Act 22:7-9 | KingComments | STEP | Here Paul comes to an important point in his defense. His zeal in the persecution of Christians takes a radical turn here. He is going to tell how that change has happened. When he traveled to Damascus and almost arrived there, an unexpected and sudden event took place. He remembers that it was around noon – we don’t read that in Acts 9 – that is, when the sun is highest in the sky and shines brightest. If at that time a light is seen that is even brighter than the sun, it must come from heaven ( ). It is light that comes from the presence of God, a light that transcends the light of the sun, of creation. The result was that he fell to the ground. Paul is not ashamed to tell that. He goes on to tell his audience that he heard a voice saying to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” To persecute the believers meant to persecute Him Who spoke to him from heaven; such unity is He with His own on earth. He also remembers what he answered to that question. These were the first words from Saul to the Lord. His answer consisted of the question to the Lord: “Who are You, Lord?” This is the question with which everyone who comes to faith must begin. It is the question about the Person of the Lord Jesus. It is about getting to know Him. The answer to his question must have been staggering. He appeared to be dealing with “Jesus the Nazarene”! He persecuted Him! So he did not persecute deceived Christians who had to be rid of delusions in any way, but a truly living Jesus. Jesus, Whom he persecuted, was no longer in death, but glorified in heaven. This should made the Jews he was addressing think, because they still believed the lie that the soldiers had spread after bribery by the religious leaders ( ). The Lord Jesus calls Himself ‘the Nazarene’, i.e. the One from Nazareth. This is how the Jews had known Him when He was on earth and this is how they had despised Him. To Saul’s dismay He appeared to be the glorified Christ. Saul’s fellow travelers were the undeniable witnesses of what was happening, but the message was meant only for Paul. They did not hear “the voice”, but a sound of a voice ( ; cf. ). They heard that something was said, but not what was said. So many today hear the sound of the gospel without understanding the message. Then Saul spoke to the Lord for the second time, again in the form of a question. The second question he asked the Lord was: “What shall I do, Lord?” This question must be asked by every believer as a principle of his whole life. To answer the question ‘Who are you, Lord?’ it is necessary to sit at the Lord’s feet to feed on Him and get to know Him (cf. ). Next comes the question of being busy for the Lord, being active for Him. The Christian life is a balanced relationship between education and practice. To Saul it meant that he had to go to Damascus, where the Lord had prepared a simple disciple to give him further instructions. He did not have to go back to Jerusalem to be directed by the apostles. Saul no longer determined his life, but God determined about him what he had to do. That is also the case with us. What matters is that we walk in the good works, which God prepared beforehand ( ).

‏ Acts 22:7-9

Paul Meets the Glorified Lord

Here Paul comes to an important point in his defense. His zeal in the persecution of Christians takes a radical turn here. He is going to tell how that change has happened. When he traveled to Damascus and almost arrived there, an unexpected and sudden event took place. He remembers that it was around noon – we don’t read that in Acts 9 – that is, when the sun is highest in the sky and shines brightest. If at that time a light is seen that is even brighter than the sun, it must come from heaven (2Cor 4:5-6). It is light that comes from the presence of God, a light that transcends the light of the sun, of creation. The result was that he fell to the ground. Paul is not ashamed to tell that.

He goes on to tell his audience that he heard a voice saying to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” To persecute the believers meant to persecute Him Who spoke to him from heaven; such unity is He with His own on earth. He also remembers what he answered to that question. These were the first words from Saul to the Lord. His answer consisted of the question to the Lord: “Who are You, Lord?” This is the question with which everyone who comes to faith must begin. It is the question about the Person of the Lord Jesus. It is about getting to know Him.

The answer to his question must have been staggering. He appeared to be dealing with “Jesus the Nazarene”! He persecuted Him! So he did not persecute deceived Christians who had to be rid of delusions in any way, but a truly living Jesus. Jesus, Whom he persecuted, was no longer in death, but glorified in heaven. This should made the Jews he was addressing think, because they still believed the lie that the soldiers had spread after bribery by the religious leaders (Mt 28:11-15).

The Lord Jesus calls Himself ‘the Nazarene’, i.e. the One from Nazareth. This is how the Jews had known Him when He was on earth and this is how they had despised Him. To Saul’s dismay He appeared to be the glorified Christ.

Saul’s fellow travelers were the undeniable witnesses of what was happening, but the message was meant only for Paul. They did not hear “the voice”, but a sound of a voice (Acts 9:7; cf. Jn 12:28-29). They heard that something was said, but not what was said. So many today hear the sound of the gospel without understanding the message.

Then Saul spoke to the Lord for the second time, again in the form of a question. The second question he asked the Lord was: “What shall I do, Lord?” This question must be asked by every believer as a principle of his whole life. To answer the question ‘Who are you, Lord?’ it is necessary to sit at the Lord’s feet to feed on Him and get to know Him (cf. Lk 10:39). Next comes the question of being busy for the Lord, being active for Him. The Christian life is a balanced relationship between education and practice.

To Saul it meant that he had to go to Damascus, where the Lord had prepared a simple disciple to give him further instructions. He did not have to go back to Jerusalem to be directed by the apostles. Saul no longer determined his life, but God determined about him what he had to do. That is also the case with us. What matters is that we walk in the good works, which God prepared beforehand (Eph 2:10).