Preaching by Paul, Healing by Peter (Acts 9:19-43)

Acts of the Apostles

  • Saul goes from persecutor of Christians (Ac 8:3; 9:1) to preaching Christ (Ac 9:20) and proving that Jesus is the Messiah (Ac 9:22), to being persecuted (Ac 9:23, 29) and needing protection (Ac 9:25, 30).

  • Saul was on his back repenting (Ac 9:4-5), on his knees praying (Ac 9:11) and now on his feet preaching (Ac 9:20, 22, 28).

  • Saul has a new master with new commands (Ac 9:6), a new life (2 Cor 5:17), a new mission (Ac 9:15), a new family (Ac 9:19, 28a), a new message (Ac 9:20, 22, 28b), a new power (Ac 1:8) and then a new enemy (Ac 9:23, 29). What is new in your life?

  • With a new enemy the hunter becomes the hunted; the one who came to kill becomes the one they want to kill.

  • With a new master (Ac 9:6) comes a new mission (Ac 9:15). Who is the master of your life? You? Someone else? God?

  1. Preaching by Paul(Acts 9:19-31): How Paul Began His Christian Life.
  2. Healing by Peter (Acts 9:32-43): Peter Replicates Jesus’ Ministry.
  • Are you healed? What are you healed from?
  • Since Jesus and Peter (also Elijah and Elisha) healed a paralytic and raised the dead, should we expect this today?
  • What commonly paralyzes man?
  • If I trust God can I expect to be healed if I have a terminal illness? If “No” why are healings recorded in Scripture?
  • Distances: Jerusalem to Damascus (Ac 9:2) – 135 miles.
  • Jerusalem to Caesarea (Ac 9:30) – 65 miles north.
  • Jerusalem to Lydda (Ac 9:32) – 25 miles north.
  • Lydda to Joppa (Ac 9:36) – 12 miles northwest of Lydda on the coast.
  • Joppa to Caesarea (Ac 10:1, 5) – 35 miles north.

How Paul Began His Christian Life (Acts 9:19-31). How did Saul/Paul begin his Christian life (Ac 9:20)? How did he finish (Ac 20:24)?

  • How did you begin your Christian life? How comfortable are you to teach and preach that “Jesus is the Son of God” (Ac 9:20)? And to prove that “Jesus is the Messiah” (Ac 9:22)? How could Saul do so?
  1. How might the disciples have felt meeting and spending time with Saul (Ac 9:19b)? What might they talk about? Who might have felt surreal (Ac 9:21-22)?
  2. When did Saul begin to preach and what did he share (Ac 9:20)?
    • How soon after conversion should new Christians tell non-Christians about Jesus today?
    • What should new Christians tell non-Christians about Jesus?
  3. How many days were the “many days” after which the Jews plotted to kill Saul  (Ac 9:23; Gal 1:18)? Where did Saul spend those years (Gal 1:17)? Where is “Arabia” [During Saul’s era, “Arabia” referred to the kingdom of the Nabatean Arabs that stretched from Damascus to the Red Sea, covering parts of today’s Syria, Jordan, Israel and Saudi Arabia. It was much smaller than today’s Saudi Arabia.]
  4. Who was trying to capture and kill Saul (Ac 9:23-25; 2 Cor 11:32-33)?
  5. Why didn’t the disciples in Jerusalem believe Saul to be a disciple (Ac 9:26, 1; 8:1, 3)? Is it surprising that Barnabas was brave (Ac 9:27; 4:36-37)? How long was Saul in Jerusalem (Ac 9:28; Gal 1:18)?
  6. Who were the “Hellenists” who tried to kill Saul (Ac 9:29; 6:9)? Why did the brethren send Saul to Tarsus from Caesarea (Ac 9:30; 21:39)? How long was he there (Gal 1:21-2:1)? What may have occurred then ( 2 Cor 12:1-2, 4)?
  7. What do “Judea, Galilee, and Samaria” (Ac 9:31a) comprise? What church growth strategy led to “increase in numbers” (Ac 9:31b)? Should it be different today?

Peter Replicates Jesus’ Ministry (Acts 9:32-43).

  1. Why did Peter travel “about the country” (Ac 9:32, 31)? Where is “Lydda” [Lydda is a town located about 35 kilometers (22 miles) northwest of Jerusalem and 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Mediterranean Sea. Lydda is in the coastal plain and is now called by its Arabic name, Lod.]
  2. Why was Aeneas healed (Ac 9:33-35)? Did Peter heal him? [Sharon is the name of the coastal plain in which Lydda is located.]
  3. What does “Dorcas” (Ac 9:36) mean? [Dorcas is a Greek word that means “Gazelle.” “Tabitha”(Ac 9:36) is the Aramaic equivalent of Dorcas and has the same meaning (From the 6th century BC, Aramaic gradually replaced Hebrew as the language of the Jews).]
  4. Were the disciples in Joppa hoping Peter would heal Dorcas? Where is Joppa (Acts 9:36)? [Also called “Yafo” or “Jaffa” in Hebrew, Joppa is a city on the Mediterranean Sea and the nearest port to Jerusalem, about 50 km (31 miles) to the southeast. Lydda lies in between Joppa and Jerusalem, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) SE of Joppa.]
  5. What were Dorcas’ “charitable deeds” (Ac 9:36)? What is Peter raising Tabitha reminiscent of (Mk 5:38-42)? What is the main difference between the two incidents (Ac 9:40; Mk 5:41-42)?
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