Tabitha The Disciple

Begin in silence…
Close your eyes and sit quietly for a few moments before beginning today’s session. Breathe in and out deeply.

Set the scene…
Today’s story is set in Joppa, an ancient Mediterranean city on the coast of Palestine, which is now the city of Jaffa. There, we meet Tabitha (or Dorcas in Greek), a woman who dedicated herself to caring for the poor and the local widows. In the book of Acts, Luke calls her mathētria—Greek for “female disciple”—a title that signifies her leadership in a local house church.

Sadly, Tabitha becomes ill and dies, leaving her community in deep mourning. The apostle Peter is in Lydda, about ten miles away; he departs urgently for Joppa, but by the time he arrives, Tabitha’s body has already been prepared for burial.