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THE Stories succeeding to ver. 19. of Chap. 11. as they are of a doubtful date, be∣cause neither the Historian here, nor any other part of. Scripture hath fixed the determinate time of their occurring, so is not the limiting of them to their year or time so very needful; if only it be secured, that they follow in time to those preceding that we
have spoken to; and that we may be assured of their order, though we cannot be of their precise time. And this is easie to resolve upon, without much debate. The last verse of the former Section, informs us of a peace and rest come to all the Churches, and the be∣ginning of this brings in Peter [as in this calm] passing through all quarters preaching and confirming them. And that this could not be but after the times of the stories mentioned hitherto, appeareth by this, that though it is true indeed, that Peter was abroad in Sa∣maria upon the conversion of it, yet he was returned again to Jerusalem, Chap. 8. 25. and was there three years after, when Paul comes up thither.
This therefore is a new voyage, in which he doth three great things, healeth Aeneas of a Palsie at Lydda: raiseth Dorcas from the dead at Joppa; and openeth the door of the Gospel to the Gentiles in Caesarea.
Aeneas is a name that we find in the Jewish Writers. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 R. Samuel the son of R. Aeneas, is mentioned in Jerus. Jebamoth fol. 6. 2. And Lod or Lydda they speak exceeding frequently of, and produce remarkable stories and memorials of it. And indeed the quarters of Peters present walk, compared with the Hebrews records concern∣ing these places, may well claim some observation. For when he is at Joppa he is in the middle, as it were, of those places which in a little time after this [nay it may be at this very time] were two of their greatest and eminentest Schools.
At Jabneh on the one hand of Joppa did the great Sanhedrin sit long: both before the destruction of Jerusalem and after: for when it began to be unsetled and to flit up and down fourty years before the destruction of the City, its first removal from Jerusalem was hither: and here sat Gamaliel, Pauls Master, with his Sanhedrin a good space of time, and for ought can be said to the contrary, it might very well be there at this time when Peter was at Joppa.
Now as the Jews called that place Jabneh so the Gentiles called it Jamnia, and how near it was to Joppa you may guess from these words of Strabo, lib. 16. This place [speaking of Joppa] was so populous that out of the neighbour Town Jamnia, and other places thereabout, it was able to raise 40000 men.
At Lydda on the other hand of Joppa, were most famous Schools, and eminent men as well as at Jabneh. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. It was a Town that wanted little of the bigness of the City. Joseph. Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 5. It lay West of Jerusalem a days journey off, as the Talmud seats it and measures, in Maasar Sheni per. 5. hal. 2. It was in Judea: And thereupon four and twenty of the School of Rabbi came thither to intercalate the year, but an evil eye came in upon them, and they died all at one time. Jerus. Sanhedr. fol. 18. col. 3. For they might not intercalate the year but in Judea, Maym. in Kiddush Hodesh per. 4. but upon this mischance they removed that business into Galilee. Here it seems the Sanhedrin sat also sometimes, or at least they had a great Bench of their own, for there is mention of stoning ben Satda at Lydda on the eve of the Passover, Ibid. fol. 25. 4. To reckon the stories and eminent men belonging to this place were endless, at the least it is need∣less here.
But the mention and gender of Saron which is also named with Lydda, Act. 9. 35. may plead excuse if we alledge one or two Talmudick passages for the clearing of it, Jerus. in Sheviith fol. 38. 4. From Bethoron to Emmaus was hilly, from Emmaus to Lydda plain, and from Lydda to the Sea vale.
Idem in Sotah fol. 18. 4. R. Jochanan and R. Eliezer went from Jabneh to Lydda and met with R. Joshua in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Bekin.
Gittin per. 1. hal. 1. He that bringeth a bill of Divorce from a Heathen Country must be able to say, In my presence it was written and sealed in my presence: Rabban Gamaliel saith, Yea he that brings one from Rekam and Chagra. R. Eleazer saith, Yea he that brings one from Caphar Lodim to Lod. Rabbi Nissim upon the place saith thus: Caphar Lodim was out of the Land, near to Lod, which was within the Land, and it was so called because Lyddans were always found there.
Jerus. in Beracoth fol. 3. 1. They brought a chest full of bones from Caphar Tobi and set it openly at the entring in to Lod. Tudrus the Physician came, and all the Physicians with him, &c.
Besides observing, that Tobi is the name of a man [Rabban Gamaliels servant. Beracoth per. 2. hal. 7.] as Tabitha is the name of a woman in the story before us; the word Saron being of the masculine gender, it plainly tells us that it is not the name of a Town, but of the plain or flat where divers Towns stood, and among others it may be these mentioned.