Act 9:3-10 | PNT | STEP | And as he journeyed . It would require six or seven days to make the journey. It was probably made on foot. There shined around about him a light from heaven . Brighter than the sun ( ). It was the splendor of the glorified Savior as seen at the Transfiguration ( ), or by John at Patmos ( ). In order to get the full history of this revelation of Christ and Paul's conversion, we must compare the accounts given by Paul himself in with Luke's account here.

Acts 9:3-10

And as he journeyed. It would require six or seven days to make the journey. It was probably made on foot.

There shined around about him a light from heaven. Brighter than the sun (Ac 26:13). It was the splendor of the glorified Savior as seen at the Transfiguration (Mt 17:2 Mr 9:3 Lu 9:29), or by John at Patmos (Re 1:16). In order to get the full history of this revelation of Christ and Paul's conversion, we must compare the accounts given by Paul himself in Ac 22:3-21 26:10-20 with Luke's account here. Heard a voice. After he had fallen. Not a sound merely, but words that he could understand.

Why persecutest thou me? Observe how Christ sympathizes with his persecuted followers. The blows that fall upon them, fall upon him. If Saul strikes the disciples in Damascus, Christ feels the blows in heaven. Who art thou, Lord? Sure that it was a supernatural communication, though he might possibly suspect its source, he did not yet know that it came from Christ. Perhaps at times he had had misgivings that he might be wrong, but he was sincere.

I am Jesus. It is not said, "the Christ", but Jesus, the crucified one against whom Saul was raging. Had the answer been "the Christ", or the Son of God, Saul might still have doubted whether this was Jesus. [It is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Omitted here by the Revised Version, but found in Ac 26:14. The idea is that he is injuring himself, like the ox that kicks back on the goads used to urge him forward. And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, What wilt thou have me to do? The question, to which the remainder of the verse seems to be the answer, is omitted in the Revised Version and the oldest MSS.

Arise, and go into the city, etc. He must enter the church just as others. The Lord had appeared to him in order that he might be qualified for apostleship by having seen Christ, but he must learn the way of the gospel from one of its preachers. Christ never told a mortal how to be saved after he gave the Great Commission to the church. And the men . . . hearing a voice, but seeing no man. They were dumb with amazement, but did not see Christ, who was only revealed to Saul. They heard the sound but the words were for Saul and only understood by him. Compare with Ac 22:9. The two passages taken together mean that they heard a sound, but no words. He saw no man. His eyes were blinded by the brightness of the Lord. He who had come with such power to Damascus had to be led helpless into the city. A certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. He is named nowhere but in connection with the conversion of Saul.

To him said the Lord in a vision. As in the case of Philip sent by the angel to the eunuch (Ac 8:26), so he is sent by revelation to Saul. A revelation was needful from the fact that Saul was a terror to the church and all would avoid him.