Bible Commentaries

Acts 9:1-9

This is the story of one of those profoundly significant events in history, on which the whole complexion of future thought and the course of future progress turn. St. Paul is one of those Titanic figures of the past about whom everything was on the large scale, both for himself and for the world. Intellectually, his views of truth have become a fundamental statement of the creed of nineteen centuries; practically, he is the master empire-builder of the kingdom of God in the world. He laid hold upon the largest conceptions of his time—the Hebrew religion and the Roman Empire—and he transformed them into the Christian Church.

But it was not by the natural development of his genius that he did this. Up to a certain moment in his career his powers were running to waste, spending themselves in the most futile ways. At that moment something occurred which revolutionised his whole life, an upheaval of the very foundations of the man. The word "conversion" is sometimes so lightly used that many earnest people are inclined to avoid it. It often means simply the memory of an emotion, which has left the man without a master, and without a task. But the greatness of this man's nature ensured the thoroughness of the change in him. Such a man's conversion is a tremendous affair.

I. It is to the questions that Paul asked that day that we turn with even deeper interest. The first of them was, "Who art Thou, Lord?" He bad felt before that all this persecution, this harrying of people at once so blameless and so inflexible, was far too cheap and easy a solution. Behind the new faith lay some mysterious power, that was good and not evil, associated with the name of Jesus. But though he had often before asked the question who Jesus was, yet it had been prejudice which asked it, while now it was conscience. He had been aggravated by the power of the dead Nazarene who thwarted him at every turn. Who was Acts 9:3

What intensity of light, what brilliancy of vision, would be sufficient to change the belief and character of a modern man of the world or a professional politician? Paul had that in him which could be altered by the pathetic words of the Crucified One, "I am He whom thou persecutest". The man of the world or the politician would evade an appeal from the heaven of heavens, backed by the glory of seraphim and archangel.

—M. Rutherford, Miriam's Schooling, p118.

The Conversion of Saul

Acts 9:3-6

I. All who are brought into Christ's kingdom are not brought by the same agency, but in the case of Saul of Tarsus there was need of very special agency. There was need for some such vision as this, for the essential qualification of an Apostle was that he should be an eye and an ear witness of Jesus as risen from the dead.

II. Now, secondly, there can be no question that this visit was supernatural. God draws and man consents; God teaches and man learns; God gives and man accepts.

III. Then the third point of interest is this, that the conversion was sudden.

IV. Further, we have in this case an illustration of the necessity of conversion.

V. We have here an illustration of the uneasiness of the sinful lot.

VI. Here we have an illustration how the best and the most can be made of a man.

—G. Gladstone, Christian World Pulpit, vol. liv. p22.

Conversion of St. Paul

Acts 9:4-6

Of all the followers of Christ, surely none had a life so full of interest and none had so great influence for the cause of Christ as St. Paul.

I. The Apostle's Early Days.—We are told that he was born of God-fearing parents. He early learned to keep righteousness and to walk according to the Law. In his early days he showed great promise and he was sent to Gamaliel to be trained and educated. The education of those days was different to that of our days. There was a prejudice against the use of any books except the sacred writings. At a meeting of learned men some passage of the Scriptures was taken as a text and made the subject of their conversation. Various interpretations were given, allegories were told and suggested, and the ancient writings on the subject quoted. At this discussion young students were present to listen and to ask questions, and it is probable that from this system of education St. Paul acquired his power of argument and his fluency of speech. We do not know of the social position of St. Paul's parents. It is not possible to say whether they lived in affluent circumstances or whether they were people of humble origin. St. Paul speaks of his trade as being that of a tent-maker, but this does not necessarily imply that he had to labour with his hands for his living, for it was the custom amongst the Jews that every boy should be taught a trade.

II. His Conversion.—The stoning of St. Stephen no doubt was a turning-point in the life of St. Paul. Augustine says that the Church owes St. Paul to the prayer of St. Stephen at that time. The spectacle of so much constancy, so much faith, so much love, could not possibly be lost. St. Paul went his way, but conscience began to work within him. To drown his conscience he took up the cause of persecution, and sought for letters patent to enable him to go to Damascus to arrest those he found of this Way, whether they were men or women, and commit them to prison. But he could not go on like this for ever. He could not for ever stifle his conscience. In the very midst of his work, as he was journeying to Damascus, the Lord met him, and his conversion changed the whole course of his life. Instead of persecuting Christians, he was to teach the faith which once he denied.

III. His Ministry.—Immediately after we find St. Paul going forth and speaking to the people of Damascus, proving that this was the very Christ. But he could not remain in Damascus. As soon as the Jews got over their first astonishment at seeing this Acts 9:10

Me. Robert Hichens in The Holy Land (1910 , p82) says: "The Acts 9:15-16

It is laid in the unalterable constitution of things: none can aspire to act greatly, but those who are of force greatly to suffer.

—Burke.

Acts 9:16

Luther wrote on10th July, 1518 , to Wenceslaus Link of Nürnberg: "... But I hope I am a debtor to Jesus Christ, who perhaps says to me also: "I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake". For if He does not say that, why has He placed me in the invincible office of this word? or why did He not teach me something else that I should say? This was His holy will. The more they threaten, the more I trust; my wife and my children are provided for; my fields, my house, my whole substance are all disposed of; my glory and fame already vanished. One thing only remains—this weak and broken little body. If they destroy that, they will perhaps rob me of an hour or two of life, but they will not take away the soul. I sing with John Reuchlin, "He who is poor has naught to fear, for nothing can he lose, but he is joyful in hope, because he expects to gain"."

—Enders, Luther's Briefwechsel, vol1. p211.

References.—IX:16.—J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons (9th Series), p48. Bishop Westcott, Preacher's Magazine, vol. iv. p36. Archbishop Alexander, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lviii. p10. IX:18.—Expositor (5th Series), vol. vi. p252; ibid. (7th Series), vol. vi. p188. IX:19-22.—Ibid. (6th Series), vol. viii. p231. IX:19-25.—Ibid. vol. i. p78. IX:20-22.—Ibid. (7th Series), vol. v. p204. IX:23-25.—Ibid. vol. x. p351. IX:26-28.—F. D. Maurice, The Acts of the Apostles, p137.

The Man of Generosity

Acts 9:26-27

Barnabas is one of those minor characters of Scripture who at once gain and lose by their proximity to a greater figure. He gains doubtless much from his relation to the gigantic figure of Paul, for it was in company with him that his best work was done. And yet, perhaps, he suffers more; for the friend with whom he walks is so colossal that we forget all when we see him.

Barnabas suffers more than this. He is known as the man who quarrelled with the great Apostle. The two men differed about Mark and parted, so far as we know, not to meet on earth. The Bible says nothing of the right and wrong of that quarrel. It states the matter impartially, and leaves us to draw our own conclusions. But our sympathies naturally go with the man we like best, and Barnabas has had less than justice from the lovers of Paul. It has been said that he was weak and Paul strong, and that he was justly punished by his after obscurity. Or at best, it is said, both were wrong and both suffered.

For my part I take a different view. I think Barnabas was in the right in this quarrel. A study of the passages where he is mentioned in the New Testament will, I believe, show that, and show that his motives there as elsewhere were of a noble kind. These passages are mainly three. There Acts 9:31

The history of the nineteenth century cannot be concluded in the words, "Then had the Churches rest". Unquestionably there are numbers within them who have found rest... Undoubtedly there are numbers of men whose reflections are naturally directed into healthy and spiritual channels, and are undisturbed by the seethe and turmoil of the age. We are, however, engaged not in considering our age as a whole, but one feature of it—that of unrest. And no one with any just appreciation of his day will deny that there are hundreds of men, and especially of young men, who might be giants in the cause of righteousness and purity, but who are inefficient because they find no solid ground beneath their feet.

—T. J. Hardy, The Gospel of Pain, pp24 , 25.

References.—IX:31.—Archbishop Benson, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xlvi. p182. Expositor (4th Series), vol. iv. p89; ibid. (6th Series), vol. vii. p92. IX:32-35.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxii. No1315. IX:34.—Brooke Herford, Courage and Cheer, p178. IX:36.—A. H. Bradford, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xliv. p28.

Acts 9:36; Acts 10:4

Compare Charlotte Bronte's criticism of Miss Kavanagh's Women of Christianity: "She forgets, or does not know, that Protestantism is a quieter creed than Romanism; as it does not clothe its priesthood in scarlet, so neither does it set up its good women for saints, canonise their names, and proclaim their good works. In the records of man, their almsgiving will not perhaps be registered, but heaven has its account as well as earth."

References.—X:1.—A6. Mortimer, The Church's Lesson for the Christian Year, pt. iii. p80. Expositor (5th Series), vol. iv. p194. X:2.—Christianity in Daily Conduct, p31. X:2-4.—Expositor (5th Series), vol. ix. p219. X:3.—Ibid. (6th Series), vol. iv. p448.