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Tuesday 27 April 2010

Acts 9:32-43

We now move back to Peter. Two incidents are recorded which show Peter performing miracles in much the same way that Jesus did, in fact the incidents would fit quite happily in the gospels.

First Peter is travelling about, and goes to Lydda. Aeneas had was paralysed and had been in this state for eight years. Peter told him that Jesus healed him, and told him to roll up his mat. This is very similar to the healing of the paralytic whose friends lowered him through the roof to see Jesus (Mark 9:1-8). So we see the same Jesus working through His disciples.

Next on to Joppa. Tabitha was a good person, but she became sick. As an aside we should note two things. One is that the New Testament is quite happy to talk about good and bad people, just because we are all sinners saved by grace does not mean that it doesn't make any difference how we live. The second is that good people can get sick. All sickness is not a direct result of sin.

Friends of Tabitha sent for Peter to help. We might ask why they could not heal her themselves, but, as mentioned in an earlier post, most of the miracles were carried out by the apostles. People were crying and generally making a commotion. Peter clears them out, prayed and told her to get up. So Peter raised a woman from the dead. Again, this is similar to Jesus raising a dead girl (Mark 5:39-42).

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