13But Ananias replied, Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones* in Jerusalem.k 142 His companions therefore took him by the hand and led him through the gate of Damascus to the place where, presumably, arrangements had been made for him to stay. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 185. 2. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? Why this swift act of judgment? 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. 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. After this incident with Paul we hear no more of him. 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. The words which Ananias spoke to Saul indicate he was also to lay hands on him so that he would receive the Holy Spirit (9:17). The man who, days before, was persecuting Christ was now preaching Christ. What a shock these words must have been to Saul, who up to this point, seems to have prided himself for his faithfulness to Judaism! This old city is the most enduring in the history of the world (Knowling). . 1:15). A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 114. But everyone can pray for and with those who have scorned the church and are scorned by the church. 43* r And he stayed a long time in Joppa with Simon, a tanner. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. There he was transfigured before them. My names sake". 28He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. WebExplain why Ananias was told that Saul was a 'Chosen Vessel' Give an account of the vision which Saul had while traveling on the road to the Damascus. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 3:7, 8; 1 Tim. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. 13:1 On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity (Zechariah 12:1013:1). When Ananias 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, Please come to us without delay. It was a city in the days of Abraham, and at the time of the Israelite monarchy it was the capital of the most important Aramaean kingdom. It was time for Saul to ponder what he had seen and heard. 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. Perhaps nowhere else is the radical change (of conversion) in Pauls life153 more readily evident than in his attitude toward the saints. What changed about Saul/Paul after Jesus appeared to him? If the unity of Christ and His body, the church, were a vital truth with respect to Sauls persecution of the church, it was also a vital truth for him as a Christian. The first is this: every saved person must have a personal conversion experience. Here is a graphic illustration of what true repentance isit is a turning about, beginning with ones belief and bearing fruit in ones conduct. (14) There is an interesting symmetry or parallel between the conversion of Saul and the conversion of Cornelius. * [9:20] Son of God: the title Son of God occurs in Acts only here, but cf. 20and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. The words and actions of Ananias are an evidence of his faith and obedience to the divine commission he was given, as outlined by Luke in the verses above. Fourth, if we had all the facts, there would be no problem. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. So it would appear. WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. Finally, we shall attempt to focus on the application of this passage to our own lives. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. 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). Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Our text presents Saul as a man who was not only running from God, but one who was actively opposing Him. The Diocese of Rochester In America 1868-1993. The conversion of Saul is a very crucial event in this book, which spells out from a historical point of view (Romans, from a theological viewpoint) the relationship of Jews and Gentiles in the plans and purposes of God. I very much doubt anyone prayed that this Saul might be saved. This silence is instructive, in my opinion. WebThere was no indication in Jesus words that Ananias was going to give Saul the Holy Spirit. on it belonged to the Roman province of Syria, but had a measure of municipal autonomy in the loose federation of cities called the Decapolis. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 181. He started to KNOW GRACE! 147 The more Saul preached, the more the Jews were confused. From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of Gods choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. This would leave AD 33-46 for the visit to Arabia (Gal. Perhaps Ananias and Sapphira got caught up in a band-wagon effect. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Ananias found How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? OR WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? It is evident in the way he was saved. Saul went to other cities where he sought to arrest Christians and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. Saul is welcomed into the church. When the Christians learned that the Hellenists to whom Saul had preached were plotting to kill them, they helped him escape through Caesarea and on to Tarsus. Sauls baptism followed, accompanied by his profession of faith, his calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). In the end, God Himself will provide the illumination so that the sun and the stars will not be needed for this function: The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted (Isaiah 30:26). 148 I would assume that Saul was one of those who covered his ears so as not to hear the praise of Stephen, as reported in Acts 7:57. 23:16-17, 19, 24; 23:26). Why did Ananias have to overcome his fear? Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one.g 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. But his blindness was symbolic of his condition. He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell from Sauls eyes. 6:17; Phil. WebAnswer: > 10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. Here I am, Lord, he replied. The question must be asked as to whether or not Sauls conversion has a more general application and relevance. They are private Christians, living like islands rather than as a part of His body. . Ananias is not only surprised by his commission; he is resistant to it, at least initially. They do not understand the gospel well enough. 10i There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. He answered, Here I am, Lord. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the ,%d/3o3o6jda=|4S-LJ3ajLcNfZyV;CkCl>390q {KQ0lQ)0>~cy:CJkP|4M-\v also 2:14-17; 3:12-18; 4:1-18; 5:17-21; 6:13--7:1; Galatians 1:13-17; cf. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (8) The salvation of Saul made him a vital part of Christs body, the church. It was due to the intervention of Barnabas, a man who would prove to be a lifetime friend of Paul, that the apostles risked a meeting with him and then granted him the freedom to associate with the saints in Jerusalem. Saul was not content to punish some and to drive the rest from the holy city. He did not want to merely contain Christianity or to drive it from Jerusalem; he wanted to rid the earth of Christianity and its followers. Saul, the typical (albeit more zealous) Jew, opposed God in the person of Christ and His body, the church, even while he thought he was serving Him. To the church, Saul turned out to be a friend, a fellow-believer, in fact, a flaming evangelist, who proclaimed Christ more clearly and powerfully than anyone had previously done in Damascus. Ananias the high priest brought charges against Paul and The good news of the gospel is that Christ Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Start FREE. 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:6-7). Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end (Isaiah 60:20). 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, What did Ananias do for Saul? But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God (John 3:19-21). * [9:1930] This is a brief resume of Pauls initial experience as an apostolic preacher. How many times should a shock absorber bounce? Blindness, not willing to see, not willing to understand is all too common but Ananias cured Saul blindness by a touch. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16). Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited. 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. I can believe someone might have prayed that Saul be waylaid, or terminated, in some divine act or providential accident (act of God). Blaiklock, for example (pp. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;* so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.h But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. ACTS 9:27 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. 153 Sauls conversion did not bring instant maturity or spirituality, but was the point where growth commenced. Ananias and Saul in Damascus. I see a man who is confident, aggressive, and zealous, rather than a man troubled by inner doubts. Imagine for a moment that this is the week of Sauls arrival at Damascus. Over and over in his epistles, Paul spoke of salvation in terms of radical change. Saul was told at the time of his conversion that God had chosen him to bear witness to the Gentiles, to kings, and to the Jews (9:15). Thus, his opposition to Christ and His church took on a missionary spirit. 10Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus (A)named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias., 11So the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul (B)of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. In His coming as the light, those who come to the light become lights to the world themselves: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2). He got up and was baptized, get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! Ananias who was Did Peter and Paul meet? 141 Compare this voice with that in John 12:29. One moment, Saul was persecuting the church; shortly thereafter he was seeking to fellowship with the saints. Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? In fact, more is written of what Saul said and did because he was saved than is written of what he said and did resulting in his salvation. We can learn more about his life in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and we can still read some of the letters he wrote that have been collected into the Bible, such as Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. Saul could only be persecuting Jesus through the members of His body, the church. 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. In other words, Is Sauls conversion typical and illustrative of the conversion of every saint, or is it unique, the exceptional case, which has little correspondence to most converts?. . When Saul stood up, he discovered he was completely blind, and the men who were with him had to lead him by his hand until they reached Damascus. (2) Sauls salvation was exclusively the work of a sovereign God. 20:32; 26:18) is a common term in Pauls writings and describes Christians as people who have been set apart for Gods service and must show an appropriate character. The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. What else did Jesus explain to Ananias? 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. Thank God that is what happened. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him (Daniel 2:22). 1:11--2:10; Ephesians 3:1-13; cf. Could it be that God had also appointed someone to meet Saul as he entered the city, with specific instructions as to where he was to stay? When I look through the Gospels and the Book of Acts, I never find the gospel presented in the same way to different people. What is the safe score in JEE Mains 2021? More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to his death (Philippians 3:7-10). . Now they were keeping watch on the gates day and night so as to kill him, Ananias not only He sent me so that you can In 2 Corinthians 11:32 Paul speaks of an ethnarch of Aretas, the king of the Nabataean Arabs, who guarded the city to prevent him escaping from it. Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse There may well have been a long time between Sauls conversion and his arrival at Jerusalem. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time. And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. Not knowing what had happened, she, too, lied about the offering and was also struck dead (Acts 5:111). When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? 1* Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,a went to the high priestb He is trying to inform God of whats going on. 22But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah. They, too, were afraid of Saul and did not believe he really was a follower of Jesus Christ. (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) And what a comfort to know that God always finishes what He starts: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). 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). A( ) Ananias is obscure. This expression, calling on the name of the Lord seems to be one used consistently in the Old Testament. Let us avoid cookie cutter conversions.. Why was Ananias afraid? Web3. to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me (Acts 26:18). The longer I study Sauls conversion, the more convinced I am that his conversion is typical. Michael Garicoits (1797-1863) was born into a poor, but hardworking and humble family. (5) There is a good deal of emphasis on the results of Sauls conversion. Web'And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy lifenot because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. Pauls experience was not visionary but was precipitated by the appearance of Jesus, as he insists in 1Cor 15:8. The only question is who is the LORD? It was only with the exit of Saul from the Holy Land, back to his native land (Tarsus), that peace once again returned. 3On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.c 1:19; Rom. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Nevertheless, at some point in time Saul did arrive in Jerusalem. And they were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Saul recognized that he was a sinner, and that his righteousness was but dung before God. He goes for broke. * [9:8] He could see nothing: a temporary blindness (Acts 9:18) symbolizing the religious blindness of Saul as persecutor (cf. * [9:29] Hellenists: see note on Acts 6:17. He didnt know that the risen Christ had confronted Saul on the road to Damascus just as Christ is now confronting him This sets up a flashback to verses 1-9. They too rebelled against God and forsook His word and persecuted His prophets. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. But beyond this, his conversion totally changed the remainder of his life. (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) 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). It is the invitation for sinful Israelites to be saved, by repenting and calling on the name of the Lord for salvation: Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious (Ezekiel 1:4, 26-28; 2:1-7).143. 31* The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Proving (sunbibazon). WebWe do not know whether Ananias already had previous experience miracles of healing, but the Lord was instructing him to interview the notorious Pharisee Saul, who fiercely persecuted Christians, and to heal his blindness. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Like Stephen, Saul seemed to gravitate toward preaching to the Hellenistic Jews (9:29). WebAnd was Ana- nias still reluctant to help Saul after the Lord explained the situation to him? Hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church. 2 What do we know about Ananias in Acts 9? Saul got help, though, from a man named Barnabas. Maybe he died, but it also may be because most of the rest of Acts is fo- cused on more distant places.