Amen (Romans 11:33-36). 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. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was the first recorded sin in the newly organized church. What Paul learned about himself, personally, on the road to Damascus he came to understand and to preach concerning all men. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent (Psalm 104:2). Verse 18 tells us that, "straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight, and he arose and was baptized." He says: It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray (Revelation 18:23). The ultimate issue was Gods ability to saveeven the most committed unbeliever. Like Stephen, the enemies of the gospel attempted to kill Saul when they could not silence him by means of debate. But beyond this, his conversion totally changed the remainder of his life. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. Michael Garicoits (1797-1863) was born into a poor, but hardworking and humble family. 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. 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). For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. Saul could only be persecuting Jesus through the members of His body, the church. And they were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. But why would they be called his disciples? 4. One cannot help but wonder if it did not send chills up and down Pauls spine when he cast the spell of blindness on the Jewish false prophet, Bar-Jesus: And when they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. For now, he was told to proceed on to Damascus, where he would be given his next instructions.144 His blindness certainly gave Saul the opportunity to dwell on these events. a disciple from Damascus who received a phophetic dream telling him 131 . For it was the Fathers good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him (Colossians 1:13-19). What a shock Sauls conversion must have been to both groups! Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. During his conversion Unless otherwise noted, all material copyright 2023, Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. Saul, like Stephen, spoke with such power and authority that his opponents could not refute him. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Saul Preaches in Damascus. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16). 2. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you (Isaiah 60:1). 92 0 obj << /Linearized 1 /O 94 /H [ 1243 743 ] /L 503600 /E 43371 /N 16 /T 501642 >> endobj xref 92 42 0000000016 00000 n 0000001188 00000 n 0000001986 00000 n 0000002200 00000 n 0000002434 00000 n 0000002614 00000 n 0000002636 00000 n 0000004226 00000 n 0000004248 00000 n 0000005775 00000 n 0000005798 00000 n 0000008986 00000 n 0000009009 00000 n 0000012094 00000 n 0000012305 00000 n 0000013156 00000 n 0000014011 00000 n 0000014230 00000 n 0000014604 00000 n 0000014827 00000 n 0000023280 00000 n 0000023869 00000 n 0000024230 00000 n 0000024446 00000 n 0000024731 00000 n 0000024987 00000 n 0000025380 00000 n 0000026152 00000 n 0000026257 00000 n 0000029454 00000 n 0000029477 00000 n 0000032108 00000 n 0000032131 00000 n 0000034910 00000 n 0000034933 00000 n 0000037945 00000 n 0000040047 00000 n 0000040070 00000 n 0000043063 00000 n 0000043141 00000 n 0000001243 00000 n 0000001964 00000 n trailer << /Size 134 /Info 91 0 R /Root 93 0 R /Prev 501632 /ID[<3cb89dccfaad5f26269ffad0f6f6443b><3cb89dccfaad5f26269ffad0f6f6443b>] >> startxref 0 %%EOF 93 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 89 0 R >> endobj 132 0 obj << /S 672 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 133 0 R >> stream WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. I see a man who is confident, aggressive, and zealous, rather than a man troubled by inner doubts. (1 Corinthians 9:1). In spite of this, we are not told here that Saul did receive the Holy Spirit or what happened when he did. Saul asked.I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, he replied. It does not store any personal data. 34Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. many pulpits today promise to those who will follow Jesus? It was the most powerful piece of artillery in the Jewish camp that was suddenly turned round upon them. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 123. And laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. All of these should be expected and can be rather easily explained. This first account occurs when the word is first spread to the Gentiles. Those who call upon your name echoes 2:21 (Joel 2:32) and recurs in 22:16 in a command to Paul himself to be baptized . The blindness to which Saul was subject for three days provided him with much time for reflection, meditation, and prayer. The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 1:12-14). With the conversion of Saul, persecution of the church did not stop, for now some of the Hellenistic Jews were opposing his preaching (and no doubt, the church at large as well). 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 20and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 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?. Israel too will just as surely return to God; and when it happens, it will be all of God, all to His glory and praise: 15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you. Paul was overwhelmed by a flash of heavenly light. also Romans 1:1-7, 13-17; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:3-11; cf. It is one of the few accounts of a conversion which is described with some detail (although this detail is much less than we would prefer). Used by permission. (3) The racial expansion from the Jews to the Gentiles. Second, the only result of this event shown in the Bible is that Saul received his sight. For the time being, God is using the disobedience of Israel to accomplish His purposes, but there is surely a time coming when Israel will be restored to the Lord, by faith in Christ. Present active participle of sunbubazo, old verb to make go together, to coalesce, to knit together. Ananiass vision was intended to direct him to the house of Judas and to Saul. Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. In this approach, preachers will offer their congregations a chance to relate to Sauls epiphany as a way of meeting Christ in the midst of our lives and being transformed by that encounter. Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. After this incident with Paul we hear no more The result of that reluctant leap of faith is that Sauls eyes are opened and he is baptized, becoming part of (and eventually a leader in) the very church he sought to wipe out. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. (2) Sauls salvation was exclusively the work of a sovereign God. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. 21:29 (30); John 5:7; 12:21; 20:15; and should be so in John 9:36. 28He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. This method of argument Paul continued to use with the Jews (Acts 17:3). Saul got help, though, from a man named Barnabas. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. . Have you had such an encounter? WebExplain why Ananias was told that Saul was a 'Chosen Vessel' Give an account of the vision which Saul had while traveling on the road to the Damascus. 1:29, 30, NKJV, Abide Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version. Did they send for Saul? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Salvation is a revolution, not an evolution. . And thus, in Gods time, Saul was dramatically converted, seeing the Christ whom he had been persecuting, risen from the dead and in His heavenly glory. They, too, were afraid of Saul and did not believe he really was a follower of Jesus Christ. Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell their property? To both Ananias (Acts 9:10) and Saul (Acts 9:12). We would readily grant that every conversion which is recorded is unique, to some degree. Get up and make your bed. He got up at once. No, I worked harder than all of themyet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of Gods grace given me through the working of his power. My names sake". Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was 15But the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites,m At length, in Gods good time, the door opened, and the events of half a lifetime assumed final and complete significance. E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles, (Grand Rapids: Wm. Rather than attempt to pacify Ananias or to alleviate his apprehension, God went on to tell him that Saul would not only be a brother, but he would be His instrument for bringing the gospel to Gentiles too. The towns of Lydda, Sharon, and Joppa were populated by both Jews and Gentiles and their Christian communities may well have been mixed. The conclusion of many of the commentators is that Sauls conversion was a much longer process than I see reflected in this account, or in any other. (Acts 9:11)? It was as the Son of God that Christ was revealed to him on the Damascus road (Gal. 2 Cor. . In this chapter we have, I. Why did Saint Paul change his 1:2; 2 Tim. This would mean that the Gospel isnt as good as we thought it was and that God violates the law of double jeopardy where He punishes the same sin twice. All rights reserved. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The words and actions of Ananias are an evidence of his faith and obedience to the divine commission he was given, as outlined by Luke in the verses above. 8 Is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 harsh? After that Saul was welcomed by the Christians and he preached freely in and around Jerusalem. 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. (2) While there is considerable emphasis on the conversion of Saul, there is very little detail given as to the precise time or the details of Sauls conversion. 137 The Way is a designation for the new movement used several times in Acts 9:19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22; cf. The salvation of Saul was to result in the gospel being preached to distant people and lands, and in the extension of the church to many key cities. It is not just in the Book of Acts that the importance of Sauls conversion is evident. NKJV, Ancient-Modern Bible, Comfort Print: One faith. It was his preaching that resulted in the conversion of many Gentiles, and it was his writing (his epistles) to these saints which greatly strengthened them in their faith. One thing was certain; no matter how much time had passed, the apostles were not yet convinced of Sauls conversion. This blindness was only removed by faith in Christ, a miracle brought about by divine action: In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see (Isaiah 29:18). Imagine for a moment that this is the week of Sauls arrival at Damascus. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day (2 Timothy 1:8-12). It would seem not to be there on the road to Damascus. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? 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. He who had wanted to kill these saints now wanted to fellowship with them. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 3 And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who art Thou, Lord?139 And He said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but rise, and enter the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. 7 And the men who traveled with him140 stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one.141 8 And Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.142 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Paul would make much more of this point in the first chapter of Galatians. In 2 Corinthians 11:32 Paul speaks of an ethnarch of Aretas, the king of the Nabataean Arabs, who guarded the city to prevent him escaping from it. 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). But the gospel is good news for sinners. Suppose you were a Christian who had just arrived in Damascus, and you had been able to learn the whereabouts of a group of believers. * [9:3143] In the context of the period of peace enjoyed by the community through the cessation of Pauls activities against it, Luke introduces two traditions concerning the miraculous power exercised by Peter as he was making a tour of places where the Christian message had already been preached. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead (Isaiah 59:10). He sent me so that you can Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 13But Ananias replied, Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones* in Jerusalem.k After this, Saul broke his fast and was strengthened. Jesus was alive and not still in the grave! And so, Saul asked the LORD who He was. 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. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. He was, indeed, Stephens replacement. called for him to be slapped. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9:5). Though I have fallen, I will rise. What is remarkable about the Lord's directions to Ananias? Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. 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). 36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated means Dorcas). 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). 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. Yes, Lord, he answered. Who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. He started NOW to trust God. The laying on of Ananias hands was also an expression of unity, as was the later right hand of fellowship extended by some of the apostles to Saul (Galatians 2:9). 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. 148 I would assume that Saul was one of those who covered his ears so as not to hear the praise of Stephen, as reported in Acts 7:57. 10. the Romans . 1:11--2:10; Ephesians 3:1-13; cf. WebActs 9:10-18 Ananias. Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight,. Frequent biblical texts speak of God in terms of light: You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game (Psalm 76:4). Why was Saul (later called Paul) going to Damascus? It strikes many readers as harsh, a return to Old Testament retribution. 30 But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. They, not unlike Ananias, were very reluctant to have anything to do with this Christian killer. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! The children will practice being giving and friendly with someone that they do not know. Could it be that God had also appointed someone to meet Saul as he entered the city, with specific instructions as to where he was to stay? It was irresistible argument and spread consternation among the Jews. 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. What Ananias didnt know is that Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Blaiklock, for example (pp. 17(K)And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and (L)laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord [c]Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and (M)be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. The details of what was said and done when Ananias arrived are fuzzy. We do not know the exact time when Saul was saved. Preachers working through the narrative lectionary with their congregations, then, will do well to explore this passage in detail in order to establish the character of Paul well for the second half of Acts (Acts 13-28; see how this role is foreshadowed in 9:15), which shifts the focus from the ministry of the Twelve in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to his role in taking the gospel throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and even to Rome (see Acts 1:8). sOGOSapQ3[y~@9W 7 Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? First, there are problems which appear to be serious. 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. All of this account describes the two complementary divine visions which Ananias and Saul received. Elsewhere in Acts, such as with the apostles, Stephen and Philip, the message of the gospel was underscored by signs and wonders which accompanied the message. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Saul Visits Jerusalem. When Saul stood up, he discovered he was completely blind, and the men who were with him had to lead him by his hand until they reached Damascus. There will be no more night. Were these people as eager as Saul to destroy the church? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. (14) There is an interesting symmetry or parallel between the conversion of Saul and the conversion of Cornelius. 2, called him Ananias ben Nebedeus. The message which Saul received was not only a call to salvation, but a divine call to ministry. In other words a beginning point for narrating Acts 9:1-19 could be with Ananias knowledge of Saul as a persecutor, which he expresses in verse 13. Saul was knocked to the ground and confronted with the reality that hed been working against God rather than helping God. on it belonged to the Roman province of Syria, but had a measure of municipal autonomy in the loose federation of cities called the Decapolis. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 181. His acceptance by the latter was finally brought about through his friendship with Barnabas (Acts 9:27). The expansion is three-fold: (1) The expansion from Christ, to His apostles, to His church, (2) The geographical expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. 150 It is interesting to ponder the identity of these disciples of Saul. If he were viewed as a reactionary, a trouble-maker, perhaps there were some unbelievers who thought Saul was too much trouble. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.. Those whose lives Saul would gladly have taken in his unsaved days now sought to save his life by sending him away. Even if he were not one of these men, he would surely have hated to hear the gospel. It was evidently a term used by the early followers of Jesus to denote their movement as the way of life or the way of salvation. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 181. The call to salvation is also the call to a life of holiness and obedience. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast (Galatians 2:8-9). We can overcome our fears if, like Ananias, we trust that Jesus is directing the preaching work, 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. They may have been attempting to compile a list of known (and even suspected) Christians, along with addresses, to facilitate Sauls task. Ananias would have lost a human beings greatest privilege, of being an agent of the Lord (like an angel of the Lord). The two messages cannot be reconciled. The pastor advised him to pray for the person every day for two weeks pray for the person not about the person. Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. When Ananias placed his hands on Saul he was filled with the Holy Spirit, healed of his blindness, received water baptism, and began to eat and regain his strength. But everyone can pray for and with those who have scorned the church and are scorned by the church. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. But then the preacher can continue that even though Ananias didnt know about Sauls epiphany, he did as the Lord told him anyway. How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move 10i There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. He answered, Here I am, Lord. Both are call stories. Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Unexpected and mysterious ELW 258 All are welcome ELW 641, Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics. The Creator of the universe specifying the name of a street and the house in one of His planets. . What do you suppose the saints would have prayed at this special prayer meeting? 00:00. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. * [9:13] Your holy ones: literally, your saints.. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness (Micah 7:8-9). Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse 5:3-4). In order to have both, they pretended to give the full price of the sale of their property to the apostles. Who told Saul to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street? While Paul may not have brought about the execution of all those whom he arrested, including women as well as men (verse 2), verse 1 strongly suggests that this was his desire and ambition. sunodia, Luke 2:44). F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), fn. Gods promises and purposes would not be stopped by this madman, Saul. The message of the gospel, to be sure, is always the same, but the approach is not.

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