December 1, 2023 – Does the Bible Say…?             

“Does the Bible say Peter could raise the dead?”

 “Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.” Acts 9:36-43

She is simply there. Tabitha was trying to love G-d and follow G-d. Perhaps she was a good wife, perhaps a good mother, perhaps a good friend – we do not know. She was living her life and trying to be a good person. The widows felt compelled to point out to Peter all of her charity. So what could Peter do?

We know so little about Tabitha except what the biblical witness tells us. We don’t know if she was a young woman, married and with children to raise, or living with her family. We don’t know if she’d been disowned from a pagan family because she was Christian. Maybe she was old, and all by herself, so she dwelt with the other widows of the community. We just don’t know. But there she is – a simple story of faith and a miracle – and from the response of the women following her death, she obviously meant a lot to so many people. I wonder if this is why Peter was moved to act – and act he did.

Tabitha will be the only person Peter will raise from the dead. But Peter will also heal many throughout the book of Acts. But notice he does not do it on his own. The text tells us: “Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.”

Peter prays before he raises Tabitha. Peter turns to Jesus for the power and the presence to do the miraculous. This is why we need to turn to Jesus in prayer often. No, we will not be able to raise the dead. But we can do powerful things through the Holy Spirit and prayer.

Pastor Dave