A certain church found itself suddenly without a pastor, and a search committee was formed. In due course it received a letter from a man applying for the vacant position. The committee chairman read:
“I am considered to be a good preacher, and I have been a leader in most of the places I have served. I have also done some writing on the side.
“I am over 50 years old, and while my health is not the best, I still manage to get enough work done to please any parish.
“As for references, I am somewhat handicapped. I have never preached anywhere for more than three years. And most of the churches I have preached in have been small, even though they were located in rather large cities. I had to leave some places because my ministry caused riots and disturbances. Even where I stayed, I did not get along too well with other religious leaders, which may influence the kind of references these places will supply. I have also been threatened and physically attacked. I have even gone to jail several times for my preaching.
“I am not particularly good at keeping records. I have to admit I don’t even remember all those whom I’ve baptized. However, if you can use me, I should be pleased to be considered. I feel sure I can bring vitality to your church.”
When the chairman finished reading the letter, the committee members were aghast. How could anyone think that a church like theirs would consider a man who was nothing but a troublemaking, absentminded, ex-jailbird? What was his name? “Well,” said the chairman, “the letter is signed Paul.” (Quoted by Richard N. Bolles in Reader’s Digest)
Church history is replete with accounts which highlight the marvelous power of the gospel to transform sinners. But no transformation is as remarkable, or has had such far-reaching implications for history, as the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. So significant an event was his conversion that Scripture records it no less than three times (cf. Acts 22:1–16; 26:4–18).
It is fitting that such a unique individual would have a unique conversion. Saul was by birth a Jew, by citizenship a Roman, by education a Greek, and purely by the grace of God a Christian (cf. Phil. 3:4–9). He was a missionary, theologian, evangelist, pastor, organizer, leader, thinker, fighter for truth, and lover of souls. Never has a more godly man lived, except our Lord Himself. The change of Saul’s name to Paul [which will be first reported in Acts 13:9] is not connected with his conversion; he continues having a right to both names, the first Jewish, the second Roman; Paul continues to call himself [and to be called] Saul until his ministry in Cyprus [13:9].( Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2099). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.)
The first two verses (of Acts 9) provide the chronological and geographical setting. More significantly, they picture the preconversion Paul, which contrasts radically with the picture of Paul after the encounter on the Damascus road. Acts 9:1 picks up the picture in 8:3. Paul was still the church’s number one enemy, still raging against it (Polhill, J. B. (2001). Vol. 26: Acts (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (233). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
Saul (his preconversion name), Luke notes in verse 1, was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.
Persecuting Christians consumed him; it had become his whole life. The very air he was breathing was that of threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. The word “murder” is significant. The fact that he had succeeded in having others (besides Stephen) put to death is certain (Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles (350). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House.).
The term disciples refers to all believers, not merely the twelve apostles. Every Christian is a follower of and learner from the Lord Jesus Christ. Saul wanted every one he could lay his hands on.
Hearing of a group of Christians in Damascus, Saul driven by deadly ambition and twisted religious zeal, went to the high priest, and as it says in Acts 9:2, asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. The high priest, in his capacity as president of the Sanhedrin. The Roman government allowed the Sanhedrin to exercise jurisdiction over Jews living outside of Palestine. Saul’s intention was to bring those who belonged to the Way to Jerusalem as captives, to be tried by the Sanhedrin. For that purpose he asked for credentials that would give him the authority to do so. He planned to go to the synagogues because that was where Jewish followers of Jesus would be worshiping. They were Jews who believed that their Messiah had come. They would not stop worshiping with their fellow Jews until it became clear that they (and Jesus’ name) were no longer welcome. (Balge, R. D. (1988). Acts. The People’s Bible (99). Milwaukee, Wis.: Northwestern Pub. House.).
Damascus, the ancient capital of Syria, had a large Jewish population. That is evidenced by the massacre of some ten to twenty thousand Jews in A.D. 66. Given the size of the Jewish population, there would have been several synagogues. (F. F. Bruce, The Book of the Acts [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971], 194).
Paul realized that from Damascus, the gospel of Christ would spread throughout the world. For that reason, he wanted to stop the influence of Christianity and asked the high priest for warrants to arrest Christians, both men and women, in the Damascus synagogues. He knew that among the worshipers in the local assemblies were countless followers of Jesus Christ. Here Paul intended to make multiple arrests (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 17: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Commentary (329–330). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
The disciples were not called Christians until Antioch (Acts 11:26). The terminology here refers to them as followers of the Way. The description of Christianity as the Way appears several times in Acts (19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). It apparently derives from Jesus’ description of Himself as “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The Way is an apropos title for Christianity, since it is the way of God (Acts 18:26), the way into the Holy Place (Heb. 10:19–20), and the way of truth (2 Peter 2:2) (Gangel, K. O. (1998). Vol. 5: Acts. Holman New Testament Commentary; Holman Reference (139). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
Having obtained the necessary papers, Saul and his entourage set out for Damascus. The normal route north and east would cause them to pass through Samaria. The revival there, led by Philip, Peter, and John, may have infuriated Saul all the more. With intense hostility he approached Damascus and the encounter that would turn his world upside down.
Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus was a dramatic one where he encountered Christ and this involved experiencing "The Light of His Presence". The remarkable conversion of Saul, in which he put his faith in the Savior he had been so viciously persecuting, unfolds in five phases: 1) contact (Acts 9:3), 2) conviction (Acts 9:4), 3) conversion (Acts 9:5), 4) consecration (Acts 9:6–8), and 5) communion (Acts 9:9)
1) Contact (Acts 9:3)
Acts 9:3 [3]Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. (ESV)
Please turn to Acts 22
Saul was still charging full speed for Damascus when he was suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. A light from heaven flashed around him, and Saul and his companions fell into the dirt (Acts 26:14). A light, proceeding from heaven flashed around him (ðåñéÞóôñáøåí [with which comp. ðåñéëÜìøáí, 26:13]), as sudden in its appearance, as powerful, and as dazzling as a flash of lightning. It is evident, however, that Luke does not mean, literally, a flash of lightning; the verb which he employs is only intended to compare that heavenly appearance to the lightning (Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Gotthard, V. L., Gerok, C., & Schaeffer, C. F. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures : Acts (163). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.).
Confronted with the appearance of the blazing glory of Jesus Christ, Saul, the hardened persecutor of Christians, was speechless with terror. There are three direct explicit records of Saul’s conversion. This one in Acts 9 is in narrative form. The other two (Acts 22:3-11; 26:2-18) are from Paul’s testimony:
Acts 22:3-11 [3]"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. [4]I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, [5]as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. [6]"As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. [7]And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ’Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ [8]And I answered, ’Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ’I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ [9]Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. [10]And I said, ’What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ’Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ [11]And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.
"Keep your place in Acts 22 for we will return to it"
Some have foolishly attempted to explain away Saul’s experience as the result of an epileptic seizure. That explanation is inadequate, even granting the dubious assumption that Saul was an epileptic.
No such seizure could account for the complete about-face Saul’s life took. Nor does it account for the fact that Saul’s traveling companions saw the light and heard the voice. For the rest of his life Saul offered only one explanation—he had in fact seen the risen, glorified Lord Jesus Christ.
Please turn now to Titus 3
Although He does not usually do it so dramatically, God always initiates the contact in salvation (cf. John 6:37, 44; 10:27–29; 17:2, 6, 9, 11, 24; 2 Cor. 4:6; Phil. 1:29; James 1:18). The Holy Spirit sovereignly arranged the circumstances leading to conversion. That is, necessary, since unbelievers, being dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1), cannot come to God on their own (cf. Rom. 3:10–12; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:4–10; Col. 2:13). Paul was sovereignly brought to the Light of God’s Presence and came to the realization of who He was though the work of the Holy Spirit on his heart and mind. Paul explained the process to Titus of how this Salvation is initiated by God:
Titus 3:3-5 [3]For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. [4]But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, [5]he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, (ESV)
2) Conviction (Acts 9:4)
Acts 9:4 [4]And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (ESV)
Lying on the ground, Saul heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” The repetition is emphatic, as elsewhere in Luke’s writings (cf. Luke 10:41; 13:34; 22:31). Here it marks a rebuke of Saul, intended to bring anguish of soul, so Saul would realize how wrong he had been, and guilt would overwhelm him. He was one who had hated Jesus Christ without cause (John 15:25).
• We live in an age where it is said that guilt is wrong to have. Coming to the Light of His Presence means that we realize just how sinful we are and needing his forgiveness.
Our Lord’s words “Why are you persecuting Me?” reflect the inseparable link between Himself, as head of the body, and its members. No blow struck on earth goes unfelt in heaven by our sympathetic High Priest. By persecuting Christians, Saul inflicted blows directly on their Lord.
Saul, who had been so violent, was violently brought face to face with the enormity of his crimes—not against Christians but against Christ. Even those who don’t persecute believers, but simply fail to love and trust Jesus Christ, are as guilty of crimes against Him as was Saul (Jn. 16:9; 1 Cor. 16:22).
3) Conversion (Acts 9:5)
Acts 9:5 [5]And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. (ESV)
It is apparent as well from ch. 9:17, 27, as from Saul’s own declarations (e. g. 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8), that he saw Jesus on this occasion, heard his voice, and spoke with him. And this did not occur in a dream; it was not exclusively an internal process in his soul; it was not the apparition of a spirit, but a real, visible and audible manifestation in the world of sense: Jesus appeared to Saul personally in his glorified corporeality, as true man, as the same Jesus, who had dwelt on earth, and who nevertheless appeared at this time from heaven in divine glory (Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Gotthard, V. L., Gerok, C., & Schaeffer, C. F. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures : Acts (165). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.).
Saul’s immediate response, “Who are you, Lord?” was a recognition of deity—he knew it was the Lord. Paul lying face down on the ground with brilliant light flashing around him and a heavenly voice calling to him in Aramaic—indicates that Paul realizes he is confronted by Jesus, the ascended Lord (see vv. 17, 27; 22:14; 26:15) (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 17: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Commentary (332). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
It is not hard to believe that he already knew the answer to this question as he asked it—Jesus was the Messiah, Christianity was true, the gospel was God’s truth, and he had been fighting God. When Saul heard the words “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,” "The light of His Presence" was confirmed in his soul and the gospel became positive. The Christian message he knew well, having debated it with Stephen. Jesus, whom he had believed dead, was obviously alive and obviously who He claimed to be. And the Lord reminded him at that moment how pointless and painful his efforts against Him were.
The New Testament reveals that Jesus in his glorified state appeared only four times. First, before his suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus appeared to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–8). Next, after his ascension, he showed himself to Stephen (7:55). Then he appeared to Paul near Damascus (9:1–9). And last, on the island of Patmos John saw the glorified Jesus coming to him on the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:9–20) (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 17: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Commentary (336). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
In Acts 26:14, Paul testified of His Conversion:
Acts 26:14 [14]And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ’Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ (ESV)
• To kick against the goads is a proverbial statement the Romans probably knew, meaning that one cannot ultimately resist God’s will. Goads were sharp sticks used to prod oxen, and if the oxen kicked in resistance, the drivers would keep them in line by using the goads more severely (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2140). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.).
• God draws people unto Himself at His appointed time. He shows them their falleness and through His love, calls them unto Himself. Although people may resist the general call unto salvation when the word is preached, when God directly calls upon the heart and mind through His Holy Spirit, His sovereign call is irresistible.
Illustration: A striking modern parallel to the narrative is Sundar Singh’s story of his own conversion after a period of bitter hostility to the gospel. Praying in his room in the early morning of December 18, 1904, he saw a great light. “Then as I prayed and looked into the light, I saw the form of the Lord Jesus Christ. It had such an appearance of glory and love. If it had been some Hindu incarnation I would have prostrated myself before it. But it was the Lord Jesus Christ whom I had been insulting a few days before.
I felt that a vision like this could not come out of my own imagination. I heard a voice saying in Hindustani, ‘How long will you persecute me? I have come to save you; you were praying to know the right way. Why do you not take it?’ The thought then came to me, ‘Jesus Christ is not dead but living and it must be He Himself.’ So I fell at His feet and got this wonderful Peace which I could not get anywhere else. This is the joy I was wishing to get. When I got up, the vision had all disappeared, but although the vision disappeared the Peace and Joy have remained with me ever since.” (B. H. Streeter and A. J. Appasamy, The Sadhu (London, 1921), pp. 6–8. )
4) Consecration (Acts 9:6–8)
Acts 9:6-8 [6]But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." [7]The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. [8]Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. (ESV)
The genuineness of Saul’s conversion immediately became evident. As we saw from Acts 22:10, we learn that he asked, “What shall I do, Lord?” Saul’s surrender was complete, as he humbly submitted himself to the will of the Lord he had hated. In contrast to the teaching of many today, Saul knew nothing of accepting Christ as Savior, then (Hopefully) making him Lord later. The plain teaching of Scripture is that Jesus is Lord (cf. Rom. 10:9–10), independent of any human response. The question in salvation is not whether Jesus is Lord, but whether we are submissive to His lordship. Saul was, from the moment of his conversion to the end of his life.
In response to Saul’s inquiry, Jesus told him to rise and enter the city of Damascus, and you will be told what you are to/must do. Luke notes in Acts 9:7 that the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one.
Quote: There are other occurrences of something like this occurring in Church history. With the Martyrdom of Polycarp that relates Polycarp’s death in Rome (A.D. 155): "Now when Polycarp entered into the arena there came a voice from heaven: “Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.” And no one saw the speaker, but our friends who were there heard the voice". (Martyrdom of Polycarp 9.1 (LCL) as found in Everett F. Harrison, Interpreting Acts. The Expanding Church, 2d ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Academie Books, 1986), p. 160.).
Paul’s fellow travelers saw no one but heard a sound which they could not explain. Saul’s companions were probably Levite guards who came along to arrest and bring back captive believers. They knew that something supernatural had occurred. They heard the sound of a voice but did not understand what Jesus said (Balge, R. D. (1988). Acts. The People’s Bible (101). Milwaukee, Wis.: Northwestern Pub. House.).
Paul saw Jesus, listened to his voice, and understood what he told him to do (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 17: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Commentary (334). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
The temporary blindness of Saul was designed by the will of God ...to withdraw and seclude him from the external world, during the period in which he pondered, and learned to understand, the decisive event that had occurred; it furnished him with an opportunity to be alone with himself and with his God and Saviour. According to this view, his blindness was not a punishment, but much rather an aid to reflection and a gift of grace (Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Gotthard, V. L., Gerok, C., & Schaeffer, C. F. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures : Acts (167). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.).
In Acts 9:8 it notes that Saul rose/got up from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. His entry into the city was very different than he had anticipated. Instead of barging in as the conquering hero, the scourge of Christians, he entered helplessly blinded, being led by the hand.
• True conversion results in obedience to God’s commands.
God crushed Saul, bringing him to the point of total consecration. From the ashes of Saul’s old life would arise the noblest and most useful man of God the church has ever known.
• Our past experiences and failures are to cause us to realize our inability apart from God. Not immobilize us in fear and inactive regret.
5) Communion (Acts 9:9)
Acts 9:9 [9]And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (ESV)
So startling and sudden had been his placing of faith in the Savior that Saul needed time to reflect on the transformation of every aspect of his life. During his three days without sight, when he neither ate nor drank, God led him through the process of reconstructing everything he was and did. That he neither ate nor drank for three days ... is likely the result of his shock, confusion, and utter brokenness of will. (Polhill, J. B. (2001). Vol. 26: Acts (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (235–236). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
• Although salvation is an instantaneous transformation from death to life, darkness to light, it takes time to plumb the depths of its meaning and richness. Saul began that process.
Quote: Someone once said: "I don’t understand electricity, but I’m no fool—I’m not going to sit around in the dark till I do. I don’t understand the thermodynamics of internal combustion and the hydraulics of an automatic transmission either, but I’m no fool—I’m not going to stay in one place until I do. The truth is that I don’t understand a great deal of the things that are part of my everyday life, but I make them a part of my life anyway.
The same is true of salvation. No one will fully understand how God could become man, how he could die, how his death could be the basis for our forgiveness, how he could give you and me a new life, and all of the other aspects of salvation. But only a fool would ignore such a great opportunity just because he didn’t understand it" (Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Biblical Preaching : Over 1500 sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
((Format note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. (1994). Acts (261–275). Chicago: Moody Press.)
