Acts 9:1-2

SECTION IITHE CONVERSION OF SAUL; HIS LABORS AND EXPERIENCE IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS.

Acts 9:1-30.

_______A.—THE ZEAL OF SAUL IN PERSECUTING THE CHRISTIANS, CONDUCTS HIM TO DAMASCUS

Acts 9:1-2.

1And [But] Saul, yet breathing out threatenings [breathing menace] and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2And desired [asked] of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found [should find] any [who were, ὄντας] of this way1, whether they were men or women, he might bring [conduct] them bound unto Jerusalem.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Acts 9:1. And [But] Saul.—The following narrative is connected with the general course of this historical work by means of the particles δέ and ἔτι. The former particle [But, not And] exhibits the contrast between the hostile and destructive procedure of Saul, and the labors of Philip, which built up and extended the church, and which had just been described. The particle ἔτι, on the other hand, connects the course of Saul, as here set forth, with his earlier acts, Acts 8:3, and exhibits them as a continuation of the persecution of the Christians which he commenced at the time when Stephen was slain. The interval between the commencement and the present continuation of Saul’s hostile course, does not appear to have been very brief, for Luke must have designedly inserted the two narratives contained in Acts 8:5-40, between Acts 7:58 (combined with Acts 8:1; Acts 8:3,) and Acts 9:1. Hence, the present narrative is not introduced abruptly, or without regard to the connection. It is, moreover, evident, that the sentiments and feelings of Saul did not continue to be uniformly the same, but rather increased in intensity as time advanced. This fact is indicated by the terms: ἐμπνέων [for which genitives see Winer: Gram. N. T. § 30. 9. c. and comp. Joshua 10:40. LXX.—Tr.]. They imply that menace and slaughter constituted the vital air which he inhaled (and exhaled); that is, the hostile sentiments with which Saul regarded the Christians, had acquired an intensely fanatical, destructive and sanguinary character, which does not yet appear to have been the case at the period to which Acts 8:3 refers. It is, indeed, quite consistent with human nature, that when any passion has exercised an influence over an individual during a certain period, and been indulged to a certain extent, it should increase in violence and fury, identify itself, as it were, with his character, and constitute the principle of life for him; this observation specially applies to religious fanaticism. The course which Saul now intends to pursue, demonstrates that his fanaticism had acquired additional virulence.

Acts 9:2. Desired of him letters to Damascus, etc.—Hitherto Saul had contented himself with persecuting the Christians in Jerusalem; he now feels impelled to persecute the disciples of Jesus in other regions, even beyond the boundaries of the Holy Land. He determines to proceed to Damascus. This ancient capital of Syria, lying northeast of Jerusalem, and about 140 miles distant from it, was distinguished alike by its uncommonly beautiful situation, and by being the centre of a vast trade, and of important religious influences. It had passed, since the time of Pompey (B. C. 64), under the dominion of the Romans, and had been attached to the province of Syria. Many Jews had selected this city as their residence after the age of the Seleucidæ (Jos. War, ii. 20, 2), and this fact precisely agrees with the passage before us, which represents Damascus as having contained more than one synagogue (τὰς συναγωγάς, and comp. Acts 9:20). But the tidings appear to have reached Jerusalem that there were also Christians in Damascus; these were converted Jews, since Saul views them as persons who were connected with the synagogues. The form of the conditional clause, ἐάν τινας εὕρῃ, distinctly implies that he confidently expected to find such persons there. They are termed τινες τῆς ὁδοῦ ὅντες, that is, people who walk in the way, or, belong to that way [ὁδοῦ depending on ὅντας; for the Gen. with εἶναι see Winer, § 30, 5]. The word ὁδός does not of itself signify a sect, as some writers have erroneously inferred from Acts 19:9; Acts 19:23; Acts 22:4, but designates in general a particular mode of life and conduct; in its special application here, it denotes that way or manner of life which receives its peculiar character from faith in Christ as the Messiah.—Luke has not informed us of the means by which the Gospel reached Damascus. The most probable supposition is, that individual Christians belonging to Jerusalem, who were driven away at the time of the persecution, had withdrawn to that large city (Acts 8:4 διῆλθον; comp. Acts 11:19); if some of the fugitives proceeded as far as Cyprus and Antioch, others may have, still more probably, retired to Damascus, which was a nearer point. It is quite conceivable that these also proclaimed the Gospel when they reached the city, and thus became the means by which other Israelites who dwelt there, were converted (Acts 8:4, εὐαγγελιζόμενοι τὸν λόγον). Saul selected Damascus as the field of his intended operations, as he had perhaps understood that a larger number of Christians would be found there than elsewhere, or, possibly, because he was personally connected with certain inhabitants of the place. In order to accomplish his design and be enabled to seize any disciples of Jesus whom he might find in Damascus, and conduct them as prisoners to Jerusalem, where they would be subjected to a trial, he requests the high priest to furnish him with letters of recommendation and authorization. (The plural ἐπιστολάς corresponds to the plural συναγωγάς; it would hence seem that he asked for several documents, intending to present one to each of the synagogues). The name of the high priest cannot be stated with entire confidence, as the year in which the conversion of Paul occurred is not known with, entire chronological precision. [Bengel assigns it to A. D. 31; Jerome, Petavius, 33; Baronius, 34; Meyer, Usher, Pearson, Hug, Olshausen, 35; Basnage, Alford, 37; de Wette, 37 or 38; Ewald, 38; L. Capellus, 39; Wieseler, 40.—Tr.]. If that event did not occur later than the year 36, Caiaphas, who was displaced by Vitellius in that year, still acted as high priest. [See below, note on Acts 23:4-5.]. He was succeeded by Jonathan, a son of Ananus [Annas]; in the next year, 37, the latter was, in his turn, displaced, and his brother Theophilus received the office (Jos. Ant. xviii. 4, 3, and xviii. 5, 3). The last named was, probably, the high priest to whom Saul applied. Luke does not expressly state, but obviously implies that the high priest of course furnished the desired documents; he could, indeed, have personally had no motive for refusing to gratify the zealot who applied for means to sustain the ancient Judaism. Foreign Jews voluntarily recognized the authority of the high priest in Jerusalem, and, specially, that of the Sanhedrin, of which he was [usually, but at a later period, not regularly, Herzog, Real-Encyk. XV. 516.—Tr.] the presiding officer, and which they regarded as the highest tribunal, in matters of religion. [“In Acts 26:10 (comp. Acts 9:14 below) Paul says that he received his authority from the ἀρχιερεῖς, and in Acts 22:5, from the πρεσβυτέριον, which are merely different modes of designating the Sanhedrim.” Hackett ad loc., and see below, Acts 9:13-14, Exeg. note.—Tr.]. And the experience of the Jews had taught them that, in a case like the present, the civil authorities [Roman] would offer no opposition to a measure represented to them as being directly connected with the internal religious affairs of the Israelites.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

Christ rules in the midst of his enemies. This truth derives a striking illustration from the fact that Saul’s enmity and murderous purposes, which glowed with hellish fire, were so long permitted to harass, scatter and ravage the church. The historian does not relate that he reviled and blasphemed the Redeemer himself; but at a later period Paul confesses that he had been guilty in this respect, 1 Timothy 1:13. In the present narrative he appears only as a persecutor of the Lord’s disciples, or of his church. But his spiritual state becomes the more alarming in proportion as a carnal zeal, passion, and even a Satanic thirst for blood (ἀνθρωποκτόνος, John 8:44), became mingled with his ignorant zeal of God [Romans 10:2], The flesh acquires increased influence whenever fanaticism ascends to a higher grade, and man, in his blind fury, becomes a ravening and bloodthirsty beast. To such a depth the Lord permits man to descend, in order to rescue him from the abyss and change his nature. The long-suffering of God waits unto the end, but divine grace never loses sight of the sinner, even when he rushes madly onward in his career. Saul’s history furnishes a brilliant illustration of God’s love in Christ, to sinful man—a love which seeks and saves even the most abandoned sinner. [1 Timothy 1:16.]

Footnotes:

[1] Acts 9:2. [The margin of the English Bible (which in the text follows Tynd., Cranm., Geneva, and Rheims) offers the words of the way, as the literal translation of the phrase rendered in the text of this way; Gr. τῆς ὁδοῦ.—Tr.]

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

See below, Acts 9:10-19 a.