To put it differently, the account of Sauls conversion in Acts 9 is but the first of three accounts, the other two coming from the lips of Paul himself. It does not store any personal data. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it (Revelation 21:23-24). No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the One who spoke to him was Jesus of Nazareth, the long-looked-for Messiah, the Consolation and Redeemer of Israel. He constantly defended the gospel against those who would diminish grace and seek to pollute it with works. 10. To establish the congregations identity with Ananias, the preacher might want to begin in the middle of the passage which actually looks back to Acts 8:1-3 (and 9:1). However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). The first evidence of Sauls conversion was his immediate identification with the church in Damascus. WebAnanias, had he disobeyed Christ, would not have helped Saul on that path in which he, as Paul the apostle, did so much, and suffered so much, for Christ. If Luke had any ax to grind on this issue, here would have been a great place to stress this matter, but he did not do so. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Matthew 15:14; cf. Saul was told at the time of his conversion that God had chosen him to bear witness to the Gentiles, to kings, and to the Jews (9:15). In the process, Saul was to greatly extend the outreach of the gospel to the Gentiles. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Despite the threats Saul had made and his notorious track record of persecuting, arresting and even affirming the execution of Christians, Ananias, whose Second, the gospel should be proclaimed in a way that is personal. The same grace which was shown to Saul in his salvation is shown to all whom God calls to Himself: 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. Saul was also blinded, which identified him with the blindness of the nation Israel of which the Old Testament prophets wrote (see above). When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple (vs. 26). also Isaiah 64:6). One moment, Saul was opposing Jesus, as though He were the sinner; the next, Saul is on his face before this Jesus, calling Him Lord. 138 Three times (8:3; 9:2; 22:4) this fact of persecuting women is mentioned as a special blot in Pauls cruelty (the third time by Paul himself) and one of the items in his being chief of sinners (1 Tim. Why do you think the street was named "Straight" Unless otherwise noted, all material copyright 2023, Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. 4. 17 And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened. (2) Sauls salvation was exclusively the work of a sovereign God. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray (Revelation 18:23). They found that their cause was literally shut down by Sauls arrival, and the wind was taken out of their sails by his conversion. 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:6-7). His conversion was the beginning of a life-long process of maturing and growth in the Lord. part of the price for themselves while donating it to the church They are private Christians, living like islands rather than as a part of His body. 10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. There is a great deal of information we are not given, and thus we cannot be dogmatic about our conclusions. Ananias hesitation to visit Saul showed that he had good relationship with Jerusalem, for he knew of the trouble that the persecutor had raised against the early converts, and of the goal of his mission to Damascus. Salvation may occur in a large group, such as those saved at the preaching of Peter at Pentecost, but each individual was saved because of a personal encounter with Christ. * [9:8] He could see nothing: a temporary blindness (Acts 9:18) symbolizing the religious blindness of Saul as persecutor (cf. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.. Sauls conversion was a miracle, short and simple, but not so much the result of the external miracle of the bright light and the voice of the Lord as the internal transformation and illumination which God wrought: 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man (Galatians 1:15-16). Why did Saint Paul change his In fact, more is written of what Saul said and did because he was saved than is written of what he said and did resulting in his salvation. Nothing is more evident in the account of Sauls conversion than his radical reversal. The Diocese of Rochester In America 1868-1993. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Nevertheless, Ananias obeyed. Then, on the road to Damascus, he was blinded by a vision of Jesus. But there is a greater discrepancy between the accounts of Sauls conversion in Acts and that which Paul gave in Galatians 1. Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. At first Ananias was afraid because he knew how Saul persecuted the Christians, but the Lord said that Saul had a special ministry he must fulfill. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. There are no exceptions in this all of Romans 3:23, as Paul indicated in these Old Testament words, cited just before: THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE (Romans 3:10b-12). Not only does the narrator tell the story of Sauls transformation from persecutor to apostle in Acts 9, Saul himself re-tells the story twice when defending himself before persecutors (before the tribune in Jerusalem, Acts 22:1-21; and before Agrippa, Acts 26:1-23). For just as you once were disobedient to God but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. It was an act of faith and bravery equivalent to helping a lion out of a trap. Grace is not only the basis for ones salvation, but also for ones spiritual walk and service: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:6-7). WebYou know someone is coming, perhaps to arrest you for being a Christian. It was almost as though Saul had looked intently into the beam of an intensely powerful carbon-act light, the kind used as search lights. Saul, like Stephen, was a Hellenistic Jew. The voice from heaven did not call out, Have you ever heard of the four spiritual laws?152 Ananias was sent to Saul only. The importance of Sauls conversion can hardly be overestimated. Paul would make much more of this point in the first chapter of Galatians. Their story is rarely shown in art, but is the subject of one of the Raphael Cartoons, and a panel on the Brescia Casket, both illustrated here. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18). Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? We know that the salvation of men rests ultimately with God and not with usand not even with the one whom we wish to see saved. The Lord told him, Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. Grace is also the source and the standard for our service: Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person (Colossians 4:6). All of this account describes the two complementary divine visions which Ananias and Saul received. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Pauls language in Acts 26:11 seems to mean that Damascus is merely one of other `foreign cities to which he carried the persecution. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 114. What else did Jesus explain to Ananias? 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy lifenot because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. (7) Those who were saved by Sauls ministry were convinced by the power of the gospel message he preached and not by miraculous signs and wonders. For Paul, the method of proclaiming the gospel must be consistent with the message itself, and so it was. The church did not shrink or suffer for Sauls arrival, but it grew because of it. (Acts 9:17) and that Saul was to "be filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17). Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you (Isaiah 60:1). When Saul was confronted on the road to Damascus, he saw the risen, glorified Lord. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Sauls baptism followed, accompanied by his profession of faith, his calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). also Romans 1:1-7, 13-17; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:3-11; cf. Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard (Isaiah 58:8). 9 What happened to Sapphira in the Bible? 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Corinthians 15:8-11). In Sauls account of his conversion to His Jewish brethren, he added that when Ananias arrived, he instructed him to Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name (Acts 22:16). WebAnanias was afraid of Saul. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. 143 . What happened to Straight Street since then? With this backdrop in place, the preacher can now focus on two movements of Ananias part of this story: his vision and conversation with the Lord (verses 10-16) and his laying hands on Saul leading to Sauls baptism (verses 17-19). east-west thoroughfare through Damascus built by the Greeks after the city He sent me so that you can The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. When all is said and done, the miracle which took place on the way to Damascus (and likely in Damascus as well) was that Saul saw Jesus as the Son of God, as the Messiah, and as his Savior and Lord: Am I not free? This man who had formerly cringed at the preaching of the gospel148 was now proclaiming the same message. Get up and make your bed. He got up at once. Who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". But as Saul grew in strength and as his arguments were irrefutable, just as Stephens had been (Acts 6:10), his opponents realized that the only way to silence Saul was to kill him. 130 In our text, we are told the Saul went to the high priest to ask for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus (9:1-2), but in Acts 22:5-6 Paul indicates that the Council (the Sanhedrin) was also involved in providing him with letters of authorization to arrest Christians in Damascus. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord. 154 What is both interesting and important about this text is that the call of salvation does not necessarily require a change of career. When the plot became known to Saul, he made a successful, albeit undignified, escape from the city of Damascus. 1. Questions: Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? There are affinities between his conversion experience and Ezekiels inaugural vision, in which the prophet saw the likeness of the heavenly throne and above it a likeness as it were of a human form (Ezek. When one looks at all the references to this event, it was, in fact, a personal appearance of the risen, glorified Jesus to Saul (cf. How do you write a good story in Smash Bros screening? The call of salvation is a call to change. His conversion was by far the most vital influence in Pauls life. To whom did the Lord communicate "in a vision"? But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). 29He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,* but they tried to kill him. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Paul would later use this expression (in the plural) to address his unbelieving Jewish opponents, as in Acts 22:1. 10 i There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. He answered, Here I am, Lord. 11 The Lord said to him, Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of 1. Ananias son of Nebedeus (or Nedebeus) was a high priest who, according to the Acts of the Apostles, presided during the trials of the apostle Paul at Jerusalem (Acts 23:2) and Caesarea (Acts 24:1). 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. WebAs Donald Davis notes, In case God has overlooked Sauls atrocities, [Ananias] takes occasion to issue a brief reminder. WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. In the end, God Himself will provide the illumination so that the sun and the stars will not be needed for this function: The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted (Isaiah 30:26). Ananias who was 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives. 30And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.p. In other words, Is Sauls conversion typical and illustrative of the conversion of every saint, or is it unique, the exceptional case, which has little correspondence to most converts?. the citation of Ps 2:7 in Pauls speech at Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:33). Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul,why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ), Acts 7:59; 9:2, 21; 1 Cor. Is paralegal higher than legal assistant? There is not so much as a hint that anyone prayed for Sauls salvation or took the initiative to bring it about. One moment, Saul is inflicting pain and suffering on others who trust in Jesus as the Messiah, the next, he is enduring suffering for the sake of Jesus, the Messiah. It is the very word that Luke will use in 16:10 of the conclusion reached at Troas concerning the vision of Paul. To Him be the glory forever. This Paul knew and testified to. My names sake" (Acts 9:16) even before his ministry began. Ancestry, Pharisaic training, Hellenistic education, were fused by it into the character which the Holy Spirit formed and fashioned over the fourteen years of training. What Israel failed to do, Jesus, the Messiah would do. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. Nothing is said in our text about any miracles being performed by Saul, as yet. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9:5). We honor him on May 14. With the help of a priest who knew his parents he was allowed to attend religious school. Fourth, if we had all the facts, there would be no problem. There are two very important implications to the personal dimension of Sauls conversion. They are also very significant in what they conveyed to Saul. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness (Micah 7:8-9). 144 Was Ananias the one who told him what he must do? Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Saul took this most seriously, not eating or drinking until after his confession of faith by means of his baptism. The only question is who is the LORD? When the Christians learned that the Hellenists to whom Saul had preached were plotting to kill them, they helped him escape through Caesarea and on to Tarsus. His acceptance by the latter was finally brought about through his friendship with Barnabas (Acts 9:27).
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