Acts 9:33

The Status of Aeneas in Acts 9:32-33: An Exegetical Inquiry into Linguistic Indicators of Belief

This exegetical study of The Status of Aeneas in Acts 9:32-33 is based on a b-greek discussion from September 12th, 2013. The initial discussion revolved around whether Aeneas, the paralytic healed by Peter in Lydda, was a Christian believer prior to his encounter with the apostle. Early commentators, such as Gloag and Alford, suggested that Aeneas was likely a Christian, primarily inferring this from Peter’s explicit mission to “the saints” in Lydda.

The main exegetical issue under examination is whether the specific linguistic choices made by Luke in Acts 9:32-33 provide definitive clues regarding Aeneas’s pre-healing theological status. Specifically, the inquiry focuses on the adverb of place ἐκεῖ (“there”) and the indefinite descriptor ἄνθρωπόν τινα (“a certain man”). The question arises whether ἐκεῖ refers geographically to Lydda or more contextually to the group of “saints,” and if Luke’s use of an indefinite phrase for Aeneas, as opposed to an explicit identification as a “disciple” (cf. Tabitha in Acts 9:36), suggests he was not yet a believer. This linguistic analysis will explore the implications of these choices against the backdrop of broader narrative context and scholarly interpretation.

32 Ἐγένετο δὲ Πέτρον διερχόμενον διὰ πάντων κατελθεῖν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Λύδδα.
33 εὗρεν δὲ ἐκεῖ ἄνθρωπόν τινα ὀνόματι Αἰνέαν ἐξ ἐτῶν ὀκτὼ κατακείμενον ἐπὶ κραβάττου, ὃς ἦν παραλελυμένος.

Greek text (Nestle 1904)

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• In verse 32, SBLGNT reads Λύδδαν (accusative ending) instead of Λύδδα. This is a minor orthographical and grammatical variant, not affecting the meaning.

Textual Criticism (NA28): The text of Acts 9:32-33 is remarkably stable across major manuscript traditions. The NA28 critical apparatus indicates no significant variants for these verses that would alter their meaning or impact the exegetical questions discussed here. The reading of Λύδδα or Λύδδαν is the only notable variation, a common orthographic fluctuation for place names, and does not bear on the theological question of Aeneas’s status.

Lexical Notes:

• ἐκεῖ (ekeĩ): According to BDAG, this adverb means “there, in that place.” Its primary function is geographical, indicating location. In Acts 9:33, it most naturally refers to Lydda (Λύδδα), the city Peter had just arrived in, rather than exclusively to the group of “saints.” While the saints were *in* Lydda, ἐκεῖ points to the physical locale where Aeneas was found. The word itself does not carry an inherent theological implication about the person found “there.”
• ἄνθρωπόν τινα (anthrōpon tina): This phrase combines ἄνθρωπος (“man,” “person”) with the indefinite pronoun τις (“a certain,” “someone”). BDAG defines ἄνθρωπος as a human being, and τις denotes an unspecified individual. The indefinite nature of this description is central to the exegetical debate. It means “a certain man” without further qualification regarding his religious affiliation. This stands in contrast to terms like μαθητής (“disciple”) or ἀδελφός (“brother”), which Luke uses elsewhere to explicitly identify believers (e.g., Acts 9:10 for Ananias, though here τις also qualifies him as “a certain disciple”). Its use for Aeneas means Luke does not explicitly label him as a “saint” or “disciple” at this point, but neither does it preclude him from being one.
• τοὺς ἁγίους (tous hagious): From ἅγιος, meaning “holy, set apart.” In the plural, it refers to “the saints” or “believers,” a common designation for early Christians (BDAG). Peter’s explicit purpose in going to Lydda was “to the saints living in Lydda,” establishing the immediate context as a community of believers.
• μαθήτρια (mathētria): A “female disciple” (BDAG). This term is significant for comparison, as Tabitha, in the very next pericope (Acts 9:36), is explicitly identified as τις μαθήτρια (“a certain female disciple”). The explicit use of this term for Tabitha, but not for Aeneas, fuels the argument that Luke’s omission for Aeneas might be significant.

Translation Variants

The grammatical and rhetorical analysis of Acts 9:32-33 reveals subtle interpretive choices stemming from Luke’s linguistic selections. The referent of ἐκεῖ, while primarily geographical, influences how Aeneas is initially perceived. If it refers strictly to “Lydda,” it maintains a neutral stance on Aeneas’s connection to “the saints.” If one implicitly links “there” to Peter’s visit *among the saints*, it might subtly suggest Aeneas’s inclusion among them.

The phrase ἄνθρωπόν τινα is crucial. Its indefinite nature means “a certain man,” without explicitly stating his belief. Rhetorically, this omission is notable when compared to Luke’s explicit designation of Tabitha as τις μαθήτρια in the subsequent passage. Nineteenth-century commentators (e.g., Meyer, Gloag, Alford) often leveraged such indefinite phrasing as evidence that individuals might not be believers, especially when weighed against other contextual cues. However, modern commentators (e.g., Bruce, Marshall, Bock, Barrett) tend to view such an indefinite description as non-determinative, often concluding that Aeneas was likely a believer given Peter’s overall mission to the Christian community.

The rhetorical effect of Luke’s phrasing is to present Aeneas as an individual encountered “there,” leaving his pre-healing spiritual status open to some degree of inference. The reader is informed that Peter specifically went to visit “the saints,” and it is in that setting that he “found a certain man.” This proximity, without an explicit statement of belief, allows for both interpretations: that Aeneas was implicitly one of the saints, or that he was a non-believer whom Peter encountered while among the believers.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

The linguistic evidence from Acts 9:32-33, particularly the use of ἐκεῖ and ἄνθρωπόν τινα, does not definitively declare Aeneas’s status as a believer or non-believer prior to his healing. While ἐκεῖ functions geographically, the indefinite ἄνθρωπόν τινα contrasts with explicit labels used elsewhere for believers (e.g., μαθήτρια for Tabitha). Modern scholarship generally leans towards the probability of Aeneas being a believer, inferring this from Peter’s mission to “the saints” in Lydda. However, the text’s precise wording allows for a spectrum of interpretations regarding the specificity of his initial identification.

1. And it happened that as Peter was traveling through all regions, he came down to the saints who were living in Lydda. There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who for eight years had been confined to a bed, for he was paralyzed.

   This translation is a straightforward, literal rendition, maintaining the ambiguity of Aeneas’s status as presented by Luke’s indefinite phrasing.

2. Now as Peter was journeying throughout the area, he also came down to the believers residing in Lydda. It was there, among them, that he encountered a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, being paralyzed.

   This translation subtly emphasizes the context of Peter’s visit to “the believers” and implicitly connects Aeneas’s discovery to this Christian community, aligning with the view that he was likely a believer even if not explicitly labeled.

3. While Peter was passing through all the districts, he went down to the saints who lived in Lydda. In that place he found a certain individual named Aeneas, paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.

   This translation emphasizes the geographical aspect of ἐκεῖ (“in that place”) and uses “a certain individual” to highlight the neutral, unqualified description of Aeneas, allowing for the interpretation that his pre-healing belief status is not explicitly stated and might have been separate from the explicitly mentioned “saints.”