Study #3

Study #3 Acts 9: 1-20

NIV     ¹Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest ²and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"  ⁵"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.  "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. ⁶"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."  ⁷The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.  ¹⁰In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"  "Yes, Lord," he answered.  ¹¹The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹²In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."  ¹³"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."  ¹⁵But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. ¹⁶I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."  ¹⁷Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." ¹⁸Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹and after taking some food, he regained his strength Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Author – Although the author does not name himself, evidence outside the Scriptures and inferences from the book lead to the conclusion the author was Luke.  Date – Most accepted is circa 63 AD soon after the last event recorded in the book for there is no mention of the deaths of Peter or Paul 67 AD or the destruction of Jerusalem 70 AD.

Characteristics - Every page of Acts gives sharp, precise details. The account covers a period of about 30 years and reaches across the lands from Jerusalem to Rome. The book is filled with all kinds of people and cultures, and a variety of governmental administrations.

Saul is first mentioned in Acts 7:58 at the stoning of Stephen, in 8: 1 he gives his approval of the murder, then he begins persecuting the church 8:3, chapter 9 is the account of his conversion.

      The story begins with Saul getting letters of authority from Caiaphas (high priest from AD 18-36) to arrest any from “the way.” This was one of the names for Christianity. Paul heads for a place called Damascus. This city is one of the most ancient cities in the world still standing today. Situated about 70 miles from the Mediteranean, it is an oasis on the edge of the desert. The main caravan route from Egypt to Mesopotamia passed through it, so it was a busy trading center. Many thousands of Jews lived there at this period. A strict Jewish sect, called, the “Covenanter of Damascus,” is described in the Zadokite Fragment. Many scholars today connect this group with the Qumran community. It is about 150 miles from Jerusalem to Damascus.

    While nearing Damascus Paul has a light bulb moment (pardon the pun). He is surrounded suddenly by a dazzling light, he falls to the ground and hears a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul asks, “Who are you, Lord” we can see from this statement Paul understands the voice is from one with authority. The voice replies “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, get up and go into the city and you will be told what to do.” In this sentence we see that the Savior of the world equates us and Himself. The Christians were the ones that Saul was persecuting, and Jesus states “you are persecuting me.” We really are at one with Christ. He knows what is happening in our lives and he suffers with us when things go wrong. Have you ever felt alone only to realize Jesus was with you? How does it feel to know when you are persecuted for Christ, He is persecuted as well? He equates our suffering with Himself, incredible!

     Verse 7, “the men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.” It is unclear here if they heard a voice. In Acts 22:9 it indicates they didn’t hear the voice. When Saul finally finds his feet and gets up he is BLIND and must be lead by the hand into the city. I bet this was different than what he thought when he left Jerusalem. He probably had plans to stay somewhere nice, eat well, forcefully arrest the members of this “sect” in public, haul them back to Jerusalem and get lots of feathers in his Pharisee cap. Now, we find him humbled, afflicted and blind having talked with the living, risen Jesus, the very one Saul didn’t even think existed. Our plans don’t always work like we think they will. Often the outcome is very different that what we thought, especially in the Kingdom. “So the last will be first and the first will be last.” (Matt 20: 16).  

     For three days Saul remained blind and didn’t eat or drink anything. When I read this passage I often wonder if he was so amazed, so moved, so “something” that Saul didn’t eat or drink. Many times I believe we see incredible things of God and have a “so what” attitude, instead maybe we should take some time and really think about what has happened. Often after a mountain top experience with God, a miracle or revelation, we rush right back into the same ole’ – same ole’ never really absorbing what God has done. Has this ever happened with you? I can think of several instances in my life, two stand out in my mind. Several years ago I was not feeling well, off to the Dr. I went. I received blood tests back that indicated Hepatitis C. I went to the church and we begin to pray that God would touch my body with healing or equip me to live with the disease. When I went back for further testing there was no evidence of Hepatitis C. God had taken care of that devastating disease, whether by healing me or by mistaken original blood work I don’t know, BUT I do know He took care of it because we asked. Now, I thanked Him and have done so many times but I didn’t take time out and really think about His goodness, His mercy and His directed care to me. Second instance, last summer while working in my kitchen, I actually heard His sweet and precious voice speak to me on an issue. It was unlike anything I have ever experienced. I will never get over it or be the same. Yet, a few moments after the incident I went right back to work. I NEVER want to be guilty of that again, when God does something to me, around me or in my circle of community I want to take time and take it in, bask in His presence. I want  to “stop and smell the roses” don’t you? Makes eating and drinking not seem so important…

We’ll stop there for today… Many blessings.

Resources: “NIV Study Bible” and “Beacon Bible Commentary” by Joseph H. Mayfield and Ralph Earle