[Fri, 7 June] Acts 9:1-31 (842 words; 3/15)

Chapter 7 ended on a low note, to say the least. Stephen's death also introduced Saul, who is shown as approving of and superintending it. There follows a much happier chapter mainly following the activities of Stephen's colleague Philip. This showed that despite that trauma of Stephen's lynching, and the severe persecution that accompanied it, God prospered his people all the more. Now we return to Saul, where God shows again that his plan of salvation is invincible. This fierce murderer—who believes he is serving God—will literally be stopped in his tracks, and all that knowledge, training, and furnace of zeal will be put to the true service of God, that is, proclaiming the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Saul takes the initiative to ask the high priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that he might have the authority to extradite fugitive Christians back to Jerusalem. The right of extradition had been granted by the Romans some time ago, and reaffirmed by Julius Caesar, though it would only be recognised by the synagogues, not the local ruler. Thus Saul is there for Jerusalemite Christians, not natives of Damascus (cf. 26:11).

Jesus interrupts the travelling party. Normally in heavenly visions, the person falls to the ground in terror, and has to be reassured and even touched by the celestial being (e.g. Dan 10:8-9, 15-19; note v. 7 also). Jesus does not do this (though he will for John in Rev 1:17-18), because this is a confrontation. Saul asks, "Who are you, Lord?" The word 'lord' can simply mean 'sir' (e.g. Jn 12:21), but Saul must recognise he is in some way dealing with God. Yet he does not know who Jesus is. Jesus could reply in a number of ways e.g. "I am the Son of God" or "I am Jesus, the Messiah" etc. But instead he identifies himself with his people: "“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." (v. 5). Saul has found himself doing what Gamaliel warned the Sanhedrin not to do (5:39)!

Saul remains blind three days, and does not eat or drink. He is obviously stunned, but his thoughts and feelings must have been overwhelming, given how wrong he had been, and how much suffering he had caused because of it. Nevertheless, the Lord still speaks to him at least once, to show him that a man named Ananias will lay hands on him and restore his sight. We will see this sort of thing with Peter and Cornelius, where Peter is granted a strange vision, and is then told (by humans) that Cornelius is waiting for him, having being instructed by an angel to invite him. God leaves it in no doubt that it is he who is acting by so clearly coordinating these things.

Saul, having been restored and baptised (perhaps both by Ananias), immediately puts his wisdom to right use by proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God in the synagogues. And Saul grew even more powerful as he continued (v. 22). 

Inevitably, but also ironically, Saul follows in Stephen's footsteps, and his confrontations and unstoppable arguments (see 6:10) mark him out for death. The plan is simply to assassinate Saul. Perhaps a trial would have been too embarrassing, given how Saul had so recently been leading the charge against this new ‘way’. Certainly he would have made a formidable opponent in a court room, as we shall later see. The believers enable his escape, an episode he refers to in 2 Cor 11:32-33. This happens again in Jerusalem, where Saul goes next, so that the disciples must pack him off to Tarsus (v. 30). 

But before that, Luke brings back in Barnabas, who intercedes for the distrusted Saul, and will later become a mission companion. Also, although Luke does not relate it at this point, this appears to be when Saul is sent by Jesus to the Gentiles. Jesus had told Ananias that Saul was his "chosen instrument" to bring his name before the Gentiles (v. 15), but he did not tell Saul (or, at least, Luke does not say that he did). It is in a trance, while praying in the temple in Jerusalem, that Jesus—according to Paul's second telling of this story—says that he will send him "far away to the Gentiles" (22:17-21. I am assuming that 26:17-18 is Paul's compression of these events in his third telling of the story). This time in Jerusalem must also be that which Paul describes in Gal 1:18-19. The "three years" before going there must be the vague time reference of Acts 9:23.

Here Luke leaves off Saul's story to return to Peter and the next great stage of the church mission. After that, attention will return to Saul, who becomes Paul, and we will stay with him till the end of the book. 

But this amazing chapter, which once again demonstrates God's amazing power and mercy (and inscrutable design), has given all Christians ever after  the hope that if even such a one as Saul can be turned around—and used for God's purposes!—anyone can.