Act 9:13-14 | KingComments | STEP | After His own work, which no man could do, the Lord is now going to use disciples for the further education of Saul. It is not Peter who is sent to Saul, but an ordinary disciple, hitherto unknown to us. Everything the Lord does with Saul is outside of Jerusalem. Ananias means ‘Yahweh is merciful’. This is apparent from His whole dealings with Saul. We would never have heard of Ananias if God had not wanted to use him in connection with Saul. He is an ordinary disciple, inconspicuous to people, but useful to God when He needs him. Thus, many hidden disciples have been used by God. They stand in the background of many prominent servants and have influenced their service and education. The Lord speaks with Ananias as a man speaks with his friend. As soon as He speaks to him, there is an immediate willingness to listen. With the words “here I am, Lord” he immediately makes himself available to the Lord. He does not seem to be frightened by the voice of the Lord, accustomed as he is to a personal relationship with Him. The Lord tells Ananias where to go and who to inquire for. He gets an address and the name of the owner of the house. There he must inquire for the man who comes from Tarsus and listens to the name Saul. Because he has to inquire for Saul in that house, the house of Judas is probably an inn with several guests. The name of the street, the Straight, contrasts with the twisted road that Saul has gone down until then. That seemed like a straight road to him, but its end would lead him into death ( ). Ananias receives an additional description by which he will be able to recognize Saul and that is what Saul is doing: he is praying. So he doesn’t have to be afraid of a threatening attitude with Saul. He is as gentle as a lamb. It is the first expression of the new life we hear of Saul. The dependence expressed in prayer will characterize his whole service. The Lord also tells Ananias that He has prepared Saul for his coming. He informed him in a vision of the person who will come to see him, what he will do with him and that he will regain his sight. After the order and the extensive information about it, Ananias still has reservations. With remarkable boldness he speaks with the Lord about Saul confidentially and openly. The Lord allows him to express his objections, without interrupting him. With due respect Ananias speaks to Him as “Lord” and then tells Him what he has heard about Saul. He has heard from reliable sources how much evil this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem. He speaks about the believers in the Lord as “Your saints”. This is a company which belongs to Christ and which He has separated from the world for Himself ( ). Ananias also knows that Saul has authority from the chief priests to bind all those who pray to the Lord Jesus as God. It is the great annoyance of the Jews that the Christians acknowledge the Messiah as God. Indeed, it is an annoyance to see in the despised Jesus the Messiah, but it gets much worse when they also see the Messiah as God. For the orthodox Jew, the Messiah is a man, a special man indeed, but no more than a man. The Lord does not answer Ananias’ objection with stern authority, but gives a patient explanation, although of course Ananias must obey. He speaks to him as someone worthy of His trust and explains to him what He purposes to do with Saul. Saul is a “chosen instrument [or: vessel]” for Him. With the word “vessel,” the Lord wants to say that He is going to use Saul as an instrument in His service. He is going to fill this ‘vessel’ with commands for Him. The working out of these commands will make Saul a witness of the Name of the Lord Jesus, to bear this Name both before Gentiles, who are ordinary people, and before kings, who are high-ranking people. He will also bear the Name of the Lord Jesus before the sons of Israel. It is remarkable that they are mentioned last. The execution of his commissions will not go by itself, without effort, but it will cause him much suffering for the same Name’s sake. That suffering starts already with his first preachings ( ).

‏ Acts 9:13-14

Conversation Between the Lord and Ananias

After His own work, which no man could do, the Lord is now going to use disciples for the further education of Saul. It is not Peter who is sent to Saul, but an ordinary disciple, hitherto unknown to us. Everything the Lord does with Saul is outside of Jerusalem. Ananias means ‘Yahweh is merciful’. This is apparent from His whole dealings with Saul.

We would never have heard of Ananias if God had not wanted to use him in connection with Saul. He is an ordinary disciple, inconspicuous to people, but useful to God when He needs him. Thus, many hidden disciples have been used by God. They stand in the background of many prominent servants and have influenced their service and education.

The Lord speaks with Ananias as a man speaks with his friend. As soon as He speaks to him, there is an immediate willingness to listen. With the words “here I am, Lord” he immediately makes himself available to the Lord. He does not seem to be frightened by the voice of the Lord, accustomed as he is to a personal relationship with Him.

The Lord tells Ananias where to go and who to inquire for. He gets an address and the name of the owner of the house. There he must inquire for the man who comes from Tarsus and listens to the name Saul. Because he has to inquire for Saul in that house, the house of Judas is probably an inn with several guests. The name of the street, the Straight, contrasts with the twisted road that Saul has gone down until then. That seemed like a straight road to him, but its end would lead him into death (Pro 14:12 ; Pro 16:25).

Ananias receives an additional description by which he will be able to recognize Saul and that is what Saul is doing: he is praying. So he doesn’t have to be afraid of a threatening attitude with Saul. He is as gentle as a lamb. It is the first expression of the new life we hear of Saul. The dependence expressed in prayer will characterize his whole service. The Lord also tells Ananias that He has prepared Saul for his coming. He informed him in a vision of the person who will come to see him, what he will do with him and that he will regain his sight.

After the order and the extensive information about it, Ananias still has reservations. With remarkable boldness he speaks with the Lord about Saul confidentially and openly. The Lord allows him to express his objections, without interrupting him. With due respect Ananias speaks to Him as “Lord” and then tells Him what he has heard about Saul. He has heard from reliable sources how much evil this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem. He speaks about the believers in the Lord as “Your saints”. This is a company which belongs to Christ and which He has separated from the world for Himself (1Cor 6:11).

Ananias also knows that Saul has authority from the chief priests to bind all those who pray to the Lord Jesus as God. It is the great annoyance of the Jews that the Christians acknowledge the Messiah as God. Indeed, it is an annoyance to see in the despised Jesus the Messiah, but it gets much worse when they also see the Messiah as God. For the orthodox Jew, the Messiah is a man, a special man indeed, but no more than a man.

The Lord does not answer Ananias’ objection with stern authority, but gives a patient explanation, although of course Ananias must obey. He speaks to him as someone worthy of His trust and explains to him what He purposes to do with Saul. Saul is a “chosen instrument [or: vessel]” for Him. With the word “vessel,” the Lord wants to say that He is going to use Saul as an instrument in His service. He is going to fill this ‘vessel’ with commands for Him.

The working out of these commands will make Saul a witness of the Name of the Lord Jesus, to bear this Name both before Gentiles, who are ordinary people, and before kings, who are high-ranking people. He will also bear the Name of the Lord Jesus before the sons of Israel. It is remarkable that they are mentioned last.

The execution of his commissions will not go by itself, without effort, but it will cause him much suffering for the same Name’s sake. That suffering starts already with his first preachings (Acts 9:23 ; 29).