{
  "id": "dict_005542",
  "term": "Tabitha",
  "slug": "tabitha",
  "letter": "T",
  "entry_type": "biblical_person",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Tabitha (Dorcas) was a disciple in Joppa known for good works, charity, and care for widows. Peter prayed, and God restored her to life.",
  "simple_one_line": "A Christian woman in Joppa whom Peter raised from the dead in Acts 9.",
  "tooltip_text": "Tabitha, also called Dorcas, was a disciple in Joppa remembered for mercy and practical service.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Dorcas",
    "Peter",
    "Acts",
    "Widows"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Acts 9:36-42",
    "Resurrection",
    "Miracles",
    "Charity"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Tabitha, also called Dorcas, was a disciple in Joppa remembered for her mercy, practical service, and the Lord’s raising her through Peter.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A disciple in Joppa, noted for charity and sewing garments for widows, whom God restored to life through Peter.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Disciple in Joppa",
    "known for good works and charity",
    "especially served widows",
    "restored to life through Peter in Acts 9."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Tabitha, whose Greek name is Dorcas, appears in Acts 9 as a disciple in Joppa noted for helping the poor, especially by making garments. After she died, Peter prayed and the Lord raised her, leading many in Joppa to believe in Christ.",
  "description_academic_full": "Tabitha, also called Dorcas, is a New Testament disciple in Joppa whose Aramaic name is given alongside the Greek form Dorcas (Acts 9:36). Scripture describes her as being full of good works and acts of charity, especially in serving widows. When she died, the believers sent for Peter, who prayed and said, “Tabitha, arise,” and the Lord restored her to life. The miracle authenticated the Lord’s power at work through apostolic ministry and became a testimony that led many to believe in Jesus. Tabitha therefore stands in Scripture as a concrete example of Christian compassion, faithful service, and the mercy of God.",
  "background_biblical_context": "Acts presents Tabitha within the expansion of the early church beyond Jerusalem. Her life shows that ordinary acts of mercy and service are valued as true discipleship, not merely public ministry or verbal witness.",
  "background_historical_context": "Joppa was a coastal city in Roman Judea. The account reflects an early Christian community in which widows were vulnerable and depended on practical support from fellow believers.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "Tabitha and Dorcas are Aramaic and Greek forms of the same name, reflecting the bilingual world of many Jews in the Diaspora. The concern for widows also fits the biblical pattern of honoring and protecting the vulnerable.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Acts 9:36-42"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "Acts 9:40-42"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Tabitha is the Aramaic form of the name, and Dorcas is the Greek equivalent. Both names mean “gazelle” or “doe.”",
  "theological_significance": "Tabitha’s life highlights the importance of practical mercy, and her restoration to life displays Christ’s power over death working through apostolic ministry.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "The account joins moral action and divine intervention: compassionate service is shown as meaningful in itself, while the resurrection miracle demonstrates that history is open to God’s sovereign action.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "This narrative reports a unique miracle and should not be treated as a promise that every faithful believer will be raised in this life. Its focus is descriptive and testimonial, not a general rule for ministry.",
  "major_views_note": "Interpreters generally read this as a straightforward historical miracle narrative in Acts. Discussion usually centers on the emphasis of her charitable service and the sign-function of her restoration to life.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "The passage supports belief in miracles, resurrection, and God’s power through apostolic ministry, but it does not establish a doctrine of repeated resuscitations or a guarantee of immediate healing for all believers.",
  "practical_significance": "Tabitha encourages believers to express faith through visible acts of mercy, especially toward the needy, and to value service that quietly meets real human needs.",
  "meta_description": "Tabitha (Dorcas) was a disciple in Joppa known for good works and charity, and God raised her through Peter in Acts 9.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/tabitha/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/tabitha.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}