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The Conversion of Saul

   Acts 9:1-20

   Good News Translation (GNT)

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  1  In the meantime Saul kept up his violent
   threats of murder against the followers of the
   Lord. He went to the High Priest
  2  and asked for letters of introduction to the
   synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should
   find there any followers of the Way of the Lord,
   he would be able to arrest them, both men and
   women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.
  3  As Saul was coming near the city of
   Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky
   flashed around him.
  4  He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying
   to him, "Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute
   me?"
  5  "Who are you, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus,
   whom you persecute," the voice said.
  6  "But get up and go into the city, where you will
   be told what you must do."
  7  The men who were traveling with Saul had
   stopped, not saying a word; they heard the
   voice but could not see anyone.
  8  Saul got up from the ground and opened his
   eyes, but could not see a thing. So they took
   him by the hand and led him into Damascus.
  9  For three days he was not able to see, and
   during that time he did not eat or drink
   anything.
10  There was a believer in Damascus named
   Ananias. He had a vision, in which the Lord
   said to him, "Ananias!"
   "Here I am, Lord," he answered.
11  The Lord said to him, "Get ready and go to
   Straight Street, and at the house of Judas ask
   for a man from Tarsus named Saul.
   He is praying,
12  and in a vision he has seen a man named
   Ananias come in and place his hands on him
   so that he might see again."
13  Ananias answered, "Lord, many people have
   told me about this man and about all the
   terrible things he has done to your people in
   Jerusalem.
14  And he has come to Damascus with authority
   from the chief priests to arrest all who worship
   you."
15  The Lord said to him, "Go, because I have
   chosen him to serve me, to make my name
   known to Gentiles and kings and to the people
   of Israel.
16  And I myself will show him all that he must
   suffer for my sake."
17  So Ananias went, entered the house where
   Saul was, and placed his hands on him.
   "Brother Saul," he said, "the Lord has sent me
   - Jesus himself, who appeared to you on the
   road as you were coming here. He sent me so
   that you might see again and be filled with the
   Holy Spirit."
18  At once something like fish scales fell from
   Saul's eyes, and he was able to see again.
   He stood up and was baptized;
19  and after he had eaten, his strength came
   back.

   Saul Preaches in Damascus
   Saul stayed for a few days with the believers
   in Damascus.
20  He went straight to the synagogues and began
   to preach that Jesus was the Son of God.

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Commentary taken from
'The Applied New Testament Commentary'
(Kingsway)

The Conversion of Saul

    Acts Chapter 9:1-20

Saul (Saul is a Hebrew name. Saul's Roman name was Paul), was not content to persecute Christians only in Jerusalem.
He pursued them wherever they fled.

One place the believers fled to was Damascus, the capital of Syria.
Some Christians had gone to the Jewish synagogues there. (Up until that time, all Christians were converted Jews; thus they still went to the Jewish synagogues to worship.)

The Jewish high priest in Jerusalem had authority over these synagogues in Damascus, so Paul obtained a letter from the high priest authorising him to seize the Christians there and bring them back to Jerusalem.

In verse 2 the Christian religion is called 'The Way'.
It was the name usually used by the first Christians. The Way was a suitable name, because the Christian religion is, 'in fact, the way to salvation, to eternal life.
Jesus Himself is our true way.

At about noon, as Saul drew near Damascus, a light brighter than the sun flashed around him.
Then Saul heard a voice. Those who were with him heard the sound, but hey could not understand the words. The voice was Jesus' voice. Jesus Himself was speaking personally to Saul. "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Jesus asked.

Saul had thought that he was persecuting only men, but now he learned it was, in fact, the Lord Himself whom he had been persecuting.
Saul recognized that it was the Lord who was speaking to him. The light was so great and frightening that Saul knew at once that he was in the presence of God.
Jesus, the light of the world, had appeared to him.

But even though he knew that the light was the "Lord," Saul up until then had not known that the Lord was actually the risen Christ.
Therefore, Saul asked, "Who are you, Lord?" And the Lord answered, "I am Jesus".

Then, according to Acts 22:10, Saul asked Jesus, "What shall I do, Lord?"
Here we see the first step in Saul's conversion. Now Saul was ready to do what the Lord wanted. He had given up his own desires and purposes.

True conversion always means a change of a person's mind and will. After Saul asked the Lord what he should do, the Lord answered, "Now get up and go into the city".

According to Acts 26, the Lord also said to Saul:
"I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you".

It was here that Jesus first appointed Saul to be an apostle. The men with Saul were also amazed. At first they all fell to the ground with Saul.
Then, as Saul still lay on the ground, they got up and stood there speechless.

It is written here that these men heard the sound from heaven.
In Acts 22, it is written that they did not understand the voice. That is, they heard the voice, but couldn't make out the words that were spoken. It is not mentioned whether any of Saul's companions were converted.

They saw the light and heard the voice, but God's Spirit did not enter their hearts. Man is not converted by outward signs alone; only when God's grace and God's Spirit enter into a man is he converted.

The great light blinded Saul (Acts 22:11).
And he remained blind for three days, during which time he stayed in Damascus without either eating or drinking.

Saul and Ananias
Ananias was a Christian of Damascus, who was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all Jews living there. Ananias saw a vision in which the Lord told him to go to the place where Saul was staying.

The Lord told Ananias that Saul also had received a vision in which a man named Ananias came and laid hands on him. Therefore, Ananias had no need to fear Saul. Saul would recognize and accept him.

Even though the Lord had assured Ananias that Saul would receive him, Ananias was still sceptical.
"Don't you know that this man is our enemy?" Ananias said to the Lord. "And he has come here to arrest all who call on your name".

But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! Don't argue with me. Saul is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel."

Here the Lord announces His intention to appoint Saul as His apostle to the Gentiles.
Before this time, Christ's Gospel had been preached only among the Jews and Samaritans.
Jesus here tells Ananias that from now on His Gospel must be preached to all people, Jew and Gentile alike.

Saul was appointed to carry Christ's name before kings and the people of Israel, that is, the Jews. Saul (Paul) didn't preach only to the Gentiles. Whatever city he went to, he would first go to the local Jewish synagogue and preach to the Jews there.

After that, he would preach to the Gentiles. Saul was not only appointed to carry the name of Jesus before Jews and Gentiles; he was also appointed to suffer for him.

Saul had inflicted great suffering upon the Christians; now it would be his turn to suffer. After Ananias laid hands on Saul, Saul's sight was restored. Not only Saul's sight but his entire life was made new by the Holy Spirit.

Then Ananias told Saul what he had heard from the Lord in his vision: namely, that Saul was to be the chosen instrument to preach the Gospel to all men, both Jew and Gentile.

Jesus himself had said the same thing to Saul on the road to Damascus.
Therefore, having heard the same thing twice - first from Jesus and now again from Ananias -
Saul knew with certainty that Jesus had indeed appointed him to be His apostle.

It was not Ananias who appointed him; it was the risen Lord Himself, whom Saul had now seen face to face on the Damascus road.

When Ananias placed his hands on Saul, immediately something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he received his sight.
Then Saul was baptised. Although the Bible doesn't tell us, we can suppose that it was Ananias who baptised Saul.

What an amazing thing Saul's conversion was!
Indeed, it has proven to be one of the most significant events in all of world history.
How could such a fierce enemy of Jesus so quickly become one of His apostles?

Saul was a mature and learned man.
He wasn't crazy.
But suddenly his life was turned totally around. Within three days, Jesus' greatest enemy had become His greatest apostle!

How can we explain it?
It can only be explained by saying that Saul did, in fact, meet the living and glorified Jesus on that road to Damascus. There is no other possible explanation.

Saul's conversion is proof that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead - and is alive today.

Is there anyone who thinks himself too evil, too sinful, to become a follower of Christ?
Let him remember Saul! Jesus can change anyone - even the worst sinner on earth.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
According to Galatians 1:17, Saul went immediately into Arabia after his conversion,
and only later returned again to Damascus.
Here in the book of Acts, Luke does not mention Saul's trip to Arabia.
As soon as Saul returned to Damascus, he at once began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Saul's heart had been converted; now his behaviour had been converted too.
Instead of persecuting Christians, he was now taking their side.

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