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The Book of Acts
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BIBLE STUDY ACTS 9:1-43 REVIEW: In Chapter 8 of the Acts of the Apostles, this story of the early church, we begin to see how the church “scattered” as result of Saul’s persecution. In vs. 8, we see how “those who were scattered went form place to place, proclaiming the word.” Therefore, it was due to their persecution, that the church began to spread. Philip, in this chapter, is portrayed as proclaiming the Messiah to the City of Samaria. Then he baptizes an Ethiopian Eunuch. Also in Chapter 8 we encountered an interesting story about “Simon the magician.” Although only mentioned this once in the Bible, the character of “Simon the magician” appeared multiple times in extra-biblical writings and is the namesake of the act of “simony,” or the improper act of paying for Ecclesiastical positions. He is portrayed in this story as a “false prophet” compared to the true authority of those in the church. CHAPTER 9:1-3 “Saul” “Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.” Back in Chapter Six, after disputing with some Jewish groups including some from Cilicia, Stephen was seized and brought before the council in Jerusalem. Saul, a Cilician, was first introduced in Chapter Seven, at the stoning of Stephen, an occurrence which resulted from Stephen’s being brought before the council. It can be deduced that the earlier story of Stephen, while an example of a disciples’ loyalty and commitment to the emerging Christian faith, also serves as an illustration of the type of persecutions—the “breathing of threats and murder”—Saul was conducting before his vision and “conversion.” The Book of Acts largely turns to the story of Saul/Paul. In retrospect, the story of Stephen was an introduction to the pre-conversion Saul. Stephen’s death represents Saul’s goal for all Christians. CHAPTER 9:4-9 “Approaching Damascus” “Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.” During this period, Damascus was a relatively large urban center with a notable Jewish population. Collaborating with the chief priests, Saul is setting out on an ambitious plot to stifle this new Christian “Way.” Apparently forgotten was the advice of Gamaliel in Chapter Five (38-39). In a way this episode can be seen as the underlying truth of Gamaliel’s statement—“I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God.” Here, Saul is the one who finds himself “fighting against God.” The story is also reminiscent of Moses and the burning bush, as well as other theophany stories of the Jewish culture. Obviously, what makes this theophany different from all the rest is the message of the Lord’s immediate response to Saul’s question. “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” a simple statement which expresses the theological connection between Jesus, the prophet raised by God, and the community that continued to live and speak and act with his prophetic spirit. For Saul, this was a terrifying experience, which shook him to his foundation. This telling is the first of three accounts given in Acts; the raw telling about a man who was struck blind by a great light, overwhelmed by a commanding voice, and made dependant upon others to find his way. Saul’s response is telling and appropriate. Three days of prayer and fasting ensues. CHAPTER 9:10-19a “Brother Saul” “Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananiaas come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But he Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house. 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.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” It is important for the story of early Christianity to explain how Paul—such a menacing and dangerous character to begin with—becomes incorporated into the life of the community. This story, ultimately the story of Paul’s baptism, shows how a remarkable religious and spiritual experience entirely changed the life-direction of the man named Saul. This whole episode results from the miraculous theophany experience on the road to Damascus. Ironically, it is the brilliant light (of Christ) which first blinded Saul, which now enables him to see. This has been a beautiful and truth-filled image of Christian contemplation for centuries. Already, through the words of the trustworthy and willing disciple, Ananias, we learn that Saul was known to be a man of authority from the chief priests. Here, he becomes an “instrument” (which could be translated “vessel”) of the Lord Jesus’ choosing. This image is remarkably similar to that used by Paul himself in 2 Cor (4:7), “we have this treasure in earthenware vessels.” In several ways Saul is shown to become a full-fledged member of the community at this time. Through the laying on of Ananaias’ hands, Saul is both healed from his blindness and has the Holy Spirit (the life force of the apostles) bestowed upon him. Also, through Ananaias’ own words when he calls him “Brother Saul” we experience a Saul whose identity is totally transformed into a member of the community of Christ. Interestingly, the words of Jesus in Ananias’ dream, “I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name,” seems to place Paul deliberately in the long line of suffering prophets like Moses and Jesus. To suffer “in Jesus name” seems to imply that Paul will do so as Jesus’ representative (see also Acts 5:41). Again this shows clearly that Paul has become suddenly and entirely an insider into this movement of God’s design. CHAPTER 9:19b-25 “In Damascus” “For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests? Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah. After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket” Saul’s first obstacle was his own past. The general public held his past against him. If the Christians were hesitant to trust him, the “Jews” of Damascus, who expected an ally in Saul—someone acting on the authority of the Sanhedrin who was ready to bind and remove Christians from the city, must have felt betrayed when they heard him preach. Although his first attempts to preach encountered obvious resistance, Luke makes clear that Saul was already a powerful witness, and even says that he “proved that Jesus was the Messiah.” From his letters (Gal 1:14, Phil 3:4-6 for example) we know that Paul was “advanced in Judaism beyond many among [his] people.” That is, he was well schooled in the literature of Judaism. We also know that he established himself as a brilliant rhetorician during his letter-writing career. This background obviously served him well and made an immediate impact upon the scene. CHAPTER 9:26-31 “Saul returns to Jerusalem” “When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.” For Paul’s own accounting of his post-conversion return to Jerusalem, we can read Galations 1:11-24 and 2 Corinthians 11:32-33. From this we can ascertain, once again, the broad, general way in which Luke tells the story of the early church in Acts. In many ways the two accounts (Acts and the Pauline Letters) verify each another. This is what can be ascertained: 1) Paul’s theophany experience took place around Damascus. 2) Paul had an extended ministry around Damascus after his conversion. 3) Paul had to escape Damascus. 4) Paul visited the Jerusalem Church in the early part of his ministry before going on to Syria and Cilicia (Acts 9:26, Gal 1:21) 5) Paul met with at least some of the apostles in Jerusalem 6) Barnabas was Paul’s companion in at least one meeting in Jerusalem 7) After Jerusalem, Paul worked in the territory of Cilicia. In this passage of Acts, we see how Barnabas begins to live up to his name: “Son of Consolation.” (introduced in 4:36). He is the one who breaks the ice between Paul and “the apostles” (or perhaps just Cephas and James, see Gal 1:18-19). CHAPTER 9:32-43 “Jesus’ Ministry Continues” “Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. Now as Peter went here and there among all the believers, he came down also to the saints living in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!” And immediately he got up. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.” Luke has an artistic way of weaving separate narratives into a single story. Here he picks up once again, in case we were wondering, on the ongoing ministry of the apostles (namely, Peter) in regions surrounding Jerusalem. Here he travels to the the coastal city of Joppa, and closer to the world of the Gentiles, which boundary will be crossed by Peter in the next chapter. Both of these stories are remarkably similar to accounts of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 5:17-26; 7:11-16), which were remarkably similar to older traditions about Elijah and Elisha (1Kings 17:17-24 and 2Kings 4:32-37). The message here is clear, the same prophetic power, revealed in Jesus, continues still in his apostles. This is the power of the resurrected Jesus at work, for as Peter says to the paralyzed Aeneas, “Jesus Christ heals you…” Once again, a reoccurring theme in the Acts of the Apostles, the power does not belong to us, but to Christ alone! May we also remember this in humility as we seek to bring ministry and healing to those around us! -------------------- Joshua W. Magyar, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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