146 It is possible, however, to understand the expression, Brother, as referring to Saul only as a fellow Jew. 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). He goes for broke. WebWe can understand why Ananias would be afraid of Saul. Paul recognized that his ministry was that of bringing the light to those who were lost, including the Gentiles, kings, and his fellow-Israelites: For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:47). 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. 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. Paul experienced many hardships in his travels, and he was frequently thrown into jail for preaching about Jesus. 143 . Pauls hatred for Christ and His followers was common knowledge. 1:15; Eph. 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). Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations (Isaiah 51:4). The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The Diocese of Rochester In America 1868-1993. Perhaps nowhere else is the radical change (of conversion) in Pauls life153 more readily evident than in his attitude toward the saints. 1:11, Acts 20:23; 2 Cor. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. 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. No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the Why were Ananias and Sapphira killed on the spot? The Lord Jesus appeared to Ananias in a vision. Now this would have been a very bitter pill to swallow for many Jewish Christians. 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. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped (Isaiah 35:5). It is a miraculous, dramatic reversal, first of ones beliefs, and then of ones behavior. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Why do you think the street was named "Straight" 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 59:15b60:13). many pulpits today promise to those who will follow Jesus? Saul was received as a true believer, as a brother.146 The laying on of Ananiass hands, however, was a distinct act of identification with Saul. He started NOW to trust God. (1 Corinthians 9:1). And yet while God had foretold the rebellion of Israel and their rejection, so He had also foretold of Israels restoration (cf. Saul, the typical (albeit more zealous) Jew, opposed God in the person of Christ and His body, the church, even while he thought he was serving Him. Grace is also the source and the standard for our service: Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person (Colossians 4:6). Ananias fulfills his task: He laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain Pauls experience was not visionary but was precipitated by the appearance of Jesus, as he insists in 1Cor 15:8. Sauls conversion was to play a crucial role in the expansion of the gospel. 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. Perhaps so, but I am not as confident of this as I once was. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? The common characteristics of conversion are those on which I would like to focus in the conversion of Saul. Then he 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). And yet, even in opposing God, he furthered Gods purposes; he was instrumental in the evangelization of the Gentiles (Acts 8:1, 4; 11:19-21). 43* r And he stayed a long time in Joppa with Simon, a tanner. Obedience is often not easy, but it is very likely the most direct way forward and the clearest way to honor God. Copyright 2019-2023 USCCB, please review our Privacy Policy. Let us not fail to respect the individuality of the conversion experience and to deal with people in the light of their individuality. All rights reserved. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. Hear, you deaf! What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? . He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent (Psalm 104:2). This three-fold repetition is a clear indication of the importance of this event, especially in the themes Luke is seeking to develop in the Book of Acts. The splendid deliberateness with which God forged His human tool is the great lesson of these years. That is all we know about Ananias - the small but essential part he played at the start of Paul's pilgrimage of faith. They could not out-argue him. Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. 1:15). A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 114. Jesus words, Why are you persecuting Me?, clearly implied that Sauls persecution of the church was a persecution of the Lord. . 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. We can learn more about his life in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and we can still read some of the letters he wrote that have been collected into the Bible, such as Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. Word was out that Saul would soon be arriving. 1* Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,a went to the high priestb 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). Sauls conversion was a miracle, short and simple, but not so much the result of the external miracle of the bright light and the voice of the Lord as the internal transformation and illumination which God wrought: 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man (Galatians 1:15-16). In this chapter we have, I. The emphasis in the account is on Paul as a divinely chosen instrument (Acts 9:15). It is no wonder then that this one who was Sauls all in all would be the focus, the substance, of the gospel which he preached: But we preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. (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. Pauls conversion is one of the great stories of the early church, and it has rightfully inspired Christians from every generation. (2) Sauls salvation was exclusively the work of a sovereign God. With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith (2 Thessalonians 1:11). I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18). 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). 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? Ananias Laid Hands on Paul Ananias did as the Lord commanded and went to Sauls house and laid his hands on him. (what was bad was that they lied about the amount). 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. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was 2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. He trusted that Christ had a future purpose for Saul (verse 15) even though Sauls past as he knew it seemed to point toward a different future. Say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says. 5 And whether they listen or fail to listenfor they are a rebellious housethey will know that a prophet has been among them. Or did they somewhat dread his arrival, knowing how zealous he was in his opposition to the church. Jesus was LORD and not a false prophet! As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. While at first he thought he might have to correct God, in the end he submitted himself and his very life to Gods call. Those things in which Saul would have formerly trusted for his standing before God, he saw in an entirely different light after God found him and saved him: 4b If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. When we look at Pauls great love and compassion for the saints, we have to remind ourselves of the hate he once had toward them. 2. It was just such a miracle which gave Saul his spiritual sight, as he received back his physical sight. I can believe the saints who gathered to pray would have prayed for the protection of the church in Damascus and for the safety of individual saints, especially the leaders and the most visible Christians. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. When the man asked why he should do this, the pastor said, I dont believe anyone can continue hating someone when they have consistently prayed for that person to be blessed by God. For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:17-18; cf. When one looks at all the references to this event, it was, in fact, a personal appearance of the risen, glorified Jesus to Saul (cf. There are two primary options for preaching from this text. When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple (vs. 26). This man who had formerly cringed at the preaching of the gospel148 was now proclaiming the same message. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.. Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? Saul immediately began to preach about the Son of God in the synagogues. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. Over and over in his epistles, Paul spoke of salvation in terms of radical change. 28, p. 185. also 16:17; 18:25-26). 5 How did God use Ananias in the New Testament? 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?. Dont let it trouble youalthough if you can gain your freedom, do so. What can you say about Christianity when its most outspoken and zealous opponent suddenly claims to have seen the risen Christ, and to have trusted in Him as the Messiah? WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. 35And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. God then used this man to further His purposes in launching the career of the most influential of the apostles. He realized that it was nothing which he had donenor ever would dobut only by what Jesus Christ had done that saved him. by the sin of Adam. The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Matthew 4:16). 14And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.l Third, these discrepancies may well have been evident to the writers, who did not see fit to remove or explain every problem. What happened to Straight Street since then? 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. The blinding of Bar-Jesus thus seems to be the second major turning point in the ministry of Paul. I was inclined to think that most of us, experientially, are called to faith in Christ only to gradually learn Gods will for our life, progressively revealed to us as we walk in Him. It lay within the jurisdiction of the Roman province of Syria, and it formed part of the Decapolis, a league of self-governing cities. WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. The famous story of St. Pauls conversion from being an outrageous persecutor of the gospel of Christ to be an illustrious professor and preacher of it. They do not understand the gospel well enough. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Corinthians 15:8-11). But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children (1 Thessalonians 2:7). The Book of Galatians is but one example of this. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, Chapter 9. His conversion was the beginning of a life-long process of maturing and growth in the Lord. Thus, whenever he spoke of his conversion and his call to ministry, he always spoke of this incident as an act of divine grace, of Gods unmerited favor, of an act of mercy toward him: I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:15-16). sight. What Paul learned about himself, personally, on the road to Damascus he came to understand and to preach concerning all men. This old city is the most enduring in the history of the world (Knowling). It was, of course, Ananias who instructed Saul to be baptized, calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). Who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He did not say that God revealed his Son to him, but that He revealed His Son in him. 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. He also warned those who would corrupt grace, to make it a pretext for sin (cf. The Church at Peace. A man who, along 41He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. 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). In Galatians 1, Saul wrote that God had called him while he was still in his mothers womb (Galatians 1:15). >zZ0y^C{tg . Ananias is not the last believer who has seen fit to keep God up to date (The Storytellers Companion to the Bible: The Acts of the Apostles). 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. He was, indeed, Stephens replacement. He has sovereignly chosen to use people to lead people to salvation, Spirit baptism, deliverance, and healing. 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one.g How true are two of the proverbs, which read: The mind of a man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9). Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. When he found him, he "laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'" 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). 150 It is interesting to ponder the identity of these disciples of Saul. To persecute them was to persecute Him. . If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Matthew 15:14; cf. For less than $5/mo. I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. 10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. 9:31). WebWhy was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? All of these should be expected and can be rather easily explained. Amen (1 Timothy 6:16). The passage which we are studying can be divided into these major segments: We will begin this lesson by making some general observations concerning this account of Sauls conversion,134 after which we will examine the sequence of events leading up to Sauls conversion, the events surrounding his conversion, and the consequences of his conversion as depicted by Luke. Instead, he became the first believer to minister to Saul. 129 The history of Damascus goes back to remote antiquity. He amazed everyone because they knew he was speaking the same words as the people he had been persecuting. 12and [in a vision] he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay [his] hands on him, that he may regain his sight. Rather, he sought the arrest, trial, conviction, and punishment (with imprisonment the norm and death the ideal, it would seem) of those in Jerusalem. WebAnanias, I am sure. 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. * [9:1930] This is a brief resume of Pauls initial experience as an apostolic preacher. 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. Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? It was surely fear (reverence), among other things, which prompted this. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. Perhaps Ananias called a meeting of the church to discuss how they would deal with Sauls arrival. There is no story in Acts more important than Saul/Pauls call, his encounter with the risen Christ. After he put his hands on Saul, the Bible only records that Saul received his sight. 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). Blindness, not willing to see, not willing to understand is all too common but Ananias cured Saul blindness by a touch. We do not know the exact time when Saul was saved. The conversion of Saul, as depicted in our text, was not only a divine call to salvation, but it was also a call to service. The message of the gospel, to be sure, is always the same, but the approach is not. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Barnabas, one of the Christians, assured them Sauls faith was genuine. Who was Ananias that help Saul in the Bible to regain his sight. There may well have been a long time between Sauls conversion and his arrival at Jerusalem. 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. The church did not shrink or suffer for Sauls arrival, but it grew because of it. . I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 171. 138 Three times (8:3; 9:2; 22:4) this fact of persecuting women is mentioned as a special blot in Pauls cruelty (the third time by Paul himself) and one of the items in his being chief of sinners (1 Tim. 7 Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse After this incident with Paul we hear no more The Creator of the universe specifying the name of a street and the house in one of His planets. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. The first words spoken to Saul were, Saul, Saul, Why are you persecuting Me? (Acts 9:4). 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. Israel was called of God and set apart to proclaim the way of salvation to the Gentiles. 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. Webb Ananias was successful because he trusted Jesus and he viewed Saul as his brother. He became a priest himself in 1823. 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. 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. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray (Revelation 18:23). For you are our glory and joy (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. It strikes many readers as harsh, a return to Old Testament retribution. He spoke of salvation as dying to the old manner of living and as rising from the dead in order to live an entirely new life (Romans 6). . What changed about Saul/Paul after Jesus appeared to him? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. WebThe Conversion of Saul. 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. No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the One who spoke to him was Jesus of Nazareth, the long-looked-for Messiah, the Consolation and Redeemer of Israel. 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). * She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. What happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a result of lying to God? Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight (Acts 9:10-12). The LORD identified Himself as the Jesus, whom he had been persecuting. That Luke would narrate this conversion three times is testimony to the importance he attaches to it. The Lord told him, Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. called for him to be slapped. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Salvation is the miracle whereby God removes the blindness of sin and of Satan, whereby God replaces death with life. First, there are problems which appear to be serious. If the blinding of Saul was a major turning point in his life, so was the blinding of Bar-Jesus. Here Saul took the various items in the life of Jesus of Nazareth and found in them the proof that he was in reality the Messiah (ho Christos). It may be that Sauls conversion was the instrument God used to convert these followers of Saul, so that they really were his disciples, in a two-fold sense. Saul saw and heard the resurrected Christ. WebThe last time they saw Saul, he was arresting and killing Christians. 1:16f. Everyone is born in sin, and every part of their being is affected by sin (intellect, emotions, and will). Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! 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, At first Ananias was afraid because he knew how Saul persecuted the Christians, but the Lord said that Saul had a special ministry he must fulfill. After this incident with Paul we hear no more of him. During his conversion 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. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. Imagine for a moment that this is the week of Sauls arrival at Damascus.129 By this time Saul has gained a reputation as the ringleader of the movement to make Christianity extinct. Just as Saul was stopped short by his blindness, so was Bar-Jesus. How did God use Ananias in the New Testament? As I look at the problem, I believe several conclusions must be drawn. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along. Finally, we shall attempt to focus on the application of this passage to our own lives. God changed him from being a man who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and a persecutor of the Christians into a bold missionary who preached the Gospel wherever he went. The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. Sauls conversion is a watershed event, catapulting the gospel to the Gentiles and to more distant places. 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. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, He is the Son of God. 21 And all those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests? 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding147 the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
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