E. The Conversion Of Saul Of Tarsus, 9:1-31
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Synopsis: Saul was last seen in Acts chapter 8 where he was making havoc of the church. He is now seen again. He is still making havoc of the church. He obtained letters of authority to go to Damascus to search out Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem. On the way, he encountered Jesus. After seeing Jesus, he was told to go into the city of Damascus and be told what he must do. He went into the city believing that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. After Paul had prayed and fasted three days, Ananias came to him and told him to be baptized. After his baptism, he preached that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. Everyone was amazed because they knew that Saul had come to Damascus to persecute Christians, and now he was one of them. The Jews sought to kill Saul. He escaped by being let down in a basket. He went to Jerusalem. The disciples were afraid of him thinking that it must be some trick. Barnabas took him and vouched for his being sincere. He preached in Jerusalem until they also sought to slay him. He left Jerusalem and went to Tarsus. Luke does not mention Paul again until Acts 11:25.
In this chapter Luke tells the story of Saul's conversion. In Acts 22 and 26 Luke records Paul's account of the same story. When one puts all three stories together, he has the complete story of Saul's conversion.
A brief summary of Saul's life is now given. He was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:4-5; II Timothy 1:3). He was born outside of Palestine in the Greek city of Tarsus in Cilicia (Acts 22:3). Being born outside of Palestine made him a Hellenist Jew. He was a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37). He grew up in a Greek culture, but was reared in the Jewish religion. His parents were Pharisees (Acts 23:6). He was taught the trade of tent making which proved to be very useful to him on his journeys (Acts 28:3). It seems likely that he was not in Jerusalem when Jesus was crucified, as he never mentioned it. At the time of Stephen's death, it is thought he was around thirty. He seems to have been a member of the Sanhedrin (Acts 26:10). After the death of Stephen, he continued to persecute the church so that many Christians left Jerusalem. However, his work was not accomplishing what he wanted. He wanted the church destroyed, but actually this helped to spread the gospel. Saul sought to intensify his efforts and go after disciples outside of Palestine.
9:1–9 The gospel witness has extended from Jerusalem to Judaea and Samaria. Now, God begins to build the Church to reach the farthest parts of the earth (1:8). The conversion of Saul (who is also called Paul) will launch a full-fledged mission to the Gentiles.
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Outline
- Events on the road to Damascus (9:1-7)
- Saul’s three day wait at Damascus (9:8-9)
- Ananias instructs and baptizes Saul (9:10-19a)
- Saul preaches at Damascus and arouses Jewish opposition (9:19b-25)
- Saul’s return to Jerusalem (9:26-30)
- The general status of the church (9:31)
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Events on the road to Damascus (9:1-7)
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1
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But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
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ESV
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But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
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Saul (9:1) – Luke uses Paul’s pre-Christian name, which is appropriate to the time-line of Acts and to the literary use that will heighten the impact of any readers who know of Paul the apostle to the Gentiles, but, perhaps, do not know his conversion story. These readers are in for a great surprise.
· HIS CONVERSION:
- BBC – The three accounts of Paul’s conversion in Acts display some differences (chaps. 9, 22, 26; all fit the accounts in his letters). Classical literature often reports messages given to messengers and then repeats them verbatim on their delivery. Fortunately, rhetorical style by Luke’s day preferred variation, which makes the repeated narratives much less repetitious, hence more interesting to read.
- NIBC (166, 170) – As far as Luke was concerned, the conversion of Paul was the single most important result of the “Stephen affair.” Its importance is borne out by his threefold repetition of the story here, in 22:5-16, and in 26:12-18. Luke’s authority must have been Paul himself. The three accounts differ in detail, and it is not easy to say to what extent this was due to Paul—or to Luke—though we may be reasonably certain that some, at least, of the variations were Paul’s as he adapted the later accounts to his different audiences. In any case, the central fact of a climactic experience is established beyond any doubt in Paul’s own writings (1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8f.; 2 Cor. 4:6; Gal. 1:12-17; Phil. 3:4-10; 1 Tim. 1:12-16).
· NIVAC (294-295) – The conversion of Saul of Tarsus has been considered one of the most crucial events in the history of God’s dealing with humanity. This man will dominate the rest of the book of Acts and, as the apostle to the Gentiles, lead the way in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. The account of Saul’s conversion appears three times in Acts… Willimon observes that “only an event of greatest importance would merit such repetition by an author whose hallmark is brevity and concision.”
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Meanwhile – We must wait until 11:25–26 before Paul’s mission begins in earnest. No sooner is Paul introduced here in chapter 9 than Luke drops Paul and takes up a long and equally engaging story of the conversion of a Roman centurion. We may miss Luke’s point if we focus too exclusively upon Saul himself, as if this is an ill-placed first chapter in Paul’s biography. The story of Saul’s conversion fits within a larger context of concern over dramatic conversions. Beginning with Acts 8:4 we have read about the conversion of Samaritans, then an Ethiopian, now the conversion of Saul. With each story the conversions become more dramatic, taking us further from the nucleus of the original community in Jerusalem. Acts 9 constitutes an abrupt insertion into the flow of the narrative about the activities of Philip, but its insertion makes more sense if we see this story as another account of conversion that continues the movement of the gospel unto the ends of the earth. (IBCTP, 73-74)
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Murderous threats (9:1) – Saul’s later friend and partner, Luke, uses strong language to express the vehemence with which Saul persecuted Christians… In these excesses Saul was departing from the attitude of his esteemed teacher Gamaliel and of the Pharisees in general, who were characterized by caution and leniency in the administration of justice. But, as Bruce points out, just “as Stephen saw the logic of the situation more clearly than the apostles, Saul saw it more clearly than Gamaliel.” Both Stephen and Saul had realized that the new order and the old were incompatible. Whereas Stephen argued, “The new has come; therefore the old must go,” Saul’s point was, “The old must stay; therefore the new must go.” (NIVAC, 295)
threats and murder Saul may not have been the actual executioner, but his arrests led to the imprisonment and deaths of many in the Church. See 22:4; 26:10; and Gal 1:13.
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Slaughter means murder as some versions translate it. This indicates that not only Stephen, but also others had given their lives for their faith.
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Disciples
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The first thing we should note is Luke’s rather curious placement of this story. Why does Luke introduce it here?
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2
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and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
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ESV
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and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
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Saul's attitude and actions are described by himself in Acts 26:11. The Revised Standard Version translates this verse, "and in raging fury against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities." One of the largest and nearest foreign cities was Damascus. It is about 140 miles from Jerusalem. It is estimated that it had a population around 200,000 at this time. There was a large population of Jews there.
It seems strange to people today that Paul could go to a foreign city and bring back people to Jerusalem because they were Christians. It should be pointed out that the high priest, as president of the Sanhedrin, was head of the Jewish government as far as internal affairs were concerned. His decrees were largely adhered to both inside and outside of Palestine by the Jews. These were Jewish Christians that Saul was going after, and most likely they were Jewish Christians who had escaped from Palestine. They probably were not natives of Damascus. From the actions taken by the governor of Damascus in issuing these letters, it would seem that he was in support of the steps Paul was taking against those Jewish Christians.
The church at this time was known by the description of the Way. This means the course of life to be followed.
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Damascus – Why would the Jews in Jerusalem want to persecute Christians as far away as Damascus? There are several possibilities: (1) to seize the Christians who had fled; (2) to prevent the spread of Christianity to other major cities; and (3) to keep the Christians from causing any trouble with Rome. … Damascus, a key commercial city, was located about 175 miles northeast of Jerusalem in the Roman province of Syria. Several trade routes linked Damascus to other cities throughout the Roman world. Damascus was one of the ten cities known as the Decapolis. (LABC)
- Essenes had apparently also settled in Damascus, if their writings on this point are meant literally. Tens of thousands of Jews lived in Damascus (as many as eighteen thousand were massacred there in A.D. 66). (BBC)
Damascus A city in modern-day Syria, northeast of Jerusalem. It was an important commercial center and a key stop along the trade route between Egypt and Mesopotamia.
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Asked him for letters (9:2) – The Sadducees were, according to Josephus, more heartless in their judgment than the Pharisees, and it may not have been natural for a loyal Pharisee like Paul to go and request letters from the Sadducean high priest. This is an indication of the extremes he was willing to go in attempting to stamp out this menace. (NIVAC, 295)
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The Way (9:2) – The expression “the Way” is peculiar to Acts (cf. 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22) and may have originated with the Jews who saw the Christians as those who adopted a distinctive way of life. But it must have soon come into use among the Christians as an apt way of describing themselves as the followers of him who is the way (John 14:6f.)… That there were followers of “the Way” in Damascus, whose presence is otherwise unaccounted for, reminds us of how selective Luke has been in telling his story. (NIBC, 167)
· The designation “the Way” was probably applied to the church by the Christians themselves…, and probably indicated that they viewed themselves as following the true way in the larger Jewish community. (NIVAC, 295-296)
· the Way An early name for the community of those who confessed Jesus as Messiah (compare John 14:6; Acts 19:9; 24:14).
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Take them as prisoners (9:2) – When the Jewish state won its independence under Hasmonaean dynasty of ruling priests (142 B.C.), the Romans…required neighboring states to grant it the privileges of a sovereign state, including the right of extradition. A letter delivered at that time by a Roman ambassador to Ptolemy VIII of Egypt concludes with the demand: “If any pestilent men have fled to you from their own country [Judaea], hand them over to Simon the high priest, so that he may punish them according to their law” (1 Macc. 15:21). In 47 B.C. Julius Caesar confirmed those rights and privileges anew to the Jewish nation…, and more particularly the high-priesthood. Luke’s narrative implies that the right of extradition continued to be enjoyed by the high priest under the provincial administration set up in A.D. 6. (NICNT, 180-181)
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3
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And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven:
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Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.
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Saul was almost to Damascus when it happened. A great light shone out of heaven. It was noon (Acts 22:6). The light was brighter than the noonday sun (Acts 26:13). It was not just a flash of lightning, but lingered (Acts 26:13). This verse does not make it clear, but during this appearance of the Lord and the conversation that followed, Saul saw Jesus. Luke declared that Saul saw Jesus at this time (Acts 9:27). Paul says he saw Jesus (I Corinthians 15:8; 9:1).
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flashed around Light suddenly and overwhelmingly enveloped Saul.
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4
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and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
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And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
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Saul was no coward, but this was no ordinary light. Though at the first he did not understand who was speaking to him, he humbled himself before Jesus.
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Religion vs. Relationship (9:4-5) – Paul referred to his encounter on the road to Damascus as the start of his new life in Christ (1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8; Galatians 1:15-16). At the center of this wonderful experience was Jesus Christ. Paul did not see a vision; he saw the risen Christ himself (9:17). Paul did not “get religion” (he was already a very religious man!); he found a relationship with Jesus. Paul acknowledged Jesus as Lord, confessed his own sin, surrendered his life to Christ, and resolved to obey him. True conversion comes from a personal encounter with Jesus Christ and leads to a new life in relationship with him. (LABC)
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falling This experience of Jesus’ glory is so overwhelming that it forces Saul to the ground (compare Ezek 1:28; Dan 10:9; Rev 1:17).
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Saul, Saul Jesus’ repetition of Saul’s name may suggest a sense of urgency or of compassion (compare Luke 10:41; 22:31).
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Persecute me (9:4) – The question, “Why do you persecute me?” accentuates the close relationship between the risen Christ and his disciples. To persecute a follower of the Master is to persecute the Master. “… he who rejects you, rejects me” (Luke 10:16). (IBCTP, 75)
why are you persecuting me In persecuting the Church, Saul persecutes Jesus Himself.
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5
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And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:
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And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
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Who are you, Lord Saul’s question, as well as Jesus’ response with the words “I am” (egō eimi in Greek), may be an allusion to Moses’ encounter with Yahweh in the burning bush (Exod 3:14). Like Moses, Saul is here being called by Yahweh to rescue a people (in Saul’s case, the Gentiles).
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Jesus answered identifying himself. Immediately Saul realized he had been wrong in persecuting the followers of Jesus. Jesus was not an impostor. The evidence before him was too great. The term Lord used in Saul's question is used in the sense of sir. Jesus answered with just his personal name. Then Saul realized that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Christ. Saul had been persecuting the Christ. When one persecutes the followers of Jesus, he persecutes Jesus.
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I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting (9:5) – In other words, while Saul was hitting the church, Jesus has actually been feeling the pain! (NIVAC, 296)
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6
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but rise, and enter into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
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But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
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Jesus now instructed Saul to go into the city of Damascus and there it would be told him what he must do to be saved. There are several points that must be considered here.
1. Jesus did not save Saul at this time, nor did he tell him what to do to be saved. Jesus appeared to Saul to qualify him as an apostle. He was an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21-22). In every case where a man was saved after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, he was taught the gospel by a human being. There is no case after the church was established of anyone being saved directly by Jesus. No angels told men what to do to be saved. Saul was no exception. He was to go into the city of Damascus and a man would tell him what to do to be saved.
2. There was something Saul must do. "Must" means it was absolutely necessary. Saul believed at this point. When he went into the city of Damascus he was repentant, but he was still lost. When the preacher (Ananias) came he told Saul to "be baptized and wash away your sins" (Acts 22:16). Baptism is something one must do to be saved.
3. In Acts 26:19 Paul told King Agrippa, "I was not disobedient unto that heavenly vision." This indicates that it was left up to Saul to obey or reject the gospel. He obeyed the gospel. This choice was his just as it is every man's when he hears the gospel.
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What you must do (9:6) – The voice moves from accusation to commission, indicating that this story is not simply about conversion but also about vocation, a call. Saul will not only become a believer but also a person with a role to play for God. With verse 6, Luke’s portrayal of Saul as the bitter, active enemy of the church comes to a close. A voice, a presence, has encountered this Saul and now nothing about him will be quite the same. (IBCTP, 76)
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7
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And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but beholding no man.
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The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
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The men who traveled with Saul saw the light, but they did not see Jesus (Acts 22:9). This verse says that they heard the voice, but Acts 22:9 says they heard not the voice. There is no contradiction. The meaning is that they heard the sound of a voice, but they did not understand what was being said. While these men did not understand all that was going on and were not eye witnesses of Jesus, they were competent witnesses concerning seeing the light, hearing a voice they did not understand, and Saul's blindness.
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The men (9:7) – Is it not interesting that these others can be present and yet not see what Saul sees? They are unmoved by the event which is already changing Saul’s life. Conversion, it would seem, while a result of the objective act of God in a person’s life is also intensely personal, often confusing family, friends, and bystanders, who find it difficult to comprehend what has happened to the recipient of conversion. (IBCTP, 76)
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Heard the sound… (9:7) – Luke lets us know in passing that the Damascus Road events were specific to Saul, though witnessed in part by his traveling party. His companions “heard the sound but did not see anyone.” That is, they apparently saw a flash of light and heard a thunderous noise. They did not, however, see the risen, glorious Christ in the light or discern the intelligible words he spoke to Saul. This vision and its contents were for the purpose of calling to repentance and qualifying for apostleship only one person, not the entire company that happened to be on the road with him. (Shelley, 113)
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saw no one Compare Dan 10:7.
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Saul’s three day wait at Damascus (9:8-9)
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8
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And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing: and they led him by the hand into Damascus.
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Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
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Saul stared into the light as long as he could. He shut his eyes and when he opened them, he could see nothing. He was blind and remained blind for three days until the Lord cured him through Ananias. Saul the mighty persecutor did not enter the city of Damascus as he had planned, but was led blind into the city.
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he could see nothing Saul’s physical blindness may be the result of the intense glory of Jesus’ appearance, or it may be an outward manifestation of his own spiritual blindness that he (ironically) has just begun to see for the first time. It could also be Jesus’ way of humbling Saul.
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9
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And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink.
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And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
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The three days is according to the Jewish count. They could count the day Saul saw Jesus, the next day, and then the portion of the day he was healed. The fact he was fasting and praying indicates he was sorry for all he had done against Jesus (Acts 9:11). This godly sorrow produced repentance. In addition to this concern, Saul had not yet been told what to do. He was indeed wretched.
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Three days (9:9) – Saul certainly had a lot to think about during those three days. He realized that despite his zeal for God, his recent activity of arresting Christians had been in direct opposition to God—otherwise, he would not have received this rebuke. The voice from heaven had told him that in persecuting the Christians, he was persecuting this one named Jesus, who, Saul realized, was associated with God, because of the heavenly light and glory he had seen. Saul then would have been forced to realize that Jesus was indeed the Messiah for whom the Jews were still waiting—the Messiah who had come and gone, murdered by Saul’s own contemporaries. Saul probably would have begun to think about the many prophecies that he had studied in his training as a Pharisee, prophecies that spoke of the coming Messiah. He would have been forced to conclude that Jesus had indeed met the requirements and fulfilled the prophecies. These Christians, whom Saul had been chasing, believed that Jesus had risen from the dead—and Saul had just seen the risen Christ in his glory. Suddenly, all that Saul had believed was being torn down and replaced with a new truth—the very truth that he had been seeking to extinguish. As Saul was thinking about all this, he was also praying (9:11). (LABC)
· The man who stood up was very different from the one who had been thrown down. He had been so cocksure, adamant, and arrogant before hitting the ground; on his feet again, he was broken, teachable, and searching. How like certain life experiences others have had before and since! (Shelley, 113)
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Did not eat or drink (9:9) – Saul’s subsequent fast (going without food and water) was most likely motivated by shock as he tried to ponder the full significance of his experience. Typically, fasting indicated a period of mourning or repentance. (LABC, italics original)
· People engage in such [intense] fasts only if they were repenting or seeking God’s face. Both are involved here. (NIVAC, 298)
he did not eat or drink Jesus had just turned Saul’s understanding of God, Scripture, and his own identity and values upside down (compare Rom 10:1–4; Gal 1:11–17; Phil 3:3–11). Saul’s fast may be a response to this.
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A Changed Life (9:8-9) – Saul’s conversion was undeniable:
o He went storming out of Jerusalem in a huff; he came stumbling into Damascus in humility (9:8-9).
o He went to arrest Christians; he ended up being arrested by Christ (9:1-5).
o He began the trip determined to wipe out the message of Christ; he ended the trip devoted to the cause of taking that message to the ends of the earth (9:19-22).
o He went from being a persecutor to being a persecuted one (9:23-25).
o [He started with his sight, but was blind to the truth of Christ. He ended up blind, but seeing the truth of his savior.]
o [He began by leading men, but was led by others into Damascus.]
o [He thought he was following God, but became a follower of Jesus.]
In short, Saul’s whole mind-set and belief system were turned upside down. He realized that Christ was not dead, but alive. Christ was not merely a Nazarene rabble-rouser; he was the Messiah, the Son of God. (LABC)
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Ananias instructs and baptizes Saul (9:10-19a)
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9:10–19 Through Jesus’ words to Ananias, the significance of Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus is revealed.
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10
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Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
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Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
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Ananias (9:10) – Lest Saul or we take the Damascus Road experience to have been a merely subjective event, God sent a teacher to ground what had happened in a confirming word of instruction. (Shelley, 114)
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Ananias was a disciple of Jesus, a Christian. He was well respected of the Jews (Acts 22:12). He might have been one of the men Saul had planned to arrest. There is no way to determine this for certain. When the Lord appeared unto Ananias, he answered, "Behold, I am here, Lord." This answer means that Ananias was eager to hear the Lord and willing to obey him.
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Vision (9:10, 12) – As with Peter and Cornelius (10:1-23), God’s arrangements are confirmed by a double vision. Visions occur often in Acts when God intervenes to direct the church into some new thing. (NIVAC, 299)
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11
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And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth;
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And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,
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Tarsus (9:11) – Verse 11 is the first of five references in Acts to the city of Paul’s birth. Perhaps as old as Damascus, Tarsus was the chief city of Cilicia Pedeias. To judge from the extent of its remains, its population in Roman times must have been close to half a million. The city had all the elements needed to make it the great commercial center that it was: a good harbor, a rich hinterland, and a commanding position at the southern end of the trade route across the Tarsus Mountains, through the Cilician Gates, to Cappadocia, Lycaonia, and inner Asia Minor generally. (NIBC, 170)
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Ananias (9:17) – Ananias functions in the story as a model for discipleship. Lacking the official status of Peter or Philip, he is enlisted as a messenger of God and a mouthpiece for Saul. He addresses the feared Saul as “Brother,” offering fellowship to Saul in much the same way as the apostles laid hands upon the once-despised Samaritans (8:14–17). The Lord’s disciples are not only the prominent “heroes” of the faith like Peter or Philip but also ordinary folk like Ananias, who walk on stage for a particular mission and then exit as the story moves on. Ministry is a function (a job to do for the Lord) more than a status or a privilege. By the end of this scene faithful Ananias disappears. (IBCTP, 77-78)
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Ananias was given instructions about how to find Saul. Nothing else is known about the Judas in whose house Saul was staying. Saul is called Saul of Tarsus. This distinguished him from any other Saul. Saul was praying. This shows the marked difference from the way the chapter begins. It begins with Saul breathing out threatenings and slaughter. Now Saul was humble and praying.
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the street called ‘Straight’ A major road in Damascus.
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12
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and he hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.
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and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
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Not only Ananias, but also Saul had seen a vision. This vision did not tell him what to do, but identified the man who would tell him what to do.
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13-14
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But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: and here he hath authority from the chief priest to bind all that call upon thy name.
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But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
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I have heard Ananias is concerned; the Lord is sending him to a vicious persecutor of the church.
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While Ananias was stating the fear of Saul felt by Christians in Damascus, he does not say, "I will not go." He seems rather to be saying, "Lord, are you sure this is the man you want me to go to?" The Lord said, "Saul is the right man." Ananias was an eager servant of the Lord; he was not a reluctant servant like Jonah, or even one who protested like Moses. The fact that he had heard of Saul and his activity at Jerusalem would seem to indicate he was not a refugee from Jerusalem, but perhaps had been converted in Damascus where he lived and was well thought of even by the Jews. He was, of course, a Jew.
This is the first time that disciples were called saints. The way it was used would seem to indicate it was common usage. This is a common term in the New Testament to refer to Christians. It comes from the Greek word hagios. This term means to be holy or set apart. In the New Testament it means those who had been taken out of the fellowship of the world and placed in fellowship with God. Perhaps Colossians 1:12-13 is the best commentary on what saint means. It says, "giving thanks unto the Father who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the son of his love." This is what being a saint implies. It should be noted that it does not imply one is perfect. Nor, does it imply one is dead. Christians are saints today in every sense of the word (Acts 11:26). (Note: A more detailed discussion concerning the meaning of saint will be found in the comments on I Corinthians 6:11). The time when one becomes a saint is at baptism for it is at this point that one is separated from the world of sin and added to the family of God.
For a more detailed discussion of the phrase call upon thy name see Romans 10:13. Suffice it to say here that those who call on his name and the saints were the same. They were Christians.
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Mission “Impossible” (9:13-14) – “Not him, Lord; that’s impossible. Saul would never become a Christian!” In essence, that’s what Ananias said when God told him of Saul’s conversion. After all, Saul was persecuting believers to their deaths. Despite these understandable feelings, Ananias obeyed God and ministered to Saul. We must not limit God—he can do anything. Nothing is too hard for him (Genesis 18:14). We must obey and follow God’s leading, even when he leads us to difficult people and places. (LABC)
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All who call on your name (9:14) – In response Ananias assumes that “all who call on your name” means everyone but Saul. He, in a sense, is rejecting the prophecy of Joel 2:32. (Niccum)
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15
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But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel:
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But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
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chosen instrument There is irony surrounding the name of Jesus in His dialog with Ananias about Saul. Ananias objects that Saul has persecuted those who call on Jesus’ name (Acts 9:14); Jesus reveals that He has chosen and transformed Saul precisely so that he will carry that name to the Gentiles—and even suffer for it (v. 16).
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After hearing Ananias, the Lord said to him "be on your way, I know what I am doing." He explained a little of this Ananias. Saul the persecutor was to become Paul the apostle to the Gentiles. God has always used human instruments to carry the gospel to lost mankind. There are no exceptions to this. In this case he will use Saul to carry the gospel to the Gentiles. This he did (see Romans 11:13; 15; 16; Galatians 2:8). He was also to preach to kings (see Acts 25:23; 26:1-32; 27:24). And he was to preach to the children of Israel (see Acts 9:20-22; 13:45; 28:17).
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Go (9:15) – The voice does not argue with Ananias. It simply repeats, “Go.” Then comes the bombshell. This Saul is not simply an enemy or persecutor but a “chosen instrument,” more, he is “my chosen instrument.” The noun “instrument” is used elsewhere in Luke-Acts with the literal meaning of a container or vessel (10:11, 16; 27:17; Luke 8:16; 17:31). The calling of Saul is not simply to believe in Christ but to be a particularly chosen instrument of Christ who shall “carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and sons of Israel.” The one who was out to persecute those who “call on the name” (v. 14) is the one who now goes forth to bear the name (vv. 15, 16). (IBCTP, 76-77)
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God Prepares Us for What He Calls us to Do (9:15-16) – Paul was given a monumental task by the Lord that was two fold – to suffer for the Gospel and to share the Gospel with the Gentiles. That is like telling someone to spread a message to 99% of the world. Tough job.
When Paul was commissioned to that task it fit perfectly with his journey that had brought him to this exact point. First, Paul was well in tune with scripture. He was a Pharisee who was trained by an expert teacher in Jerusalem, advanced beyond his peers (Gal 1:14). Second, he was from Tarsus which was a philosophical center in his day. So Paul knew Judaism. Paul also undoubtedly knew Greek philosophy as his use of Greek rhetoric and his knowledge of Gentile authors (as seen in Acts 17) prove. God had been preparing Paul for this moment and this mission his entire life. The questions for us are as follows: What has God been preparing you to do for the kingdom? What does your past say about your future? What things have you been through, skills you possess that can be an asset to the church and the kingdom?
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Gentiles…kings…people of Israel (9:15) – The order, though different from that in the commission Jesus gave (1:8), is significant. It “moves from those who receive Paul’s preaching (Gentiles) to those who hear without receiving (kings) to those who reject it (sons of Israel).” (NIVAC, 299-300)
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16
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for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake.
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For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
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suffer Compare 2 Cor 11:16–33.
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Saul had made others suffer for the name, now he would suffer for the name. The Lord showed him these things as his life unfolded, not all at once. He must he suffer, but the Lord would be with him and give him the strength to endure it. This is a great lesson for Christians today. If one would follow Jesus, he must be willing to suffer for the Name. The Name is Jesus. Unless one is willing to suffer for him, he is not worthy to be called his follower (Matthew 16:24-26).
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17
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And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
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So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
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Ananias obeyed the voice of the Lord. He found Saul. He told Saul that the Lord had sent him. The Lord had sent him for two purposes: first, that he might receive his sight and second, that he might be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ananias was not an apostle so there is no reason to assume that the laying on of his hands was the same as the laying on of the apostles' hands (see Acts 8:18). The laying on of hands by the Jews was a common practice of by the Jews. Matthew 19:13 seems to be an example of this. Nor, need it be assumed that Ananias imparted to him the Holy Spirit. The order is this. Ananias laid his hands on Saul and he received his sight. He baptized him and he received the Holy Spirit just as they did in Acts 2:38 and Acts 5:32. When Saul received the apostolic measure of the Spirit is not revealed. It was probably when he received the revelation of the gospel (Galatians 1:11-12). The phrase Brother Saul is a term of comradeship and compassion that Ananias used in addressing Saul because they were both Jews.
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Brother Saul (9:17) – No longer does Ananias speak about “this man” but to “Brother Saul.” The despised enemy, the alien, has become a brother. (IBCTP, 77)
Brother In welcoming Saul in this way, Ananias displays both his obedience to Jesus’ call and Saul’s full inclusion in the fellowship of the Church.
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filled with the Holy Spirit Saul now receives the empowering of the Holy Spirit for his mission to the Gentiles (compare Acts 2:4). This is an anointing to fulfill a specific calling and mission placed on Saul by God.
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Taking Risks (9:17) – Ananias found Saul, as he had been instructed, and greeted him as “Brother Saul.” Ananias feared this meeting because he knew that Saul had come to Damascus to capture believers and take them as prisoners to Jerusalem (9:2, 14). In obedience to the Holy Spirit, however, Ananias greeted Saul with love. It is not always easy to show acceptance to others, especially when we are afraid of them or doubt their motives. Nevertheless, we must follow Jesus’ command (John 13:34) and Ananias’s example, demonstrating genuine warmth and kindness to other believers. (LABC)
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18
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And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized;
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And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;
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9:18 scales This could be a figure of speech meant to depict the sense of suddenly regaining sight.
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Immediately Saul could see. It seemed to him that scales fell from his eyes. Others saw that he could see. He was then baptized. This account merely mentions the fact that he was baptized. The account given by Paul in Acts 22:16 records that Ananias told him, "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name." There are two things that should be pointed out:
1. Until he was baptized, Saul was still in his sins. This means he was still lost. To be saved means that one's sins are forgiven. Only God can forgive sins. He forgives sins through the blood of Jesus. One comes in contact with the blood of Jesus at baptism. Thus Saul was told to "be baptized and wash away thy sins." (Acts 22:16).
2. Jesus appeared unto Saul to give him the qualifications to be an apostle. Saul heard and obeyed the gospel just like anyone else. Jesus did not save Saul on the road to Damascus. He told him to go into the city and there it would be told him what he must do. When he heard it, he obeyed it. Men today must do the same thing.
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19a
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and he took food and was strengthened.
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and taking food, he was strengthened.
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Saul was weak from fasting. Now that he had his spiritual life straightened out, he was ready to eat.
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