ACTS CHAPTER NINE
OBSERVATION STAGE
The purpose of the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the normative rules of language, context and logic .which largely limits the observer to the content offered by the books of Luke and Acts. Other passages must have a relationship with the context at hand, such as a Scriptural quotation or reference in the passage at hand. This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.
The context in Acts chapter 7 of the stoning of Stephen by the Jewish rulers introduced a young ruler named Saul who had consented to Stephen's execution. And chapter 8 briefly has the subject as Saul as well. And then chapter 9 focuses on Saul from the beginning.
****** EXCERPT FROM ACTS CHAPTERS 7 & 8 RE: SAUL ******
OR SKIP TO THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 9
(Acts 7:54 YLT) "And hearing these things, they were [being] cut to [their] hearts, and [were gnashing] the teeth at him; (Acts 7:55 YLT) and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, (Acts 7:56 YLT) and he said, 'Lo [Look], I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.' (Acts 7:57 YLT) And they, having cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and did rush with one accord upon him, (Acts 7:58 YLT) and having cast him forth outside of the city, they were stoning [him] - and the witnesses did put down their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul - (Acts 7:59 HOLMAN) [And] they were stoning Stephen as he [was calling out]: 'LORD Jesus, receive my spirit!' (Acts 7:60 NKJV) Then [having knelt down] he cried out with a loud voice, 'LORD do not charge them with this sin.' And when he had said this, he fell asleep.' =
The rulers at Stephen's trial had two options, to repent and admit their awful error of convicting Jesus Christ of blasphemy and murdering Him on the cross; or to find Stephen guilty of open blasphemy, subject him to the death penalty and remain consistent with their apostasy and blasphemy. There would be no lesser judgment forthcoming to Stephen such as the thirty-nine lashes received by Peter and the apostles for preaching about Jesus Christ in the Temple. For then the Jewish rulers feared the popularity of the apostles with many people and were concerned that if God was supporting the apostles' message, they would be found fighting against God as well, (cf. Acts 5:12-40); hence the apostles had received the lesser punishment at that time.
They cared little for the truth of the matter of Who Jesus Christ was. And due to the depth and aggressiveness of Stephen's "defense" / witness to the Jewish rulers, they lost control of themselves and proceeded to kill him outright with no further proceedings to make it at least have the appearance of being lawful. They seized Stephen and took him outside of the city, took off their outer garments to be more free to throw stones, laid them at the feet of a young man called Saul, and stoned Stephen to death.
So Saul (also known as Paul, ref. Acts 13:9), was a witness of this action. He himself was a member of the Sanhedrin; for Acts 26:10 indicates that he cast his vote to carry out the death penalty for a number of Christians, (Acts 7:57-58).
(Acts 8:1 NKJV) "Now Saul was consenting to his [Stephen's] death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (Acts 8:2 ASV) And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. (Acts 8:3 NASB) But Saul [was] ravaging [destroying] the church, entering [houses], and dragging off men and women, he [was delivering them up to prison]. (Acts 8:4 YLT) they [the church] then indeed, having been scattered, went abroad proclaiming good news - the word." =
So Saul had consented and "was consenting," (Acts 8:1), to Stephen's death while he was there to witness it. And it was at Saul's feet at which those rulers who threw the deadly stones, placed their outer clothing, (Acts 7:58). The particple verb rendered "was consenting" in the NKJV is in the active voice indicating active, ongoing approval. Saul's presence is presented in such a manner as to indicate that he had an official capacity relative to Stephen's execution.
Evidently Saul did not share the precautionary point of view of his former teacher, Gamaliel, (ref. Acts 22:3), relative to those who espoused a faith that differed from the Jewish rulers' conception of Judaism which Gamaliel had earlier expressed before the Sanhedrin relative to the apostles, and as follows:
(Acts 5:34 NKJV) "Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.
(Acts 5:35 NKJV) And he said to them: "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men.
(Acts 5:36 NKJV) For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing.
(Acts 5:37 NKJV) After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed.
(Acts 5:38 NKJV) And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing;
(Acts 5:39 NKJV) but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it--lest you even be found to fight against God."
Acts 8:3, which follows, sharply contrasts the mourning of Stephen's death with the severe persecution of the church led by Saul:
[Compare Acts 8:2 with Acts 8:3]:
(Acts 8:2 ASV) "And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him."
(Acts 8:3 NASB) "But Saul [was] ravaging [destroying] the church, entering [houses], and dragging off men and women, he [was delivering them up to prison]."
So while Saul was attempting to destroy the church in Jerusalem, entering houses, and dragging off men and women, [and while] he [was delivering them up to prison]; and even beating them, (cf. Acts 9:1-2, 13; 9:29; 22:4-5; 26:2-11); causing havoc in Jerusalem, (cf. Acts 9:21); the LORD Jesus was nevertheless seeing to it that the church was proclaiming the good news abroad - namely in Judea and Samaria:
(Acts 8:4 YLT) "they [the church] then indeed, having been scattered, went abroad proclaiming good news - the word."
It is implied that this was a turning point with God relative to Israel. For Saul's own later imprisonment as an apostle for Christ contrasted with his imprisoning these followers. Stephen's martyrdom together with the ensuing persecution of the church confirmed Israel's unbelief and her obstinate refusal to accept Jesus as her Redeemer, marking the LORD Jesus' departure from working through Israel to working through His Church.
Note that the early believers in Jesus were not called Christians until Acts 11:26 in Antioch. Before that those who accepted Jesus' messiahship and claimed Him as their LORD called themselves those of "the Way" (Gk. "tEn hodon"), (Acts 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22; 16:17; 18:25-26). They also were designated as "the disciples of the LORD," (Acts 9:10, 19); and "saints," (Acts 9:13); and "all who call on your [Jesus'] name," (Acts 9:14; and "brothers," (Acts 9:17, 30).
Those who opposed them spoke of them as members of "the sect of the Nazarenes," (Acts 24:5, 14; 28:22).
Despite the opposition and persecution, God was in sovereign control such that the Word of God was spread abroad, (Acts 8:4).
****** END OF EXCERPTS FROM ACTS CHAPTERS 7 & 8 ******
(Acts 9:1 NASB) '''Now Saul, still breathing [threat] and murder against the disciples of the LORD went to the high priest,
(Acts 9:2 NASB) and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to "the Way," both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
(Acts 9:3 YLT) And in the going [present infinitive], [lit., it came to pass for him to come near] to Damascus, and suddenly there shone [about] him a light from ... heaven,
(Acts 9:4 NASB) [and having fallen upon the ground, he] heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
(Acts 9:5 NASB) And he said, 'Who are You, LORD?' And He said, 'I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting,
(Acts 9:6 NASB) but get up and enter the city, and it will be told [to] you what you must do.
(Acts 9:7 NKJV) [But] the men [journeying] with him [had] stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
(Acts 9:8 NKJV) Then Saul arose from the ground, and ... his eyes [having been] opened he [was seeing] no one. But [leading by the hand] they [brought] him [to] Damascus.
(Acts 9:9 YLT) and he was three days without seeing, and he did neither eat nor drink.
(Acts 9:10 YLT) And there was a certain disciple in Damascus, by name Ananias, and the LORD said unto him in a vision, 'Ananias;' and he said, 'Behold me, [in the sense of saying, 'Here I am'], LORD;'
(Acts 9:11 YLT) and the LORD [says] unto him, 'Having risen, go on unto the street that is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas, one by name Saul of Tarsus, for, [behold], he [is praying].
(Acts 9:12 NKJV) (Acts 9:12 NKJV) And [in a vision - variant in P47, Sinaiticus, A = three excellent manuscripts as well as two ancient versions: it (old latin) and cop (Coptic) exclude this phrase] he [Saul] [saw] a man named Ananias [having come] and [having placed] his hand on him, so that he might receive ... sight.
(Acts 9:13 NASB) But Ananias answered, 'LORD I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;
(Acts 9:14 NASB) and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.
(Acts 9:15 NASB) But the LORD said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument [lit., vessel] of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
(Acts 9:16 NASB) for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake.'
(Acts 9:17 YLT) And Ananias went away, and did enter into the house, and having put upon him his hands, said, 'Saul, brother, the Lord [has] sent me - Jesus Who did appear to you in the way in which [you were] coming - that [you may] see again, and [may] be filled with the Holy Spirit.'
(Acts 9:18 YLT) And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, he saw again also presently, and having risen, was baptized,
(Acts 9:19 ASV) and [having taken] food and [he] was strengthened. And he was certain days with the disciples that were at Damascus;
(Acts 9:20 YLT) and immediately in the synagogues he was preaching [imperfect] the Christ, that He is the Son of God.
(Acts 9:21 NASB) [And] all those hearing him [were being] amazed [imperfect tense], and were saying, 'Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those [calling] on this name, and who had come here for the purpose [that he might bring] them bound before the chief priests?' "
(Acts 9:22 YLT) But Saul [all the more was] increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
(Acts 9:23 YLT) And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him,
(Acts 9:24 NASB) but their plot became known to Saul. [And] they were ... watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;
(Acts 9:25 YLT) and the disciples having taken him, by night did let him down [through] the wall, [having lowered] him in a [large basket].
(Acts 9:26 YLT) And Saul, having come to Jerusalem, [was attempting] to join himself to the disciples, and they were all [fearing] him, not believing that he is a disciple,
(Acts 9:27 NKJV) But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he saw the LORD on the road, and that He spoke to him, and how he spoke boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
(Acts 9:28 NKJV) So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.
(Acts 9:29 YLT) and speaking boldly in the name of the LORD Jesus, he was both speaking [in the sense of proclaiming / preaching] and disputing with the [Hellenist Jews], [but] they were [undertaking] to kill him,
(Acts 9:30 YLT) and the brethren having known, brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him [away] to Tarsus."
(Acts 9:1 NASB) '''Now Saul, still breathing [threat] and murder against the disciples of the LORD went to the high priest, (Acts 9:2 NASB) and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to "the Way," both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:3 YLT) And in the going [present infinitive], [lit., it came to pass for him to come near] to Damascus, and suddenly there shone [about] him a light from ... heaven, (Acts 9:4 NASB) [and having fallen upon the ground, he] heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (Acts 9:5 NASB) And he said, 'Who are You, LORD?' And He said, 'I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting, (Acts 9:6 NASB) but get up and enter the city, and it will be told [to] you what you must do. (Acts 9:7 NKJV) [But] the men [journeying] with him [had] stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. (Acts 9:8 NKJV) Then Saul arose from the ground, and ... his eyes [having been] opened he [was seeing] no one. But [leading by the hand] they [brought] him [to] Damascus. (Acts 9:9 YLT) and he was three days without seeing, and he did neither eat nor drink." =
In the light of Stephen's great defense and presentation of Jesus to the Jewish rulers and his martyrdom, Saul expanded his relentless persecution of the church, "still breathing [threat] and murder against the disciples of the LORD," in the sense of still declaring threat and murder against the Church as he expanded his activities into Damascus.
Later, when Saul (Paul) was speaking before King Agrippa, he told how he put many of the saints in prison and how he voted for their death.
(Acts 26:10 NKJV) "This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them."
The Greek word "empneOn" rendered "breathing in" the NASB in Acts 9:1 literally means "breathing in" portraying an atmosphere created by Saul by his "breathing" in of words of continuous threat and murder toward those of "the Way." He created around himself an ongoing motivation to mount his campaign to rid the world of the alleged blasphemy of the disciples of Jesus Christ, in Saul's mind, for the sake of God and Judaism.
Note that the adverb "still" in the phrase "still breathing [threat] and murder" looks back to 8:3 where it states in the NASB as follows: "But Saul [was] ravaging [destroying] the church, entering [houses], and dragging off men and women, he [was delivering them up to prison]." Paul went so far as to get letters from the high priest in advance to grant him permission to bind up any he found in Damascus who belonged to "the Way," i.e., the Church - in the sense of taking prisoners for extradition and punishment - possibly death sentences - to Jerusalem for their so called apostasy. Although the high priest had no direct authority over synagogues in Damascus, Rome did recognize the right of extradition over synagogues in Damascus should the high priest in Jerusalem exercise it. Hence Paul received letters from the high priest which were to be authorizations in advance of anyone he found in "the Way" in order to enable him to seize them; thus continuing his vicious persecution of the believers who moved from Jerusalem to Damascus.
Note that Saul's intent to aggressively pursue persecution of the Christians in Damascus centering around the synagogues there indicated how rapidly Christianity was spreading, and how closely associated they still were with Judaism. This is not remarkable considering that the message of the gospel is corroborated in the Scriptures of the day, i.e., the Tenach - the Old Testament books.
Damascus was the oldest and most important city in Syria. It was a large and thriving commercial center at the foot of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. It was about 140 miles northeast of Jerusalem, about 200 miles by road at that time. Since 64 B.C. it had been part of the Roman province of Syria and was granted certain civic rights by Rome as one of the ten cities of eastern Syria and the Transjordan called the Decapolis (cf. Mark 5:20; 7:31). It had a large Nabatean Arab population, and possibly was ruled by the Nabatean king Aretas IV (9 B.C.-A.D. 40) as part of Arabia at some time during this period. This particular king was noted as hating the Romans and ironically might have made concessions of extradition for the high priest to gain favor with the Jews, which included pursuing Saul after his conversion in order to kill him (cf. 2 Cor 11:32-33) . It also had a large Jewish population, 10,500 of whom Josephus reports were killed by the people of Damascus at the outbreak of Jewish-Roman hostilities in A.D. 66 (cf. War II, 561 [xx.2]; though in War VII, 368 [viii.7] the figure is 18,000). It was to this city that Saul went with the authority of the Jewish Sanhedrin, seeking to return to Jerusalem those Christians who had fled the city - chiefly the Hellenistic Jewish Christians - in order to stop the spread of what he considered to be a pernicious and deadly contagion within Israel.
................................................................ (Acts 9:1-2).
In Acts 9:3-4, while Saul was on his way to Damascus there suddenly shone a light from heaven upon him, causing him to fall upon the ground. Note that Scripture indicates that one would recognize that such a light from heaven was a divine manifestation, (Refs., Ps 27:1; 43:3; 104:2).
And Saul heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" The Greek verb "diOkeis" rendered "are you persecuting," also includes in its meaning for this verse, pursuing and driving out. This question posed by the LORD in verse 4 implies that the persecution by Saul upon the disciples was of the One Whose voice was heard in the light from heaven, namely Jesus Christ, (v. 5). So Saul's persecution of the believers in Jesus Christ, i.e., the Church was a persecution of Christ Himself. For verses 4 and 5 indicate that the risen Jesus Christ was in union with - the Head of His body, His disciples, the Church.
Note that in the NKJV, YLT and KJV, the following phrase is rendered at the end of verse 4: "It is hard for you to kick against the goads." This phrase is not in the best manuscripts. And it is not included in Acts 22:7 which also covers Saul's encounter with the LORD Jesus. On the other hand, the phrase does appear in Acts 26:14 which is supported by the best manuscript evidence available. Hence it is considered a scribal addition in Acts 9:4 and is omitted in the NU and Majority Text and most versions in Acts chapter 9.
In the Greek world this phrase, "It is hard for you to kick against the goads," was a well-known expression for opposition to deity (cf. Euripides Bacchanals 794-95; Aeschylus Prometheus Bound 324-25; Agamemnon 1624; Pindar Pythia 2.94-95; Terence Phormio 1.2.27). Correction by a voice from heaven meant opposition to God himself. Such an expression would be familiar to Agrippa and the others, signifying the futility of Saul's efforts against the divine will.
[New Testament Text And Translation Commentary, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Ill., Philip W. Comfort, 2008, p. 364]:
[Re: Acts 9:4]:
"Excellent testimony (P45, P74, Sinaiticus, A, B, C) affirms that the verse ends with the phrase rendered "Why do you persecute me?" Other witnesses (E 431, syr) add the phrase rendered "it hurts you to kick against the goads." The variant reading is the result of scribes wanting to harmonize the three accounts of Paul's conversion recorded in Acts: here [in Acts 9:4] (the actual event) and two retellings of it by Paul (22:6-16 and 26:12-18). In each pericope different details are presented, but the scribe of E and the translator of syr conformed both 9:4 and 22:7 to 26:14 by adding the statement, "it hurts you to kick against the goads," to both verses. This kind of harmonization is similar to what occurred in the Gospels: Scribes felt obligated to make parallel passages verbally equivalent. Luke, however, had no such constraints. He recorded three different versions of Paul's conversion experience; the second and third are noticeably different because Paul presented two re-creations of the event for the sake of two different audiences: (1) a Jewish audience in Jerusalem which wanted to kill him (22:6-16), and (2) Agrippa, who listened to Paul's legal defense (26:12-18). In this final defense, Paul says that Jesus told him, "It hurts you to kick against the goads." In the Greek world this was a well-known expression for opposition to deity (Euripides, Bacchanals 794-795; Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 324-325; Pindar, Pythian Odes 2.94-95). Longenecker (1981, 552-553) elaborates "lest [Paul] be misunderstood as proclaiming only a Galilean prophet he had formerly opposed, he pointed out to his hearers what was obvious to any Jew: correction by a voice from heaven meant opposition to God Himself. So he used a current expression familiar to Agrippa and the others."
[Re: Acts 9:5-6]
WH NU "But get up and enter into the city."
P45, P47, Sinaiticus, A, B, C E P, 'phi,' 33, 1739, Maj
NKJVmg RSV NASB NIV HCSB etc.
variant / TR "It hurts you to kick against the goads. 'Trembling and astonished, he said 'Lord, what do you want me to do? And he said, 'Get up and enter the city.' " (629 the first clause) it syr vg
KJV, NKJV
Though P45 is cited as vid, according to space allotment P45 could not have contained the extra words... The expanded version, not found in any Greek witnesses (except the 14th century minuscule 629 - but only in part), is the result of ancient translators embellishing the text with their own coloring (such as adding 'trembling and astonished') and harmonizing this account with the other records of Paul's conversion experience (namely, 22:10 and 26:14). ... What is noteworthy about this variant is that the full interpolation became part of TR without ever being in a Greek witness. According to Metzger (TCGNT), Erasmus translated this addition from the Latin Vulgate and incorporated it into the first edition of his Greek New Testament in 1516. From there it became part of TR, and was included in KJV."
.................................................................................................................................... (Acts 9:3-4).
Saul responded to the voice from heaven which accompanied the light from heaven - a manifestation of divine presense that struck him down as if it came from Someone to be addressed as "LORD," namely someone with the authority of God; especially considering the overpowering light from heaven that accompanied that voice. Saul said in Acts 9:5a, "Who are you LORD?" When all of the passages on this subject are carefully read, one may conclude that all of them indicate that Saul both heard the voice of the LORD, understood His words, and saw Him as well.
2) [Compare Acts 22:6-9, 14-15, Acts 26:15-19; 1 Cor 9:1, 15:8]:
(Acts 22:6 NKJV) "Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.
(Acts 22:7 NKJV) And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'
(Acts 22:8 NKJV) So I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'
(Acts 22:9 NKJV) And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.
(Acts 22:14 NKJV) "Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.
(Acts 22:15 NKJV) For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard."
(Acts 26:15 NKJV) "So I said, 'Who are You, LORD?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting.
(Acts 26:16 NKJV) But rise and stand on your feet; for I [Jesus] have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.
(Acts 26:17 NKJV) I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
(Acts 26:18 NKJV) to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'
(Acts 26:19 NKJV) "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.' "
(1 Cor 9:1 NKJV) " 'Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our LORD? Are you not my work in the LORD?' "
(1 Cor 15:8 NKJV) " 'Then last of all He was seen by me [Paul] also, as by one born out of due time.' "
At this moment in time, Saul was evidently confused. For if it was the LORD Jesus Who was addressing him from heaven - and Saul evidently believed it was; then what he had been doing as a Pharisee, which Saul evidently viewed as having served the LORD - and that with an all consuming vigor and faithfulness - had been actually persecuting the people of the Way who themselves were the ones who had been serving the LORD's will. Saul's actions had therefore been against the will and service of God! In effect, Saul was persecuting Jesus!
....................................................... (Acts 9:5a).
Whereupon in Acts 9:5b-6, the voice in the blinging light from heaven answered, "I [emphatic] am Jesus Whom [emphatic] you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told [to] you what you must do."
Note that the phrase, "and it will be told [to] you what you must do," in verse 6 is not implying that Saul would be taught the gospel by Ananias who ministered to him in Damascus, (ref. Acts 9:10-19), as some contend. For it was the LORD Jesus Himself Who taught Saul the gospel of a moment of faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life / justification by faith which began with Saul's encounter with the LORD Jesus, on the road to Damascus, (cf. Acts 26:16-18 above ) - an indicator of the moment of Saul's conversion. Saul had already been saved unto forgiveness of sins unto eternal life when he received his first instructions by the LORD Jesus as to his assignment to serve Him in the proclamation of the gospel to the Gentiles. For only believers receive such assignments.
The connection was made by the One behind the light and voice from heaven that Saul's persecution of those of the Way was a persecution of Jesus Himself Who had evidently risen from the dead, and had the authority of God Himself! There is herein implied the unity that exists between the risen Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Promised Messiah to the Jews and all mankind, and His disciples - those who have trusted in Him for forgiveness of sins and follow Him - His teachings. And now Saul had come to understand that his mission has changed from persecuting Jesus to serving Him. Saul's understanding of that mission began with his encounter with Christ on the Damascus road.
Saul / Paul it seems shut his eyes because of the continuing brightness of the glory, but not until after he saw Jesus. He made it clear in all his testimony that he was as much an eyewitness to the resurrection of Christ as the other apostles were, (1 Cor 9:1; 15:8 .).
When Jesus told Saul to rise and go into the city of Damascus, Saul's compliance was evidence that Saul had believed in the LORD Jesus for forgiveness of sins. At Damascus he would be told what would be necessary for him to do in the sense of proclaiming the gospel of forgiveness of sins unto eternal life - a mission reserved for believers; and another affirmation of Saul's conversion. Jesus actually told Saul more at this time, which Luke wrote down in his account of Saul / Paul when he made his defense before King Agrippa (26:16-18):
(Acts 26:15 NKJV) "So I said, 'Who are You, LORD?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
(Acts 26:16 NKJV) But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.
(Acts 26:17 NKJV) I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
(Acts 26:18 NKJV) to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' "
In Galatians 1:1, 11, 12, and 16, Paul also made it clear that he was commissioned directly by Jesus himself, not by any man. In other words, Paul was a genuine apostle commissioned by Jesus Himself.
(Gal 1:11 NKJV) "But I make known to you, brethren, that..the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
(Gal 1:12 NKJV) For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ
(Gal 1:13 NKJV) For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
(Gal 1:14 NKJV) And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
(Gal 1:15 NKJV) But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,
(Gal 1:16 NKJV) to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
(Gal 1:17 NKJV) nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
(Gal 1:18 NKJV) Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
(Gal 1:19 NKJV) But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the LORD's brother.
(Gal 1:20 NKJV) (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)
(Gal 1:21 NKJV) Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
(Gal 1:22 NKJV) And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.
(Gal 1:23 NKJV) But they were hearing only, 'He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.'
(Gal 1:24 NKJV) And they glorified God in me."
It is implied in Galatians 1:11-12, 16 above, that Paul was trained in the gospel of Jesus Christ, during the three year period he spent in Arabia and Damascus immediately after his conversion by revelation from Jesus Christ Himself. Thereafter Paul went to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter, staying with him fifteen days after he had received his training in the doctrines of the faith.
In Acts 9:6, the phrase "So he, trembling and astonished, said, 'LORD what do You want me to do?' " prefaces the phrase "but get up and enter the city, and it will be told [to] you what you must do," in some versions, (NKJV, YLT, KJV); but it is not found in Acts chapter 9 in any of the Greek manuscripts now extant. But it is found in the Latin Vulgate version of Acts 9:6, as well as in the Greek manuscripts containing Acts 22:10. Although the manuscript evidence for this additional phrase appearing in Acts 9:6 is sufficiently lacking so that one must conclude that it is a scribal addition - not part of the original text of Acts 9:6 - this phrase does not contradict what is in view in Acts chapter 9. And the phrase legitimately occurs in Acts 22:10. So it can be included in the account of Paul meeting the LORD Jesus on the way to Damascus. .................................................................... (Acts 9:5b-6).
In the next verse - (Acts 9:7) - author Luke indicates that the men journeying with Paul had stood speechless hearing a voice but seeing no one. The words of the voice to them were evidently not intelligible.
(Acts 22:7 NKJV) "And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'
(Acts 22:8 NKJV) So I answered, 'Who are You, LORD?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, Whom you are persecuting.'
(Acts 22:9 NASB) And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One Who was speaking to me."
So Acts 9:7 has the men with Saul "hearing a voice but seeing no one. A number of versions, including the KJV, NKJV, HOLMAN, YLT and the AV, have Acts 22:9, on the same subject render that verse on the order of "but they heard not the voice of Him that spake to me."
The verb forms relative to hearing in both Acts 9:7 and 22:9 are of the same infinitive "akouO," which can mean to hear, understand, listen, etc., depending upon context. Considering the context of Acts 9:7 from which the following phrase comes: "hearing a voice but seeing no one;"Acts 22:9 would best be rendered "but did not understand the voice of the One Who was speaking to me," as it does in the NASB and the NIV. Both verses thus imply that the men with Saul...did hear the voice but did not understand what was being said.
An apparent difficulty arises with Acts 26:14 which indicates that the men with Saul all fell to the ground with Saul. Since Acts 22:16 indicates that Saul got up and stood on his feet, it is possible that this implies that the men with Saul got up to their feet as well. Acts 9:7 also indicates that the men with Saul stood there speechless, with no stipulation that the men had previously fallen to the ground with Saul - leaving that as a possible interpretation as well. So this apparent difficulty is easily resolved because the word rendered 'stood' also means to be fixed, to be rooted to the spot. Hence the best interpretation which could be applied to all of the accounts in Scripture relative to Saul's encounter on the way to Damascus with the LORD Jesus is that after the men had fallen to the ground with Saul when the light with such exceeding brilliancy burst upon them; they "stood" upon their feet just as Saul did, speechless, unable to comprehend the voice and unable to move further. .................................................................................................................. (Acts 9:7)
Then Saul arose from the ground, blinded. His eyes had been opened, but he could see no one. But leading him by the hand, the men evidently who were with him, brought him to Damascus. And for three days without seeing, he neither ate nor took drink. His fasting and isolation gave him time to ponder his training as a Pharisee under Gamiliel, (refs, Acts 22:3; 23:7); and his interpretation of the Old Testament and its prophesies relative to the coming Messiah Whom he had just met, Who had taken control of his life after appearing to him in a vision from heaven. Thus he came to an understanding that Jesus' death on the cross, rather than discrediting him as an impostor, fulfilled prophecy as God's provision for man's sin and that Jesus' resurrection confirmed Him as being the nation's and mankind's Messiah and LORD. Saul evidently became a believer on the way to Damascus when he encountered the LORD Jesus. Heretofore Saul had been depending upon who he was and what he could do; neither of which complied with Scripture nor the will of God. Now he was dependant upon the One Who appeared to him in a vision from heaven - One Who declared that He was Jesus Whom Saul had been persecuting through his actions against Jesus' disciples.
Saul was a well schooled Pharisee with a zeal to uphold what he thought was the honor and truth of God:
(Phil 3:5 NKJV) [Paul declares that he was] circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
(Phil 3:6 NKJV) concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless."
But he confessed that his zeal was not according to the knowledge of Scripture:
(Ro 10:1 NKJV) "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
(Ro 10:2 NKJV) For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
(Ro 10:3 NKJV) For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God."
Saul had missed the grace of God through faith in His Son Jesus the Promised Messiah to make provision for his sins in order to serve the LORD relative to proclaiming the gospel.
****** EXCERPTS FROM ISAIAH AND MATTHEW ******
(Isa 7:14 YLT) '''Therefore the LORD Himself [is giving] to you [plural, i.e., Judah] a sign, [behold], the Virgin [the pregnant one] [the one giving birth to] a son, And she [has called] his name Immanuel. (Isa 7:15 NKJV) Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. (Isa 7:16 NKJV) For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings... (Isa 9:6 NKJV) For unto us [Israel, Isa 1:1, 8:18] a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:7 NKJV) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this... (Isa 39:1 NKJV) At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard [lit., was hearing] that he had been sick and had recovered [lit., was recovering]. (Isa 39:2 NKJV) And Hezekiah was pleased [lit., was being pleased] with them, and showed them [lit., was showing them] the house of his treasures - the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory - all that was found [lit., had been found] among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. (Isa 39:3 NKJV) Then Isaiah the prophet went [lit., was coming] to King Hezekiah, and said [lit., was saying] to him, "What did these men say [lit., have these men said], and from where did they come [lit., were coming] to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came [lit., had come] to me from a far country, from Babylon." (Isa 39:4 NKJV) And he said, [lit., was saying], "What have they seen in your house?" So Hezekiah answered, [lit., was answering], "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them." (Isa 39:5 NKJV) Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: (Isa 39:6 NKJV) 'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried [lit., have been carried] to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the LORD. (Isa 39:7 NKJV) And they shall take away [lit., be taking away] some of your sons who will descend [lit., shall be descendants] from you, whom you will beget [lit., be begetting]; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.' (Isa 39:8 NKJV) So Hezekiah said [lit., was saying] to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!" For he said, "At least there will be peace and truth in my days." (Isa 40:1 Holman) "Comfort, comfort My people," says your God. (Isa 40:2 NKJV) "Speak [to the heart of] Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare [has been] ended, that her iniquity [is to have been pardoned], For she has received from the LORD's hand Double for all her sins." (Isa 40:3 HOLMAN) A voice of one crying out: ["In the wilderness, prepare the way of the LORD]; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. (Isa 40:4 HOLMAN) Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rough places a plain. (Isa 40:5 NKJV) [And] the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken [it].' " ''' =
In view in this passage in Isaiah chapter 40 is the imminent return in ancient times of the Israelites from Babylonian captivity to a Jerusalem which was to be rebuilt by them. Israel's past iniquity had been pardoned through having received double punishment for all her sins, (Isa 40:1-2). Whereupon the next verse portrays the voice of a prophet announcing the imminent coming of the LORD in His glory to establish on earth the Eternal Kingdom of God conditional upon all Israelites making the necessary preparation: "A voice of one crying out, 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; Make a straight highway for our God in the desert, Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rough places a plain," [And] the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken [it],' " ''' (Isa 40:3-5).
The phrases such as "In the wilderness, prepare the way of the LORD; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rough places a plain," (Isa 40:3-5), cannot be literal because such a fulfillment of these phrases which portray the world completely without hill or valley, or uneven or rough ground is not literally possible with finite, flawed man; nor useful in enabling the coming of the LORD, Who is Creator and Master of the physical world, and would not be hindered by any physical obstruction. And from whence does it begin and to where does the highway go which is to be built for our God in the desert? One can only conclude that the prophet crying out is speaking figuratively of the way of God's Perfect Righteousness which can only be via every one of a generation of Israelites removing the spiritual hindrances from within oneself to receive the coming of the LORD through trusting alone in the LORD alone to deliver one from one's sins to provide the gift of God's perfect Righteousness within oneself unto eternal life; whereupon the LORD would come to establish His everlasting Kingdom of Heaven on the earth through His people Israel - having prepared His way of Perfect Righteousness within man by providing it for and within each individual by faith as a free gift. In the past, Israel's lack of faith had blocked her fellowship with the LORD and caused punishment and captivity to befall her, (cf. Isa 39:1-8). Nevertheless the ancient Israelites returning from Babylon had their opportunity to see the salvation of their God come into the world but failed to prepare for the LORD to bring in His Kingdom via repentance unto faith. Hence the LORD postponed the completion of His mission for when a future generation of Israelites will prepare itself properly for His coming.
According to the context of the Book of Isaiah chapters 1 through 40, the coming of the LORD and His Righteousness into the world would begin as a Child: born of a maiden / virgin Whom she called His name Immanuel, (Isa 7:14-16).
(Isa 7:14 YLT) '''Therefore the LORD Himself [is giving] to you [plural, i.e., Judah] a sign, [behold], the Virgin [the pregnant one] [the one giving birth to] a son, And she [has called] his name Immanuel.
(Isa 7:15 NKJV) Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.
(Isa 7:16 NKJV) For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings'''
So a Child shall be born of a maiden / virgin. His name shall be called "Immanuel" meaning "God is with us," (Isa 7:14-16 ).
(Mt 1:18 NKJV) "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
(Mt 1:19 NKJV) Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
(Mt 1:20 NKJV) But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
(Mt 1:21 NKJV) And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.
(Mt 1:22 NKJV) So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the LORD through the prophet, saying:
(Mt 1:23 NKJV) Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God with us.' "
(Isa 9:6 NKJV) "For unto us [Israel, Isa 1:1, 7:14-16; 8:18] a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isa 9:7 NKJV) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."
So He will be born of Israel, hence a Son of Israel; and be declared, "Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." He will come to establish His Everlasting Kingdom rule over the world on the throne of David from Jerusalem through His people, Israel, (Isa 9:6-7). . The time of His everlasting rule would begin when national Israel responded to Him by faith in order to be delivered each one of his sins, (Isa 40:3). When that becomes the case in history, every obstacle to God's rule of Righteousness will be removed; which Isaiah 40:4 expresses figuratively in order to convey a spiritual meaning of God's provision of the gift of His Righteousness to man: "Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rough places a plain." Hence all mankind will see the glory of the LORD - His Perfect Righteousness - when He comes to rule over His everlasting kingdom on the earth through His people Israel, (Isa 40:5).
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"
All of this was declared by the prophet to be true, for the mouth of the LORD had spoken it to him, (Isa 5:16; 6:3; 7:14-16; 9:6-7; 39:5; 40:1-5).
****** END OF EXCERPTS FROM ISAIAH AND MATTHEW ******
.................................................... (Acts 9:8-9).
(Acts 9:10 YLT) And there was a certain disciple in Damascus, by name Ananias, and the LORD said unto him in a vision, 'Ananias;' and he said, 'Behold me, [in the sense of saying, 'Here I am'], LORD;' (Acts 9:11 YLT) and the LORD [says] unto him, 'Having risen, go on unto the street that is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas, one by name Saul of Tarsus, for, [behold], he [is praying]. (Acts 9:12 NKJV) And [in a vision - variant in P47, Sinaiticus, A = three excellent manuscripts as well as two ancient versions: it (old latin) and cop (Coptic) exclude this phrase] he [Saul] [saw] a man named Ananias [having come] and [having placed] his hand on him, so that he might receive ... sight. (Acts 9:13 NASB) But Ananias answered, 'LORD I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; (Acts 9:14 NASB) and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name. (Acts 9:15 NASB) But the LORD said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument [lit., vessel] of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; (Acts 9:16 NASB) for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake.' (Acts 9:17 YLT) And Ananias went away, and did enter into the house, and having put upon him his hands, said, 'Saul, brother, the Lord [has] sent me - Jesus Who did appear to you in the way in which [you were] coming - that [you may] see again, and [may] be filled with the Holy Spirit.' (Acts 9:18 YLT) And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, he saw again also presently, and having risen, was baptized, (Acts 9:19 ASV) and [having taken] food and [he] was strengthened. And he was certain days with the disciples that were at Damascus; (Acts 9:20 YLT) and immediately in the synagogues he was preaching [imperfect] the Christ, that He is the Son of God. (Acts 9:21 NASB) [And] all those hearing him [were being] amazed [imperfect tense], and were saying, 'Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those [calling] on this name, and who had come here for the purpose [that he might bring] them bound before the chief priests?' " =
In Acts 9:10, it states that there was a certain disciple in Damascus, by the name of Ananias, and the LORD said to him in a vision, 'Ananias;' and he said, 'Behold me, [in the sense of saying, 'Here I am'], LORD." Ananias was expressing his availability and willingness to obey the LORD.
Whereupon the LORD says to Ananias, "Having risen, go unto the street that is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas, one by name Saul of Tarsus, for [behold], he [is praying]."
The street called Straight was an east-west street that is still one of the main thoroughfares of Damascus, the "Derb el-Mustaqim." which went from one end of the city to the other. It had colonnaded halls on either side and imposing gates at each end (cf. BC, 4:102). It was evidently well known to be referred to in such a manner and is still an important street today. The directions included the house where a man named Saul of Tarsus could be found. Tarsus was a city of about a half million people in Cilicia about 10 miles from the Mediteranean coast. Jesus' words to Ananias identified Saul as one whom Ananias would behold [emphatic expression] praying when he got there. This was a sign of Saul's humbly waiting upon the LORD for instructions and praying - indications of his conversion.
Note that Saul offered no objections to his situation after his encounter with the LORD Jesus on the way to Damascus; rather Saul's account of his encounter with the LORD indicated that he had believed in the LORD Jesus: Who He was and believed in the gospel of forgiveness of sins unto eternal life by faith in Him:
(Acts 26:15 NKJV) "So I said, 'Who are You, LORD?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting.
(Acts 26:16 NKJV) But rise and stand on your feet; for I [Jesus] have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.
(Acts 26:17 NKJV) I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
(Acts 26:18 NKJV) to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' "
................................................................................................................................ (Acts 9:11).
Another vision which is implied in Acts 9:12 which the LORD brought to Saul was of a man named Ananias [before he came to visit Saul] who would come and place his hand on Saul so that he might receive his sight back. Three excellent manuscripts P47, Sinaiticus, and A as well as two ancient versions it (old latin) and cop (Coptic) exclude the phrase, "in a vision," but the verse nevertheless implies a vision as Ananias' visit to Saul was yet future.
These were supernatural visions from heaven from the LORD - not dependent upon man's imagination, portraying future events. So the LORD was already preparing Saul for Ananias' visit so that Saul might know that he would regain his sight and receive instructions to begin to serve the LORD - evidently an answer to Saul's prayer - another indication of Saul's conversion. Notice that God did not send for an apostle such as Peter or John to lay hands upon Saul to commission him to serve the LORD. That commission was done directly by the LORD. So Ananias, a faithful disciple, was sufficient to bring about Saul's healing and the filling of the Holy Spirit by laying his hands upon Saul, which would further affirm the LORD's commission upon Saul - outside of the participation of those of the church in Jerusalem.
........................................................ (Acts 9:12).
But Ananias answered, the LORD, 'LORD, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.'
Word had evidently traveled fast - for Ananias had already learned of Paul's being given the authority by the chief priests to bind up anyone found who called upon Jesus' name before Saul even arrived in Damascus. There certainly was the potential for Ananias to suffer harm should he obey the LORD's instructions and go to Saul.
The Greek word "hagiois" in Acts 9:13, which literally means "set apart;" is rendered "saints," in the NKJV. It means in the context of this verse to set oneself apart from serving other things to following the teachings of and for service to the LORD. So it is used to refer to those who have already called on the name of Jesus in the sense of believing in His name for forgiveness of sins and further of setting oneself apart from other things to follow His teachings as His disciples.
In his comment to the LORD about the many terrible things Saul had done to the LORD's saints in Jerusalem, Ananias distinguished himself as separate from the believers in Jersualem. He had either been born in Damascus or had lived there a long time - from whence he learned of Saul, evidently from many of the believers who had fled Saul's persecution. ................................................................................. (Acts 9:13-14).
But the LORD informed Ananias and evidently Saul thereafter, that Saul was a chosen instrument to bear His [Jesus'] name before the Gentiles, kings and the sons [children] of Israel. For the LORD told Ananias that He would show Saul how much he must suffer for the LORD's name's sake.
The necessity of Saul's suffering in Acts 9:16 is implied as emphatic. It's purpose was stipulated to be for the sake of Jesus' name's sake.
So the LORD had chosen Saul to be His vessel in the sense that out of no merit within himself, the LORD would prepare Saul to serve His purpose to bear His name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel.
The LORD Jesus by His grace chose Saul before he was born to be useful to carry out His purpose in spreading the gospel to the Gentiles. His background, his education, his knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures, his knowledge of the Greek writers, and his energy and zeal, were all things the Holy Spirit could use once he was brought into right relationship with Jesus, and once he was taught the facts of the gospel and the rest of the doctrines of the faith. He was taught many of these facts and even some of the sayings of Jesus by Jesus himself, (ref. Gal 1:11-24 ). Thus, the apostle Paul did become the outstanding apostle to the Gentiles.
So Saul the persecutor became Paul the apostle of Jesus Christ by virtue of the grace and calling of the LORD's. Saul's background and qualifications eminately suited him for the work to which God had called him before Saul was even born: (1) He became learned in the Jewish culture and language, Acts 21:40; Phil. 3:5). (2) He was chosen to be reared in Tarsus and be well acquainted with the Greek culture and its philosophies (Acts 17:22-31; Titus 1:12). (3) He acquired all the privileges of a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37; 22:23-29; 25:10-12). (4) He became trained and skilled in Jewish theology (Gal. 1:14). (5) He was capable in a secular trade he was able to support himself (Acts 18:3; 1 Cor. 9:4-18; 2 Cor. 11:7-11; 1 Thes. 2:9; 2 Thes. 3:8). (6) And by the grace and election of God before Saul was born, God gave him zeal, leadership qualities, and theological insight.
The LORD's answer to Ananias was patient. He did not rebuke Ananias for his unwillingness to go to Saul. Instead, the LORD Jesus informed Ananias of Saul's destiny to serve Him as His vessel.
Notice that it was solely the LORD Jesus Himself Who made Saul His chosen instrument to bear His name before Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel. Neither Saul's conversion nor his mission was dependant upon the church in Jerusalem. Saul was nevertheless part of the unity of the body of Christ via the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit.
.......................................... (Acts 9:15-16).
So Ananias, assured by the LORD Jesus of his duty, departed and entered Judas' house on Straight Street where Saul was staying and praying. And evidently right after laying his hands upon him, he said, "Brother Saul, the LORD appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Notice Ananias' change of attitude when he said, "Brother Saul," which implies that Saul was already a believer who was accepted by him as a fellow believer - an expression of a new relationship with one another in Jesus Christ. And Ananias spoke to brother Saul mentioning that the LORD Jesus had appeared to him [Saul] on the road by which he was coming to Damascus, Who had sent him [Ananias] so that Saul might regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. So Ananias identified the LORD to Saul as the One who had appeared to Saul on the way to Damascus as Jesus. Although this explanation might have been necessary because Jews normally used the term "LORD" to mean Jehovah or Yahweh, Jesus had already announced and demonstrated Who He was to Saul a number of times, beginning with His voice from heaven. Note that the manuscript evidence is overwhelminly supportive of the TR WH NU reading of the phrase rendered "the LORD has sent me, Jesus," which although awkward is nevertheless accurately rendered in the YLT. The majority of later manuscripts omit the name "Jesus." Most English versions handle the split of names by joining them together rendering it "the LORD Jesus as sent me."
The Greek phrase, "plEsthEs pneumatos hagiou" in Acts 9:17 rendered "[that you - Saul - may] be filled with the Holy Spirit" refers not to Saul receiving the Holy Spirit in the sense of being baptized with the Holy Spirit, which expression uses the verb "lambanO" to receive, such as in Acts 8:17, "elambanon pneuma hagion" rendered "they were receiving the Holy Spirit," in the NASB, (referring to the believers in Samaria); but the Greek verb "plEsthEs," in Acts 9:17 means that Saul was filled in the sense of being dominated or controlled by the Holy Spirit .in Acts 9:17 in the sense of Saul's thoughts, words and deeds being directed by the will of the Spirit, i.e., the will of God - implying that Saul had already received the baptism of the Holy Spirit in order to be controlled by Him. So in Acts 9:17, Saul was evidencing being filled with / controlled by the Holy Spirit when he began "preaching the Christ, that He is the Son of God," in the synagogues in Damascus, (ref. Acts 9:19-20). Previous to these actions, Saul had received the Holy Spirit via Holy Spirit baptism, evidently on the way to Damascus at the point of his encounter with the LORD Jesus when he indicated by his response of faith in Jesus in Acts 9:4-8 demonstrated when he arose obediently from the ground, indicating that he had believed in the LORD Jesus - that he believed that He was the Son of God, the Christ for forgiveness of sins unto eternal life, (Acts 9:17).
Immediately after Ananias laid his hands on Saul there fell from his eyes something like scales, (fish scales), whereupon he regained his sight. And having risen, he was water baptized as evidence of his newfound faith. The baptism of the Spirit of Saul had evidently taken place either on the way to Damascus, or at a moment just prior to being filled with the spirit when Ananias laid his hands upon Saul. The filling of the Spirit was evidenced when Saul began preaching the Christ in the synagogues in Damascus, (ref. Acts 9:19-20). After his water baptism, Saul took food and was strengthened.
Saul's water baptism was a sign of his having become a believer, as corroborated in the Book of Acts, (ref. 2:38, 41; 4:8, 31; 8:12-13, 36-38; 10:43-48). Hence Saul's encounter with the LORD Jesus on the way to Damascus is most likely the time of Saul's conversion - when he expressed a moment of faith alone in Christ alone unto forgiveness of sins unto eternal life.
After his water baptism, Saul spent a certain number of days with the disciples in Damascus; and at the same time he went into the synagogues in Damascus where he was preaching "the Christ, , - that He is "the Son of God," , in the sense of proclaiming Him to be God - that through a moment of faith alone in Him alone was forgiveness of sins unto eternal life. ........................................................................ Acts 9:18-20.
Those hearing Saul preach were being amazed and were saying, "Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those calling on this name - the name of Jesus Christ, by faith in order to receive forgiveness of sins? And they continued to say, "and who had come here to Damascus for the purpose that he might bring them bound before the chief priests? So the believers in Damascus were amazed in the sense of astonished and baffled to a point of insanity, i.e., out of their senses, at Saul's dramatic turn around in his life from killing Christians to proclaiming the gospel that they believed in and for which they perished at his hands - and now his life would be in jeopardy because of his newfound life in Christ. ........................................................ (Acts 9:21).
(Acts 9:22 YLT) But Saul [all the more was] increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 9:23 YLT) And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him, (Acts 9:24 NASB) but their plot became known to Saul. [And] they were ... watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; (Acts 9:25 YLT) and the disciples having taken him, by night did let him down [through] the wall, [having lowered] him in a [large basket]. (Acts 9:26 YLT) And Saul, having come to Jerusalem, [was attempting] to join himself to the disciples, and they were all [fearing] him, not believing that he is a disciple, (Acts 9:27 NKJV) But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he saw the LORD on the road, and that He spoke to him, and how he spoke boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. (Acts 9:28 NKJV) So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. (Acts 9:29 YLT) and speaking boldly in the name of the LORD Jesus, he was both speaking [in the sense of proclaiming / preaching] and disputing with the [Hellenist Jews], [but] they were [undertaking] to kill him, (Acts 9:30 YLT) and the brethren having known, brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him [away] to Tarsus" ''' =
But Saul was increasing all the more in strength in the sense of the power - the forcefulness of his preaching and of the powerful presentation of his arguments. He constantly confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus which arguments proved that the Jesus he spoke about was the Christ - the anointed Son of God - the promised Messiah through faith in Whom would be forgiveness of sins unto eternal life in the eternal Kingdom of God. Saul evidently used Old Testament (Tenach) prophecies and presented his arguments as to how they were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. From what is seen later, it is clear that Saul's preaching included proofs from the Old Testament Scriptures that Jesus died "according to the Scriptures," and that He rose again, "according to the Scriptures," (refs. 1 Cor 15:3-4), and that He was God's promised Anointed One, God's anointed Prophet, Priest, and King. His proofs that Jesus was the Son of God were also taken from the historically / scripturally corroborated fact that God raised Jesus from the dead, (Romans 1:4). ....................................................... (Acts 9:22).
When many days were fulfilled, implying God's having decreed certain things to pass during this time, the Jews of Damascus took counsel together and determined to kill Saul. This period of "many days" was evidently a time of about 3 years referred to in Gal 1:17-18 which Saul spent:
in Arabia learning doctrine via revelation from Jesus Christ,
then in returning to Damascus and preaching the doctrines of the faith with great expertise, confounding the Jews there by proving that Jesus is the Christ via Scripture,
then in evading the Jews' pursuit of him to kill him,
and then in fleeing Damascus for his life.
(Gal 1:11 NKJV) "But I make known to you, brethren, that..the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
(Gal 1:12 NKJV) For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ
(Gal 1:13 NKJV) For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
(Gal 1:14 NKJV) And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
(Gal 1:15 NKJV) But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,
(Gal 1:16 NKJV) to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
(Gal 1:17 NKJV) nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
(Gal 1:18 NKJV) Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
(Gal 1:19 NKJV) But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the LORD's brother.
(Gal 1:20 NKJV) (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)
(Gal 1:21 NKJV) Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
(Gal 1:22 NKJV) And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.
(Gal 1:23 NKJV) But they were hearing only, 'He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.'
(Gal 1:24 NKJV) And they glorified God in me."
It is indicated in Galatians 1:11-24 above, that Paul was trained in the gospel of Jesus Christ not by any man, especially not by anyone from the church in Jerusalem, (Gal 1:15-16). It was via revelation directly from Jesus Christ Himself, during about three years in Arabia which began shortly after his conversion in Damascus, (Gal 1:17-18).
Thereafter Paul returned to Damascus, preached the doctrines of the faith with great expertise there, was persecuted shortly thereafter by the Jews who sought to kill him, (Acts 9:22-24). It was after three years from the time of his conversion, his sojourn in Arabia, his return to preach in Damascus, his escape from Damascus and his time in Jerusalem, (Acts 9:25; Gal 1:17-19) - all of this after he had received his training in the doctrines of the faith from the LORD Jesus Christ in Arabia.
So since Saul evidenced being extremely well versed in the doctrines of the faith during the time he spent confounding the Jews in Damascus with his knowledge of doctrine proving from Scripture that Jesus is the Christ; and since this was during a period of "many days," (Acts 9:23) = during about three years from his conversion, (Gal 1:16-18); and since this confounding of the Jews with doctrine reached a peak of antagonism from the Jews who then sought to kill him, (Acts 9:23), which time was right after he returned from Arabia to Damascus; then it is evident that Saul must have learned the doctrines of the faith from the LORD while he was in the desert in Arabia. ................................................................................................................................. (Acts 9:23).
While the Jews in Damascus were watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death, the plot to kill Saul became known to him. So the disciples had to lower Saul down through an opening - a window in an upper story of a building built on the wall surrounding Damascus, in a large basket, (cf. 2 Cor 11:33 = made of braided rope), to get him safely outside of the city. Note that it was common in ancient times to build dwellings directly against the city wall, such that an upper story above that wall was often built with windows that opened to a view of outside of the city. The governor of Damascus under Aretas the king was evidently giving the Jews some help in this matter of pursuing Saul:
(2 Cor 11:32 NKJV) "In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;
(2 Cor 11:33 NKJV) but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands. In Damascus the ethnarch of Aretas the king was watching the city of the Damascenes, wishing to seize me."
Author Luke evidently limited his narrative in Acts chapter 9 to establishing the authenticity of Saul's conversion; whereas Paul's account in Gal 1:11-24 and elsewhere stressed how he was taught the doctrines of the faith through the LORD Himself and his lack of dependence upon the church in Jerusalem to conduct his ministry to the Gentiles. Hence there is no contradiction or faulty omission in view in either Luke's or Paul's writing relative to this matter. The account of the Jews' deadly persecution of him in Damascus was included to corroborate Saul's conversion. On the other hand, details of Saul's three year sojourn in Arabia, mentioned by Paul in Galatians 1:11-24, were excluded by Luke, not being contributory toward his purpose. Scripture does not stipulate precisely when that sojourn took place, but Acts 9:23 indicates that after the Jews were confounded by Saul's preaching and before Saul came to Jerusalem there were "many days" which transpired before Saul had to escape from Damascus. These "many days," were evidently the 3 years that Paul spent in the Arabian desert before he returned to Damascus and then came to Jerusalem. .................................................................................... (Acts 9:24-25).
Whereupon Saul journeyed south to Jerusalem where he was attempting to join himself with the disciples there in worship and in proclaiming the gospel. But earlier Saul had left the church in Jerusalem scattered and went to Damascus to persecute the church there. So after Saul had left Jerusalem, the persecution quieted down, the apostles and disciples were able to continue their witness and many Jews were converted to Christ. Hence the church was re-established and continued to grow in number. But when Saul was converted and once again arrived at the church in Jerusalem, the believers were all continuing to fear him - not trusting in his conversion. Although Saul had preached so expertly in Damascus and then arrived in Jerusalem more than 3 years after his conversion; and although the news of his conversion, great preaching and being severely persecuted by the Jews in Damascus had spread outward including to Jerusalem; the apostles and the other Christians in Jerusalem were generally still afraid of him. They did not believe he was a disciple.
But Barnabas, a Hellenistic (Greek-speaking) Jew from Cyprus was evidently willing to trust in the conversion of Saul who was also a Hellenistic Jew but from Tarsus. Barnabas took Saul and brought him to the apostles in the sense of more than one Apostle, namely Peter with whom he stayed for fifteen days and later, James who was considered an apostle because of Jesus' special resurrection appearance to him, (refs. Gal 1:18-19; 1 Cor 15:7). Saul declared to them how he saw the LORD on the road to Damascus and that the LORD spoke to him, and how he spoke boldly at Damascus in the synagogues there in the name of Jesus. This evidently convinced them of the genuiness of his conversion. Thereafter, Saul was with them at Jerusalem coming in and going out - evidently to preach in the synagogues in the surrounding towns and villages - speaking boldly in the name of the LORD Jesus. Saul was especially drawn to the Hellenistic / Greek - speaking Jews, being one himself. He was proclaiming and disputing with them such that they undertook to kill him a number of times, and continued to pursue him to that end. On the other hand, Saul did not visit the churches of Judea further outside of Jerusalem, for he said that he was "unknown by face" to them at this time, (cf. Gal 1:22). ................................................................................... (Acts 9:26-29).
The brethren of the church in Jerusalem, knowing of Saul's trouble with the Hellenistic Jews, brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him away to Tarsus. This was evidently to avoid the Hellenist Jews' persecution against Paul to turn toward the church in Jerusalem. For the church throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria - comprising all the Jewish homeland of Palestine, was going through a period of peace, being built up - increasing in numbers; and going on in the fear of the LORD and in the increasing encouragement of the Holy Spirit, (ref. Acts 9:31). In addition to this, Saul's ministry was being brought to where the LORD had directed him to go:
(Acts 22:17 NKJV) "Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance
(Acts 22:18 NKJV) and saw Him [the risen Jesus Christ] saying to me, 'Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.'
(Acts 22:19 NKJV) So I said, 'Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You.
(Acts 22:20 NKJV) And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'
(Acts 22:21 NKJV) Then He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.' "
So the believers in Jerusalem did not send Saul away just to save him from being killed by the Hellenist Jews, but to continue in his appointed mission to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles. For Saul was a person qualified to take the gospel to Tarsus, his birthplace, being trained by Gamaliel, (ref. Acts 22:3), and then for three years in the Arabian desert by the LORD Jesus Himself, (Gal 1:11-12). Tarsus, about 300 miles to the north, was the most important city of Cilicia. It was a free city and a well-known university city (which means there were a number of , outstanding teachers located there). Its educational opportunities were exceeded only by Athens and Alexandria.
Saul's background and qualifications suited him eminently for the work to which God had called him:
(1) He knew the Jewish culture and language well (Acts 21:40; Phil. 3:5).
(2) Because he was reared in Tarsus he was well acquainted with the Greek culture and its philosophies (Acts 17:22-31; Titus 1:12).
(3) He possessed all the privileges of a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37; 22:23-29; 25:10-12).
(4) He was trained and skilled in Jewish theology (Gal. 1:14).
(5) Because he was capable in a secular trade he was able to support himself (Acts 18:3; 1 Cor. 9:4-18; 2 Cor. 11:7-11; 1 Thes. 2:9; 2 Thes. 3:8).
(6) God gave him zeal, leadership qualities, and theological / doctrine instruction and insight.
Note that upon careful comparison of the accounts of Paul's conversion and early ministry, (refs. Acts 22:7-9; 14-15; 26:15-19; 1 Cor 9:1; 15:8; Gal 1:11-24), there are not found any contradictions or omissions that cause one to question the authorship or accuracy in the account in Acts chapter 9 or in any of the other accounts, as some contend.
Each of the accounts of Saul's conversion corroborates part or all of the other accounts; and each account contradicts no point of any of the other accounts; nor does any account cause a contradiction because of certain points which are in a particular account or absent from it. The events in Saul's conversion are as follows in sequential order:
(1) Saul's conversion and commission (Acts 9:1-19a);
(2) his preaching in the synagogues of Damascus for a time immediately following his conversion (Acts 9:19b-22);
(3) his prolonged residence in Arabia (Gal 1:17);
(4) his return to Damascus (Acts 9:23-25); and,
(5) his first visit to Jerusalem as a Christian some three years after his conversion, with his subsequent travel to Caesarea, Syria, and Cilicia (Acts 9:26-30; Gal 1:18-24).
Scripture does not include an account of Saul's experiences from the time he left Jerusalem to the time he began his ministry for the LORD at Antioch with Barnabas, (ref. Acts 11:25-30). What Saul wrote in Gal 1:21-24 (), indicates that he continued to preach Christ to Disapora Jews in Caesarea, Tarsus, Syria and Cilicia as he had in Damascus and Jerusalem, (ministry to the Gentiles would follow later, (ref. Acts 13:44-48). Likewise, the hardships which Saul underwent as stipulated in 2 Cor 11:23-27 which were not part of what he experienced in his later missionary journeys, nor his vision of heaven; hence he likely experienced these things during his travels to Caesarea and Tarsus.
.............................................................................................................................. (Acts 9:30-31).
(Acts 9:31 NASB) "So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria [were having] peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the [encouragement] of the Holy Spirit, [was being increased in number].
(Acts 9:32 YLT) "And it came to pass that Peter passing throughout all [parts in the sense of throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, (ref. Acts 9:31)], came down also unto the saints who were dwelling at Lydda,
(Acts 9:33 YLT) and he found there a certain man, Aeneas by name - for eight years [lying] upon a couch- who was [paralyzed],
(Acts 9:34 NKJV) And Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, Jesus ... Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.' Then he arose immediately.
(Acts 9:35 YLT) and all those dwelling at Lydda, and Saron saw him, and did turn to the Lord.
(Acts 9:36 YLT) And in Joppa there was a certain female disciple, by name Tabitha, (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity [ = alms for the poor]" which she continually did.
(Acts 9:37 NKJV) But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
(Acts 9:38 NKJV) And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.
(Acts 9:39 YLT) And Peter having risen, went with them, whom having come, they brought into the upper chamber, and all the widows stood by him weeping, and [showing] coats and garments, as many as Dorcas was making while she was with them.
(Acts 9:40 YLT) And Peter having put them all forth [outside], having bowed the knees, did pray, and having turned unto the body said, 'Tabitha, arise;' and she opened her eyes, and having seen Peter, she sat up,
(Acts 9:41 YLT) and having given her his hand, he lifted her up, and having called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.
(Acts 9:42 NKJV) And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.
(Acts 9:43 YLT) and it came to pass, that he remained many days in Joppa, with a certain one, Simon a tanner."
(Acts 9:31 NASB) "So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria [were having] peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the [encouragement] of the Holy Spirit, [was being increased in number]. (Acts 9:32 YLT) "And it came to pass that Peter passing throughout all [parts in the sense of throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, (ref. Acts 9:31)], came down also unto the saints who were dwelling at Lydda, (Acts 9:33 YLT) and he found there a certain man, Aeneas by name - for eight years [lying] upon a couch- who was [paralyzed], (Acts 9:34 NKJV) And Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, Jesus ... Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.' Then he arose immediately. (Acts 9:35 YLT) and all those dwelling at Lydda, and Saron saw him, and did turn to the Lord. (Acts 9:36 YLT) And in Joppa there was a certain female disciple, by name Tabitha, (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity [ = alms for the poor]" which she continually did; (Acts 9:37 NKJV) But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. (Acts 9:38 NKJV) And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. (Acts 9:39 YLT) And Peter having risen, went with them, whom having come, they brought into the upper chamber, and all the widows stood by him weeping, and [showing] coats and garments, as many as Dorcas was making while she was with them. (Acts 9:40 YLT) And Peter having put them all forth [outside], having bowed the knees, did pray, and having turned unto the body said, 'Tabitha, arise;' and she opened her eyes, and having seen Peter, she sat up, (Acts 9:41 YLT) and having given her his hand, he lifted her up, and having called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive. (Acts 9:42 NKJV) And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. (Acts 9:43 YLT) and it came to pass, that he remained many days in Joppa, with a certain one, Simon a tanner." =
During the time of Saul's initial ministry for the LORD, the church throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria, (church, singular, i.e., one singular body of believers under Christ, as it was comforted / encouraged and dispersed by the Holy Spirit), was having a period of peace and blessing, being built up spiritually, and going on in the sense of conducting themselves in the fear - the reverential awe of the LORD, experiencing the encouragement / the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and increasing in numbers.
So author Luke indicated that the church in Judea, Galilee and Samaria was growing, implying that there was evangelism activity in Galilee as well as in Judea and Samaria going on all this time.
Note that wherever Saul was preaching there was evidently an extremely antagonistic reaction by the Jews toward him and whoever he associated with, beginning in Damascus. So when he left for Caesarea, the church in Judea, Galilee and Samaria was enabled by Saul's absence to remain at peace and to continue to grow without such Jewish antagonism being directed toward it because of its association with Saul.
Up to this time, the church was limited to Jews, half-Jews (the Samaritans), and proselytes to Judaism who became Christians (with a few exceptions like the Gentile / eunuch from Ethiopia, Acts 8:26-40). But the church would shortly be substantially increased in number via a concerted effort to evangelize the Gentiles, as directed by the Holy Spirit, (ref. Acts 10:44):
(Acts 10:34 NKJV) "Then Peter opened his mouth and said: 'In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
(Acts 10:35 NKJV) But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
(Acts 10:36 NKJV) The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ - He is Lord of all -
(Acts 10:37 NKJV) that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
(Acts 10:38 NKJV) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
(Acts 10:39 NKJV) And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.
(Acts 10:40 NKJV) Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,
(Acts 10:41 NKJV) not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
(Acts 10:42 NKJV) And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.
(Acts 10:43 NKJV) To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.'
(Acts 10:44 NKJV) While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
(Acts 10:45 NKJV) And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
(Acts 10:46 NKJV) For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
(Acts 10:47 NKJV) 'Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?'
(Acts 10:48 NKJV) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.'''
(Acts 13:44 NKJV) '''On the next Sabbath almost the whole city [Pisidian Antioch] came together to hear the word of God.
(Acts 13:45 NKJV) But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.
(Acts 13:46 NKJV) Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
(Acts 13:47 NKJV) For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.'
(Acts 13:48 NKJV) Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed."
With this third of seven progress reports on the spiritual and numerical growth of the church (cf. 2:47; 6:7; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:30-31), Luke brought this section of his book to a conclusion.
.................................................................................................................................... (Acts 9:31).
And it came to pass that Peter, (last mentioned in Acts in 8:25), was passing throughout all parts of Judea, Galilee and Samaria evidently on an itinerant mission to visit the various congregations which had sprung up as the result of the scattering of believers throughout the region after the death of Stephen; and to build the believers up in the Faith. Like Jesus, Peter went about doing good, strengthening and edifying the believers, and bringing blessing and healing wherever he went. In Acts 9:32, Peter was in the western part of Palestine in Judea, similar to his route which he took when he earlier was preaching in Samaria (cf. Acts 8:25). At the time of Acts 9:32, author Luke provided an account of when Peter in his itinerant route came to the believers in Lydda. Lydda was an important commercial center the size of a city, (Josephus: Antiq. XX, 130, vi.2), about 23 miles northwest of Jerusalem, and 10 miles southeast of Joppa. It was rebuilt after the Jews returned from Babylon, then taken over by the governor of Samaria. In 145 B.C., it was made part of Judea.
........................................................................ (Acts 9:32).
Peter found in Lydda a certain man named Aeneas - a Greek name popularized because it was the name of a Trojan hero. Aeneas had for eight years been lying upon a couch paralyzed. Since this account came before the benchmark account of the conversion of a Gentile named Cornelius in Acts chapter 10 pointing to an increased emphasis in the church of evangelizing the Gentiles; and since Luke stated that it was Peter's purpose to come to visit with "the saints who were dwelling at Lydda," (ref Acts 9:32), then it can be concluded that Aeneas was most likely a believer - a Hellenist Jewish believer with a Greek name.
.................................................................. (Acts 9:33).
Whereupon Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, Jesus ... Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.' The WH and NU readings of "Jesus Christ" have the best documentary support, (P74, 01Sinaiticus, 03B-org, 04C, 044PS, 33, Lach, Treg, Word, Tisc, We/Ho, Weis, UBS, Didymus).
The phrase rendered "arise and make your bed," is in the present tense, imperative mood - a command - indicating in this context that in that present moment Peter declared that Aeneas was healed by the LORD Jesus Christ, whereupon Aeneas was commanded to arise and make his bed. The last phrase rendered "make your bed," might also refer to preparing a meal, but this phrase in this context has in view the former rendering "make your bed." So Aeneas arose immediately indicating that he was healed, and evidently made his bed in the sense of rolling up his bedroll. Author Luke reports in a hyperbolic not a literal sense, that all those dwelling in Lydda, and all the people of Sharon saw Aeneas - that he was healed by Jesus Christ, implying that he had become well known and they all in the sense of many turn to the LORD, indicating a great spreading of the gospel throughout the area of Sharon. This spreading of the gospel was evidently largely through a healthy and enthusiastically evangelistic Aeneas, who walked all over the region preaching Christ. The phrase "turned to the LORD" refers to salvation in the sense of expressing a moment of faith alone in the LORD alone unto eternal life, (Acts 2:38). Sharon was a fertile plain along the coast of Palestine, about 10 miles wide and 50 miles long. It was the largest of the maritime plains of northern Palestine, stretching from Joppa to Mount Carmel and with Caesarea on the coast as its geographic center. Lydda was on the southeastern edge of that plain. Many in this coastal region were Gentiles.
......................................................................................... (Acts 9:34-35).
The text in Acts chapter 9 turns to Joppa, (modern Jaffa - a suburb northeast of Tel Aviv). Also called Yapo, (Joshua 19:46), it was the ancient seaport for Jerusalem. It is situated on the coast 35 miles northwest of the capital city and ten miles beyond Lydda. It possesses the only natural harbor on the Mediterranean between Egypt and Ptolemais (the OT city of Acco). Through Joppa Solomon brought cedar beams from Lebanon to build the temple (2 Chr 2:16); from it Jonah sailed for Tarshish (Jonah 1:3). Its rival in NT times was Caesarea, 30 miles to the north, which Herod the Great, because the people of Joppa hated him, built into a magnificent new port city and provincial capital.
In Joppa there was a female disciple named Tabitha, (Aramaic for gazelle) = Dorcas, (Greek for gazelle) - evidently a Hellenistic Jew. She "was full of good works and [alms = for the poor]" - in the sense of being devoted chiefly to helping destitute widows, (ref. Acts 9:39). But she became sick and died. Her sickness is portrayed as not being caused for lack of faithfulness, and her death was sudden and unexpected. They washed her body and laid her in an upper room - indicating that she was evidently a woman of means; for most lived in a one-room house and would not have an upper room large enough for people to gather. Since her body was washed but not anointed for burial, and since her good deeds were told to Peter when he arrived, they apparently wanted him to restore her to life, (Acts 9:36-37).
The disciples in Joppa had heard that Peter was in nearby Lydda - about 12 miles away; so they sent two men to him imploring him not to delay in coming to them in Joppa, evidently expecting Peter to raise her from the dead. Although there is no previous record in the Book of Acts of the apostles raising the dead, Jesus had reaised the dead, and had sent out the Twelve with the authority to raise the dead, (Mt 10:8). Furthermore, the news that Peter had brought Christ's healing to a paralyzed man evidently contributed to the disciples' confidence that Peter would come and raise Tabitha from the dead. So Peter came right away with them and went into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing coats and garments which Dorcas was making while she was with them. They were following the custom of weeping, but were not professional mourners. Their sorrow was genuine. They were weeping because they loved her and appreciated her for all she had done for them as evidenced by the coats and garments they were wearing and showing Peter which were made by Tabitha for them. The behavior of the mourning women indicated that they thought of her as permanently did, hence did not expect her to be raised from the dead by Peter.
............................................................................................. (Acts 9:38-39).
Peter put everyone outside in a manner which was insistent in order to enable Peter to be alone with God to pray. Whereupon, he bowed his knees and prayed. Having turned unto the body, he said, "Tabitha, arise," whereupon she opened her eyes, and having seen Peter, she sat up. And having given her his hand, he lifted her up, and having called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive to them. Note that up to this point, no one had been raised from the dead in the early church so far as the records of Acts declare. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. This miracle, like previous ones, led many to believe in the LORD, (cf. Acts 2:43, 47; 4:4; 5:12, 14; 8:6; 9:33-35).
........................................................................................... (Acts 9:40-42).
Peter remained many days in Joppa with a particular disciple, Simon, a tanner. Note that Peter's stay for many days in Joppa indicates that the LORD was preparing him to minister more to the Gentiles. Furthermore, his stay with a tanner - an profession that was considered unclean by Jews, was an experience of Peter's that led to spiritual wisdom toward the Gentiles.
............................................................................................... (Acts 9:43).