SERMON Acts 9.36-43 Tabitha
This passage holds some theological implications that go beyond a healing. There’s a ‘do we believe in miracles’ current. There are ‘women’s roles in society’s questions. And not within the text but in our minds we know today is Mother’s Day.
I feel it is a mistake on Mother’s Day to only celebrate mothers. Every woman is worthy of celebration. We should be mindful of those who have lost their mother. We should be sensitive to those who have lost a daughter or son, who were taken too soon. A child we may not even have known about. We should be respectful and inclusive of those who do not have children, no matter if it’s by choice or not. It can be a holiday that is hard for some and joyful for others. Let us celebrate and be grateful for our mothers that are still with us and for the new life that comes with that. Even as we still hold ALL women in our hearts as worthy of celebration.
Let’s talk about women. Women are by far the most denigrated, undervalued, and underestimated subclass in each class of society. In ancient times before and after Jesus, women were property. The men were the property owners, so women belonged to whatever man was in charge of the familial property that she was attached to.
Out of the property she did come before the various livestock. The herds of goats and sheep or the travel animals such as camels, colts, donkeys, or more rarely horses. She ranked higher than the servants. She was higher than any daughter she bore. Her sons, however, would come to ‘own’ her if their father died first and they inherited the property. She was valuable to a point, but only if she had children.
Mothers held higher esteem in social and familial settings than other women. This bias is still in play today against women without children or a husband. Many men had more than one wife and whomever had the first son was the most valuable. For in that son the family name would continue, and they would inherit all the property becoming the manager of whatever business or endeavor their father had had success with.
If she did not have children, the man had the legal right to divorce her. He could also keep her and ask her to perform the various household chores that came with the land or business that was managed. She would also serve as a nanny for his possible other wives' or concubines' children, should they have them. The stigma is felt keenly in the Old and New Testament. Sarah felt the sting of the lower social status and trying to fix it using Hagar she created a bigger problem and competition for her late-in-life son Isaac.
In our story of Tabitha or Dorcas there are some social norms that she seemed to rise above. She was referred to as a disciple. The feminine form of the word is used here and only here. A disciple of Jesus is what the 12 started out as and are continually referred to in the New Testament. Disciples as the Greek math-e-tria the feminine form and math-e-tes the male form is defined by several concordances, lexicons and word studies as a learner, disciple, or pupil. These texts provide a more robust definition under the male form of disciple.
The disciple is described as a learner and a follower of Christ who learns the doctrines of Scripture and the lifestyle and life-applications that are require of them. The term is used extensively in the New Testament to describe the followers of Jesus such as the 12 but also a broader group of followers that adhered to his teachings. The term "signifies more than just a student, it implies a committed follower who seeks to emulate the teacher's life and teachings". The role of a disciple involved both learning and living out the teachings of Jesus. "The process of discipleship involves both teaching and baptizing new believers into the faith".
In the Topical lexicon of the feminine form of disciple, it points out that the use of disciple in this context is significant, "it acknowledges the presence and contribution of women within the early Christian movement. Tabitha's story is a testament to the inclusive nature of the early church, where both men and women were recognized as disciples of Jesus Christ. Her life exemplifies the Christian virtues of service and compassion, and her resurrection by Peter further highlights the power of faith and the work of the Holy Spirit in the early church."
The feminine form of disciple, though only used once “in the New Testament, serves as an important reminder of the diverse and active participation of women in the spread of the Gospel. It reflects the broader biblical theme of discipleship, where all believers, regardless of gender, are called to follow Christ and live out His teachings".
In our text most commentaries are unsure if Tabitha is a rich widow, not a widow herself, or is living out her faith as a life of sacrifice from her poverty as a widow. The text does not explicitly describe her situation. It is irrelevant. She is defined by her discipleship.
The women who washed her body and those that Peter sends out of the room but later presents her to, are called widows. Since she is said to have stayed with them, she may have been. What is a widow anyway?
The concept of ‘widow’, however, does not just mean the loss of a husband. According to The Women’s Lectionary by Ashley M. Wilcox, "The community of widows in this text illustrates another lifestyle for women in the early church. The word “widow” was fairly inclusive at the time: it could mean any woman who did not have male protection or support." So, this could include an unmarried woman who has never married, or one who was divorced, or as we today use the term, a woman whose husband has died.
In the Connections Commentary Tabitha, also called Dorcas, is a remarkable saint for her acts of benevolence. "The death of Dorcas is not simply a personal or family loss; it has significant societal ramifications for the most vulnerable in her town. She has attended to the physical and financial needs of many (Acts 9:36). She has especially addressed the needs of widows, easily among the most vulnerable citizens of her society, as Luke reminds us by adding them specifically to the crowd that celebrates her return to life (v. 41)."
In fact, her impact in the community is so significant they sent for Peter when she died. The women did not go, but the men went. The ‘more important’ men. The only value women had back then was as a mother, right? Their only protection was from a father, husband, or son, right? A woman without a man was invisible. Except, according to Luke the probable writer of Luke & Acts.
Tabitha / Dorcas is a miracle for more reasons than being raised from the dead. She was seen. She mattered. Her ministry as a disciple of the church was widely respected. Not just by widows, but by the entirety of the community including men and married or protected women. The widows of the church prepared her body and the men knowing her gifts were highly needed ran to get Peter. The men saw her and respected her as a leader in the church. She was needed, and not as a mother, but as a disciple. Both roles are vital within any healthy society. Without women leaders how can our daughters realize their potential. Without mothers how would we have daughters and sons? Without Tabitha how would this community fair?
Peter knew she was important to those who already believed, but also because her works of great kindness were known far and wide. She was a powerful witness because of her acts of charity. She was a witness that proclaimed God. Her resurrection proclaimed the power of Jesus. Many came to believe because of her being resurrected. Able now to continue her work with the church.
They believed in Jesus. In the miracle of resurrection and new life with God. The Holy Spirit moved. It moved the widows to mourn her loss. They gathered the garments of her work as proof of Tabitha’s sacrificial giving. The Spirit moved in the men to run to bring Peter back with haste. It moved in Peter to tell Tabitha to get up!
Modern listeners and readers may get tripped up by miracles. Or as we often do, file it under ‘long ago, in a land far, far, away’… not happening right now. Why? Is it that we don’t believe miracles happen today? Or that they can always be rationally explained? It is a difficult question. I don’t have the answer. I believe in miracles from the Bible, and I believe they happen today. However, my rational brain sometimes or maybe all the time, softens or lessens the power of miracles… Maybe we explain away the power by suggesting that God gave us brains to figure out how to make medicine to heal. Maybe we explain away the power by saying it must have been coincidence. Why is it so hard to just believe? Why does it make us uncomfortable? Is it a lack of faith? Or a modern social constraint that inhibits our ability to think outside our own box.
Connections Commentary reminds us that "The story of Tabitha continues the post-Easter theme of hope for new life that spreads throughout the world." No matter what your social status is, God calls us to be disciples of Jesus. To be inclusive in our understanding of making disciples of ALL people everywhere. That no one should be excluded. If a man, who is a named 'one of the 12', can go quickly to a woman who hangs out with the lowest of all demographics in order to 'feed the sheep', that Peter was asked THREE times to do... I think we too can rethink how important it is to let everyone serve within and outside of the church walls so that all may benefit from their acts of kindness and charity.
Miracles. Is it harder to believe in a miracle of raising someone from the dead, than the changing of a heart of stone into one that breaks open to give kindness to all? Is it harder to believe that God at any point can make the sun stop or time to stand still, than for our lowest demographics or hated groups to become an inclusive part of the church universal? Is it harder to believe the Red Sea was parted for a group of immigrants fleeing oppression, than for governments everywhere to love and help the immigrant? What would the world look like if everyone were a Tabitha? Without the title Tabitha as a disciple acted in nurturing care as a mother to the her community. In the greater universal church, the Catholics will give the title of mother to those that are committed to the care of those most in need. Mother Teresa is but one modern example. Tabitha and her were probably much alike in their love of others. What would the world look like if we too acted with the kind of motherly sacrificial love of Tabitha and Teresa? Amen.
Bibliography
Barlett, David L., Barbara Brown Taylor, Editors, Feasting on the Word YC Vol 2, Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009. Kindel Edition.
Wilcox, Ashly M. The Women’s Lectionary: Preaching the Women of the Bible Throughout the Year, Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 2021. Kindle Edition.
Green, Joel B. Thomas B. Long, Luke A. Powery, General Editors, Connections: A Lectionary Commentary for Preaching and Worship: Year C, Volume Two, Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 2018. Kindle Edition.
Editors: Joel B. Green, Thomas B. Long, Luke A. Powery
Strong's Greek: 3102. μαθήτρια (mathetria) -- Female disciple
Strong's Greek: 3101. μαθητής (mathétés) -- Disciple, learner, pupil