Acts 9

V 1–2: CRUELLY COMMITTED Murderous Saul gets the consent of the high priest to carry on his cruel persecution of the Christians, whom he plans to take bound to Jerusalem. V 3–9: SAUL STOPPED On the Damascus Road, he is stopped by a bright light from heaven. Jesus reveals Himself to Saul and tells him to go into the city. He takes away his sight for three days. Saul, no doubt in shock as well as under conviction, neither eats nor drinks for three days. God has stopped the worst of the persecutors and spoken to his heart. V 10–16: GUIDE GUIDED The Lord prepares Ananias, despite his fearful reservations, to go and guide Saul into receiving his sight, spiritually as well as physically. He will begin a life for God that will bring him much suffering. V 17–18: BLINDNESS BANISHED When Ananias greets Saul, his sight is restored and he is filled with the Holy Spirit. He arises and is baptised. Clearly, Saul’s early conviction has led to conversion and faith. V 19: DAMASCUS DISCIPLES Saul eats with and is cared for by the Damascus disciples. It is good to put a young convert in the family of Christ’s disciples. V 20–22: EVANGELSITIC ENDEAVOUR He wastes no time in proclaiming Christ in the synagogues. People are amazed at seeing this recent persecutor sharing the good news of his Saviour with others. His deep theological foundation enables him to prove that Jesus is the Son of God and Christ, the Messiah. V 23–25: PERNICIOUS PLOT The Jews plan to kill Saul. He escapes by being let down in a basket through the wall by the disciples. V 26–30: FAITHFUL FRIGHTENED Saul arrives at Jerusalem, but the disciples are frightened and do not believe that he is a Christian. Barnabas reassures them by telling what has happened. In Jerusalem, he joins with them in faithful witness to Christ and he disputes with the Hellenists, who are Greek-speaking Jews who had earlier opposed Stephen. When another death threat occurs, the Christians bring him to Caesarea and send him to Tarsus. Their fear has been changed into fellowship. V 31: MIGHTY MULTIPLICATION A period of peace and building up spiritually follows for the churches in Judea and Samaria. They walk with the fear of God and are comforted by the Holy Spirit. God multiplies their numbers. V 32–43: TELLING TESTIMONIES Peter continues the work of evangelism himself. God heals a paralytic, Aeneas, and raises from the dead a faithful caring woman disciple, Tabitha (or ‘Dorcas’), through Peter. God’s vindication of this miraculous work through His apostles is such that many people believe in the Lord. Peter stays with Simon, a tanner.