Act 9:21 | KingComments | STEP | The effect of true conversion is an immediate confession of the Lord Jesus ( ). Saul “immediately” preaches Jesus as the Son of God, which is His personal glory. For confessing this truth, the Lord Jesus was condemned to death ( ). He had already been preached by Peter as Lord and Christ, the Messiah ( ), and Saul now preaches Him as “the Son of God”. There is no real conversion if there is no confession that Jesus is the Son of God ( ). Jews do believe in the Messiah, but not that He is also God. To them, the Messiah is no more than a man, although a very privileged man. That is what Saul had believed until that moment, and he had fought with fire and sword the confession that this One is the Son of God. Saul was called by God to preach the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. God wants to reveal His Son in him ( ). It does not say ‘to’ him, but “in” him. This points to the inner and intimate connection that is made between the believer and the Lord Jesus at conversion and continues thereafter. In the name ‘Son’ lies the whole riches of the gospel. It is the content of his very first sermon. He proclaims a Person, not a doctrine. This Person is the eternal Son. He proclaims Him in the synagogues. This shows what we will find in his service, that he first addresses the Jews and only then the Gentiles. Later on we regularly find that he acts in this way by first visiting the synagogue in a city where he comes. The change that took place with Saul caused a general surprise. Likewise, any sincere conversion will cause amazement about the change it brings about. The change must be noticed, it cannot be hidden. The change with Saul is that he has joined with the Christians whom he first persecuted and that he brings to the Jews the message that he first tried to eradicate. After an initially hesitant and cautious action, Saul becomes more and more powerful in his performance. It is possible that he has been in Arabia for three years now ( ), has been taught by God and has now returned to Damascus. He repeats his preaching, but also adds to his preaching that Jesus is the Christ. Not only does he preach this, but he also proves it. With his thorough knowledge of the Old Testament and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, he is extremely able to provide these proofs. This confuses the Jews in Damascus. His public confession makes him grow in strength. Public confession of faith is also one of the conditions to grow in faith today. When Saul is active for so many days, resistance also increases. The Jews he is trying to convince, join hands and plot to kill him. To them, Saul is an object of their hatred more than any other Christian because he is, in their eyes, an apostate Jew. From his second letter to the Corinthians, we can deduce that the Jews managed to make the ethnarch or governor their ally, probably by presenting Saul as a great danger to society ( ). He soon shares in the fate of the Lord Jesus. It is a quick fulfillment of the words that the Lord spoke to Ananias about the suffering of Saul for the Name of the Lord ( ). Their plot, however, became known to Saul. Luke does not tell us how this happened. The plot is reason for him to flee. While the ethnarch or governor has the gates guarded, Saul escapes their attack. The escape is not spectacular. The Lord could have blinded the guards and opened the gates as He did earlier at the deliverance of Peter and John from prison ( ). Saul escapes in a classical way. He now has some disciples. One night they take him to a hole in the city wall through which they lower him in a large basket. In this way he, who will become the great apostle, dangles in a basket along the city wall, depending on his disciples. They let the rope go until he finally lands safely at the bottom of the wall and can make his way, as we may assume, toward Jerusalem.

‏ Acts 9:21

Preaching of Saul and an Attack

The effect of true conversion is an immediate confession of the Lord Jesus (Rom 10:9-10). Saul “immediately” preaches Jesus as the Son of God, which is His personal glory. For confessing this truth, the Lord Jesus was condemned to death (Mt 26:63-66). He had already been preached by Peter as Lord and Christ, the Messiah (Acts 2:36), and Saul now preaches Him as “the Son of God”.

There is no real conversion if there is no confession that Jesus is the Son of God (1Jn 4:15 ; 1Jn 5:12). Jews do believe in the Messiah, but not that He is also God. To them, the Messiah is no more than a man, although a very privileged man. That is what Saul had believed until that moment, and he had fought with fire and sword the confession that this One is the Son of God.

Saul was called by God to preach the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. God wants to reveal His Son in him (Gal 1:16). It does not say ‘to’ him, but “in” him. This points to the inner and intimate connection that is made between the believer and the Lord Jesus at conversion and continues thereafter. In the name ‘Son’ lies the whole riches of the gospel. It is the content of his very first sermon. He proclaims a Person, not a doctrine. This Person is the eternal Son.

He proclaims Him in the synagogues. This shows what we will find in his service, that he first addresses the Jews and only then the Gentiles. Later on we regularly find that he acts in this way by first visiting the synagogue in a city where he comes.

The change that took place with Saul caused a general surprise. Likewise, any sincere conversion will cause amazement about the change it brings about. The change must be noticed, it cannot be hidden. The change with Saul is that he has joined with the Christians whom he first persecuted and that he brings to the Jews the message that he first tried to eradicate.

After an initially hesitant and cautious action, Saul becomes more and more powerful in his performance. It is possible that he has been in Arabia for three years now (Gal 1:17), has been taught by God and has now returned to Damascus. He repeats his preaching, but also adds to his preaching that Jesus is the Christ. Not only does he preach this, but he also proves it.

With his thorough knowledge of the Old Testament and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, he is extremely able to provide these proofs. This confuses the Jews in Damascus. His public confession makes him grow in strength. Public confession of faith is also one of the conditions to grow in faith today.

When Saul is active for so many days, resistance also increases. The Jews he is trying to convince, join hands and plot to kill him. To them, Saul is an object of their hatred more than any other Christian because he is, in their eyes, an apostate Jew. From his second letter to the Corinthians, we can deduce that the Jews managed to make the ethnarch or governor their ally, probably by presenting Saul as a great danger to society (2Cor 11:32-33).

He soon shares in the fate of the Lord Jesus. It is a quick fulfillment of the words that the Lord spoke to Ananias about the suffering of Saul for the Name of the Lord (Acts 9:16). Their plot, however, became known to Saul. Luke does not tell us how this happened. The plot is reason for him to flee. While the ethnarch or governor has the gates guarded, Saul escapes their attack.

The escape is not spectacular. The Lord could have blinded the guards and opened the gates as He did earlier at the deliverance of Peter and John from prison (Acts 5:19). Saul escapes in a classical way. He now has some disciples. One night they take him to a hole in the city wall through which they lower him in a large basket. In this way he, who will become the great apostle, dangles in a basket along the city wall, depending on his disciples. They let the rope go until he finally lands safely at the bottom of the wall and can make his way, as we may assume, toward Jerusalem.