(For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see Teaching from the Scriptures, p. The Book of Galatians is but one example of this. (1) Sauls salvation was the salvation of a sinner. What is remarkable about the Lord's directions to Ananias? 10. The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 21All who heard him were astounded and said, Is not this the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who call upon this name, and came here expressly to take them back in chains to the chief priests? Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell their property? l. [9:14] 9:12; 26:10; 1Cor 1:2; 2Tm 2:22. But everyone can pray for and with those who have scorned the church and are scorned by the church. Discuss 2 ways in which Paul suffered as an apostle 5:3-4). Just as Saul was stopped short by his blindness, so was Bar-Jesus. 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. WebActs 9:1. 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. 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. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9:5). 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. All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus followers What did Ananias's do to heal Paul's eyes? 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). Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. This old city is the most enduring in the history of the world (Knowling). 16and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name. Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. Were they some of those converted to Christ through his preaching? \4Q-b24Q-z U`E(O42. 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. * [9:43] The fact that Peter lodged with a tanner would have been significant to both the Gentile and Jewish Christians, for Judaism considered the tanning occupation unclean. The Diocese of Rochester In America 1868-1993. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. With this backdrop in place, the preacher can now focus on two movements of Ananias part of this story: his vision and conversation with the Lord (verses 10-16) and his laying hands on Saul leading to Sauls baptism (verses 17-19). remark on the symmetry with which Luke sets forth the two stories: The simultaneous preparation of the hearts of Ananias and of Saul, and the simultaneous preparation of those of Peter and Cornelius,the questioning and hesitation of Peter and the questioning and hesitation of Ananias,the one doubting whether he might make friendship with the Gentiles, the other doubting whether he might approach the enemy of the Church,the unhesitating obedience of each when the Divine will was made known,the state of mind in which both the Pharisee and the centurion were found,each waiting to see what the Lord would say to them,this close analogy will not be forgotten by those who reverently read the two consecutive chapters. Saul asked.I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, he replied. He got up and was baptized, He didnt know that the risen Christ had confronted Saul on the road to Damascus just as Christ is now confronting him This sets up a flashback to verses 1-9. No one could fault the reluctance of Ananias. The answer to both questions is no. We dont know why Ananias is only mentioned once after Acts chapter nine. One moment, Saul was persecuting the church; shortly thereafter he was seeking to fellowship with the saints. 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. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God (John 3:19-21). Paul was overwhelmed by a flash of heavenly light. 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, Please come to us without delay. I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. 141 Compare this voice with that in John 12:29. (13) As Stephens death, instigated (or at least assisted) by Saul, resulted in an intense and widespread persecution of the churches in Jerusalem and elsewhere, so Sauls conversion seems to have been directly related to the return of peace (cf. Why do you think the street was named "Straight" WebAnd was Ana- nias still reluctant to help Saul after the Lord explained the situation to him? He sought to preach Christ in simplicity and not in a way that would detract from Him. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. Thus, he did not use the method of many others, which was man-centered, not Christ-centered: For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void. I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. Have you had such an encounter? Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. For it was the Fathers good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him (Colossians 1:13-19). a conversion of will, intellect, and emotion, which dictated the abiding purpose and direction of his subsequent life and activity. 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. The pastor advised him to pray for the person every day for two weeks pray for the person not about the person. Ananias the high priest brought charges against Paul and If the blinding of Saul was a major turning point in his life, so was the blinding of Bar-Jesus. When Ananias 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he * [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. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. 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. The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. 23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. While Saul in solitude at the house of Judas continued in prayer and supplication, the Lord appeared in a vision to a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias, telling him that Saul of Tarsus was praying and in need of help. Amen (Romans 11:33-36). What happened when Ananias anointed Saul? They could not prove him wrong from the Scriptures. The longer I study Sauls conversion, the more convinced I am that his conversion is typical. The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. He sent me so that you can * [9:13] Your holy ones: literally, your saints.. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end (Isaiah 60:20). 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). Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? At this point, the conversion of the hero of the Gentile mission is recounted. Ananias came to Saul with grace to liberate him from his wrong-headed beliefs and open his heart to Jesus. 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). Barnabas stood up for Saul and explained everything to the Jerusalem Christians. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16). . It is also bad news for the self-righteous. 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. 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. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 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. Indeed, God would reveal His sovereignty by using Saul to further the gospel, first by his opposition (which scattered the church and spread the gospel), and then by his conversion (which resulted in his powerful proclamation of Jesus as Messiah). Sauls conversion is a watershed event, catapulting the gospel to the Gentiles and to more distant places. And if Sauls blindness led to his own conversion, at least the blinding of Bar-Jesus contributed to the conversion of the proconsul (and perhaps too his own conversionwho knows?). He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent (Psalm 104:2). Their story is rarely shown in art, but is the subject of one of the Raphael Cartoons, and a panel on the Brescia Casket, both illustrated here. For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him. How can this message of suffering for Jesus' name in The light from heaven brought Saul to the ground. 143 . 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,* he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. 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. 28, p. 185. 136 E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Wm. 2:22, Acts 13:2; 22:21; Rom. A man who, along I believe that as Luke portrays Saul in Acts, it is as a prototype, a picture of Israel. 36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated means Dorcas). Ananias found As persecution was no longer needed to disperse the church and the gospel, peace was restored to the land. Then a voice said to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?, Saul asked the voice, Who are you, sir?, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 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. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NKJV, Chronological Study Bible: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word. WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. 14And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.l 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. 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. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead (Isaiah 59:10). The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was the first recorded sin in the newly organized church. The first evidence of Sauls conversion was his immediate identification with the church in Damascus. It is the very word that Luke will use in 16:10 of the conclusion reached at Troas concerning the vision of Paul. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). Shortly afterwards, the Lord spoke to a disciple named Ananias, asking him to go to Saul, place his hands on him, and restore his sight. Let us avoid cookie cutter conversions.. And yet while God had foretold the rebellion of Israel and their rejection, so He had also foretold of Israels restoration (cf. 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. Obedience is often not easy, but it is very likely the most direct way forward and the clearest way to honor God. sOGOSapQ3[y~@9W Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. The light was the light of His glory. Saul, as it were, saw the light, but in addition, he was to become a light, a light to the Gentiles, as well as to his own people. Second, the only result of this event shown in the Bible is that Saul received his sight. How old was Jesus when he was crucified? 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. Here is a graphic illustration of what true repentance isit is a turning about, beginning with ones belief and bearing fruit in ones conduct. Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers (Ephesians 4:11). 152 I do not mean to criticize the four laws of Campus Crusade, which have been used of God to bring many to faith in Christ. 140 They are called his sunodeuontes, `those who were in the caravan with Him (cf. 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). 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 9. 15:21). WebAnanias, had he disobeyed Christ, would not have helped Saul on that path in which he, as Paul the apostle, did so much, and suffered so much, for Christ. (8) The salvation of Saul made him a vital part of Christs body, the church. Second, we are not given enough information in the biblical text to solve them dogmatically. * 8 Although I am less than the least of all Gods people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 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. 10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. Ananiass vision was intended to direct him to the house of Judas and to Saul. After this incident with Paul we hear no more of him. 17) and the restoration of the man after the shattering experience he had known, and for the early ministry in Tarsus, Syria, Cilicia, and Antioch, which prepared mind and method for the major assault on the pagan world. 20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. 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. Acts 26:18). Even then he knew he wanted to live the life of a religious. According to Acts 9:10, Ananias was living in Damascus. Saul was not content to punish some and to drive the rest from the holy city. He did not want to merely contain Christianity or to drive it from Jerusalem; he wanted to rid the earth of Christianity and its followers. Both are call stories. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 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. 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. Ananias Get up and go to the street called Straight, to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. Sauls baptism followed, accompanied by his profession of faith, his calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). Q gJi\!2LITShA%)&bqd=/)@Eg*tttpt @V6wCAp{GyAGG9h d=u3zDca{y:&0}=!P`XX z;g3 {~paveta +w 8 Is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 harsh? 2 What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira?