Teks -- Acts 9:37 (NET)

9:37 At that time she became sick and died. When they had washed her body, they placed it in an upstairs room.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Act 9:37 - In an upper chamber

In an upper chamber ( en huperōiōi ).

See note on Act 1:13. Also in Act 9:39. In that house. This service was rendered by the women, though Luke has lousantes (masculine plural aorist active participle of louō ), a general way of saying "they washed."The interment was not hurried as in Jerusalem (Ananias and Sapphira) and the upper room is where the body was usually placed.

Vincent: Act 9:37 - Upper chamber

Upper chamber

See on Act 1:13.

JFB: Act 9:36-39 - at Joppa

The modern Jaffa, on the Mediterranean, a very ancient city of the Philistines, afterwards and still the seaport of Jerusalem, from which it lies distant forty-five miles to the northwest.

JFB: Act 9:36-39 - Tabitha . . . Dorcas

The Syro-Chaldaic and Greek names for an antelope or gazelle, which, from its loveliness, was frequently employed as a proper name for women [MEYER, OLSHAUSEN]. Doubtless the interpretation, as here given, is but an echo of the remarks made by the Christians regarding her--how well her character answered to her name.

JFB: Act 9:36-39 - full of good works and alms-deeds

Eminent for the activities and generosities of the Christian character.

JFB: Act 9:37 - when they had washed

According to the custom of civilized nations towards the dead.

JFB: Act 9:37 - in an

Rather, "the"

JFB: Act 9:37 - upper chamber

(compare 1Ki 17:19).

Clarke: Act 9:37 - She was sick, and died

She was sick, and died - Even her holiness and usefulness could not prevent her from sickness and death. Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return, is a decree that must be fulfilled, even on the saints; for the body is dead, sentenced to death, because of sin, though the spirit be life because of righteousness

Clarke: Act 9:37 - Whom when they had washed

Whom when they had washed - Having the fullest proof that she was dead, they prepared for her interment. In most nations of the world it was customary to wash their dead before they buried them, and before they laid them out to lie in state, as Homer tells us was the case with the body of Patroclus: -

Ὡς εἱπων, ἑταροισιν εκεκλετο διος Αχιλλευς

Αμφι πυρι Ϛησαι τριποδα μεγαν, οφρα ταχιϚ

Πατροκλον λουσειαν -

Και τοτε δη λουσαν τε, και ηλειψαν λιπ ’ ελαιῳ

- Iliad xviii. 343

"So saying, he bade his train surround with fir

A tripod huge, that they might quickly cleans

Patroclus from all stains of clotted gore

They on the blazing hearth a tripod placed

Infused the water, thrust dry wood beneath

And soon the flames, encompassing aroun

Its ample belly, warm’ d the flood within

Soon as the water in the singing bras

Simmer’ d, they bathed him, and with limpid oil Anointed

They stretch’ d him on his bed, then cover’ d hi

From head to feet with linen texture light

And with a wide unsullied mantle last.

Cowper

The waking or watching of the dead was also practised among the ancient Greeks, as we learn from a preceding paragraph, where Achilles, addressing his dead friend Patroclus, tells him: -

Τοφρα δε μοι παρα νηυσι κορωνισι κεισεαι αὑτως·

Αμφι δε σε Τρωαι και Δαρδανιδες βαθυκολποι

Κλαυσονται, νυκτας τε και ηματα δακρυχεουσαι

Il. xviii. 338

- "Mean time, amon

My lofty galleys thou shalt lie, with tear

Mourn’ d day and night, by Trojan captives fai

And Dardan, compassing thy bier around.

Cowper

A similar description is given by Virgil of the funeral obsequies of Misenus, Aeneid vi. ver. 212

Nec minus interea Misenum in littore Teucri

Flebant, et cineri ingrato suprema ferebant.

Pars calidos latices et aena undantia flammi

Expediunt, corpusque lavant frigentis et ungun

Fit gemitus: tum membra toro defleta reponunt

Purpureasque super vestes, velamina nota,

Conjiciunt, etc

"Meanwhile, the Trojan troops, with weeping eyes

To dead Misenus pay his obsequies

First from the ground a lofty pile they rea

Of pitch-trees, oaks, and pines, and unctuous fir

The fabric’ s front with cypress twigs they strew

And stick the sides with boughs of baleful yew

The topmost part his glitt’ ring arms adorn

Warm waters then, in brazen cauldrons borne

Are pour’ d to wash his body, joint by joint

And fragrant oils the stiffen’ d limbs anoint

With groans and cries Misenus they deplore

Then on a bier with purple cover’ d o’ e

The breathless body, thus bewail’ d, they lay.

Dryden

These rites, in many respects, resemble those still used among the native Irish. See the account of the funeral ceremonies of the Egyptians, in the notes on Gen 50:2 (note). The primitive Christians washed the bodies of their dead not only out of decency and affectionate respect to them, but as a token of their firm belief in the resurrection of the dead.

Calvin: Act 9:37 - It happened that she was sick

37.It happened that she was sick He saith in plain words that she was sick, that he may the more plainly express her death which followed. To the same end he saith that the corpse was washed and laid in an upper chamber; therefore, these circumstances serve to make the miracle to be believed. Whereas they carry her not straightway to the grave, but lay her in the upper part of the house, that they may keep her there, we may thereby gather that they had some hope of recovering her life. It is likely that the rite of washing, whereof Luke maketh mention, was most ancient; and I do not doubt but that it came from the holy fathers by continual course of times, as if it had been delivered from hand to hand, that in death itself some visible and of the resurrection might comfort the minds of the godly, and lift them up unto some good hope; to wit, seeing the manifestation of eternal life was not so evident, yea, seeing that Christ, the pledge and substance of eternal life, was not as yet revealed, it was requisite that both the obscurity of doctrine, and also the absence of Christ, should be supplied by such helps. Therefore they washed the bodies of the dead, that they might once ⁶³⁵ stand before the judgment-seat of God, being clean. ⁶³⁶ Finally, there was the same reason for washing the dead which was for the living; the daily washing put them in mind of this, that no man can please God save he who should be purged from his filthiness. So, in the rite of burying, God would have some sign extant whereby men might be admonished that they went polluted out of this life by reason of that filthiness which they had gathered in the world. Washing did no more help those which were dead than burial, but it was used to teach the living; ⁶³⁷ for because death hath some show of destruction, lest it should extinguish the faith of the resurrection, it was requisite that contrary shows should be set against it, that they might represent life in death. The Gentiles also took to themselves this ceremony, for which cause Ennius saith, A good woman did wash and anoint Tarquinius’s corpse. But (their) imitation was but apish ⁶³⁸ in this thing, as in all other ceremonies. And Christians also have taken to themselves this example unadvisedly, as if the observation of a figure used under the law ought to continue always; for at the beginning of the gospel, although the necessity were abolished, yet the use was lawful, until such time as it might grow out of use in tract of time. But the monks do at this day no less imitate Judaism than did the Gentiles in times past, without choice and judgment, for they wash corpses, that they may bury Christ in shadows, which, being buried with him in his grave, ought never to have been used any more.

TSK: Act 9:37 - she was // in an

she was : Joh 11:3, Joh 11:4, Joh 11:36, Joh 11:37

in an : Act 1:13, Act 20:8; Mar 14:15

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Act 9:37

They washed the dead, and anointed them, to fit them for their burying, and especially to show their hope of the resurrection; which some think St. Paul alludes unto, 1Co 15:29 .

Haydock: Act 9:37 - Washed

Washed. This custom of washing the dead was observed among the Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, and most other nations. It is still practised in monasteries, and formerly was observed with much ceremony. St. John Chrysostom observes, that our Saviour's body was washed and embalmed. The same custom is mentioned in Homer and Virgil: Corpusque lavant frigentis, et ungunt. ---

And again,

Date, vulnera lymphis abluam. ---

Æneid. iv.

--- Tertullian, in his Apology, testifies, that the Christians performed that office to the dead. It was a proof of their respect for the image of God impressed upon his creature, and for the character of Christian, which these persons have borne during their lives. It was likewise a sign of the confidence they had in a future resurrection.

Gill: Act 9:37 - And it came to pass in those days // that she was sick and died // whom, when they had washed // they laid her in an upper chamber

And it came to pass in those days,.... While Peter was in those parts, and particularly at Lydda, which was near:

that she was sick and died; fell ill with some disorder, and died of it:

whom, when they had washed; as was the manner of the Jews; and this they did, even though it was on a sabbath day: for so their canon runs ^f,

"they do all the necessaries for the dead (on the sabbath), they anoint him, ומדיחין, "and they wash him";''

yet that of Maimonides deserves some notice ^g;

"it is forbidden to anoint part of the body, as the whole body; but if it is to remove filth, it is lawful; and so it is forbidden to wash part of the body with hot water, but with cold water they may wash his face, his hands, and his feet, but not the whole body.''

This custom still continues, and their usual method is to wash the body with hot water, in which they put dried roses and camomile flowers: likewise, they take an egg, and beat it up in wine, and therewith anoint the head; and this washing and anointing are done by some at the house before the corpse is carried out (as here); but in some places, especially where there is a large number of Jews, all this is done in the burying places; where they have a little house, whither they carry the corpse, and put it on a table, and there wash it; and after washing, put, it into a coffin, and inter it ^h: and this has been the custom of other nations, if not of all nations: the custom with the Turks is this ⁱ; the body being laid upon a board, and covered with a linen cloth, one of the ecclesiastical elders washes it with hot water and soap, another being present to hand the water; but they do not suffer others to look on: the body is thrice washed; and the third time they mingle camphire with it; and being washed, it is put into a coffin. And Ludolphus ^k reports of the Abyssines, that their bodies being well washed and perfumed, they wrap them up in garments, and then are put upon a bier, and buried. And this was the practice both of the ancient Grecians and Romans, that as soon as ever anyone was dead, the body was immediately washed and anointed. Thus Creon is said to fetch Jocaste to wash her dead son; and Antigone requests of Creon, that she might wash her brother ^l. It has been the custom of some countries to wash their dead bodies in rivers: and some people, in the northern parts, have chose, for this reason, to have their burying places near the banks of rivers, that their dead bodies might be washed in running water: and the Indians, which live at a distance from the river Ganges, will go fifteen or twenty days journey thither, to wash their corpse in it, though then putrefied, and then burn them; yea, they take their sick alive when they think they will die, and put them up to their middle in rivers, that they may die in pure and clear water; and they enjoin a very severe penance on those who omit to bring such as are near death, to a river to be washed ^m:

they laid her in an upper chamber. The Ethiopic version reads quite the reverse; "they put her in the lower part of the house": which is not likely. Dr. Lightfoot conjectures that this upper chamber might be the common meeting place of the saints; and that they put her here, that if Peter should work a miracle all might be spectators of it; and certain it is, that the Jewish doctors used to meet in upper rooms, and confer together; See Gill on Mar 2:4, and such there were in Lydda; See Gill on Act 1:13 and such there were in Lydda; Act 9:32.