Acts Chapter 9
CONTENTS
1. Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, asked letters from the high priest to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem (v.1-2).
2. As Saul journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (v. 3-5)
3. So Saul, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank (v.6-9).
4. There was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So, the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And 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.” Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name. But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (v.10-16)
5. 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 that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So, when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus (v.17-19).
6. Immediately, Saul preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ (v.20-22).
7. Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket (v.23-25).
8. And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And Saul declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. So, he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. When the brethren found out, thy brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus. Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied (v.26-31).
9. It came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralysed. And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. So, all who dwelt in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord (v.32-35).
10. At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was fill of good works and charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in the upper room. And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they bought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them, But Peter put them all out, and he knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha arise.” And she opened her eyes and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. So, it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon a tanner (v. 36-43).
COMMENTARY
1. The meaning of the name ‘Saul’ is ‘asked’. When the Lord appeared to him on the road and said to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul who could not see. asked, “Who are You, Lord?” and “What shall I do, Lord?” These two questions were most important in his life. For the answers Saul received, changed him from his erroneous faith and zeal for the law, and his cruelty to persecute those of the Way and throw them both men and women, young and old into prison. The Lord answered his questions, saying, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,” “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do,” and “But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (v.5-6; 26:16-18). Saul consequently repented. Being led by his hands into Damascus, Saul prayed and fasted three days. Ananias, a disciple from Damascus was sent by the Lord to Saul. He laid hands on him and immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight. Saul arose and was baptised (v. 8-9, 17-18; 22:15-16).
2. Saul who later became the apostle Paul, said he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man. However, he received mercy because he did it ignorantly in unbelief. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Him. When he wrote the First Epistle to Timothy, Paul the apostle said, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him to everlasting life (I Tim. 1:13-16).
3. Paul was the chosen vessel of the Lord to bear His name before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel. But He will also suffer many things for the Lord. He was called through grace of Christ Jesus, being set aside from birth. Thus, Jesus revealed Himself to him that he might preach Him among the Gentiles. But Paul considered himself the least of the apostles, who was not worthy, because he persecuted the church of God. (The name ‘Paul’ means little). Yet by the grace of God, he was what he was, and God’s grace toward him was not in vain, for he laboured more than others, not he, but the grace of God which was in him (I Cor. 15:9-11)
4. Paul did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did he go up to Jerusalem to the apostles before him but went to Arabia where the Holy Spirit made known to him the mystery of Christ and the truth the word of of God (Gal.1:11-12, 15-19). In his 15-day stay at Jerusalem where Barnabas brought him before the apostles to James the brother of Jesus, he preached to the Hellenists, the Greek speaking Jews. But when there was a plot to kill him, Paul departed and went to Tarsus where he remained for a few years.
5. The churches throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit they were multiplied. This peace was not due solely to Saul’s conversion or he been sent to Tarsus his hometown away from Jerusalem and the Jews who plotted to kill him. It was because around that time Tiberius the emperor of Rome died and was replaced by Caligula who desired to erect a statute of himself in the temple at Jerusalem. The Jews turned from persecuting the brethren; they instead channeled their energy to oppose Caligura. The sovereign hand of the Lord was at work so that there was a short respite for the early churches.
6.. As Peter went from Jerusalem throughout the country, he came to the saints who dwelt at Lydda. There he found the paralysed man Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. So, all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. The miracle that Peter performed to make Aeneas walk after he said, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you,” demonstrated that Jesus Christ was alive that He truly was raised from the tomb and exalted to heaven at the right hand of His Father. Peter with the apostles did not depart when the Jerusalem church was persecuted. But he went through all parts of the country in Judea and Samaria when peace came upon the church (v. 32-42; 8:1).
7. Tabitha was perhaps a widow herself and one full of good works and charitable deeds who cared for fellow widows with love. She made tunics and garments for them. So, when she died at Joppa, they sent for Peter who was in Lydda, not far from Joppa, to come to them. Peter came and went to the upper room where the body of Tabitha laid. He put out all the widows and mourners, knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up. He lifted her up by his hand and presented her alive to the saints and widows. It became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.
TEACHINGS
1. The calling of the Lord Jesus Christ to a believer to be His minister often is through visions and personal calling (Luke 5:10-11, 27) and through His stewards (Acts 16:1-4). Paul saw the light of the Lord Jesus Christ and when he repented, he was told what he must do. He became an apostle by grace and by the sending out of the Antioch church (Gal. 2:8-9; II Tim. 1:11-12).
Paul brought Timothy at Lystra into the ministry during the 2nd missionary journey, after circumcising him (Acts 16:1-4). Jeremiah was called to be a prophet directly when the word of the LORD came to him (Jer. 1:4-10).
2. Suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ because of the faith in Him is the cross which every true believer shall bear (I Pet.4:12-14). Paul considered his suffering for the ministry as filling up in his flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body which is His church (Col. 1:24).
He became a minister according to the stewardship from God given to him to make the gospel fully known, and to warn and teaching every an in wisdom that he could present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To that end he strived with all the strength according to His working which worked in him mightily (Col. 1:25, 28-29).
3. Peter went from Jerusalem throughout the country and preached the gospel, being one who was filled with the Holy Spirit. At Lydda he performed the miracle to make the paralysed for eight years and bedridden Aeneas to rise up and walk.
The result was that the people at Lydda who saw and heard of the miracle believed.
At Joppa Peter raised up Tabitha who was also called Dorcas from the dead. The miracle also resulted in joy among the widows who loved Dorcas dearly and when it became known throughout Joppa, many believed in the Lord.
When we take up the commission of the Lord to go out into the world and preach the gospel to all creatures, the Lord Jesus shall work miracles and signs so that grace shall come upon those who believe, and many shall turn to the Lord (Mark 16:16-20).
4. Do not receive the grace of God in vain, but in the acceptable time when He hears us and in the day of salvation when He delivers us, let us serve the Lord Jesus Christ faithfully.
Employing the gifts bestowed and the power of the Holy Spirit, let us preach the gospel of salvation and the word of truth to all nations and fulfill the commission of the Lord Jesus Christ to the church (II Cor. 6:1-2; I Pet. 4:10-11; Mark 16:16).
