Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 9:34
And Peter said unto him, Aeneas Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
34. Jesus Christ maketh thee whole ] As in the cure of the cripple at the Temple-gate (Act 3:6), the Apostle makes known that he is but the messenger, and that the healer is Christ. We are not told that neas was a disciple, but it may be inferred that he was among “the saints,” and that thus Peter was brought unto him.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Maketh thee whole – Cures thee. Peter claimed no power to do it himself. Compare Act 3:6, Act 3:16; Act 4:10.
Make thy bed – This would show that he was truly healed. Compare Mat 9:6; Mar 2:9, Mar 2:11; Joh 5:11-12.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 34. Jesus Christ maketh thee whole] Not Peter, for he had no power but what was given him from above. And, as an instrument, any man could heal with this power as well as Peter; but God chose to put honour upon those primitive preachers of his word, that men might see that they were commissioned from heaven.
Arise, and make thy bed.] Give now full proof that Jesus Christ HAS made thee whole, by arising, and by making thy bed. He was at home, and therefore was not commanded, as the paralytic person, to take up his bed; but he was ordered to make it-strew it afresh, that all might see that the cure was perfect.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: these words are not a prayer, (though they were not spoken without Peters lifting up his heart to Christ in prayer), but a promise to this sick man of health and recovery, declaring from whom he should receive it, that he might know whom to acknowledge and thank for it.
Arise, and make thy bed: our Saviour bids the sick of the palsy to arise, and take up his bed, Mar 2:11; and so he commands the impotent man, Joh 5:8. Here St. Peter bids this paralytic to make his bed; which seems more strange, being he was commanded to arise, so that now he should have no need of having his bed made; but it is easily answered, that being it was only intended to show how fully he was cured, the making of his bed did as much prove, both to himself and others, that he was recovered, as any thing else could do.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
34. And Peter said unto him, Eneas,Jesus Christ maketh thee whole(See on Ac3:6).
make thy bed(See onJoh 5:8).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, c. He called him by his name, which he might without divine revelation know, though he was a stranger to him, by the people of the house, where he was:
Jesus Christ maketh thee whole Peter knew, by some secret impulse upon his mind, that Christ would cure this man by him as an instrument at this time, and therefore said these words; not as a prayer, as some render them, “may Jesus Christ heal thee”, though was it so, it was a prayer of faith; but as a promise that he would, or rather as a declaration of the then present exertion of his power to heal him; which he ascribes not to himself, but to Christ, in whose name, and by whose power the apostles wrought all their miracles; Ac 3:12 “arise, and make thy bed”; which would be a full demonstration that he was perfectly whole:
and he arose immediately; and also, no doubt, made his bed, as the man at Bethesda’s pool was bid by Christ, to take up his bed and carry it, as a proof of his soundness.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Healeth (). Aoristic present middle indicative, heals here and now.
Make thy bed ( ). First aorist (ingressive) active imperative of (–). Old word with “bed” () understood as the object. Literally, spread thy bed for thyself (dative case), what others for eight years have done for thee.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Jesus Christ. But note the article : Jesus the Christ; the Anointed; Messiah.
Maketh thee whole [ ] . Rev., healeth thee. See on Luk 6:19. Make thy bed [ ] Lit., strew for thyself. Not, henceforth, but on the spot, as an evidence of restoration.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And Peter said unto him,” (kai eipen auto ho Petros) “And Peter addressed (him),” saying personally, directly.
2) “Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole;(Aiena
iatai se lesous Christos) “Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you,” Now and for good, indicating that such was done immediately or forthwith, not just gradually. What Peter did miraculously was here ascribed to Jesus thru the gift of the Holy Spirit, Act 1:8; Col 3:17.
3) “Arise, and make thy bed,” (anastethi kai strosen se auto) “Stand up and gird thyself,” dress yourself or put your robe on, make your bed for yourself. Something he had not done for eight years for himself, Act 9:33.
4) “And he arose immediately,” (kai eutheous anete) “And he arose or stood up immediately,” forthwith, much as the palsied man that Jesus healed and the paralytic that Peter and John healed, Mar 2:5-12; Act 3:1-11; Act 4:22.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
34. Jesus Christ maketh thee whole. It is certain that the apostles would never have attempted the doing of miracles, unless they had been first certified of the will of God, whereupon the effect did depend. For they had no such power of the Spirit given them that they could heal whatsoever sick persons they would; but as Christ himself used a measure in his miracles, so he would have his apostles to work no more than he knew were profitable. Therefore Peter did not rashly break out into these words; because he might have set himself to be laughed at, unless he had already known the will of God. It may be that he prayed apart. The Spirit who was the author of all miracles, and which wrought by the hand of Peter, did even then direct his tongue, and did move his heart by a secret inspiration. And in these words Peter showeth plainly that he is only the minister of the miracle, and that it proceedeth from the power of Christ; that he may by this means extol the name of Christ alone.
Make thy bed. These circumstances do amplify the glory of the miracle, in that he doth not only recover strength to rise, but is also able to make his own bed, who could move no member before. To the same end tendeth the continuance of the disease; for a palsy of eight years’ continuance is not easily cured. In like sort is he said to have laid in his bed, that we may know that all his members were lame; for it was a little bed wherein they were wont to rest at noon. Whereas AEneas was so ready to make trial of his members, he thereby declared the obedience of his faith. For although he perceived the strength which was given him, (632) yet he was most of all moved with the efficacy of the words, to rise.
(632) “ Redditum sibi vigorem,” that his vigor was restored.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(34) Jesus Christ maketh thee whole.Better, Jesus the Christ. We note the same anxiety to disclaim any personal power or holiness as the cause that wrought the supernatural healing as in Act. 3:12; Act. 4:9-10. In the assonance of the Greek words (Isus itai se) we may, perhaps, trace a desire to impress the thought that the very name of Jesus testified that He was the great Healer. Such a paronomasia has its parallel in the later play upon Christiani and Chrestiani = the good or gracious people (Tertull. Apol. c. 3), perhaps also in St. Peters own language that the Lord is not Christos only, but Chrestos = gracious (1Pe. 2:3). The command seems to imply a reminiscence of the manner in which our Lord had wrought His work of healing in like cases (Mat. 9:6; Joh. 5:8).
Make thy bed.More accurately, make, or, arrange for thyself. He was to do at once for himself what for so many years others had done for him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
34. Eneas He appears as a characterless man, quite in contrast with the noble maiden whose story next follows.
Jesus Christ maketh There is a close resemblance between these two miracles and some performed by Jesus. Rightly, for, as these words of Peter show, these very miracles were truly performed by Jesus; Jesus Messiah healeth thee, not Peter; healeth thee in the present tense, and so is doing it at this very instant.
Make thy bed Arise, spread (couch) for thyself. To show that he was paralytic no longer. (See notes on Mat 9:2-8.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Messiah heals you, arise and spread your mattress.” And immediately he arose.’
Peter approaches the paralysed man, and calling him by name, calls on him to arise. The healing is carried out in the name of Jesus the Messiah (compare Act 3:6), and Aeneas immediately rises. It is Jesus the Messiah Who now offers hope to all, and can relieve the paralysis of the world.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 9:34. Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole It is worth our while to observe the great difference there is between the manner in which this miracle is wrought by Peter, and that in which Christ performed his works of divine power and goodness. The different characters of the servant and the son, the creature and the God, are every where apparent. In working this miracle, however, St. Peter seems to have imitated our Lord, partly as to the manner of expression, but principally as to the sign and evidence of the perfection of the miracle; (Mar 2:9. Joh 5:8.) only with this remarkable difference and decorum; namely, that the two men whomour Lord cured, were not at their own home, and therefore they were ordered to take up their bed, or the couch on which they had lain, and walk away. But Eneas, whom St. Peter cured, was at home, and kept his bed there, and therefore he was ordered to arise, and make his bed; , shake up and smooth your own bed, as an evidence of the certainty and perfection of your cure. We may observe, that no faith on the part of the person to be healed was here required; and the like is observable in many other cases, where persons, perhaps ignorant of Christ, were surprised with an unexpected cure. But where persons petitioned themselves for a cure, a declaration of their faith was often required, that none might be encouraged to try experiments out of curiosity, in a manner which would have been very indecent, and have tended to many bad consequences.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
34 And Peter said unto him, neas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
Ver. 34. And Peter said ] After he had prayed for him, likely. It is the prayer of faith that healeth the sick. Thus Epaphroditus was given in as an answer to St Paul’s prayer, and Miconius to Luther’s, after he had been almost spent with a consumption. a
a
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
34. . . ] Not ‘ for the future :’ but ‘ immediately ,’ as a proof of his soundness.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 9:34 . .: perhaps a paronomasia , Act 4:30 (see Page, in loco ); present tense, indicating that the healing was immediately effected, Burton, N. T. Moods and Tenses , p. 9; Blass, Gram. , p. 183; verb much more frequent in St. Luke than in the other N.T. writers; in Gospel eleven times, in Acts three times, and one quotation; in St. Matthew three times, and same quotation; in St. John twice, and same quotation; in St. Mark only once; in Epistles three times, but perhaps only figuratively; so in Deu 30:3 , of the diseases of the soul. The term is used by St Luke in a passage where a similar statement is made by St. Matthew and St. Mark, in which they employ another verb, less precise, , , and not so strictly medical, cf. Mat 14:36 , Mar 6:56 , Luk 6:19 , Hobart, p. 9. : the cognate noun, only in St. Luke, Luk 13:32 , Act 4:32 , and see further also Hobart, pp. 23, 24. Both noun and verb are also frequent in LXX, and cf. Plummer on Luk 5:19 , who points out that in its active significance is peculiar to St. Luke, except in the quotations from LXX (Mat 13:15 , Joh 12:40 , both figurative), and in Joh 4:47 . , cf. Act 22:12 , where, as here, the context must be supplied. The aorist denotes performance without delay now and at once make thy bed for thyself an act which hitherto others have done for thee. , corresponds to and indicates the completeness of the healing.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Acts
COPIES OF CHRIST’S MANNER
Act 9:34
I have put these two miracles together, not only because they were closely connected in time and place, but because they have a very remarkable and instructive feature in common. They are both evidently moulded upon Christ’s miracles; are distinct imitations of what Peter had seen Him do. And their likenesses to and differences from our Lord’s manner of working are equally noteworthy. It is to the lessons from these two aspects, common to both miracles, that I desire to turn now.
I. First, notice the similarities and the lesson which they teach.
And now, note the likenesses. Jesus Christ said to the paralysed man, ‘Arise, take up thy bed.’ Peter says to Aeneas, ‘Arise, and make thy bed.’ The one command was appropriate to the circumstances of a man who was not in his own house, and whose control over his long-disused muscles in obeying Christ’s word was a confirmation to himself of the reality and completeness of his cure. The other was appropriate to a man bedridden in his own house; and it had precisely the same purpose as the analogous injunction from our Lord, ‘Take up thy bed and walk.’ Aeneas was lying at home, and so Peter, remembering how Jesus Christ had demonstrated to others, and affirmed to the man himself, the reality of the miraculous blessing given to him, copies his Master’s method, ‘Aeneas, make thy bed.’ It is an echo and resemblance of the former incident, and is a distinct piece of imitation of it.
And then, if we turn to the other narrative, the intentional moulding of the manner of the miracle, consecrated in the eyes of the loving disciple, because it was Christ’s manner, is still more obvious. When Jesus Christ went into the house of Jairus there was the usual hubbub, the noise of the loud Eastern mourning, and He put them all forth, taking with Him only the father and mother of the damsel, and Peter with James and John. When Peter goes into the upper room, where Tabitha is lying, there are the usual noise of lamentation and the clack of many tongues, extolling the virtues of the dead woman. He remembers how Christ had gone about His miracle, and he, in his turn, ‘put them all forth.’ Mark, who was Peter’s mouthpiece in his Gospel, gives us the very Aramaic words which our Lord employed when He raised the little girl, Talitha , the Aramaic word for ‘a damsel,’ or young girl; cumi , which means in that language ‘arise.’ Is it not singular and beautiful that Peter’s word by the bedside of the dead Dorcas is, with the exception of one letter, absolutely identical? Christ says, Talitha cumi . Peter remembered the formula by which the blessing was conveyed, and he copied it. ‘Tabitha cumi!’ Is it not clear that he is posing after his Master’s attitude; that he is, consciously or unconsciously, doing what he remembered so well had been done in that other upper room, and that the miracles are both of them shaped after the pattern of the miraculous working of Jesus Christ?
Well, now, although we are no miracle-workers, the very same principle which underlay these two works of supernatural power is to be applied to all our work, and to our lives as Christian people. I do not know whether Peter meant to do like Jesus Christ or not; I think rather that he was unconsciously and instinctively dropping into the fashion that to him was so sacred. Love always delights in imitation; and the disciples of a great teacher will unconsciously catch the trick of his intonation, even the awkwardness of his attitudes or the peculiarities of his way of looking at things-only, unfortunately, outsides are a good deal more easily imitated than insides. And many a disciple copies such external trifles, and talks in the tones that have, first of all, brought blessed truths to him, whose resemblance to his teacher goes very little further. The principle that underlies these miracles is just this-get near Jesus Christ, and you will catch His manner. Dwell in fellowship with Him, and whether you are thinking about it or not, there will come some faint resemblance to that Lord into your characters and your way of doing things, so that men will ‘take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus.’ The poor bit of cloth which has held some precious piece of solid perfume will retain fragrance for many a day afterwards, and will bless the scentless air by giving it forth. The man who keeps close to Christ, and has folded Him in his heart, will, like the poor cloth, give forth a sweetness not his own that will gladden and refresh many nostrils. Live in the light, and you will become light. Keep near Christ, and you will be Christlike. Love Him, and love will do to you what it does to many a wedded pair, and to many kindred hearts: it will transfuse into you something of the characteristics of the object of your love. It is impossible to trust Christ, to obey Christ, to hold communion with Him, and to live beside Him, without becoming like Him. And if such be our inward experience, so will be our outward appearance.
But there may be a specific point given to this lesson in regard to Christian people’s ways of doing their work in the world and helping and blessing other folk. Although, as I say, we have no miraculous power at our disposal, we do not need it in order to manifest Jesus Christ and His way of working in our work. And if we dwell beside Him, then, depend upon it, all the characteristics-far more precious than the accidents of manner, or tone, or attitude in working a miracle-all the characteristics so deeply and blessedly stamped upon His life of self-sacrifice and man-helping devotion will be reproduced in us. Jesus Christ, when He went through the wards of the hospital of the world, was overflowing with quick sympathy for every sorrow that met His eye. If you and I are living near Him, we shall never steel our hearts nor lock up our sensibilities against any suffering that it is within our power to stanch or to alleviate. Jesus Christ never grudged trouble, never thought of Himself, never was impatient of interruption, never repelled importunity, never sent away empty any outstretched hand. And if we live near Him, self-oblivious willingness to spend and be spent will mark our lives, and we shall not consider that we have the right of possession or of sole enjoyment of any of the blessings that are given to us. Jesus Christ, according to the beautiful and significant words of one of the Gospels, ‘healed them that had need of healing.’ Why that singular designation for the people that were standing around Him but to teach us that wide as men’s necessity was His sympathy, and that broad as the sympathy of Christ were the help and healing which He brought? And so, with like width of compassion, with like perfectness of self-oblivion, with equal remoteness from consciousness of superiority or display of condescension, Christian men should go amongst the sorrowful and the sad and the outcast and do their miracles-’greater works’ than those which Christ did, as He Himself has told us-after the manner in which He did His. If they did, the world would be a different place, and the Church would be a different Church, and you would not have people writing in the newspapers to demonstrate that Christianity was ‘played out.’
II. Further, note the differences and the lessons from them.
The lessons from the differences are such as the following.
Christ works miracles by His inherent power; His servants do their works only as His instruments and organs. I need not dwell upon the former thought; but it is the latter at which I wish to look for a moment. The lesson, then, of the difference is that Christian men, in all their work for the Master and for the world, are ever to keep clear before themselves, and to make very obvious to other people, that they are nothing more than channels and instruments. The less the preacher, the teacher, the Christian benefactor of any sort puts himself in the foreground, or in evidence at all, the more likely are his words and works to be successful. If you hear a man, for instance, preaching a sermon, and you see that he is thinking about himself, he may talk with the tongues of men and of angels, but he will do no good to anybody. The first condition of work for the Lord is-hide yourself behind your message, behind your Master, and make it very plain that His is the power, and that you are but a tool in the Workman’s hand.
And then, further, another lesson is, Be very sure of the power that will work in you. What a piece of audacity it was for Peter to go and stand by the paralytic man’s couch and say, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole.’ Yes, audacity; unless he had been in such constant and close touch with his Master that he was sure that his Master was working through him. And is it not beautiful to see how absolutely confident he is that Jesus Christ’s work was not ended when He went up into heaven; but that there, in that little stuffy room, where the man had lain motionless for eight long years, Jesus Christ was present, and working? O brethren, the Christian Church does not half enough believe in the actual presence and operation of Jesus Christ, here and now, in and through all His servants! We are ready enough to believe that He worked when He was in the world long ago, that He is going to work when He comes back to the world, at some far-off future period. But do we believe that He is verily putting forth His power, in no metaphor, but in simple reality, at present and here, and, if we will, through us?
‘Jesus Christ maketh thee whole.’ Be sure that if you keep near Christ, if you will try to mould yourselves after His likeness, if you expect Him to work through you, and do not hinder His work by self-conceit and self-consciousness of any sort, then it will be no presumption, but simple faith which He delights in and will vindicate, if you, too, go and stand by a paralytic and say, ‘Jesus Christ maketh thee whole,’ or go and stand by people dead in trespasses and sins and say, after you have prayed, ‘Arise.’
We are here for the very purpose for which Peter was in Lydda and Joppa-to carry on and copy the healing and the quickening work of Christ, by His present power, and after His blessed example.
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
maketh thee whole = healeth thee. Greek. iaomai. See note on Luk 6:17.
make thy bed. Literally spread for thyself.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
34. . .] Not for the future: but immediately, as a proof of his soundness.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 9:34. , maketh thee whole) not merely, may Jesus make thee whole. Comp. Act 9:40, where he prayed first: ch. Act 3:6, Act 14:10. This language establishes the presence and Divine power of Christ.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Jesus Christ: Act 3:6, Act 3:12, Act 3:16, Act 4:10, Act 16:18, Mat 8:3, Mat 9:6, Mat 9:28-30, Joh 2:11
Reciprocal: Mat 9:5 – Arise Mar 5:25 – twelve Mar 7:34 – Be opened Mar 16:18 – they shall lay Luk 5:24 – I say Luk 9:1 – gave Joh 5:8 – General Joh 11:43 – Lazarus Joh 14:12 – the Act 2:43 – many Act 4:30 – and that Act 8:7 – palsies Act 14:10 – Stand
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE MESSAGE TO NEAS
And Peter said unto him, neas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole.
Act 9:34
The four Gospels tell us what Christ did up to His Ascension (Act 1:1-2). The Acts of the Apostles carries on the story. It tells what Jesus didby the Holy Ghostthrough his disciples, after He ascended to heaven. St. Peter pointed neas to Christ as the Source of all healing (cf. Act 3:6).
I. It is through His Cross the healing comes.In our solemn Litany we beseech Him by the memory of His Cross and Passion to deliver us.
II. He knows the human heart.He can put His hand just to the place where the pain is sorest (Psa 139:1-4; Joh 2:24-25).
III. He possesses not knowledge only but sympathy (Heb 4:15).
Illustration
Curse God and die, said the wife of Job, who was the Lady Macbeth of the Old Testament. That is certainly an extreme case, but the world can never give a peace it does not possess. At the death of his mother the late Professor Huxley wrote to his sister: My dearest sister,I offer you no consolation, for I know of none. There are things which each must bear as best he may with the strength that has been allotted to him. In fact, all the philosophers of the world, from Plato to Herbert Spencer, can do nothing for us in the hour of our deepest need when the towers fall.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Act 9:34. And Peter said onto him, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole. The language of Peter to the palsied sufferer is very different from his Masters in similar cases. The disciple performed his miracle of mercy in the name and power of Jesus Christ. The Redeemer, on the other hand, commanded with Kingly Majesty in such terms as, I will, be thou clean; Take up thy bed and walk; Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise; Lazarus, come forth.
Arise, and make thy bed. That bed of thine, which hitherto others have made for thee, poor crippled one, from henceforth, restored by the power of my Master, Jesus, make for thyself.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 32
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 34
It is worthy of notice that, in this and in all similar cases, the power by which the miracle was performed, is ascribed directly to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Peter announced that the healing was Jesus Christ’s work (cf. Act 1:1; Act 3:6). Jesus had also told a paralytic in Capernaum to take up his pallet and walk (Mat 9:6; Mar 2:11; Luk 5:24). He later told another paralytic who lay at the Bethesda pool in Jerusalem to do the same thing (Joh 5:8). The Greek clause stroson seauto literally means "spread for yourself" and can refer to making a bed or preparing a table. The power of Jesus was still at work through Peter. The formerly paralyzed man arose immediately. Later Paul healed Publius’ father (Act 28:8).
"I think every one of the different diseases mentioned in Scripture was intended by God to illustrate in some way the effects of sin." [Note: Ironside, Lectures on . . ., p. 231.]