Act 9:20, 22, 27 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 20. And straightway . Immediately. This was an evidence of the genuineness of his conversion, that he was willing at once to avow himself to be the friend of the Lord Jesus. He preached Christ . He proclaimed and proved that Jesus was the Christ. See . Many manuscripts read here Jesus instead of Christ . Griesbach has adopted this reading. Such is also the Syriac, the Vulgate, and the Ethiopic. This reading accords much better with the subject than the common reading. That Christ , or the Messiah , was the Son of God, all admitted. In the New Testament the names Christ and Son of God are used as synonymous. But the question was, whether Jesus was the Christ, or the Son of God, and this Paul showed to the Jews. Paul continued the practice of attending the synagogues; and in the synagogues any one had a right to speak, who was invited by the officiating minister. . That he is the Son of God . That he is the Messiah. (+) "straitway" "immediately"

Acts 9:20

Verse 20. And straightway. Immediately. This was an evidence of the genuineness of his conversion, that he was willing at once to avow himself to be the friend of the Lord Jesus.

He preached Christ. He proclaimed and proved that Jesus was the Christ. See Acts 9:22. Many manuscripts read here Jesus instead of Christ. Griesbach has adopted this reading. Such is also the Syriac, the Vulgate, and the Ethiopic. This reading accords much better with the subject than the common reading. That Christ, or the Messiah, was the Son of God, all admitted. In the New Testament the names Christ and Son of God are used as synonymous. But the question was, whether Jesus was the Christ, or the Son of God, and this Paul showed to the Jews. Paul continued the practice of attending the synagogues; and in the synagogues any one had a right to speak, who was invited by the officiating minister. Acts 13:15.

That he is the Son of God. That he is the Messiah.

(+) "straitway" "immediately"

Acts 9:22

Verse 22. Increased the more in strength. His conviction of the truth of the Christian religion became stronger every day. Hence his moral strength or boldness increased.

And confounded. See Acts 2:6. The word here means confuted. It means also, occasionally, to produce a tumult, or excitement, Acts 19:32, 21:31. Perhaps the idea of producing such a tumult is intended to be conveyed here, Paul confuted the Jews, and by so doing he was the occasion of their tumultuous proceedings, or he so enraged them as to lead to great agitation and excitement. A very common effect of close and conclusive argumentation.

Proving that this. This Jesus.

Is very Christ. Greek, that this is the Christ. The word very means here simply the. Greek, οχριστος. It means that Paul showed, by strong and satisfactory arguments, that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah. The arguments which he would use may be easily conceived; but the evangelist has not seen fit to record them.

(e) "more in strength" Ps 84:7 (f) "confounded the Jews" Acts 18:28

Acts 9:27

Verse 27. But Barnabas. Acts 4:36. Barnabas was of Cyprus, not far from Tarsus, and it is not improbable that he had been before acquainted with Saul.

To the apostles. To Peter and James, Gal 1:18,19. Probably the other apostles were at that time absent from Jerusalem.

And declared unto them, etc. It may seem remarkable that the apostles at Jerusalem had not before heard of the conversion of Saul. The following considerations may serve in some degree to explain this:

(1.) It is certain that intercourse between different countries was then much more difficult than it is now. There were no posts; no public conveyances; nothing that corresponded with our modes of intercourse between one part of the world and another.

(2.) There was at this time a state of animosity, amounting to hostility, subsisting between Herod and Aretas. Herod the tetrarch had married the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia, and had put her away.--Josephus, Antiq. b. xviii. chap. v. 1, 2. The result of this was a long misunderstanding between them, and a war; and the effects of that war might have been to interrupt the communication very much throughout all that country.

(3.) Though the Jews at Jerusalem might have heard of the conversion of Saul, yet it was for their interest to keep it a secret, and not to mention it to Christians. But,

(4.) though the Christians who were there had heard of it, yet it is probable that they were not fully informed on the subject; that they had not had all the evidence of his conversion which they desired; and that they looked with suspicion on him. It was therefore proper that they should have a full statement of the evidence of his conversion; and this was made by Barnabas.

(e) "Barnabas took him" Acts 4:36 (f) "at Damascus" Acts 9:20,22