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the
Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it
(John 14:9-14 NIV - - bible gateway 2022).
Check
"Acts 9:36–38 Joppa was the major seaport of Palestine, located on the Mediterranean
about thirty miles northwest of Jerusalem. Among the Christians, a kindhearted lady named
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Dorcas, 47 was well-known for making clothes for the poor. When she died, the disciples sent an
urgent message to Lydda, asking Peter to come without delay. 9:39– 41 Upon his arrival, he
found all the widows weeping pathetically as they showed the garments Dorcas had made. He
asked them to leave, knelt, prayed, and commanded Tabitha to arise. Immediately she was
restored to life and rejoined her Christian friends. 9:42 This miracle of resurrection became
widely known so that many believed on the Lord" (MacDonald et al., Believer's Bible
Commentary Second Edition, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, ProQuest eBook Central, 1992). The
commentary shows that a lady named Dorcas, otherwise known as Tabitha, suddenly died. The
disciples sent an urgent message to Peter in Lydda, asking him to come immediately. When he
arrived, he was met by the widows, showing him all the garments that Dorcas had made. Peter
asked all to leave the room, knelt and prayed, and commanded Tabitha to arise. Immediately she
was restored to life and rejoined her Christian friends. This miracle became widely known, and
many believed in the Lord. This commentary shows the obedience and faith of the disciples.
Peter would not have come if he didn't have faith and had not been obedient to what he believed
the Lord would do. The widows were obedient to what Peter asked them to do and had faith if
Peter prayed that, Tabitha would be raised from the dead. The two men that went to get Peter
were obedient and believed that Peter would come if they went and asked him to come. All were
obedient to one another, and all had faith in the power of God to raise Tabitha from the dead.
Then many had faith in the Lord because of the obedience of a few. I believe that obedience and
faith are two characteristics of this story. Without the obedience and faith of a few people, God
would have either not raised Tabitha from the dead, or this story would have been different. God
would have achieved his goal of being glorified, and many believed in him, but he would have
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done this differently. I think he would have used other characters, or he would have told this
story differently.
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References
Acts 9:40-43 NIV - - bible gateway. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2022, from
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2B9%3A40-43&version=NIV Acts 9:40
NIV - - bible gateway. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2022, from
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2B9%3A40&version=NIV John 14:9-14
NIV - - bible gateway. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2022, from
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2B14%3A9-14&version=NIV Acts 9:36-
38 MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Second Edition, edited by Arthur L.
Farstad, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 1992. ProQuest eBook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=5391565.
