After that Saul was welcomed by the Christians and he preached freely in and around Jerusalem. He goes for broke. Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? What a terrible revelation this isthat all are sinners, even the best, the most religious, the most righteous! Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. 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? Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. . Ananias 3On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.c The Diocese of Rochester In America 1868-1993. It is impossible to overestimate the worth to the student of Christianity of this event from every angle because we have in Pauls Epistles his own emphasis on the actual appearance of Jesus to him as the fact that changed his whole life (1 Cor. 28 And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. In His coming as the light, those who come to the light become lights to the world themselves: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2). My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever, says the Lord. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) No one, it would seem, was even thinking of what God was about to do. How much better to petition God to save those whom we are concerned about, a God who desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). After this incident with Paul we hear no more Three times in the Book of Acts it is reported, the first time in the third person (he) by Luke (Acts 9:1-31), the second time in the first person (I) by the apostle, as he spoke to his Jewish unbelieving brethren in defense of his ministry (Acts 22:1-21), and the third time, again in the first person, as his personal testimony to King Agrippa, Festus, and Bernice (Acts 26:1-23). Here, Saul was only told that it was Jesus whom he saw, who was speaking to him, and whom he was persecuting. The account of Ananias and Saul is found in Acts chapter He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell from Sauls eyes. Why did Saint Paul change his The call of salvation is a call to holiness, and to obedience, and to fellowship, with God and with our fellow-believers. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). He sent me so that you can We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Think about what happened as a result of this man overcoming his fear and obeying God. 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 Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Jesus words, Why are you persecuting Me?, clearly implied that Sauls persecution of the church was a persecution of the Lord. 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). ACTS 9:27 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. 15:10; Gal. It is difficult to estimate the amount of resistance Ananias would have had to this divine instruction to receive Saul as a brother in the Lord. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. To persecute them was to persecute Him. Ananias . He got up and was baptized, 132 The impact of Sauls conversion on his message and his ministry is testified to by A. T. Robertson: Luke evidently attached great importance to the story of Sauls conversion as the turning point not simply in the career of the man, but an epoch in the history of apostolic Christianity. 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? For the remainder of this essay, I will pursue the second option. 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:4-11). WebAnanias placed his hands upon Saul who received the Holy Spirit and the restoration of his sight. The emphasis in the account is on Paul as a divinely chosen instrument (Acts 9:15). In Pauls speech in Acts 22, he describes Ananias as a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews that dwelt in Damascus (Acts 22:12). (1) There is considerable emphasis given to Sauls conversion in the Book of Acts. 136. A man who, along It is not clear Perhaps nowhere else is the radical change (of conversion) in Pauls life153 more readily evident than in his attitude toward the saints. He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell from Sauls eyes. Who was Ananias that help Saul in the Bible to regain his sight? WebAnanias was afraid of Saul. And because Saul is welcomed into the church, he is sent out by the church. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. also 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 11:32-33; cf. Jesus was LORD and not a false prophet! 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. 87-89), plays out the two views of Sauls conversion, the first (and seldom held the view of Ramsay), that Saul was suddenly and radically converted; second, that there was a considerable process involved. Linking is encouraged, but content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed including, but not limited to such means as framing or other digital copying and/or distribution method, in whole or in part without the publisher's written consent. Ananias and Saul. 2 Corinthians 4:14; cf. 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). The second evidence of Sauls conversion was in his bold proclamation of his newly found faith in Jesus as the Messiah. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. In the process, Saul was to greatly extend the outreach of the gospel to the Gentiles. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. also 2:14-17; 3:12-18; 4:1-18; 5:17-21; 6:13--7:1; Galatians 1:13-17; cf. Saul was the bad guy. No one could fault the reluctance of Ananias. About three hours later, Sapphira arrived. As he himself understood the heavenly voice which said to him at his baptism, You are my Son (Mark 1:11 par. 28He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. 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). 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. Saul We know from Romans 7, for example, that Paul had struggles in his spiritual walk. (6) Sauls salvation was a conversion, a radical change. The expansion is three-fold: (1) The expansion from Christ, to His apostles, to His church, (2) The geographical expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. * [9:119] This is the first of three accounts of Pauls conversion (with Acts 22:316 and Acts 26:218) with some differences of detail owing to Lukes use of different sources. Luke 3:22), it expressed his unique relationship and fellowship with the Father. Ibid. Ananias restores Saul's sight - Catholic Courier SAUL WebAnd Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me (Acts 26:18). 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. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. There may well have been a long time between Sauls conversion and his arrival at Jerusalem. Sauls vision prepared him for the arrival of Ananias, clearly indicating that he was the one God had appointed to reveal His will for him. Our text presents Saul as a man who was not only running from God, but one who was actively opposing Him. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow-citizens with the saints, and are of Gods household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22). ,/1Xa} V=
endstream
endobj
133 0 obj
634
endobj
94 0 obj
<<
/Type /Page
/Parent 88 0 R
/Resources 95 0 R
/Contents [ 98 0 R 100 0 R 102 0 R 104 0 R 122 0 R 124 0 R 126 0 R 129 0 R ]
/MediaBox [ 0 0 792 612 ]
/CropBox [ 0 0 792 612 ]
/Rotate 0
>>
endobj
95 0 obj
<<
/ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB ]
/Font << /F1 109 0 R /F3 106 0 R /F4 107 0 R /F6 118 0 R /F7 116 0 R >>
/XObject << /Im1 127 0 R >>
/ExtGState << /GS1 131 0 R /GS2 130 0 R >>
/ColorSpace << /Cs5 96 0 R >>
>>
endobj
96 0 obj
[
/CalRGB << /WhitePoint [ 0.9505 1 1.089 ] /Gamma [ 2.22221 2.22221 2.22221 ]
/Matrix [ 0.4124 0.2126 0.0193 0.3576 0.71519 0.1192 0.1805 0.0722 0.9505 ] >>
]
endobj
97 0 obj
1512
endobj
98 0 obj
<< /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 97 0 R >>
stream
The children will practice being giving and friendly with someone that they do not know. 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. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 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. Israels watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep (Isaiah 43:8-10). 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). I am not at all sure how this can be determined from the text. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Under the influence of this experience he gradually developed his understanding of justification by faith (see the letters to the Galatians and Romans) and of the identification of the Christian community with Jesus Christ (see 1Cor 12:27). He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell from Sauls eyes. If the blinding of Saul was a major turning point in his life, so was the blinding of Bar-Jesus. Theologically, we know this as the doctrine of mans total depravity.151 Paul surely believed that it was essential for men to begin with the understanding of their own sin, for in his Epistle to the Romans, he took the first two and one-half chapters to prove that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). 18Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Barnabas, one of the Christians, assured them Sauls faith was genuine. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15). Saul, like Stephen, spoke with such power and authority that his opponents could not refute him. 20and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. To both Ananias (Acts 9:10) and Saul (Acts 9:12). Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. It was, of course, Ananias who instructed Saul to be baptized, calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). In 47 B.C. 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 It was due to the intervention of Barnabas, a man who would prove to be a lifetime friend of Paul, that the apostles risked a meeting with him and then granted him the freedom to associate with the saints in Jerusalem. See Appendix B for information on Sauls Theology in the Book of Romans. Bible Hub It is not just in the Book of Acts that the importance of Sauls conversion is evident. * [9:1930] This is a brief resume of Pauls initial experience as an apostolic preacher. This Paul knew and testified to. For all the saints. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. A devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, Saul was a member of the Pharisees and was taught by none other than Gamaliel, whom we have already met (Acts 5:34-40). 1* Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,a went to the high priestb What is the significance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lords freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christs slave. All of these should be expected and can be rather easily explained. But Saul only became bolder in his preaching. The words of Jesus, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? related by Luke with no variation in all three accounts, exerted a profound and lasting influence on the thought of Paul. The New International Version It is the invitation for sinful Israelites to be saved, by repenting and calling on the name of the Lord for salvation: Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Only a radical conversion can produce this attitude in the life of a man like Saul: For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:8). Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight,. The voice from heaven did not call out, Have you ever heard of the four spiritual laws?152 Ananias was sent to Saul only. What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:7). To the church, Saul turned out to be a friend, a fellow-believer, in fact, a flaming evangelist, who proclaimed Christ more clearly and powerfully than anyone had previously done in Damascus.