SAUL KEPT UP HIS VIOLENT THREATS. See Acts 8:3. The life of this man is about to undergo a radical transformation as he comes face to face with the Risen Lord! Saul tried to live as he understood the Law of God. It was because of ignorance that he tried to destroy the church (1 Timothy 1:13). [One y... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ASKED FOR LETTERS. If Saul's conversion was in 33 A.D. [by the corrected calendar], the High Priest must have been Joseph Calaphas, a Sadducee, who held office until 36 A.D. The High Priest was a "pope" over the Jews, and authority from him would allow Saul to demand help from any synagogue. DAM... [ Continue Reading ]
ON HIS WAY. Six or seven days were needed to go that far. SUDDENLY A LIGHT FROM THE SKY. Much brighter than the sun (Acts 26:13). The same as that seen at the Transfiguration, and by John on Patmos. Paul tells more details in _Chapter s 22 & 26._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HEARD A VOICE. The voice spoke to him in Hebrew (Acts 26:14), the language he spoke at his mother's knee, which was also the theological language. This strikes Saul at the very depths of his personality. WHY DO YOU PERSECUTE ME? The blow that strikes against the messianic community also strikes... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO ARE YOU, LORD? He recognized this as a supernormal communication, but would not know that it was Christ who spoke. Saul was a religious man, sincere in what he was doing (Acts 23:1). I AM JESUS. He does not say, "I am the Eternal Logos, the Living God." Saul would have answered, "I am not persec... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE YOU WILL BE TOLD WHAT YOU MUST DO. He must come into the Kingdom in the same way the others have. Christ has placed the terms of salvation into human hands, and Saul must learn what to do to be saved from a human source [Ananias]. Compare 2 Corinthians 4:1-7.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HEARD THE VOICE. Saul both heard the voice and saw Jesus (Acts 9:17; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 15:8). These men were on the fringes of the vision and did not receive the full impact. Although they heard the voice, they did not understand what it said (Acts 22:9). It is implied they got u... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT COULD NOT SEE A THING. This blindness was proof he had not imagined the whole thing. Saul the _destroyer_ was led helplessly into the city.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THREE DAYS. Try to picture the panic and anguish of this devoutly religious man who suddenly discovered he had _been fighting against_ the very God he loved and served!!! Compare Acts 2:37 and note.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS A DISCIPLE. Ananias is only mentioned in his connection with Saul.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SAID TO HIM. Just as Philip was sent to the Ethiopian eunuch, Ananias is sent to Saul. STRAIGHT STREET. This street ran across the city, from the eastern gate to the western gate, and was about 100 feet wide. AT THE HOUSE OF JUDAS. We know only his name. A MAN FROM TARSUS NAMED SAUL. This w... [ Continue Reading ]
ANANIAS ANSWERED. He voices his fears to the Lord. Put yourself in his place.... [ Continue Reading ]
GO, BECAUSE I HAVE CHOSEN HIM. The case of Saul is unique! He alone of the apostles, saw the Lord in this way and received this call (1 Corinthians 15:8; Acts 26:16-18). Note that Saul was _called_ to be an apostle _before_ his sins were forgiven, and it was his _option_ whether he obeyed the Lord ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND PLACED HIS HANDS ON SAUL. As an act of friendship, not to give any gift [since Ananias was not an apostle]. Paul declared that he received his authority as an apostle from God, not men (Galatians 1:1; Galatians 1:11-12). The _"be filled with the Holy Spirit"_ took place after Ananias had baptize... [ Continue Reading ]
SOMETHING LIKE FISH SCALES. As soon as Ananias says "Brother Saul, see again!" this happens. HE STOOD UP AND WAS BAPTIZED. J.F. Bethune-Baker, in _An Introduction to the Early History of Christian Doctrine_ says this of how the early church understood the role of _baptism: "It was regarded as in its... [ Continue Reading ]
SAUL STAYED FOR A FEW DAYS. Paul, as we better know him, received his knowledge and his message direct from God and did not need to be taught (Galatians 1:12). But try to picture his intense desire for companionship! In turning to Jesus Christ, he has cut himself off from everything in the past!... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WENT STRAIGHT TO THE SYNAGOGUES. He immediately begins working to bring people to Jesus. For a short time, the _bizarre_ turn-around in him would cause many unbelieving Jews to hear him out.... [ Continue Reading ]
AU WHO HEARD HIM WERE AMAZED. They knew who he was and what he had done in the past, but had not yet learned of his converting to Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT SAUL'S PREACHING. His ability grew rapidly!... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER MANY DAYS HAD GONE BY. Probably three years time, during which he was away in Arabia (Galatians 1:16-18). It was when he had come back to Damascus that this persecution broke out. AND MADE PLANS TO KILL SAUL. Paul tells about this in 2 Corinthians 11:32-33. King Aretas, an Arabian, controlled... [ Continue Reading ]
DAY AND NIGHT THEY WATCHED. _"The governor under King Aretas placed guards at the city gates to arrest me"_ (2 Corinthians 11:32).... [ Continue Reading ]
LOWERING HIM IN A BASKET. Houses built against the wall, or on the wall, gave the opportunity to escape from the city.... [ Continue Reading ]
SAUL WENT TO JERUSALEM. Three years before, he had set out from Jerusalem, as a proud, talented young Pharisee, with a bright future as an agent of the Council. He set out with authority from the High Priest himself, to stamp out Christianity in Damascus. Now he comes back as a disciple of the hated... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN BARNABAS CAME TO HIS HELP. We met Barnabas in Acts 4:36. Like Paul, he was a Greek-speaking Jew. He may have known Paul personally,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WENT ALL OVER JERUSALEM. He certainly was not _timid!_... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DISPUTED WITH THE GREEK-SPEAKING JEWS. He was "one of them." But they considered him a "traitor" because he had turned to Christ. Note also that the Lord warned him to get away from Jerusalem (Acts 22:17-21).... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SENT HIM AWAY TO TARSUS. The same group of Jews who had killed Stephen, now wanted to kill Paul. Some think Galatians 1:21 implies Paul went by land through Syria. _Johnson_ thinks Paul went by boat to Seleucia, on the seacoast close to Antioch, and then by land to Tarsus. Four or five years pas... [ Continue Reading ]
HAD A TIME OF PEACE. After Paul escaped from the city, persecution ceased for a while. The Roman Emperor Caligula ordered his statue placed in the temple at Jerusalem. The Jews were too busy with this defilement of their temple, to persecute the Christians.... [ Continue Reading ]
PETER TRAVELED EVERYWHERE. Visiting the communities of Christians in Judea. IN LYDDA. Near Joppa. Here Peter heals a man who had been paralyzed for eight years. Note he credits the healing to Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
LIVING IN LYDDA AND SHARON. Sharon is mentioned in Song of Solomon 2:1. "All the people" means there was a general "turning to the Lord.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS A WOMAN NAMED TABITHA. Joppa has been a seaport since the time of David. Citrus fruit is grown in the flat coastal plain. She was a Christian well known for her charity.... [ Continue Reading ]
HER BODY WAS WASHED. Eastern houses often had a large upstairs room. Bodies were washed to prepare them for burial. [Note the symbolism in Romans 6:3-4]... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SENT TWO MEN TO HIM. His fame suggests he may restore her to life. ALL THE WIDOWS CROWDED AROUND HIM. It was a bitter experience to be a widow in the first century, and it was very often necessary to depend upon charity. Tabitha had been one who helped them.... [ Continue Reading ]
PETER PUT THEM ALL OUT OF THE ROOM. Compare 1 Kings 17:19-23; 2 Kings 4:32-36; Matthew 9:25. This is so nothing will disturb him, as he kneels down in prayer. This is the first _"Raising from death"_ done by an apostle.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NEWS ABOUT THIS. This sort of thing "advertised" Christianity! PETER STAYED ON IN JOPPA. For perhaps a year. Joppa was a large city, and there were many people to hear the Good News. Peter is at the house of Simon the leatherworker when the messengers come to him (Acts 10:32).... [ Continue Reading ]