Act 9:1-9 | KingComments | STEP | Saul was raging against the new sect, as Christendom was seen in the beginning. With this he thought he was offering a service to God ( ). The Lord allowed this, because He wanted to make him, the greatest enemy of the church, the greatest witness and apostle of His sovereign grace of the church. The history of his conversion is told three times in Acts, once by Luke (here) and twice by the converted Paul himself ( ). Stephen’s death had only increased Saul’s urge to destroy the church. The fact that he ‘breathed’ threats and murder indicates that he breathed it out. It came from within. Wherever he went, he breathed death for the Christians and in his anger he spat out his venom against them. In his insatiable thirst for the blood of these enemies of the religion of the fathers he did not limit himself to the persecution of them in Jerusalem and surroundings. He also sought after them in the foreign cities ( ). Damascus was also on his list. Damascus had a large Jewish community with several synagogues. Among them there could be some who had become Christians, but were not yet separated from the Jews. The high priest in Jerusalem still had spiritual authority over these synagogues. The jurisdiction of the Council also applied to synagogues in foreign cities. The governments of those countries allowed a certain authority because they believed that this would benefit the peace in their country. The new movement, Christendom, is here called “the Way” ( ; ). It shows the dynamics of Christendom, how it develops. It points especially to the Lord Jesus Who said: “I am the way” ( ). Saul’s intention with his journey to Damascus was to take away from there men and women belonging to “the Way” and bring them bound to Jerusalem. There they could be brought before the Council to be sentenced. But on the way to Damascus, what happens to him is completely unforeseen and completely unwanted, even the most hated. Suddenly a light shines around him from heaven, causing him to fall to the ground. Saul must have travelled on foot. A Pharisee on horseback is not very likely. The distance between Jerusalem and Damascus is about two hundred kilometers. The journey would therefore have taken days. It is also understandable that the news of his arrival rushed ahead and the Christians in Damascus were aware of it ( ). In the light of the sun shining upon him, the Lord Jesus appears to this son of Abraham ( ; cf. ). From the words the Lord speaks to Saul at His appearance, it appears that He declares Himself one with His own on earth. By persecuting His own on earth, Saul is in the process of persecuting Him. That complete unity between the glorified Lord in heaven and the church on earth will be the content of the service of Saul, later Paul. To him the mystery of Christ has been revealed, that is, the unity of the church as heavenly people with Christ glorified in heaven ( ). The authority of the Person Who speaks is undeniable. Saul directly addresses Him as “Lord”, even though he did not yet know Who He was. Then he asks Who He is. These are the first words of a Saul who has been stopped and thrown down. The answer given to him by the Lord also brings him spiritually to the ground. “Jesus” spoke to him! Jesus, thought to be dead, appeared to be alive and to be the Lord of glory. What a shocking discovery! On top of that, ”Jesus” is not only the Lord of glory, but He also acknowledges the disciples that Saul wanted to capture as one with Him. The defenseless sheep he persecutes have a Defender, a Guardian in the Lord Jesus. He also discovers that zeal for Judaism means zeal against the Lord. The conversion of Paul is an example of the conversion of Israel when they also come face to face with Him Whom they have rejected ( ). Also, his conversion is a model for every other sinner: if he who calls himself the foremost of all sinners, the greatest of all sinners ( ) is saved, there is hope for every other sinner who must necessarily be a lesser one. The Lord Jesus has begun a work that will make the greatest opponent of the Christian faith the most fervent advocate of it. In order to continue this, He gives Saul the order to stand up and enter the city. There he will be told what to do. The Lord has personally brought him to a standstill in his rage against Him. He will now call upon others to further form Saul. Saul did not travel alone. There were men with him, presumably to help him carry out his mission. It is obvious that they were police officers of the Sanhedrin. These men had also fallen to the ground by the sudden light that also was shining around them ( ). They also heard the voice, but they saw no one. It was an inexplicable phenomenon for them, for which they had no words. They shared in all the outward characteristics associated with their leader’s encounter with the Lord of glory, but they had no part in it whatsoever. The Lord Jesus did not appear to them, nor did they understand His words to Saul. They were blind and deaf to Him and His words. In Saul’s case, the effect of the encounter is all the more impressive. There is no response, his will is broken, his heart overwhelmed, his spirit contrite. He submits himself completely to the voice that speaks to him. In God’s presence there is no apology or self-justification. How very differently he had imagined his arrival in Damascus. How his plan is thwarted. Without having anything to say about it, he is taken by the hand and brought into Damascus to be joined by the company he wanted to exterminate. The hater and destroyer of the church has become like a gentle lamb that allows itself to be led willy-nilly. He cannot help but surrender to the leadership of others, for he is blind. In this state of blindness, nothing can distract his mind. His blindness also shows him that from now on he should no longer have an eye for the splendor and pomp of the Jewish religion which, after all, is focused on appearance. In the light of the distress of his soul, the needs of the body also disappear. He does not eat or drink anything. In these days of blindness, the terror of his rage against the Lord will have sunk in to him ( ). We read nothing of companions who visit him and want to comfort him. But the Lord is busy with him.

‏ Acts 9:1-9

The Conversion of Saul

Saul was raging against the new sect, as Christendom was seen in the beginning. With this he thought he was offering a service to God (Jn 16:2-3). The Lord allowed this, because He wanted to make him, the greatest enemy of the church, the greatest witness and apostle of His sovereign grace of the church. The history of his conversion is told three times in Acts, once by Luke (here) and twice by the converted Paul himself (Acts 22:1-16 ; Acts 26:1-18).

Stephen’s death had only increased Saul’s urge to destroy the church. The fact that he ‘breathed’ threats and murder indicates that he breathed it out. It came from within. Wherever he went, he breathed death for the Christians and in his anger he spat out his venom against them. In his insatiable thirst for the blood of these enemies of the religion of the fathers he did not limit himself to the persecution of them in Jerusalem and surroundings. He also sought after them in the foreign cities (Acts 26:11). Damascus was also on his list.

Damascus had a large Jewish community with several synagogues. Among them there could be some who had become Christians, but were not yet separated from the Jews. The high priest in Jerusalem still had spiritual authority over these synagogues. The jurisdiction of the Council also applied to synagogues in foreign cities. The governments of those countries allowed a certain authority because they believed that this would benefit the peace in their country.

The new movement, Christendom, is here called “the Way” (Acts 9:2; Acts 19:9 ; 23 ; Acts 22:4 ; Acts 24:14). It shows the dynamics of Christendom, how it develops. It points especially to the Lord Jesus Who said: “I am the way” (Jn 14:6). Saul’s intention with his journey to Damascus was to take away from there men and women belonging to “the Way” and bring them bound to Jerusalem. There they could be brought before the Council to be sentenced.

But on the way to Damascus, what happens to him is completely unforeseen and completely unwanted, even the most hated. Suddenly a light shines around him from heaven, causing him to fall to the ground. Saul must have travelled on foot. A Pharisee on horseback is not very likely. The distance between Jerusalem and Damascus is about two hundred kilometers. The journey would therefore have taken days. It is also understandable that the news of his arrival rushed ahead and the Christians in Damascus were aware of it (Acts 9:14). In the light of the sun shining upon him, the Lord Jesus appears to this son of Abraham (Acts 9:17; cf. Acts 7:2).

From the words the Lord speaks to Saul at His appearance, it appears that He declares Himself one with His own on earth. By persecuting His own on earth, Saul is in the process of persecuting Him. That complete unity between the glorified Lord in heaven and the church on earth will be the content of the service of Saul, later Paul. To him the mystery of Christ has been revealed, that is, the unity of the church as heavenly people with Christ glorified in heaven (Eph 3:3-11).

The authority of the Person Who speaks is undeniable. Saul directly addresses Him as “Lord”, even though he did not yet know Who He was. Then he asks Who He is. These are the first words of a Saul who has been stopped and thrown down. The answer given to him by the Lord also brings him spiritually to the ground. “Jesus” spoke to him!

Jesus, thought to be dead, appeared to be alive and to be the Lord of glory. What a shocking discovery! On top of that, ”Jesus” is not only the Lord of glory, but He also acknowledges the disciples that Saul wanted to capture as one with Him. The defenseless sheep he persecutes have a Defender, a Guardian in the Lord Jesus. He also discovers that zeal for Judaism means zeal against the Lord.

The conversion of Paul is an example of the conversion of Israel when they also come face to face with Him Whom they have rejected (Zec 12:10). Also, his conversion is a model for every other sinner: if he who calls himself the foremost of all sinners, the greatest of all sinners (1Tim 1:15) is saved, there is hope for every other sinner who must necessarily be a lesser one.

The Lord Jesus has begun a work that will make the greatest opponent of the Christian faith the most fervent advocate of it. In order to continue this, He gives Saul the order to stand up and enter the city. There he will be told what to do. The Lord has personally brought him to a standstill in his rage against Him. He will now call upon others to further form Saul.

Saul did not travel alone. There were men with him, presumably to help him carry out his mission. It is obvious that they were police officers of the Sanhedrin. These men had also fallen to the ground by the sudden light that also was shining around them (Acts 26:13-14). They also heard the voice, but they saw no one. It was an inexplicable phenomenon for them, for which they had no words.

They shared in all the outward characteristics associated with their leader’s encounter with the Lord of glory, but they had no part in it whatsoever. The Lord Jesus did not appear to them, nor did they understand His words to Saul. They were blind and deaf to Him and His words.

In Saul’s case, the effect of the encounter is all the more impressive. There is no response, his will is broken, his heart overwhelmed, his spirit contrite. He submits himself completely to the voice that speaks to him. In God’s presence there is no apology or self-justification. How very differently he had imagined his arrival in Damascus. How his plan is thwarted.

Without having anything to say about it, he is taken by the hand and brought into Damascus to be joined by the company he wanted to exterminate. The hater and destroyer of the church has become like a gentle lamb that allows itself to be led willy-nilly. He cannot help but surrender to the leadership of others, for he is blind. In this state of blindness, nothing can distract his mind. His blindness also shows him that from now on he should no longer have an eye for the splendor and pomp of the Jewish religion which, after all, is focused on appearance.

In the light of the distress of his soul, the needs of the body also disappear. He does not eat or drink anything. In these days of blindness, the terror of his rage against the Lord will have sunk in to him (1Tim 1:12-17). We read nothing of companions who visit him and want to comfort him. But the Lord is busy with him.