Chapter Nine –
The
Conversion of Saul of Tarsus
ACTS 9:10-18:
In our last lesson, we left Saul (also called Paul –
Acts
13:9) in Damascus blind and fasting, after his encounter with the
Lord. Saul has followed the
Lord’s instruction (a novel concept, to simply obey the instructions given,
without question, or doubt???), and he is waiting to be told what the Lord
wants him to do (Vs.
6).
Luke will now illustrate the bringing together of preacher and sinner!
Text #1:
Acts 9:10-12
“Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the
Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”
And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11
So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to
the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one
called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.
12
And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his
sight.””
Ananias:
Luke uses the Greek rendering of his Hebrew name (Heb. “Hananyah” –
‘Jehovah has been gracious’), to introduce him to Theophilus; as well as the
fact that he is a disciple of Christ. We will learn later from Saul that he
was devout under the Law and had a good reputation among the Jews (Acts
22:12). This is about all that is revealed concerning this
Ananias, except that we might add that after the conversion of Saul, that
Saul would be introduced to other disciples in Damascus by him (Vs.
19).
Street Called Straight:
This is uniquely straight forward (get it?); this street is in
contrast to the majority of other streets in Damascus; which are mostly
narrow and curving. This particular street is very wide and runs virtually
straight through the entire city.
Text #2:
Acts 9:13-14
“Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how
much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
14
And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on
Your name.””
Saul’s charge from the high priests has preceded him in an era that did not
have the modern day methods of communication; yet, the saints and Jews of
Damascus know well why Saul had been sent.
Saints:
As Ananias states to the Lord his knowledge of the purpose of Saul’s travel
to Damascus, he reveals to you and me the common understanding (by
designation), of the nature of all obedient members of the
“Body of Christ”, by using the
term “saints”.
The term “Saint” is universally
understood in God’s word two specific ways.
First, in the idea of dedication
and separation unto God. It is applicable to those who have been separated
from the secular unto God in specific holy service.
Second, in the idea of personal
holiness with emphasis on character as per the blue print of God.
This tells us that universally the
“Body of Christ” is made up of those who have been called out of the
world into a specific service to God in holiness (living as befitting this
vocation); as directed by Him.
1 Corinthians 1:2
“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in
Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place
call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours”
Ephesians 4:1
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the
calling with which you were called”
Colossians 1:10
“that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him,
being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God”
Text #3:
Acts 9:15-18
“But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen
vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of
Israel.
16
For I will show him how many things he must suffer
for My name’s sake.”
17
And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him
he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as
you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the
Holy Spirit.”
18
Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he
received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
Apostle –
Chosen Vessel of Mine:
I want to
insert at this point a reminder that word Apostle in its generic
understanding, simply means “one
sent”. What will make Saul in coming events an Apostle of Jesus Christ,
is the vital understanding that the Lord Himself has selected Saul
for the work He is about to send him. Saul would in his own words answer the
often asked question concerning his calling as an Apostle of Christ apart
from the others, by stating that it was the Lord’s will – see
1
Corinthians 15:8. In this passage he also answers the often asked
question as to whether Saul truly did see the Lord (in the flesh to
testify concerning His resurrection), to this Saul simply says,
“And last of all He was seen by me
also”.
Things He
Must Suffer:
It is
unique in the modern day era of the Gospel of prosperity and men preaching
that giving oneself to God will take away bills, money worries, and health
issues; that Saul is going to be shown that his stewardship would be founded
on suffering in the flesh for the glory of God. For a good read concerning
the fulfillment of everything the Lord would tell Ananias and reveal to Saul
concerning his suffering for His name – Read:
2
Corinthians 11:22-33. A good read for the truth concerning our
individual service to the Lord – see:
1 Peter
2:21-5;
4:12-16.
Filled with
the Holy Spirit:
Although
Ananias is the one who will reveal to Saul that he would receive a filling
with the Holy Spirit, he would not be the vehicle by which it would be
bestowed. Like the other Apostles of Jesus Christ, Saul would receive this
measure of the Spirit specific to the Apostles of Christ, directly from the
Lord Himself.
This is
going to be made known to us via the words of Saul as he would defend his
Apostleship and work in the Gospel of Christ, note:
Galatians 1:11-12
“But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me
is not according to man.
12
For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it
came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
This also
reveals what the Spirit of God would achieve through these selected
individuals whom would receive this measure of the Spirit. This was also the
message of the Apostle to the Gentiles (Romans
11:13), as he would describe the process of revelation by the
Spirit through himself and the others, who had received the similar measure,
note:
1 Corinthians 2:10-16
“But
God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit
searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
11
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is
in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is
from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by
God.
13
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but
which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for
they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.
15
But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly
judged by no one.
16
For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we
have the mind of Christ.”
And
finally, this also puts to rest the strange concept of the preeminence of
Apostles (as if one is greater than the others).
First, Saul had no
misconceptions that his stewardship was as equally important to the Name of
the Lord as any other – see
2 Corinthians 11:5. But more
importantly, he and all those who were called to be sent by the Lord Himself
were charged with a single purpose, to reveal the Lord to the world and
preach His good news among all, to His glory and preeminence.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
27
But God has
chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has
chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are
mighty;
28
and the
base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen,
and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29
that no flesh should glory in His presence.
30
But of Him
you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption—
31
that, as it
is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the
Lord.””
Next: “The First Journey of Saul of Tarsus!”