Acts 9:30

Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. WHICH WHEN THE BRETHREN KNEW, [ epignontes (G1921 ), OR 'CAME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF,'] THEY BROUGHT HIM DOWN TO CESAREA - on the coast (see the note at Acts 8:40); accompanying him thus far. But Paul left Jerusalem thus abruptly for another reason than the danger to which his life was, for the second time, exposed. He received express instructions to that effect from his glorified Lord: "It came to pass (says he, in his defense before the people), that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; and saw Him (the glorified One) saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they...

30.In that he went to Tarsus, he did it undoubtedly to this end, that he might carry the doctrine of the gospel thither, because he hoped that he should have some favor and authority in his country, where he was famous; yet was he brought thither by the brethren, that they might deliver him from the lying in wait....

23-31 When we enter into the way of God, we must look for trials; but the Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape. Though Saul's conversion was and is a proof of the truth of Christianity, yet it could not, of itself, convert one soul at enmity with the truth; for nothing can produce true faith, but that power which new-creates the heart. Believers are apt to be too suspicious of those against whom they have prejudices. The world is full of deceit, and it is necessary to be cautious, but we must exercise charity, 1 Corinthians 13:5. The Lord will clear up the characters of true believers; and he will bring them to his people, and often gives them opportunities of bearing testimony to his truth, before those who once witnessed their hatred to it. Christ now appeared to Saul, and ordered him to go quickly out of Jerusalem, for he must...

Verse 30. _THEY BROUGHT HIM DOWN TO CAESAREA_] Calmet contends that this was _Caesarea_ of _Palestine_, and not _Caesarea Philippi_; it being his opinion, and indeed that of others, that where this word occurs without any addition, in the New Testament, _Caesarea_ of _Palestine_ is meant, and not _Caesarea Philippi_. Acts 8:40, Acts 8:40. _SENT HIM FORTH TO TARSUS._] This was his own city; and it was right that he should proclaim to his own countrymen and relatives that Gospel through which he was become wise to salvation....

TO CESAREA - See the notes on Acts 8:40. AND SENT HIM FORTH TO TARSUS - This was his native city. See the notes on Acts 9:11. It was in Cilicia, where Paul doubtless preached the gospel, Galatians 1:21, “Afterward I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.”...

EXPOSITION ACTS 9:1 _But _for _and, _A.V.; _breathing _for _breathing out, _A.V.; _threatening _for _threatenings, _A.V. THREATENING AND SLAUGHTER. The phrase ἐμπνέων ἀπειλῆς κ.τ.λ., is rather a difficult one, and is variously explained. Schleusner takes the genitives in "threatening and slaughter" as genitives of the thing desired, "punting after threatening and slaughter" (comp. Amos 2:7). Meyer explains it "out of the threatenings and murder [in his heart] breathing hard at the disciples"—an expression indicating passion. Alford, taking nearly the sense of the A.V., makes "threatenings and slaughter" to be as it were the very material of his breath, whether breathed out or breathed in. Considering that ἐμπνέω means "to br

WHICH WHEN THE BRETHREN KNEW,.... When the members of the church heard of it, by some means or another: THEY BROUGHT HIM DOWN TO CAESAREA; not that which was before called Strato's tower, the same as in Acts 8:40 but Caesarea Philippi, mentioned in Matthew 16:13 the Syriac version adds, "by night", and some copies, "and sent him forth to Tarsus"; a city of Cilicia, his own native place, where he might be more safe, and also useful among his friends and acquaintance; Galatians 1:21....

Acts 9:1. _And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,-_ Notice that little word «yet.» «Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord;» but there was to be a point beyond which he could not go. I pray God that there may be such a «yet» as that put into the histories of any here who are opposing God and his Christ. «Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter,» as if they were his very breath, as if he only lived to blaspheme the name of Christ, and to persecute his followers, «went unto the high priest,» Acts 9:2. _And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem._

CHAPTER 9 __ 1. The vision of Glory on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1). 2. Instructions given to Ananias (Acts 9:10). 3. Saul filled with the Spirit, is baptized and preaches that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:17). 4. Saul persecuted and back in Jerusalem (Acts 9:23). 5. Further Acts of Peter (Acts 9:32). The previous chapter must be looked upon in its main part as a parenthesis. The record now leads us back to the close of the seventh, and the person who was connected with the great tragedy enacted there is prominently brought n

PAUL AT JERUSALEM. This visit is understood to have taken place very shortly after Saul's conversion; the brethren there have not heard of his conversion, nor of his preaching in Damascus. Barnabas has to tell them of it. He associates freely with them, and preaches freely as a disciple of Jesus (in the name of the Lord); he also took the step, repeated again and again, of discussing, like Stephen (Acts 6:9), with Hellenists (_mg.)_ instead of addressing himself, as the apostles did, to the Jews. They, far from being conciliated, lay their plans for his destruction, and the brethren rescue him as had been done at Damascus; he is sent to Tarsus, his native city. The account in Galatians 1* is very different. After his conversion he held no converse with men but went to Arabia. From there he returned to Damascus, and after three years he went, for the first time after the conversion, to Je...