Acts 9:1-9
1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?"
Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?"
Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Saul was a one man wrecking crew on a terror against Christianity. He was even going to Damascus to seize as many as he could. Damascus was 120 miles away!! This was a six day journey for him. Saul had several reasons to pursue them; he was a zealot Jew; the Christians had run away from Jerusalem, he didn't want Christianity to spread, and he wanted to further his career. Saul didn't know Jesus; he didn't know he was persecuting Him. However, there is an inseparable union between the church and Jesus Christ. To attack the church or Christ is to attack Christ himself. Imagine what must be going through Saul's mind when he was struck to the ground by this light. He thought he was a godly and religious man. His world was turned completely upside down.
The light from heaven flashed around him and he fell to the ground. This all happened at noon according to Acts 22:6 so this light exceeded that of the bright sunshine. Saul's companions couldn't see anything. This light is Jesus in glory. Saul hears this voice, he is told to go to town, he is blind, and his travel companions hear but don't understand. Paul had 6 visions in Acts:
- Saul on the road to Damascus.
- Acts 16:9 - the vision of the man from Macedonia asking for them to come.
- Acts 18:9 - Paul at Corinth; the Lord says don't be afraid.
- Acts 22:17 - Paul is told to get out of Jerusalem.
- Acts 23:11 - the Lord tells Paul he will witness in Rome.
- Acts 27:23 - Paul told on the ship he will stand before Caesar.
For 3 days Paul can't see and he fasted. This blindness wasn't a punishment but the blindness and fasting were a testimony to the intensity of the encounter.
Acts 9:10-14
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias."
And he said, "Here I am, Lord."
11 So the Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight."
13Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."
As a disciple, Ananias had the correct response when the Lord called to him - 'Here I am, Lord.' There is nothing special about Ananias. He was a believer who was willing to be used by the Lord. Are you ready when the Lord calls you? Are you willing?
Ananias wants to make sure Jesus is talking about the same Saul he had heard stories about. To Ananias, this sounded like a one way assignment walking into the custody of Saul.
Acts 9:15-19
15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.
The Lord tells Ananias to 'go' because He had chosen Saul to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. God called Saul the chosen instrument of His to bear His name before the Gentiles. This couldn't have been a more radical turn around. This change in Saul would have been drastic. This adds so much authenticity and veracity to the bible. If you were going to make this up you would never pick a historical person that hated you to spread your story. From the very beginning, Paul's ministry was defined by suffering.
Ananias did as he was told. Imagine how he felt praying for this man that just hours before would have killed or imprisoned him. Now he was laying his hands on him and praying that he receive his sight. Were Ananias's hands shaking? Was it difficult to pray for this man? Just because the assignment came from the Lord doesn't make it easy, but the Lord will empower and direct you.
When Ananias prayed scales fell from his eyes. Suddenly he can see both spiritually and physically.
Acts 9:20-22
20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?"
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
The conversion of Saul was quick. He immediately began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues. You can imagine the believers were with him but cautious, wondering if this was real. We are known by our fruits, people are watching. As the Jews watched they saw Saul increase in strength and he confounded the Jews living there by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts 9:23-30
23 Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. 24 But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. 25 Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.
26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. 29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.
Saul's zeal got him in trouble relatively quickly. The 'many days' of verse 23 is the 3 years according to Galatians 1:17, 18. After these 3 years the Jews were plotting against him and trying to find a way to kill him. The apostles lower him through a hole in the wall in a basket and he escaped to Jerusalem. As Paul is hiding and being lowered in a basket, do you think he had second thoughts or doubts about what he was doing? Paul went on to much persecution and seemed to give little thought to his own well being.
When Paul gets to Jerusalem, Barnabas is the only one who will associate with him, everyone else is scared of him. Once Barnabas tells them about Saul he seems to be accepted in. He begins proclaiming the name of the Lord to everyone and arguing with the Hellenists - the same guys Stephen debated in 6:1.
Acts 9:31
31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
Saul's ministry was to be to the gentiles. When he tried to bring the gospel to the Jews it caused many problems. He was working ourside the agenda God had given him. It's interesting to note that when he went away to Tarsus in verse 30 that the churches experienced peace and began to grow and multiply.
The political climate changed and the persecution let up for a while. Caligula died after having a mission to have a statue of him erected in the Jewish temple. When he dies, the pressure was relieved for a while. The churches went on in the fear of the Lord with the comfort of the Holy Spirit they grew.
Acts 9:32-35
32 Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. 33 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed." Then he arose immediately. 35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
Peter goes to Lydda (10 mi SE of Joppa) and finds this man who was paralyzed for 8 years. He says "Jesus Christ heals you" and the guy is healed. When the people see this guy walking, they believe and turn to the Lord. He was not healed by his faith but by the faith of the Lord. There is no real evidence that this man was a believer or even sought to be healed by the Lord.
Acts 9:36-43
36 At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. 37 But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 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. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. 43 So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.
Tabitha (Dorcas) is named as a disciple. She was known for her deeds of kindness and charity and was known for the clothing she made for people. Tabitha got sick and died. This made news in the area and Peter comes to her. They had washed her and laid her in the upper room. This was the time of mourning and weeping when Peter made them all leave. He knelt and prayed and then spoke to her telling her to get up. She opened her eyes and was brought back to life. Peter presented her alive and many believed because of it.
Peter is staying with a tanner. This was the lowest of all jobs at the time. A tanner dealt with the carcasses of dead animals all day long. A tanner was considered an abhorrent profession. A tanner had to be outside the city and had to be down wind because the stench was so bad. In Jewish law, a wife could never ask for a divorce. The exception was if she was married to a tanner. Then she could ask for a divorce at any time.
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