As I read through the lectionary readings it was the story in Acts that really caught my attention. I wanted to spend time musing on that text (Acts 9.36-end). It made me happy to see a story focus on a woman.
It is the story of a disciple named Tabitha or Dorcas. Just a quick aside on the name. Tabitha is the Aramaic version, and Dorcas is the Greek one, the meaning of the name is gazelle. In the text the two versions of the name are used interchangeably. This highlights the importance of the story for both the Jewish and Hellenistic communities.
My first thought which I do want to emphasize is that Tabitha is amazingly the only woman explicitly called disciple in the book of Acts. The feminine form of the word disciple is rare in the New Testament making her designation unique. I think this is a powerful little story especially to the women who are wondering if they are included in the community of faith.
I want to focus on who Tabitha was, rather than letting the miracle of her being risen from the dead overshadow my thoughts. Miracles are those wonderful moments that break into everyday life, mountain top experiences. But the constancy of a life well-lived is equally if not more important, so her character and day to day ministry are what I am pondering on.
As often is the case with women, not much is written about Tabitha in the text. She is described in one short sentence, but what a powerful sentence it is. “She was devoted to good works and acts of charity.” This reveals the heart of Tabitha, the heart of faith, a life spent caring for others.
A life given to others is important and cuts across lots of popular thoughts in contemporary culture. It put me in mind of the ethics of care which is a normative ethical theory that emphasizes the importance of interpersonal relationships and caring as a virtue in moral action posed by Carol Gilligan and others. They highlighted care as primary rather than secondary. Tabitha is a great example of the ethics of care.
Only that one packed-full-of-meaning sentence reveals who Tabitha was, but her ministry and character is further emphasized by the actions of others when she fell sick and died. Her body was tended and cared for; she who had cared for others was in turn cared for herself.
It is emphasized in the ethics of care that was not just for women but included and was important for men too. Two men were sent to find Peter and bring him to Tabitha’s home. I found it really heartening to see the community Tabitha cared for embraced men as well. Caring wasn’t side-lined to women’s work.
When Peter arrived, he was shown the garments that Tabitha had made. This indicates that Tabitha’s contributions and care was highly valued. As a contrast with the male leaders who are often validated through public speaking and miracles. Tabitha’s care-centered work is affirmed by those whose lives she impacted directly. Her ministry is not merely domestic or secondary: it’s central to the life of the early Christian Community.
In this important story, the action of the community she cared for did not accept her death, they sent for Peter and advocated for her. This action resists the notion that women’s roles are secondary or that their loss is less significant.
So, as I muse on this story today, I see it not only as a demonstration of Peter’s power but as a testimony to the worth of women’s leadership and ministry.
