Acts 9

Acts Chapter 9 Verses 1-2

Acts 9:1 “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 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.”

Saul of Tarsus became the worse persecutor of the Lord’s early church. When the scripture says he was breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. Saul explained just how serious was his persecutions in the following verses:

1. Acts 22:4 “And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.”

2. Acts 26:11 “And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”

3. Gal. 1:13 “For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:”

Saul had a murderous hatred toward the name of Jesus Christ and all that called upon his name. His persecutions were unto death or forced blasphemy against the name of Jesus Christ. He had an intense hatred for the name of Jesus and those who believed on him.

Damascus is a part of Syria and not a part of Israel. When Paul said he persecuted even unto strange cities, Damascus was one of the strange cities he was talking about. He was not satisfied in wiping out the mention of the name of Jesus in Israel only, but anywhere the name of Jesus was worshipped he wanted to destroy those who called upon his name.

Paul had letters of authority from the high priest, so he was persecuting with the full approval of the high priest and the Sanhedrin Council. Saul was initially the worse persecutor of the Lord’s early church.

Verses 3-6

Acts 9:3 “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:” Paul later described this light as follows: Acts 26:13 “At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.” Thus the light Saul saw was above the brightness of the sun. To man on earth there is only one light that can shine brighter than the sun. That light is the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Saul was blinded by that light.

“And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me.” The Lord is asking Saul why he persecuted him. It was the Lord Jesus Christ that Saul was persecuting. And Saul answered and he said, “Who art thou, Lord?" “And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” Hence the Lord revealed himself to Saul. Being revealed unto Saul, the Lord said, “it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” Saul was now strongly pricked in his conscience that he had persecuted the very Lord of glory. I am convinced that Saul was regenerated or born again with this series of events.

“And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Almost instantly Saul went from breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord to asking the Lord what He would have him to do. Only God can bring about such an instantaneous change in an individual. It was no wonder that Saul was trembling and astonished. He was trembling because of what he suddenly realized he had persecuted the Lord and yet astonished that God did not immediately struck him dead because of his wicked heart and actions.

“And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” The Lord did not immediately tell Saul what he must do, but he was instructed to go into the city and there it would be told him what he must do.

As a note, Saul was not regenerated because he had heard the gospel preached or because he accepted the Lord as his personal savior. Rather his regeneration was the immediate work of the Holy Spirit on him when he was breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.

Verses 7-9

Acts 9:7 “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”

“And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.” In Acts 22 Paul said: “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.” Some would say this is a discrepancy. However, the men with Saul heard a voice, but heard not the distinction of words that were said. The Lord was talking to Saul only and not to the men that were with him. So what was said was to Saul alone and not to the men with him. The men having seen the bright light and hearing a sound were left speechless to explain what had just happened. Hearing a voice but seeing no man must have been somewhat frightening to the men with Saul.

“And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man:” Saul had been temporarily blinded by the exceeding bright light that he had seen. This blindness would last for three days.

“But they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.” We can ask ourselves “why were the men with Saul?” For the answer to this we need to understand the reason for Saul’s going to Damascus. The men were there to bind those who called upon the name of Jesus and bring them bound unto Jerusalem. Knowing their mission the men brought Saul into Damascus. At this point they would not have known that Saul’s purpose had been changed by the Lord.

“And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.” I have wondered why it was three days without sight? The number three is associated with the Godhead. Also, Jesus lay in the grave for three days and three nights. However, this length of time gave Saul plenty of time to reflect on all his wicked and sinful acts of persecuting the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and feel the guilty conviction of his sins. I suspect his heart-felt conviction is why he did neither eat or drink during that time. Also, the Lord had told him that in the city it would be told him what he ought to do.

Verses 10-16

Acts 9:10 “And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.”

“And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.” The Lord has many ways in which he speaks to and instructs his people. Sometimes it is by vision, sometimes by dreams, one time by a bush burning with fire but not consumed, sometimes with impressions of mind, sometimes by a series of events or happenings, etc. Here the Lord used a vision to speak to Ananias.

“And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth.” Here, of course, the Lord instructed Ananias to go and inquire for one called Saul, of Tarsus. As we will see the reputation of Saul was well known. It should not be unexpected that Ananias would be taken aback by these instructions of the Lord. The Lord knew that Ananias would be hesitant to go to speak to Saul so he told Ananias that “behold, he prayeth.”

“And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.” Not only had the Lord appeared in a vision to Ananias, but he also had appeared unto Saul in a vision as well. In Saul’s vision, the details of what would happen were plainly shown unto him so that Saul would know it was of the Lord when it happened.

"Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.” Ananias was well aware of Saul’s reputation and all the evil that he had done to the saints at Jerusalem and of his purpose for coming to Damascus. Here Ananias needed the Lord’s reassurance and he was seeking for that reassurance when he said what he did. Sometimes, we, likewise, need the Lord’s reassurance in our lives.

“But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:” This is one of the great examples of the Lord’s sovereignty. Saul was perhaps the last person in the world that the disciples would think that the Lord would call to be an apostle. Yet, the Lord chose the church’s worst persecutor to be the apostle to the Gentiles. The Lord had laid out a great work for Saul.

“For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.” Along with that great work that the Lord had laid out for Saul was also the fact that he would suffer great things for the Lord’s name sake.

Verses 17-19

Acts 9:17 “And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. 19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.”

From the above we make the following observations:

1. Ananias was faithful to obey the Lord and to do as the Lord had told him. Although he had initial questions about Saul based on Saul’s history, yet he overcame his fears with the Lord’s assurances.

2. Saul was blessed to see that the vision he had seen from the Lord came to pass just as he was told. No doubt this was a great reassurance to Saul that it indeed was God who had appeared unto him.

3. With the putting on of Ananias hands Saul immediately received his sight.

4. Saul was sealed with the Holy Ghost and immediately went forth and was baptized according to the commandment of God.

5. Saul, who had not eaten for three days, now received meat and was strengthened.

6. Saul spend certain days with the disciples at Damascus. They no doubt received Saul after Ananias spoke to them about the vision he had received of the Lord.