358. THE CONVERSION OF SAUL
"He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles"
There was a stark contrast between Philip the evangelist and Saul of Tarsus At the same time that one was labouring amongst the Samaritans and an Ethiopian to build up the ecclesia, the other was relentlessly pur suing its destruction.
Yet there was also a similarity, for both men figured prominently in the spreading forth of the gospel. While Philip was at the forefront as the gospel edged out from Jerusalem and Judea to Samaria, it was the Apos tle Paul, as Saul was subsequently known, who took the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth ".
The aim of this lesson is to see how the man for this work was prepared.
Acts 9:1-31
THE PREPARATION OF SAUL.
The world was never the same again after Saul was baptised and set forth to convert all men from paganism to Christ. Subsequent history would prove beyond doubt that the conversion of Saul marked a turn ing point in the world. With this, Scripture agrees, for no other event is referred to so frequently in the New Testament, except naturally the ministry of Christ.
For such a great work as preaching throughout the Roman world, an exceptional man was required. Though nobody realised at the time, God had for many years been preparing a man who would be equal to the task. As Paul himself later explained: "God separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the nations" (Gal. 1:15-16).
Saul was born in Tarsus, one of the three most eminent university cities of the ancient world; the others being Athens and Alexandria. As the capital of Cilicia, it was mistress of a large and fertile territory and thus became a thriving commercial centre. The Romans, follow ing the pattern set by the Greeks years before, gave Tarsus the privilege of being a free city. No wonder Paul could say: "I am a Jew, a man of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city" (Acts 21:39).
Growing up in such a cultured city, Saul became familiar with the views of Greek philosophy, as he revealed when he confounded the Athenian wise men (Acts 17), and even disclosed a knowledge of the poets of his time (v.28). Both Greek and Hebrew would have been familiar languages to him (21:37, 40).
After receiving his early education in Tarsus from both Jews and Greeks, Saul was sent to Jerusalem to be trained at the feet of Gamaliel, who is described by Luke as "a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people" (5:34; 22:3). During that period, Saul could have been looked after by his married sister if she, as seems possible, lived in Jerusalem (cp. 23:16). As time went on, Saul became more and more engrossed in affairs at Jerusalem, so that he could later say: "I profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers" (Gal. 1:14).
The son of a Pharisee, he too was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6) € "the strictest party of our religion", he called it (26:5 R.S.V.). He adhered rigidly to the requirements of the Law of Moses in accordance with family custom (2 Tim. 1:3), and as to the detail of the Law, was "blameless" (Phil. 3:6).
Everything in Saul's experience fitted him for the work before him. By birth a Roman, by education a Greek, by religion a Jew, the dominant in fluences of the ancient world met in him.
SAUL € THE TYRANT OF JUDAISM (Acts 9:1-2).
Saul was also a person of rare determination. One writer describes him as "a very volcano of a man". When he set himself to do something, he was absolutely resolute. This quality reflected itself in his persecution of Christ's disciples, against whom he breathed out "threatenings and slaughter". His full and firm conviction was that the new movement must, at all costs, be exterminated if the traditions of the fathers were to be upheld. He had turned his back on the advice of his teacher, Gamaliel, to let the disciples alone: "for if this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!" (5:38-39 RSV). Events were soon to show that Saul ignored this advice to his own peril.
Meanwhile Saul viewed with dismay the spread of the gospel to foreign cities and, in his mad fury, determined to root it out (26:11). Taking the initiative, he obtained letters from the high priests and Sanhedrin to the rulers of the Damascus synagogues, authorising him to seize the Christians, women as well as men, and bring them bound to Jerusalem (22:5; 26:12). A 500 kilometre round-trip to Damascus and back was nothing to the young Pharisee whose zeal for the Law of the fathers drove him relentlessly in his persecution of the ecclesia (Phil. 3:6; cp. Acts 22:3-4; John 16:2).
ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS (Acts 9:3-9).
After a long and tiring journey, Paul and his company came at last to the heights overlooking the city of Damascus. It was mid-day with the sun at its hottest and brightest, when a rest period would normally have been taken (22:6). But the determined Saul pressed on.
Suddenly an intense light shone upon them, brighter than the sun. Dazzled by the brilliance, they all fell to the ground. Then came a voice: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Saul gave an immediate and humble response. "Who art thou, Lord?" The answer came, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goads".
Jesus of Nazareth! The one whom Saul presumed dead! He was alive! Saul looked. There, in the midst of the light, stood a man whom Paul knew to be Jesus (cp. Acts 9:7-8 with 9:17; 22:14; 1 Cor. 15:8; 9:1). So Stephen was right after all! And if Stephen was right, Saul was wrong! Like a stubborn ox attempting to go in the wrong direction, he had been kicking against the goads.
Saul, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" The Lord replied, "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do".
Paul no doubt expected that his life would immediately be taken, but instead he was spared. The grace of God abounded towards him above all people € a fact which he never forgot (cp. Gal 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:12-14). Truly he could say, "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son ..." (Rom. 5:10). He knew above all others that salvation depended on the grace of God and not works of the Law (Eph. 2:6-8).
Saul's companions rose to their feet, but stood speechless. They had heard a sound, but had not been able to discern what was said (cp. 9:7 with 22:9). Neither had they seen any man. Then Saul arose from his pro strate position on the ground. Opening his eyes, he found he was blind and had to be led by the hand into Damascus. The great leader of the persecution, now helpless and in a shattered condition, was being led!
For three days Saul lived in a world of darkness, refusing both food and drink. Yet his mind would have raced with activity. The last sight he saw € the magnificent appearance of Jesus the Lord € would be locked up in his mind. Beholding this, Saul could see, as never before, his own absolute worthlessness. His terrible folly in destroying the things of the Truth flooded in upon him (cp. 1 Tim. 1:13). As he recalled prophecies he had previously memorised, he saw them in a new light. Though blind, Saul was now beginning to see.
THE VISIT OF ANANIAS (Acts 9:10-19).
As Saul meditated and prayed in one part of the city, he received a vi sion of a disciple named Ananias visiting him to restore his sight. About the same time, in another part of the city, Ananias received a vision to prepare him for his work. At first reluctant, no doubt because he knew of Saul's impending visit and its ominous purpose, his fears were dispelled by the Lord saying, "Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake". Saul, who previously caused others to suffer, was now to suffer himself.
Ananias went to Saul as Jesus instructed him so that Saul might have his sight restored and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately, Saul's blindness vanished. From his cell of darkness, he re-emerged into light. It was as if he had risen from death, and in a certain sense, he had done so. (The three-day period of blindness was a parallel to the Lord's death). To give expression to his new relationship, Ananias told him: "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest. . .hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now, why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (22:14-16). Putting aside the weakness he felt, Saul obeyed and was baptised.
SAUL BEGINS HIS WORK (Acts 9:20-31).
Straightaway Saul set out to rebuild the things he had before pulled down. He went into the very synagogues he had previously planned to visit, but for a very different reason. Now, as a changed man, he pro claimed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. The Jews were amaz ed at the complete reversal in attitude, but were unable to resist or in any way counter his arguments (vv.20-22).
During his time at Damascus, Saul felt the need for solitude that he might, by study, prayer and revelation, completely rethink his position and come to a finer understanding of the gospel. Accordingly he went in to Arabia, and then back to Damascus (Gal. 1:16-17, 11-12).
The Saul who returned to Damascus was more mature than the one who had left. He now understood the wonder of Gentile inclusion into the family of God (Rom. 16:25-26; Eph. 3:1-6). He appreciated how the prophets had anticipated it in many of their statements, and he felt his own work before him had the full support of the Scriptures.
Again Saul visited the synagogues of Damascus, but as he preached Christ so the Jews became more and more furious. Finally, they could en dure it no longer. They decided to put their tormentor to death. They sought and won approval of the city authorities for Saul's arrest (2 Cor. 11:32). Day and night, guards watched the city gates to make sure that he could not get away. The "persecutor" had now become the "persecuted". The disciples proved equal to the occasion, for one night, through the window of a house located on the city wall, Saul was lowered in a basket to the ground below, there to make good his escape.
This was a most humiliating experience for Saul which he never forgot (cp. 2 Cor. 11:33 and its context). He who had been honoured and prided himself in being "a Pharisee of the Pharisees", now had to hide like a hunted criminal.
From Damascus, Saul made his way to Jerusalem. By now, it was the third year since he left Jerusalem on his mission of destruction. He thought the disciples would gladly receive him, but he was viewed with suspicion. It was not until the ever-thoughtful Barnabas took him in hand, that he was introduced to Peter and to James, the Lord's brother (Gal. 1:18-19). For a time he enjoyed fellowship with the brethren there, but he could not remain silent, and soon was found disputing with the very men who had brought about the death of Stephen. Opposition against him mounted quickly (9:29). One day, while he was praying in the Temple, Christ appeared to him in a vision directing him to leave Jerusalem and go to the Gentiles (22:17-21). Once more, with the aid of the brethren, Saul escaped to Caesarea, and was sent on his way to Tar sus, his home city.
Thus began what is probably the most exciting and adventurous preaching career ever recorded € Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.
LESSONS FOR US:
- The dramatic conversion of such a determined and knowledgeable opponent of Christianity as Saul, provides strong evidence for the reality of Christ's resurrection.
- Although Saul had not persecuted him directly, Jesus asked "Why persecutest thou me?" The way we treat our fellow disciples is counted as the way we would treat Christ (Matt. 25:34-46).
- Saul the persecutor had caused others to suffer. As a disciple, he had to learn that all true disciples must themselves experience suffering and humiliation.
REFERENCE LIBRARY:
"The Story of the Bible" (H. P. Mansfield) € Vol. 13, Pages 53-56, 65-78.
"Conversion" (M. Purkis) € Pages 1-2 "Paul the Apostle" (W. H. Boulton) € Chapters 1-4
PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:
- Tell what you know about Paul's life before his conversion.
- What steps did Saul of Tarsus take to eradicate Christianity?
- Describe briefly what happened to Saul on the road to Damascus.
- Within the first three years of his conversion, Paul (then called Saul) was told on several occasions that his work would be among the Gen tiles. Name these occasions.
- In what way do the experiences of Paul demonstrate the truth of the resurrection of Christ?
ESSAY QUESTIONS:
- There were several things about Saul (later called Paul) that fitted him for the task of being the Apostle to the Gentiles. What were they?
- Describe the events which converted Saul the Persecutor to Christianity.