Dorcas - Charity & Kindness

Dorcas

A disciple in Joppa - charity & kindness. (NT)

The follower, Dorcas, was a woman in the early church who was known for her kindness, her charity and her good works.  In other words, she was known by the spiritual fruit that God empowered in her life.  Outside of this one incident in scripture, we don’t know much else about Dorcas.  Yet, the miracle of Peter raising her from the dead is recorded in Acts for Christ’s church to remember and ponder for all time.

Unlike Delilah and Mary Magdalene from our previous two studies, Dorcas does not inspire based on her looks, or her troubled past.  She is not the subject of movies and major pieces of art.  Yet, Dorcas is known for her charity and service to the least of the kingdom, the ones whom Jesus has a heart for.  She is known in the early church for one who put others’ needs first…today her name is used on “Dorcas Houses” all over the world in honor of her generosity and kindness.  Join in as we contemplate God’s plan for Dorcas, and how instrumental she was for the early church.  Just as you are instrumental in your church body today.  While we consider our roles to support others in the church, we also consider how God sees us.

Let’s Read: Dorcas and Peter, the setting.  Acts 9:28-35

Acts chapter 9 begins with the conversion of Saul/Paul.  We read at the end of his story, about how he was ‘debating’ Hellenistic Jews.  This is all setting a stage for our understanding of where the early church was at this time.  

Good To Know:  Hellenistic Jews, were Jews who  had largely adopted the Greek way of life.  They spoke Greek, and followed Greek cultural practices with one exception.  They did not accept polytheism and would not go to temples for other gods.  

1.  What did the believers decide to do about Paul?  Why?  

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2. Where was Peter?  What was he doing? ____________________________________

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Peter was in Lydda, which was a town 12 miles southeast of Joppa (where Dorcas lived) and 25 miles Northwest of Jerusalem.  The passage tells us that when Peter healed Aeaneas who had been bedridden for eight years, all those who lived in Lydda and Sharon turned to Jesus.  Sharon was referred to as the “Plains of Sharon” which was the plain North of Lydda between the mountains and the Mediterranean sea that ran almost up to Cessarea.  Note the importance of the entire city turning to Jesus.  This was a legacy impact for the entire city and many families, less than 300 years later the bishop of Lydda attended the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. So this small town became a prominent part of the early church.

Let’s Read: Dorcas and Peter, the miracle.  Acts 9:36-43   

Joppa was a port town, by the mediterranean sea. This was the seaport from which King Solomon’s ships came and went on their journeys around the known world of that time. This was the same seaport Jonah ran to sail/flee to Tarshish rather than preach repentance to Nineveh.  One commentator mentioned and compared the call to Job that was disregarded by Job at Joppa (Jaffa in OT) to the call to Peter that was heeded.  Peter came.

3. What do we know about Dorcas from this passage? 

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4.  She was called, ‘a disciple’.  In fact, she is the only woman specifically named a disciple.  Her name, Dorcas, in Greek and Tabitha in Arimean (both names mean ‘gazelle’).  Do you think she was beautiful?  Why or why not?   Another variation of this question could be: “What makes Dorcas beautiful to us?”

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5. A disciple is more than a follower, a disciple strives to imitate their teacher and become like him.  How was Dorcas imitating Jesus?

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6. Who was responsible in the church for providing for the widows? Refer to Acts 6:1-7.

What does this tell us about Dorcas?

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Notice the believers in Joppa knew where Peter was.  We can infer that the believers in Joppa were connected to the church of Jerusalem/apostles since they knew where Peter could be found.  Yet, Peter was still 12 miles away - that is 3 to 4 hours away on foot.  By the way, we believe he was on foot because later, in Acts 10, he travels from Joppa to Cessarea. This journey takes him until the next day.  On horseback he would be able to make that trip in just a few hours.

7. When Peter arrives, what is requested of him?  How is he compelled by the widows?

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8. Compare the resurrections mentioned in the New Testament until Dorcas.  Until this point in the gospel story there have only been three known resurrections in the New Testament outside of Jesus Christ and the various people resurrected after Jesus' crucifixion .  Jairus’ daughter, the only son of a widow/unnamed young man at Nain (Luke 7:14), Lazarus, and now Dorcas. Some have called Dorcas, ‘the lady Lazarus’.  Compare the resurrections:

1. How did they die? Three were sick before they died, we don’t know about the young man at Nain. 

2. How long were they dead?  Lazarus for several days, he was already entombed. Jairus’ daughter hours, Dorcas also hours, and the young man at Nain was being carried in a funeral procession (in Jewish culture people were buried quickly within 8 hours or same day).

3. Witnesses - Jesus did not send anyone away for Lazarus.  For Jairus’ daughter he took three disciples, and Jairus and his wife.  Jesus raised the widow’s son in front of the whole funeral procession and his disciples, Peter sent everyone out of Dorcas’s upstairs room.

4. Prayer - For Lazarus, Jesus prayed first and his prayer was recorded for us. Peter prayed, but his prayer isn’t recorded.  Both point to God as the one with power to raise from the dead.

5. The command - To Lazarus, Jesus said, “Lazarus, Come forth!”.  To the young man at Nain, he said, “Young man, get up.”  To Jairus’ daughter he said “Talitha Cumi” which means little one (or little lamb) get up.  And to Dorcas, Peter said, “Tabitha cumi”.  Peter said “Tabitha, get up!”  Notice how similar Jesus and Peter’s words were:

   1. Talitha Cumi = lamb/little one, get up. (recorded in Mark chapter 5)

   2. Tabitha Cumi = gazelle, get up. (If he spoke in Arimean)

Talitha is translated as little one also means little lamb.  It is a term of endearment, sensitivity, and compassion.  I wonder if Peter was one of the three in the room with Jairus’ daughter and if so, did he reflect on that miracle when he asked God to raise Tabitha/Dorcas?

Let’s Read: Reflect on Dorcas (or Tabitha).  Acts 9:36-43   

7. Dorcas was focused on meeting the needs of widows around her.  These were people who did not have protection and provision in the early church as they would have been without families or support because they were widowed, and also because they chose to follow Christ.  Do you look for unmet needs in your church and community?   Do you find it hard to do this, or is this easy for you?

8. Is it easier to pray for others or to pray for yourself? Why do you think that is?

9. Who has been a Dorcas/Tabitha in your life?  Someone who uses her talents and skills to help meet the needs of others?

10. How might God be calling you to meet needs in your community?

Note: This might be a good time to reflect on the service day activity for our study.  If time allows.

God Sees Dorcas:  How do you think God sees Her?

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 God Sees You: How does God see you?

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God Sees Other Women:   How should we be encouraged to see each other, in Christ’s family?  How do we look for and use our talents, skills, and resources to meet needs of others around us?

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Resources for Dorcas’ study:

1. Death and burial in the time of Jesus: https://blog.adw.org/2017/03/death-burial-time-jesus/

2. Jesus heals Jarius’s daughter - words in Aramean: https://www.gotquestions.org/talitha-cumi.html

3. The Gazelle, a beautiful woman of God. https://womeninfocusatcbwc.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/gcbs-the-gazelle1.pdf

4. Sermon on Dorcas by the Stephen Baldwin. https://therealwv.com/2023/07/09/sunday-sermon-dorcas/

The other reason I think Dorcas is given such a place of prominence is because we have all met her before. We have all known Dorcases–women who make others their priority. Who devote their time to good works and charity. Who use their own resources to make life a little bit better for others. Who have been resurrected in order to spend their lives resurrecting the lives of others.   

Rev. Stephen Baldwin

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