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. The blinding of Bar-Jesus thus seems to be the second major turning point in the ministry of Paul. They are private Christians, living like islands rather than as a part of His body. (7) The salvation of Saul was Christ-centered. Who is blind like the one committed to me, blind like the servant of the Lord? (Isaiah 42:18-19). The life of Paul and his writings are very important parts of the New Testament. 1:1; 1 Cor. . Christian ministry be reconciled with the wealth and prosperity that For all the saints. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight (Acts 9:10-12). Dont let it trouble youalthough if you can gain your freedom, do so. 140 They are called his sunodeuontes, `those who were in the caravan with Him (cf. FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1). Israel too will just as surely return to God; and when it happens, it will be all of God, all to His glory and praise: 15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. There are differences between the three accounts given to us in Acts. No one, it would seem, was even thinking of what God was about to do. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lords wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:17-18; cf. Amen (1 Timothy 6:16). The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave 129 The history of Damascus goes back to remote antiquity. But these laws, which seek to summarize the gospel in a concise way, should always be applied individually. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and, going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? 28, p. 185. Ananias had not only heard of how Saul had been systematically destroying the church in Jerusalem, hunting down men and women and turning them over to the authorities, but also knew that he was on the march to Damascus, ready to destroy that church as well. 00:00. They too rebelled against God and forsook His word and persecuted His prophets. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness (Micah 7:8-9). 1 What happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a result of lying to God? 2:22, Acts 13:2; 22:21; Rom. At first he found himself in the position of being regarded as an apostate by the Jews and suspect by the Christian community of Jerusalem. (3) Sauls salvation was personal. In this chapter we have, I. of him. 18Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. 20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. (4) More space is devoted to the process of getting Ananias to Saul than is devoted to getting Saul to Damascus and to the home of Judas. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul,why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. WebAnanias, I am sure. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). Who is blind but my servant {Israel}, and deaf like the messenger I send? Think about what happened as a result of this man overcoming his fear and obeying God. Nothing is more evident in the account of Sauls conversion than his radical reversal. 1:16f. WebAnanias placed his hands upon Saul who received the Holy Spirit and the restoration of his sight. Saul, like Stephen, had a ministry which focused on the Hellenistic Jews. The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Matthew 4:16). In the place of Ananias we would fear that it might not work out, and the consequences could be very serious. There are two primary options for preaching from this text. What Paul learned about himself, personally, on the road to Damascus he came to understand and to preach concerning all men. If Luke had any ax to grind on this issue, here would have been a great place to stress this matter, but he did not do so. 130 In our text, we are told the Saul went to the high priest to ask for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus (9:1-2), but in Acts 22:5-6 Paul indicates that the Council (the Sanhedrin) was also involved in providing him with letters of authorization to arrest Christians in Damascus. 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. The call to salvation is also the call to a life of holiness and obedience. This old city is the most enduring in the history of the world (Knowling). Thank God that is what happened. What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? * [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. Sauls Baptism. 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. Then, on the road to Damascus, he was blinded by a vision of Jesus. 9 What happened to Sapphira in the Bible? 35And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Damascus, a city some 150 miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, was one such city. He sent me so that you can See Appendix B for information on Sauls Theology in the Book of Romans. No, Ananias did not do any of these things so far as the author of Luke-Acts is concerned. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Theologically, we know this as the doctrine of mans total depravity.151 Paul surely believed that it was essential for men to begin with the understanding of their own sin, for in his Epistle to the Romans, he took the first two and one-half chapters to prove that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). (Acts 9:11)? Jesus repeated his command, explaining that Saul was his chosen instrument to deliver the gospel to the Gentiles, their kings, and the people of Israel. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit because it was the Holy Spirit who dwelt in the apostles, giving them their power and authority. many pulpits today promise to those who will follow Jesus? Why do you think the street was named "Straight" 2:1 He said to me, Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you. 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. This blindness was only removed by faith in Christ, a miracle brought about by divine action: In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see (Isaiah 29:18). These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. WebSaul/Paul was a pretty mean guy who persecuted Christians. This Paul knew and testified to. We know from other accounts (22:6; 26:13) that it was high noon when Saul was stopped in his tracks by a bright light from heaven. It is not clear This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Sauls conversion was to play a crucial role in the expansion of the gospel. Pauls hatred for Christ and His followers was common knowledge. in 1971. No, God showed him "how many things he must suffer for Second, the only result of this event shown in the Bible is that Saul received his sight. Saul immediately began to preach about the Son of God in the synagogues. WebAnanias was afraid of Saul. 26:63; Luke 22:67, 70). Blindness, not willing to see, not willing to understand is all too common but Ananias cured Saul blindness by a touch. Who was Ananias that help Saul in the Bible to regain his sight. sight. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6). He hears the voice of the Lord crying out to him. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. 12And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight., 13Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, (C)how much [a]harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. The light from heaven brought Saul to the ground. This expression, calling on the name of the Lord seems to be one used consistently in the Old Testament. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18). 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Ananias came to Saul with grace to liberate him from his wrong-headed beliefs and open his heart to Jesus. This man who had formerly cringed at the preaching of the gospel148 was now proclaiming the same message. Rueban founded the Tribe of Reuban and Saul was King. 137 The Way is a designation for the new movement used several times in Acts 9:19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22; cf. 27Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. The "Straight Street" or Via Recta in Latin, was a straight Do not let anyone despise you (Titus 2:11-15). 21:29 (30); John 5:7; 12:21; 20:15; and should be so in John 9:36. 26o When he arrived in Jerusalem* he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. He spoke of salvation as the change from death to life (Ephesians 2:1-3). 6 What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? Like Stephen, Saul seemed to gravitate toward preaching to the Hellenistic Jews (9:29). What happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a result of lying to God? It is not clear whether this official was a representative of the king resident in Damascus to look after the interests of the Arabs there, or whether Damascus at this time was under the control of Nabataea. I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 168. The first is to ask the congregation to identify with Saul himself. 1:29, 30, NKJV, Abide Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version. WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. Present active participle of sunbubazo, old verb to make go together, to coalesce, to knit together. How did God use Ananias in the New Testament? Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. What changed about Saul/Paul after Jesus appeared to him? Could Judas have been a Christian? Encourage and rebuke with all authority. What do Ananias actions, when asked in the passage to heal Saul, suggest about his feelings toward him? 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments (Lamentations 4:14). (3) The racial expansion from the Jews to the Gentiles. Romans 6). In this occasion, no one seems to have prayed for Peters miraculous escape. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. What is remarkable about the Lord's directions to Ananias? It was as the Son of God that Christ was revealed to him on the Damascus road (Gal. Paul experienced many hardships in his travels, and he was frequently thrown into jail for preaching about Jesus. It is the very word that Luke will use in 16:10 of the conclusion reached at Troas concerning the vision of Paul. Presumably this is the case, however I still wonder a bit about this. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? Perhaps nowhere else is the radical change (of conversion) in Pauls life153 more readily evident than in his attitude toward the saints. Finally, we shall attempt to focus on the application of this passage to our own lives. But as Saul grew in strength and as his arguments were irrefutable, just as Stephens had been (Acts 6:10), his opponents realized that the only way to silence Saul was to kill him. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 1:2; 2 Tim. He summed up life in this one word: For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Here is a graphic illustration of what true repentance isit is a turning about, beginning with ones belief and bearing fruit in ones conduct. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. No one could fault the reluctance of Ananias. Sauls salvation was focused on one thing and on one thing aloneChrist. the light and blind passages above). When one looks at all the references to this event, it was, in fact, a personal appearance of the risen, glorified Jesus to Saul (cf. Pauls conversion is one of the great stories of the early church, and it has rightfully inspired Christians from every generation. Web17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6-7; cf. Linking is encouraged, but content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed including, but not limited to such means as framing or other digital copying and/or distribution method, in whole or in part without the publisher's written consent. Julius Caesar confirmed those rights and privileges anew to the Jewish nation (although Judaea was no longer a sovereign state), and more particularly to the high-priesthood. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), pp. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Matthew 15:14; cf. Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited. 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). A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. For you are our glory and joy (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). 149 It is more significant than might be supposed at first glance that the only occurrence of the title `Son of God in Acts should be in this report of Sauls early preaching. When Paul spoke of his conversion here in Galatians 1, he did not speak of the light which shone without, but rather of the light which shone within. Jesus words, Why are you persecuting Me?, clearly implied that Sauls persecution of the church was a persecution of the Lord. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Or did they somewhat dread his arrival, knowing how zealous he was in his opposition to the church. The expansion is three-fold: (1) The expansion from Christ, to His apostles, to His church, (2) The geographical expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. It was bright enough to bring about a period of blindness. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 60:3). He trusted that Christ had a future purpose for Saul (verse 15) even though Sauls past as he knew it seemed to point toward a different future. Saul was knocked to the ground and confronted with the reality that hed been working against God rather than helping God. What is meant by the competitive environment? Acts ix. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. (7) Those who were saved by Sauls ministry were convinced by the power of the gospel message he preached and not by miraculous signs and wonders. Thus, his opposition to Christ and His church took on a missionary spirit. Both are call stories. 17So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit. For the remainder of this essay, I will pursue the second option. One moment, Saul was opposing Jesus, as though He were the sinner; the next, Saul is on his face before this Jesus, calling Him Lord. He has sovereignly chosen to use people to lead people to salvation, Spirit baptism, deliverance, and healing. And if this was important for Saul to do, it was equally important for the church to accept him into their fellowship, as an expression of their unity in Christ. here - view only). Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. And now, he is preaching the same message. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast (Galatians 2:8-9). And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. with his wife Sapphira, sold some property and agreed to hold back 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, Barnabas stood up for Saul and explained everything to the Jerusalem Christians. . 31* The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. %PDF-1.2 % 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. The Church at Peace. 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. 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). It was irresistible argument and spread consternation among the Jews. God changed him from being a man who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and a persecutor of the Christians into a bold missionary who preached the Gospel wherever he went.