Dorcas, Lydia And Phoebe

by CAPEWELL, P. | Category: Lives As Lessons | Nov 1996

'Let another ... praise you, and not your own mouth' (Prov. 27:2). Dorcas had shown this spirit. Only from the historian Luke, and the widows whom she had helped by her 'good works and charitable deeds' do we learn of her devotion to kindness.

According to records of clothesmaking in those days she would literally have stretched 'out her hands to the distaff, a sort of hooked rod, drawing out the fibres of 'wool and flax' in a continuous twist on to a spindle, working to provide for her family, 'the poor' and 'the needy' (Prov. 31:10-20). Having done this, she had to weave the yarn into cloth. The typical loom of the day produced cloth about three feet wide, so to make most clothing two lengths of woven material had to be joined side by side to make the proper width. The tunic (Acts 9:39) was like a big sack: a long piece of material folded at the centre and sewn up the sides, leaving holes for the arms and an opening at the folded end for the head. Being for the women, those that Dorcas made would have come down to the ankles, the yoke possibly embroidered with the traditional pattern of Joppa where she lived. Over this tunic, the women wore a long, fringed outer garment (Acts 9:39). Similarly, this was made from two pieces of material stitched together. We can well imagine Dorcas, after a lengthy, tiring sewing session, going on into the night (Prov. 31:15), gathering up this long mantle at the front and tucking it into her girdle, after the custom of the day, to form a sort of pocketed apron to serve as her sewing basket! And how was Dorcas dressing in her Lord's sight? Surely 'strength and honour are her clothing' (Prov. 31:25), hers the adorning of the 'gentle and quiet spirit' ... very precious in the sight of God' (1 peter 3:4). 'Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised' (Prov. 31:30).

Good deeds are not optional, they are obligatory for the Christian, but they are to be done in a quiet, unostentatious way which brings glory to God' not to the doer (Mat. 5:16). That is how it was in Ruth's day. The reapers had done the back-breaking bending to cut and gather the barley and were required by their master Boaz, to drop handfuls for the Moabitess to gather. Yet, when Naomi asked Ruth, 'Where have you gleaned today?' she told her, 'The man's name was Boaz'. The reapers received no mention. It was their privilege to glorify their master.

Everything the Lord did glorified His Father and was done in His Name (John 10:25). He didn't flourish personal credentials which announced His own achievements. 'Eye-service' (Eph. 6:6) is synonymous with I-service. The Pharisee who said 'I' five times in his short prayer (Luke 18), sought vainly to enhance his own reputation in God's sight. The do-gooder whose motive is self aggrandisement also fails completely to impress God. What is the motivating force? 'Mary... also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word' (Luke 10:39). 'A woman (Mary) came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head' (Mat. 26:7). Perhaps it was at His feet that she learned before the event about His burial. The 'good part' (Luke 10:42) became the 'good work' (Mat. 26:10). 'Sitting at His feet' will provide the impetus of love which must be the spring of all our 'good works'.

'Twas sitting at His feet she heard,

And from His lips drank in His word

Until her very soul was stirred - for Jesus.

Wouldst thou like her a 'good work' do,

Thou first must choose the 'good part' too,

And learn the heart so deep, so true

- of Jesus.

Miss C. Thompson

Dorcas' life seems to have come to a sudden end, but with telling pointedness. Scripture spears of the garments she 'made while she was with them' (Acts 9:39). 'So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith' (Gal. 6:10 R.V.). Perhaps Dorcas will have the privilege of having some of her 'righteous acts' in the making of garments for the widows clothe the wife of the Lamb in the coining day (Rev. 19:8). The quiet, retiring, ever-watchful 'gazelle' (the meaning of Dorcas), symbolic of devoted affection and beauty (S. of S. 2:9), lending dignity to the glorious marriage of the Lamb! To us, too, is offered the wonderful possibility of adorning ourselves (1 Tim. 2:9) and the doctrine (Titus 2:10) now, and arraying the Bride in 'fine linen, clean and bright' then, 'for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints'.

Lydia lived in the Roman colony of Philippi, surrounded by Roman influence. What extraordinary circumstances whereby, under the sovereignty of God, preachers from Asia met a merchant lady from Thyatira in Asia Minor (modern Turkey), in Philippi, there to reveal heavenly truths to her! No matter how unlikely the surroundings, the injunction remains, 'Preach the Word!' (2 Tim. 4:2). Paul knew the happiness of which Isaiah spoke, 'Blessed are you who sow beside all waters (32:20). Here at the riverside, later, beside the sea at Troas (Acts 20:6,7) and on it (Acts 27:13-23), Paul fearlessly sowed the Word of God.

Lydia was a merchant, specializing in purple woollen cloth made in Thyatira with the use of an expensive dye found in shellfish. The woman who depended for her livelihood on a dye produced by opening up molluscs and extracting the valuable fluid, had her life changed when the Lord 'opened' her own heart (Acts 16:14) and took away her worthless sin. The word which Luke uses means 'to open thoroughly'. However entangled her thinking, however limited her understanding, the Lord unravelled and extended her appreciation of spiritual truths 'through the things spoken by Paul'. Whatever the spiritual heart condition, the Lord is the master Physician.

Hers was 'an honest and good heart', which 'having heard the word', kept it, bringing 'forth fruit with patience' (Luke 8:15); for, having been baptized, she pleaded with Paul and his companions to stay with her, something they were glad to do then and again later (Acts 16:40). In the true spirit of Romans 12:13, she made the opportunity to show hospitality, thereby setting the pattern for future generosity of the Philippian Church of which Paul wrote later, 'I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now' (Phil. 1:3-5). Did he have Lydia in mind when he wrote of their fellowship 'from the first day'? The story reveals the greatness of the boundless Word of God (2 Tim. 2:9), for, from an opened heart, there flowed an opened home and an opened continent as the Word spread into Europe. No matter how apparently unimportant it might seem when the message is given to one person, we must always remember that seemingly simple though it is, the results that follow may he sublime. 'In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good' (Eccles. 11:6).

Like many women before her, Phoebe too, lived out the meaning of her name, 'shining'. Corinth, of which Cenchrea was the splendid eastern port, had become a thriving city again following its restoration under Julius Caesar, as the capital city of the Roman province of Achaia, and repopulated with liberated slaves from Italy and all over the world. 'The city soon became the 'melting pot' for its rapidly growing population which included merchants and sailors keen to work the docks. Professional gamblers and athletes, betting on the Isthmian games, joined freed, but homeless, slaves. Immorality was rife. The city's 'liberated' views were the evil envy of the Mediterranean world. Against this dark background, which must have pervaded Cenchrea, Phoebe's witness beamed out when, as a 'helper of many' (Rom. 16:2), she let her 'light so shine before men', that they saw her 'good works' (Mat. 5:16). Do you live in a spiritually dark environment? How important then, that you should 'become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world' (Phil. 2:15). During his years in Corinth, Paul visited Cenchrea (Acts 18:18), where he had, in all probability, established the Church of God. We know nothing of this Church except the faithful service of this sister. Looking hack on her ministry, 'holding fast the word of life', Paul felt the fulfilment of his longing for the Church in Philippi, another Roman outpost, 'that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or laboured in vain' (Phil. 2:16). Having watched Out for her soul 'as those who must give account', he recalled 'with joy' (Heb. 13:17) the commendable service that had given to this Church, to many others and to himself also (Rom. 16:1,2).

The coming day will declare and reward the full extent of the work of these and all women who have rendered service to their Lord. How invaluable they 'are, in the sequence of this three-fold study, in their 'good works and charitable deeds', their care for the widows; in prayer, and in hospitality within the home; in helping many, including the Lord's servants, with deeds of kindness and in service to the churches! 'Her worth is far above rubies ... She shall rejoice in time to come' (Prov. 31:10,25).

Biblical quotations from the NKJV except where indicated otherwise.

CAPEWELL, P. | Nov 1996
Lives As Lessons