Jesus was questioning saul

JESUS WAS QUESTIONINGSAUL
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Acts 9:4 4He fell to the ground and heard a voicesay
to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
"the Way."
Acts 9:2
R. Tuck
This seems to have been the earliestname for what we now call Christianity.
That it was used as a distinctive appellation of the Christian religion may be
seenby comparing Acts 19:9, 23;Acts 22:4; Acts 24:14, 22. A fuller expression
is employed in 2 Peter2:2, "By reasonof whom the way of truth shall be evil
spokenof," Our Lord had used the term in a very significantmanner, saying,
"I am the way (John 14:6); and the previous prophetic figure of the Messianic
times - "An highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be calledThe way
of holiness '- would be in the memory of the disciples, and therefore they
would be likely to acceptthe term if it was first started by their persecutors.
Compare the name "Christian," which began as a taunt, and became accepted
as an honorable title. In introducing this subject, reference may be made to
the interesting fact that, from this point, Luke's recordbecomes almost
entirely an accountof St. Paul's labors, probably because round him centered

the missionarywork of the early Church, and he was its greatest
representative. The kind of religious authority over all Jews exercisedby the
Sanhedrim, and the limitations of its power to imprisonment and beating and
excommunication, require consideration. Saulprobably went to Damascus for
two reasons -
(1) because in the scattering the disciples were likely to have found shelter
there; and
(2) because many Jews dweltthere, and especiallythose Greek Jews, who
were most likely to become converts to the broad principles as taught by
Stephen's party. It was againstthis particular party that Saul was so greatly
incensed. Their teaching most effectually plucked the ground from beneath
mere formal Judaism. Reverting to the term, "the Way, as descriptive of the
Christian religion, and filling it with the largermeaning of our later
knowledge, we may notice that it is -
I. A WAY OF THINKING. It is characteristic ofChristianity that it has its
own peculiar way of thinking about
(1) God,
(2) man,
(3) sin,
(4) redemption.

Its "way of thinking" is placed under the guidance of specialDivine
revelation. And the starting-point of its thinking is that God has, "in these last
days, spokenunto us by his Son." Probably the exactreference in this verse is
to that "wayof thinking" which Stephen introduced and taught, because that
appearedto presentspecialpoints of antagonismto the doctrine and authority
of the Sanhedrim. There is still a "wayof thinking" characteristicofChrist's
disciples. With a large liberty there are well-defined lines beyond which the
thinking, being unloyal to Christ, is unworthy of the Christian name.
II. A WAY OF FEELING. Every true disciple is distinguished by his
admiration for, his trust in, and his love to, the Lord Jesus Christ. In the early
Church the loyalty and the love were so strong that the disciples could endure
shame and death for his sake. And still our "wayof feeling" about Christ
should mark us off from all the world; men should "take knowledgeofus that
we have been with Jesus," that he has wonour very hearts, and that to us
henceforth "to live is Christ." Impress the important bearing of sustained
high feeling on the power and joy of the Christian life.
III. A WAY OF WORKING. Besides the generalmodes of working
characteristic ofChristians, for the glory of God and the goodof men,
attention should be given to Stephen's way of working againstmere formalism
and ritualism, and in favor of spiritual religion; and the need for similar
"ways of working" in eachrecurring over-civilized period should be
impressed.
IV. A WAY OF LIVING. By their fruits of godliness and charity the early
Christians were known. The Christian "way" is a "wayof holiness," not of
mere separateness,but of consecration;a way of laying all possessions or
attainments on God's altar, and a way of using all powers and opportunities
for God's service. - R.T.

Biblical Illustrator
He fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why
persecutestthou Me?
Acts 9:4
The Lord's word
W. Arnot, D. D.
I. CONSOLATION.This word is a two-edgedsword; it carries comfortto
those who are within, and reproofto those who are without. It is spokento an
adversary; but it is spokenfor a friend. The first comfort given to fallen man
was in a word spokento his destroyer(Genesis 3:15). In the same way Israel
was comforted, "Touchnot Mine anointed," etc. Here, too, the Head will
sustain the members by a reproof addressedto the Master. I scarcelyknow a
more comforting word than this. Nowhere is the oneness of Christ and His
disciples more clearly expressed. The Speakeris not now the Man of Sorrows:
all power has been given into His hands. As you experience pain when any
member of your body is hurt, so Christ cries out when an enemy's hand
strikes some poor saint in Damascus. Forthis is the privilege of all Christians.

Safetyis secured, and therefore measured, by the power, not of the saved, but
of the Saviour. The Queen's flag is the aegis ofthe temper woman as well as
the stalwartwarrior, and woe to the man who strikes either. Let Saul venture
to say, Lord, when did we persecute Thee? The King shall answer, "Inasmuch
as ye did it," etc. Here is my safety — I am His, part of Himself. We shall be
able by and by to number up God's mercies, and nothing will be sweeterthan
the discoveryof those signal rescues whichChrist has achievedfor us while
we, like an infant sleeping in a burning house, were aware neither of the flame
that was alreadysingeing our garments nor of the strong arm of that brother
who bore us beyond its reach.
II. REPROOF. While the word carries consolationto the disciples, it bears
terrible reproof to adversaries. Mark here —
1. That although Saul is an enemy to Jesus, Jesus is no enemy to Saul, and the
word is spokennot to casthim out, but to melt him down, and so win him
near. In His glory, as in His humiliation, Jesus being reviled reviles not again.
He draws a cleardistinction betweenthe converted and the unconverted, but
it does not lie in that the first are receivedand the secondrejected, but in this,
that those who are already near are cherishedas dear children, and the
distant prodigals are invited to turn and live. Norcan we be surprised at this
generosity. If, when we were His enemies, He wonus, we cannotwonder that
the door is still open for those who are without.
2. The form of the address betrays the tenderness of Jesus. The repetition of
the name expressessharpcondemnation and tender pity. When you intend
simple approval or disapproval you call the name only once; when you intend
to condemn and win back you duplicate the call. "John" may be the prelude
to either praise or blame, but "John, John," always means that he is doing
evil, and that you mean him good(see John 20:16;cf. Luke 10:41, 42). It is the
double callthat Christ is addressing to the world today; at the greatday it will
be single — Depart ye cursed, or Come ye blessed.

3. In Saul's case the redoubled stroke was effectual. He grieved for the sin that
was rebuked, and acceptedthe mercy that was offered.
(W. Arnot, D. D.)
The persecutor
B. Beddome, M. A.
I. IT IS THE GENERALCHARACTER OF UNCONVERTEDMEN TO BE
OF A PERSECUTING SPIRIT."Cain," says Luther, "will kill Abel to the
end of the world." Speaking of Ishmaeland Isaac, the apostle observes,"As
then he that was born after the flesh, persecutedhim that was born after the
spirit, even so it is now." The more zealous and holy believers are, so much
the more will the malice of wickedmen be levelled againstthem (Galatians
4:29; James 5:6: 1 John 3:12, 13). There are, however, different kinds and
degrees ofpersecution. Though we are not in dangerof bonds and
imprisonments, yet the enmity of the wickedwill show itself, either by
injuries, unneighbourly treatment, vulgar abuse, or by one means or another.
The Church of Christ has always been as a lily among thorns, or like a bush
on fire, but not consumed (Psalm55:21; Acts 22:4; Hebrews 11:35-39).
II. CHRIST HAS HIS EYE UPON PERSECUTORS AND IS ACQUAINTED
WITH ALL THEIR WAYS. He also views things in their proper light, and
calls them by their proper names. What Saul calleddoing God's service, He
calls persecution. There is not a step which His enemies take but He marks it
well, nor a pain His servants feel but He beholds it with an eye of pity. Saul is
on his way to Damascus, unobservedby the disciples, who were now
accountedas sheepfor the slaughter: but the Shepherd of the flock sees the
enemy coming to devour, and stops him in his wild career.

III. THE KINDNESS OR INJURIES DONE TO HIS PEOPLE, CHRIST
CONSIDERSAS DONE TO HIMSELF. Let persecutors think of this and
tremble. The union betweenChrist and His people is intimate and endearing;
it is like that betweenthe vine and its branches, betweenthe head and the
members. If the branch be cut off, the vine will bleed; and when one member
suffers, the members suffer with it, and also the head! The same love that
induced the Redeemerto suffer for His people, constrains Him to suffer with
them. Christ is more tender of His body mystical than He was of His body
natural, and is more sensible of His members' sufferings than He was of His
own. Amidst all the cruel treatment He Himself met with, he never said,
"Why scourge ye Me? why crucify ye Me?" But when Saul threatened
destruction to His disciples, He calls to him from heaven, "Why persecutest
thou Me?"
IV. CHRIST'S CALL TO THE PERSECUTOR WAS TO CONVINCE HIM
OF SIN AND THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS CONVERSION. This
lays the foundation of repentance and faith; for we cannot repent of sin while
insensible of its evil nature, nor do the whole need a physician, but they that
are sick. Saultrembled at the voice which spake to him, and being astonished
at the number and magnitude of his sins, as well as at the forbearance and
compassionofthe Saviour, cried out, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?"
He is now willing to be directed, and to obey Christ as his Lord.
V. THE CALLS OF CHRIST ARE EARNEST AND PARTICULAR. From
among the rest of mankind He singles out the man towards whom He has
designs of mercy. Thus He chose Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom,
and Zaccheus, whomcuriosity had led up into a sycamore tree. And of the
company that were going to Damascus,one is distinguished from the rest, and
addressedby name. Hence his companions heard a voice, but knew not what
was said. Ministers speak to all their hearers, and not to one more than
another: but Christ speaks to the individual, and does not speak in vain. They
draw the bow at a venture; but He aims at a certain mark, and never misses.

Farther: Christ's call was earnestand pressing. There is something vehement
and affectionate in the address:Saul, Saul! The Lord saw the dangerhe was
in: He therefore warns him with a loud voice from heaven, and both pities and
pardons his delusion. We see that all intercourse begins on Christ's part. His
is preventing mercy, and previous to any inclination or endeavours on our
part to seek afterHim.
VI. PERSECUTIONIS A GREAT SIN AND WHEN BROUGHT HOME TO
THE CONSCIENCE OF AN AWAKENED SINNER, IT IS FOUND TO BE
SO. It is so unreasonable as to admit of no defence, and none is made.
1. Is there any reasonon My part? What injury have I done thee? Forwhich
of My goodworks dostthou persecute Me?
2. Is there any reasonon the part of My people? Becausethey are My
disciples, are they therefore worse parents or children, subjects or servants,
friends or neighbours? Nay, are they not the salt of the earth, and the light of
the world?
3. Is there any reasonon thy part? Dostthou claim a right to judge for thyself:
and have not they the same right? Who made thee thy brother's judge? Thou
thinkest that truth is on thy side, and it is natural for thy neighbour to think
the same. Dostthou allege the commissionfrom the chief priests? Who
authorised them to grant such a commission? Dostthou plead the Divine
glory? Can God be glorified by a conduct contrary to all the feelings of
humanity?

4. Will such conduct answerthe end proposed? Force andviolence may make
men hypocrites, but cannot produce conviction. Will reproaches andinjuries
be more effectual than kind treatment and persuasion?Conclusion:
1. Christ's question to Saul should not only convince us of the evil of a
persecuting spirit, but leadus to avoid and abhor it, as utterly contrary to the
very genius of Christianity (Acts 26:10;1 Corinthians 15:9).
2. From this example let not the most atrocious sinner, nor the bitterest
persecutordespair, if brought to a sense oftheir evil conduct (1 Timothy
1:16).
(B. Beddome, M. A.)
The case ofSt. Paul in persecuting the Church
D. Waterland, D. D.
It was about two years after our Lord was gone to heaven. Saul, for a yearor
two before, had behaved as blind zealots are used to do, with greatwarmth
and fury. He was then in the heat of his youth, about thirty years old, very
honest and sincere in his way, and exceedinglyzealous for the law of his God.
The prejudices of educationwere so strong, and his natural temper withal so
impetuous, that he stayednot to examine into the merits of the Christian
cause. But as he very well knew that his ownreligion was from God, he too
hastily concludedthat this other, now pretending to rival it, could not be
Divine also.
I. SAUL AS A PERSECUTORAND THE GUILT HE CONTRACTED IN
BEING SUCH. Howeversincere he had been in doing it, however fully
persuaded in his own mind that he was serving God in it; yet he never
reflectedupon it afterwards but with shame and regret, with a penitential

sorrow and remorse for it (Acts 26:9; Acts 22:20; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1
Corinthians 15:9). Saul, consideredas a persecutorof the Church of God,
cannot be acquitted of prejudice, partiality, and precipitate judgment, in a
cause which demanded cooldeliberation and the most scrupulous care.
II. WHAT MAY BE PLEADED TO ALLEVIATE HIS GUILT IN IT, ON
ACCOUNT OF WHICH HE FOUND MERCY. He himself has intimated
that, though he had been some time a blasphemer and a persecutorand
injurious, yet he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly, in unbelief. He
did not know that the Christian religion was from God, and that the Jewish
was to ceaseand give way to it. He meant and intended well while he was
doing amiss: this is his excuse. It may be said in answer, that he might have
known better, if he had been pleasedto examine. Very true, he might, and
therefore he is blameable; but still his heart was honestand good, and
therefore his mistake was pitiable and pardonable. His ignorance was not
altogetheraffectedand wilful, but had a greatmixture of natural temper and
human frailty to alleviate and qualify it. Our Lord, knowing the integrity of
his heart, was pleasedto overlook his failings, and to receive him into His own
more immediate service. He approved his upright zeal, which wanted nothing
but clearerlight and a better direction. He indulges him the favour of a
heavenly vision, condescends to speak to him from above, and finds him as
willing and ready upon correctionto embrace and propagate the Christian
religion as he had before been to persecute and destroy it.
III. THE EXCEEDING GREAT GOODNESSOF OUR LORD, BOTHTO
ST. PAUL AND TO THE CHURCH, IN THIS AFFAIR. How gracious were
the words which our Lord spake:Saul, Saul, why persecutestthou Me? Next,
He gave the goodman a seasonable and a very affecting caution. I am Jesus,
the Saviourof the world; it is hard for thee to contend with. One so much
mightier than thou art: step thy career, and retreat in time. These were
moving arguments, and pierced to the very soul. But, what is still more
considerable, was the exceeding goodnesstherein shownto the Church in

general. It was not only taking off a very furious and dangerous enemy; but it
was making of him one of the kindest and best of friends. There was no man
better qualified to serve the Church, both by preaching and writing, than St.
Paul. He had greatnatural abilities, improved by a liberal and polite
education; to which also were superadded many extraordinary supernatural
gifts.
IV. THE PROPER USE AND APPLICATION.
1. Let us learn from the instance of St. Paul how much it concerns everyman
to take care that he judges right in all matters of high consequence especially,
and that his consciencebe duly informed. Infinite mischiefs may arise from an
erroneous conscience anda misguided zeal.
2. From the same instance of St. Paul learn we a ready submission and
obedience to truth and godliness whensufficiently propounded to us. Lay we
aside all inveterate prejudices and stubborn reluctances, as soonas everwe
have light enough to see that we have been in an error, and that we ought to
retract.
3. Learn we from the whole transaction, the truth and certainty of our Lord's
resurrectionand ascensioninto heaven, His power and majesty there as Lord
of all, and His exceeding goodnessin looking down from thence to take care of
His Church here below; and how dangerous a thing it will be, and how fatal to
the undertakers, to persistin any attempts againstHim.
(D. Waterland, D. D.)

COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(4) Saul, Saul, why persecutestthoume?—It is remarkable that here only, in
the originalGreek, and in Acts 9:17, as in the reproduction of the words in
Acts 22:27;Acts 26:14, do we find the Hebrew form of the Benjamite name. It
is as though he, who gloried in being above all things a Hebrew of the
Hebrews, heard himself claimed as such by Him who spoke from heaven,
calledas Samuelhad been called of old (1Samuel 3:4-8), and having to decide
whether he would resistto the end, or yield, saying with Samuel, “Speak,
Lord, for Thy servant heareth.” The narrative implies that the persecutorsaw
the form of the Son of Man as well as heard His voice, and to that visible
presence the Apostle afterwards refers as a witness to him of the Resurrection
(1Corinthians 9:1; 1Corinthians 15:8). If we ask as to the manner of the
appearance, it is natural to think of it as being such as had met the gaze of
Stephen. The martyr’s words, “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56), had then seemedto the fiery
zeal of the Pharisee as those ofa blasphemer. Now he too saw the Son of Man
in the glory of the Fatherstretching forth His hand, not now, as He then had
done, to receive the servant who was faithful even unto death, but, in answer
to that servant’s dying prayer, to transform the persecutorinto the likeness of
his victim.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
9:1-9 So ill informed was Saul, that he thought he ought to do all he could
againstthe name of Christ, and that he did Godservice thereby; he seemedto
breathe in this as in his element. Let us not despair of renewing grace for the
conversionof the greatestsinners, nor let such despair of the pardoning mercy
of God for the greatestsin. It is a signaltokenof Divine favour, if God, by the
inward working of his grace, orthe outward events of his providence, stops us

from prosecuting or executing sinful purposes. Saul saw that Just One, ch.
22:14;26:13. How near to us is the unseenworld! It is but for God to draw
aside the veil, and objects are presented to the view, compared with which,
whateveris most admired on earth is mean and contemptible. Saul submitted
without reserve, desirous to know what the Lord Jesus wouldhave him to do.
Christ's discoveries ofhimself to poor souls are humbling; they lay them very
low, in mean thoughts of themselves. Forthree days Saul took no food, and it
pleasedGod to leave him for that time without relief. His sins were now set in
order before him; he was in the dark concerning his own spiritual state, and
wounded in spirit for sin. When a sinner is brought to a proper sense of his
own state and conduct, he will casthimself wholly on the mercy of the
Saviour, asking whathe would have him to do. God will direct the humbled
sinner, and though he does not often bring transgressors to joy and peace in
believing, without sorrows and distress of conscience,under which the soul is
deeply engagedas to eternal things, yet happy are those who sow in tears, for
they shall reap in joy.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
And he fell to the earth - He was astonishedand overcome by the sudden flash
of light. There is a remarkable similarity betweenwhat occurredhere, and
what is recordedof Danielin regard to the visions which he saw, Daniel8:17.
Also Daniel10:8, "Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision; and
there remained no strength in me, for my comeliness (vigor)was turned into
corruption, and I retained no strength." The effectwas suchas to overpower
the body.
And heard a voice - The whole company heard a voice Acts 9:7, but did not
distinguish it as addressedparticularly to Saul. He heard it speaking to
himself.
Saying unto him ... - This shows that it was not thunder, as many have
supposed. It was a distinct articulation or utterance, addressing him by name.

Saul, Saul - A mode of address that is emphatic. The repetition of the name
would fix his attention. Thus, Jesus addressesMartha Luke 10:41, and Simon
Luke 22:31, and JerusalemMatthew 23:37.
Why - For what reason. Jesus haddone him no injury; had given him no
provocation. All the opposition of sinners to the Lord Jesus and his church is
without cause. See the notes on John 15:25, "Theyhated me without a cause."
Persecutest - See the notes on Matthew 5:11.
Thou me? - Christ and his people are one, John 15:1-6. To persecute them,
therefore, was to persecute him, Matthew 25:40, Matthew 25:45.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
4-6. he fell to the earth—and his companions with him (Ac 26:14), who "saw
the light" (Ac 22:9).
and heard a voice saying unto him—"in the Hebrew tongue" (Ac 26:14).
Saul, Saul—a reduplication full of tenderness [De Wette]. Though his name
was soonchangedinto "Paul," we find him, in both his ownnarratives of the
scene, afterthe lapse of so many years, retaining the original form, as not
daring to alter, in the smallestdetail, the overpowering words addressedto
him.
why persecutestthou me?—No language canexpress the affecting character
of this question, addressedfrom the right hand of the Majestyon high to an

infuriated, persecuting mortal. (See Mt 25:45, and that whole judgment
scene).
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Saul fell to the earth, struck with the amazing light and terrible voice of
Christ; as also with the sense of the presence of God, which he knew was thus
reverencedby Daniel, Daniel 8:17 10:9.
Saul, Saul; the name Saul is the rather mentioned, to mind him and us of his
persecuting of Christ in his members, as his name sake had persecutedDavid,
who was a type of Christ; and it is ingeminated, or doubled, not only to rouse
and awakenSaul, but to testify his love to him, and commiserationof him.
Why persecutestthou me? Christ was in heaven, beyond Saul’s rage;but
Christ and his church make but one body. Thus Christ says, I was hungry and
thirsty, Matthew 25:35. And in all their afflictions he is afflicted, Isaiah63:9.
But me is here emphatically spoken, as if our Saviour had minded him of his
greatlove and mercy to him, in dying and suffering for him; and why then
should he persecute him?
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And he fell to the earth,.... Notbeing able to bear the light, and still less the
divine glory and majesty which he perceivedwas present; and therefore, in
greatconfusion, amazement, and fear, he fell with his face to the ground, and
lay there prostrate and so did also those that were with him, Acts 26:14
and heard a voice, saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutestthou me? this
voice was the real voice of Christ in his human nature, and who visibly and in
person appeared, and was seenby the apostle;Acts 26:16 the language he
spoke in was the Hebrew tongue, and he calls him by his Hebrew name Saul,
and which is doubled to denote vehemency and affection;See Gill on Luke

22:31 he knew him as one of his sheep, though straying, and calls him by
name, and expostulates with him, wherefore he should persecute him in his
members as he did; for the union betweenChrist and his people is so close,
that what is done to them is done to him. There seems to be a considerable
emphasis on the word "me"; "me", who have been they surety from
everlasting;"me", who hath loved thee and given myself for thee; "me", who
have shed my blood, laid down my life, and died for thee; "me", who am now
at my Father's right hand, interceding for thee, that grace might be bestowed
upon thee, the set time being now come.
Geneva Study Bible
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why
persecutestthou me?
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Acts 9:4-5. The light shone around him (and not his companions). Out of the
light the presentChrist manifested Himself at this moment to his view: he has
seen, the Lord (1 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 15:8), Acts 9:17; Acts 9:27,
who afterwards makes Himself known also by name; and the persecutor, from
terror at the heavenly vision, falls to the ground, when he hears the voice
speaking in Hebrew (Acts 26:14):Saul, Saul, etc.
τί με διώκεις;] τί παρʼ ἐμοῦ μέγα ἢ μικρὸνἠδικημένος ταῦτα ποιεῖς;
Chrysostom. Christ Himself is persecutedin His people. Luke 10:16. “Caput
pro membris clamabat,” Augustine.
τίς εἶ, κύριε]. On the question whether Saul, during his residence in
Jerusalem, had personally seenChrist (Schrader, Olshausen, Ewald, Keim,
Beyschlag, andothers) or not (comp. on 2 Corinthians 5:16), no decisioncan

at all be arrived at from this passage, as the form in which the Lord presented
Himself to the view of Saul belongedto the heavenly world and was
surrounded with the glorious radiance, and Saul himself, immediately after
the momentary view and the overwhelming impressionof the incomparable
appearance, felldown and closedhis eyes.
Observe in Acts 9:5 the emphasis of ἐγώ and σύ.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Acts 9:4. καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, cf. Acts 22:7, both expressions show the over-
whelming impression made by the sudden bright light. In Acts 26:14 all fall to
the ground, but there is no contradiction with Acts 9:7, see below on Acts 9:7.
Lewin, Farrar (so Hackett, and some early interpreters) have held that Saul
and some at leastof his companions were mounted, since Saul was the
emissaryof the high priest, and the journey would occupysome days. On the
other hand Felten (following Corn, à Lapide) holds that the text makes no
suggestionofthis, and that the expression“they led him by the hand” and the
command “rise and enter into the city” are againstit; but the near
neighbourhood of Damascus might easily accountfor the factthat his
companions led Saul by the hand for the remaining distance, which could not
have been long, although the immediate proximity of the traditional site
cannot be maintained (see above on Acts 9:3). As the strict Jews, like the
Pharisees,seldomused horses, Feltenmay be right in conjecturing that Saul
rode upon an ass ora mule (p. 186, note).—ἤκουσε φωνὴνλέγουσαν:in St.
Paul’s own accountwe have ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης, Acts 22:7, and ἤκουσα
φωνὴν λέγ., as here, in Acts 26:14. It would seemtherefore that the distinction
betweenἀκούεινwith (1) accusative, and(2) genitive; (1) to hear and
understand, (2) to hear, merely, cannot be pressed(so Alford, in loco, and
Simcox, Language of N. T., p. 90, and Weiss on Acts 22:7; but see on the other
hand Rendall on 9 Acts 9:7). Thus in the passagebefore us it has been usual to
explain ἀκούεινwith φωνήν Acts 9:4, as indicating that Saul not only heard
but understood the voice, cf. Acts 22:14, whilst ἀκούεινwith φωνῆς Acts 9:7,
has been takento show that his comrades heard, but did not understand (so

Weiss, in loco, and also on Acts 22:9). But there is (1) no contradiction with
Acts 22:9, for there it is said of Paul’s companions:τὴν δὲ φωνὴν οὐκ ἤκουσαν
τοῦ λαλοῦτός μοι—theyheard the utterance, Acts 9:7, Acts 22:7, but did not
hear definitely, or understand who it was that spoke, μηδένα δὲ θεωροῦντες.
But (2) on comparing the passagestogether, it appears that in Acts 9:4; Acts
9:7 a distinction is drawn betweenthe contents of the utterance and the mere
sound of the voice, a distinction drawn by the accusative and genitive; in Acts
22:7 the same distinction is really maintained, and by the same cases,since in
Acts 22:7 Paul, in speaking ofhimself, says that he heard a voice, i.e., was
conscious ofa voice speaking to him (genitive, φωνῆς), (Simcox, u. s., p. 85),
whilst in Acts 9:9 (accusative φωνήν)the contents of the utterance are
referred to, cf. Acts 9:14 in the same chapter; in Acts 26:14 the accusative is
rightly used for the contents of the utterance which are given there more fully
than elsewhere.—Σαούλ, Σαούλ:in eachof the three narratives of the
Conversionit is significant that the Hebrew form is thus given, and it is also
found in the address of Ananias, probably himself a Hebrew, Acts 9:17, to the
new convert. On the emphatic and solemnrepetition of the name cf. Genesis
22:11, and in the N.T., Luke 10:41; Luke 22:31, Matthew 23:37, and on the
frequency of this repetition of a name as characteristic ofLuke in Gospeland
Acts see Friedrich, pp. 75, 76, cf. Luke 8:24; Luke 10:41;Luke 22:31;cf. Luke
23:21 (see also Deissmann’s note Bibelstudien, p. 184, onthe introduction of
the Hebrew name).—τί με διώκεις;cf. Acts 7:52, and 1 Corinthians 15:9,
Galatians 1:13. “Saul’s first lessonwas the mystical union betweenChrist and
His Church” cf. Matthew 10:40;Matthew 25:40;Matthew 25:45, John 10:16,
etc. No wonderthat Felten sees “anineffable pathos” in the words; Wendt
quotes St. Augustine: “caput pro membris damabat,” cf. also Corn. à Lapide:
“corpus enim mystcum Christi estecclesia,membra sunt fideles”.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
4. And he fell to the earth] Dazzled by the intense brightness. From Acts 26:14
we find that not only Saul but his companions were struck down by the light,
though there was more in the vision which he beheld than was made evident
to them, and by reasonof the greaterglorywhich was manifestedto him, his
natural sight was blinded.

and heard a voice]We cannot representin English the different case ofthe
noun in this verse, and in 7. The Greek puts here the accusative caseand there
the genitive, and thus indicates that there was a difference in the nature of the
hearing of Saul and of his companions. And Paul in Acts 22:9 marks the
distinction in his own narration, for he says “They heard not the voice
(accusative)ofhim that spake to me.” As this difference is made both in St
Luke’s first account, and in the speechof St Paul at Jerusalem, it seems
reasonable to acceptthe explanation which has long ago been given of this
grammaticalvariation, and to understand that Saul heard an articulate
sound, a voice which spake to him, while his companions were only conscious
of a sound from which they comprehended nothing. St Paul then is precise
when he says “they heard not the voice” which I heard, and St Luke is correct
when in Acts 9:7 he says “they heard a sound.”
saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutestthou me?] It is very noteworthy
that in all the three accounts of the vision the Greek text of Saul’s name is a
transliteration of the Hebrew, shewing that we have here a very close
adherence to the words of Jesus. The Lord spake in the language of His
people, and both the Evangelistand the Apostle have preserved for us this
remarkable feature of the heavenly address. The only other place where the
Hebrew form of Saul’s name is retained is in the speechof Ananias when
(Acts 9:17) he comes to see the convert in his blindness. As he also had
receiveda communication from Jesus in connectionwith Saul’s conversion,
we can understand how the same form of the name would have been given to
him. Moreoverhe was himself, to judge from his name, a Hebrew, and
therefore that form would be most natural on his lips. Except in these cases St
Luke always employs the Greek form of the word.
Christ speaksofHimself as persecutedby Saul, because “in all the affliction of
his people he is afflicted” (Isaiah 63:9), and “whoso toucheththem, toucheth
the apple of his eye” (Zechariah2:8).

Bengel's Gnomen
Acts 9:4. Φωνὴν, a voice)stern, and yet full of grace:ch. Acts 22:14.—Σαοὺλ,
Saul) JESUS knew Saul before that Saul knew JESUS.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 4. - Fell upon, for fell to, A.V. Some, as Lord Lytlelton and Lewin ('Life
of St. Paul,' vol. 1. p. 48), from the expressions, "fellto the ground," "fell to
the earth," infer that Saul was "himself mounted, and his followers some
mounted and some on foot." And Farrar also, far other reasons, supposesthat
Saul and his companions rode horses or mules. The journey, he says, was
nearly a hundred and fifty miles, and the roads rough, bad, and steep;and
Saul was traveling as the legate orthe high priest. Still it is strange that no one
expressionshould point distinctly to the party being on horseback,which
"falling to the earth," or "ground," certainly do not. While, on the other
hand, the phrases, "Arise," "stoodspeechless,""ledhim by the hand," seem
rather to point to his being on foot. Lunge well compares the double
invocation, Saul, Saul! with those similar ones, "Abraham, Abraham!"
"Samuel, Samuel!" "Jerusalem, Jerusalem!" "Simon, Simon!" (Genesis
22:11;1 Samuel 3:10; Matthew 23:27;Luke 22:31).
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Acts 9:4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul,
Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (NASB:Lockman)

KJV Acts 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him,
Saul, Saul, why persecutestthou me?
he fell to the ground Acts 5:10; Nu 16:45; John 18:6; Ro 11:22; 1 Cor 4:7
Saul Ge 3:9; 16:8; 22:11; Exodus 3:4; Luke 10:41;John 20:16; 21:15
why are you persecuting Me Acts 22:7,8;26:14,15;Isa 63:9; Zech 2:8; Mt
25:40,45,46;1 Cor 12:12;Eph 5:30
Acts 9 Resources -Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
See Map of Events Associatedwith Saul's conversionand ministry
Dore Woodcut
GOD SPOKE AND
GOD WAS JESUS
Someone has quipped that this was the supernatural showdownat high noon!
This was the day a foe of Christ became a followerof Christ! If Jesus could
save Saul, is there anyone He could not save? The answerto this rhetorical
question is of course a resounding "No!"
And he fell to the ground - Clearly Saul was overwhelmedby the light fell
probably prostrate as was typical of Orientals did to show humility, respect
and at times worship. This was more than a bolt of lightning, because that
usually does not make one fall to the ground (but to run for shelter). This was
supernatural light, brighter than the sun, because it reflected the glory of the
Son who createdthe sun. In the Scriptures when men encounteredsimilar
manifestations of God, their usual response was to fall on their face. Readthe
records of men's response before God - Abram in Genesis 17:3, 17;Moses and

Aaron in Nu 20:6, Moses in Ex 34:6, 7, 8 Joshua 5:14, 15, Ezekielin Ezek 1:28,
the apostle John(the disciple Jesus loved) in Rev 1:17+, 24 elders in Rev 4:10,
5:8, 7:11.
THOUGHT - When you come into the presence ofthe Lord, have you ever
fallen on your face? As someone said''There is a dangerous absence ofawe
and worship in our assemblies today. We are boasting about standing on our
own feet, instead of being broken and falling at His feet." Foryears Evan
Roberts prayed:''Bend me! Bend me!'''God answeredfinally in the form of
the 1904-05 WelshRevival!Perhaps it would be a goodexperience to come
into a worship service and be so overwhelmedwith the glory of God, that the
entire congregationfellon its face (cf Israel's reactionin Lev 9:24). Just a
thought to ponder.
Be careful what you read in commentaries (including this one)! Some famous
artistic renderings depict Saul as having been struck down from a horse by
lightning, but the text does not support this presumption. Lightning at noon
time borders on ridiculous. Adam Clarke wiselyquipped “Painters are, in
almost every case, wretchedcommentators.” The lessonis, enjoy the fine art,
but rejectthe wretched commentary! A number of commentaries explain this
event in Saul's life as an epileptic seizure! Charles Spurgeoncomments on this
ludicrous comment “O blessedepilepsy! Would that every man in London
would have epilepsy like that!”
Matthew Henry on Saul on the ground - Those whom Christ designs for the
greatesthonors are commonly first laid low. Those who are designedto excel
in knowledge and grace are commonly laid low first, in a sense of their own
ignorance and sinfulness. Those whom God will employ are first struck with a
sense oftheir unworthiness to be employed.

Paul referred to this episode about 30 years later in his epistle to the saints at
Philippi writing...
Not that I have alreadyobtained it or have already become perfect, but I press
on so that I may lay hold of (katalambano)that for which also I was laid hold
of (katalambano - KJV = apprehended ~ "arrested" onthe Damascus road)
by Christ Jesus. (Php 3:12+)
Comment - Saul was out to arrestdisciples of Jesus and in a sovereigntwist
was himself arrestedby Jesus!
And heard a voice saying to him - Note it does not say he saw the light and in
fact we learn in Acts 9:8 he was blinded, presumably by the light. Did those
who were with him see the light or hear the voice? Luke says they did eara
voice (Acts 9:7), but Luke does not say they understood what the voice was
saying. They saw the light, but not the Lord! One has to wonder if any of these
Jewishmen were savedas a result of what happened to Saul. The text does not
tell us what happened to them, but presumably they returned to Jerusalem
with an incredible story.
Longenecker- the fact that Saul understood the voice to be a messagefrom
God himself, for in rabbinism to hear a voice from heaven (a bath kol, lit., “a
daughter of the voice” of God) never meant either a lowerdeity in the
pantheon of gods speaking, as in Greek speculations, or some psychological
disturbance, as many would presume today. On the contrary, it always
connoteda rebuke or a word of instruction from God. Therefore when the
voice went on to ask the question “Why do you persecute me?” Saulwas
without doubt thoroughly confused. He was not persecuting God! Rather, he
was defending God and his laws!(Expositor's Bible Commentary)

Bob Utley has an interesting comment - This heavenly voice was something
Judaism was familiar with. It is knownas a bath kol("daughter of voice", cf
Hastings "Voice of Heaven";See ISBE article on Bath Kol). This provided a
means for the Jews to receive information and/or confirmation from God
(during the interbiblical period betweenthe closing of Malachiand the
beginning of the ministry of John the Baptist). This form of revelation was
necessarybecause there were no inspired prophets during this period.
Steven Geradds "Ancient rabbinic literature is replete with legendarytales of
particular individuals hearing what is calledthe "bath kol," translated
literally, the "daughter of a voice";the voice of God emanating from heaven.
However, what Saul experiencedwas no legend; it was stark reality. Nor can
it be entertained that Saul's experience was a psychologicaldisturbance, an
epileptic fit, or any other imaginative alternative to authentic historical
incident. Saul's life was fundamentally turned upside down by this encounter.
In the only post-ascensionappearanceofJesus recordedin the New
Testament(apart from John's Revelation), the risen Christ dramatically
revealedHimself to Saul. This singular moment, when Saul's passionand zeal
are divinely redirectedfrom persecuting the church to propagating the
Gospel, is arguably the most significant event since the giving of the Spirit at
Pentecost. It not only changedthe course of Saul's life and career;it radically
altered the destiny of the church (Twenty-First Century Biblical
Commentary Series – The Book ofActs: Witnesses to the World)
Luke does not recordhere the other words (in bold below)from Jesus to
Saul...
And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the
Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to
kick againstthe goads.’(Acts 26:14+)

Comment - To fight againstGod is a losing battle! Goads were sharpened
sticks (etc)used to herd cattle. I was raisedon a farm and used them with
cattle and can remember an occasionalobstreperous cow trying to kick them
(or kick me as I was prodding them!). Kicking againsta sharpened goadonly
hurts the "kickee"more!That was Saul before the miracle of the Damascus
Road.
Matthew Henry on kick againstthe goads - "To spurn at the spur." It is hard,
it is in itself an absurd and evil thing, and will be of fatal consequence to him
that does it. Those kick atthe goadthat stifle and smother the convictions of
conscience, thatrebel againstGod's truths and laws, that quarrel with his
providences, and that persecute and oppose his ministers, because they
reprove them, and their words are as goads and as nails. Those that revolt
more and more when they are strickenby the word or rod of God, that are
enragedat reproofs and fly in the face of their reprovers, kick againstthe
pricks and will have a greatdeal to answerfor.
Saul, Saul - While Luke uses the Greek name (Saulos), here Jesus repeats his
name in the Hebrew dialect which is Saoul(07586). Repetitionspeaksof
intensity. The idea is "Listenup!" It is an "attention getter!" Repetitionof
one's name was often associatedwith a warning or other important
instruction (Abraham, Abraham - Ge 22:11, Jacob, Jacob - Ge 46:2, Moses,
Moses -Ex 3:4, Martha, Martha - Lk 10:41+;Jerusalem, Jerusalem- Lk
13:34+, Simon, Simon - Lk 22:31+). This repetition of Saul's name also recalls
God's attempt to get the attention of young Samuel(who had not yet learned
to recognize the voice of the Lord) when "the LORD came and stoodand
calledas at other times, “Samuel!Samuel!” And Samuelsaid, “Speak, for
Your servant is listening.” (1 Sa 3:10) Does the Lord have to repeatyour (my)
name in order to gain our attention?

Matthew Henry - Some think, in calling him Saul, he hints at that great
persecutorof David whose name he bore. He was indeed a secondSaul, and
such an enemy to the Sonof David as the other was to David. Calling him by
his name intimates the particular regard that Christ had to him: I have
surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me, Isaiah 45:4. See Exodus
33:12. His calling him by name brought the conviction home to his conscience,
and put it pastdispute to whom the voice spoke this. What Godspeaks in
generalis then likely to do us goodwhen we apply it to ourselves, and insert
our own names into the precepts and promises which are expressedgenerally,
as if God spoke to us by name, and when he saith, Ho, every one (Isa 55:1), he
had said, Ho, such a one:Samuel, Samuel Saul, Saul. The doubling of it, Saul,
Saul, intimates, First, The deep sleepthat Saul was in, he needed to be called
againand again, as Jeremiah 22:29, "O land, land, land." Secondly, The
tender concernthat the blessedJesus had for him, and for his recovery. He
speaks as one in earnestit is like Martha, Martha (Luke 10:41), or Simon,
Simon (Luke 22:31), or O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Matthew 23:37. He speaks to
him as to one in imminent danger, at the pit's brink, and just ready to drop
in: "Saul, Saul, dost thou know whither thou art going, or what thou art
doing?"
Saul (4549)(Saoul)is transliteratedfrom the Hebrew Shaʾūl (07586). This
Hebrew name corresponds to the Greek rendering of the same name which is
Saulos (4569)(See above). It means asked, desired. This Hebrew form of Saul
is used by Jesus in all three versions of Paul's encounter - Acts 22:7; Acts
26:14. It is used once for King Saul of the Old Testament(Acts 13:21). The use
of this Hebrew version indicates that Jesus was speaking in Hebrew to Saul (cf
Acts 26:14).
Saoulis used 6x all in Acts - Acts 9:4; Acts 9:17; Acts 13:21;Acts 22:7; Acts
22:13;Acts 26:14

Steven Gerhelps us understand what Luke used this Hebrew version of the
name Saul rather than the Greek version- That the voice spoke Hebrew (or
less likely, Aramaic) is made apparent through the change of Saul's name in
form from the usual Greek Saulos, (usedActs 9:1) to the transliteration of the
Hebrew, Saoul(there is no way to transliterate the "sh" sound of the actual
pronunciation of Shaoul in Greek). This particular detail of the Hebrew
pronunciation of Saul's name is repeatedin the two later accounts of this
encounter (Acts 22:7; 26:14). (Restraint will be exercisedconcerning any
claim that this passagefurnishes proof that God's lingua franca is Hebrew!) If
the light had not already gottenSaul's attention, the Lord ensures it by calling
Saul's name twice, following a previous pattern of heavenly address found
throughout Scripture (Gen. 22:11; Ge 46:2; Ex. 3:4; 1 Sam. 3:10). (Ibid)
PERSECUTING THE CHURCH
IS PERSECUTINGJESUS!
Why are you persecuting Me? - Jesus directs his accusationdirectly at Saul,
not at the high priests, etc. As noted in the title, to persecute the Church, the
Body of Christ, is tantamount to persecuting Christ, the Head of the Body.
Believers are in covenant(new covenant) with Jesus, andas such are one with
Him and identified with Him. Furthermore, because ofthis covenant, Jesus is
our "CovenantDefender." And because ofthe New Covenant in His blood,
Jesus is obligated to defend those in covenantwith Him.
ONENESSOF COVENANT - Two become one when they enter into covenant
(cf marriage covenant - Ge 2:24). If you "touch" (eg, to harm or injure) the
covenantpartner (AS SAUL WAS RAVAGING AND "TOUCHING"
COVENANT PARTNERSOF CHRIST), you are "touching" the other
partner (JESUS)also because ofthe bond of covenantproducing a somewhat
mysterious, but very real identification! Basedupon the solemnand binding
nature of the New Covenant, Jesus is "obligated" to come to the defense of His
covenantpartners. Can you begin to understand some of the practical

implications of being in the new covenant with Christ? Do you believe that He
is your Protector? If you are born again, you can restassuredthat Jesus is
your CovenantDefender today and forever. Hallelujah! All believers are in
Covenantwith the living God, Who is our Protector. We are not to take our
vengeance belovedbut leave that to our CovenantPartner who is our
Avenger. Of course, this truth does not guarantee we will never be harmed or
never experience times of persecution. In fact, persecutionis one of God's
"promises"!(2Ti 3:12-note, cp Mt 10:22, 23, 24, 25, Jn 15:19, 20, 21, 17:14,
Acts 14:22, Php 1:29-note). But the oneness ofcovenant guarantees thatGod
will avenge wrongs done to us either in this life or in the life to come!You can
stake your life on this truth!
We see this same principle at the judgment of the nations, the sheep and
goats...
“Then He will answerthem, ‘Truly I sayto you, to the extent that you did not
do it to one of the leastof these, you did not do it to Me.’(Mt 25:45, cf Mt
25:40, 10:40)
Swindoll - Collectively, we the church are the visible representationof Jesus
Christ in the world! To persecute the church is to assaultthe Sonof God.
RelatedResource:
Voice of the Martyrs - the church is still being persecuted
Persecuting (1377)(dioko)means literally to make haste, moving rapidly and
decisivelytoward an objective (and in a sense this describes Saul's zealous
pursuit of Christians). More to the point in the case ofSaul it describes
(especiallyin the present tense) Saul's continued efforts to harass men and

women because oftheir belief in the Gospelof Jesus Christ. In Acts 22:4 Paul
describedthe depth of his persecutiondeclaring "I persecutedthis Way to the
death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons." (Acts 22:4)
Dioko in Acts - Acts 7:52; Acts 9:4; Acts 9:5; Acts 22:4; Acts 22:7; Acts 22:8;
Acts 26:11;Acts 26:14; Acts 26:15
Toussainton persecuting Me - The reference to “Me” gave Saul his first
glimpse into the greatdoctrine of Christians being in Christ.
Marty has an interesting thought on persecuting Me writing that "Thoughthe
idea was probably not in Paul’s mind at the time, it is possible this revelation
was the origin of Paul’s favorite theologicalmetaphor for the church, “the
body of Christ” (cf. Eph 1:22–23;Col 1:18)." (Moody Bible Commentary)
Matthew Henry - First, Before Saul was made a saint, he was made to see
himself a sinner, a greatsinner, a sinner againstChrist. Now he was made to
see that evil in himself which he never saw before sin revived and he died.
Note, A humbling conviction of sin is the first step towards a saving
conversionfrom sin. (ED: SO MUCH FOR "EASYBELIEVISM!") Secondly,
He is convincedof one particular sin, which he was mostnotoriously guilty of,
and had justified himself in, and thereby way is made for his conviction of all
the rest. Thirdly, The sin he is convinced of is persecution: Why persecutest
thou me? It is a very affectionate expostulation, enoughto melt a heart of
stone.
J Vernon McGee has a pithy personal applicationof Acts 9:4 commenting
that Christ "may be saying the same thing to some Christians today. Although
they profess to know and to love the Lord, He asks, "Whyare you persecuting

Me?" Theywould protest, I'm not persecuting You, Lord; I love You!" Then
the Lord would answer, "Thenwhy do you criticize Mr. So-and-So so
severely? Why are you so opposedto those who are giving out the Word of
God today? Why is it that you have become a hindrance instead of a helper?"
May I say to you, we must be careful about saying we love Him and then
showing our hatred to other believers. It is impossible to talk about loving the
Lord while you spend your time trying to destroy the ministry of someone
else. Thatis just blatant, bald, bold hypocrisy." (Acts 9 Commentary)
John MacArthur makes the interesting observationthat "There is an Old
Testamentparallel to this truth (ONENESSOF JESUS WITH BELIEVERS).
Zechariah told the nation of Israel, "He who touches you, touches the apple of
[God's] eye (Zech 2:8). The apple of His eye" refers to the pupil. God was
saying those who persecute Israelare poking their finger in His eye. That is
preciselythe same kind of relationship Christ has with the church. He is
seriouslyirritated when anyone offends His chosenones (cf Mt 18:6, 10).
(Ashamed of the Gospel:When the Church Becomes Like the World).
It is interesting to recallthe advice of Saul's mentor Gamalial(a teaching Saul
seems to have ignored!). Recallthat the Sanhedrin were so furious with the
convicting messageofPeterand the apostles (Acts 5:30-32+)that they "were
intending to slaythem." (Acts 5:33+). In this heated atmosphere Gamaliel
"stoodup in the Council" and warned them to "stayawayfrom these men
and let them alone, for if this plan or actionis of men, it will be overthrown
but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may
even be found fighting againstGod.” - (Acts 5:38-39+)This is in essencewhat
Jesus declares thatSaul is doing by persecuting His disciples!
Kistemakeradds that "The cautionary messagenotto oppose God, advocated
by Paul’s teacher, Gamaliel, now confronts Paul in stark reality. The
martyred Stephen, the persecutedChristians driven from Jerusalem, the

believers jailed by Paul—allthese people are representedby Jesus Christ.
Accordingly, Paul has been fighting againstJesus and has lost the battle."
(BakerNT Commentary-Acts) (ED: Are you fighting againstJesus in any
area of your life?)
RelatedResource:
Study of Jesus Our CovenantDefender
CovenantOneness-TwoBecome One Flesh
Covenant: Oneness Notes
Scientists at Oak Ridge NationalLaboratories in Tennessee believe spinach
may help cure some forms of blindness. When they extractcertain proteins
from this deep greenvegetable and add them to retinal nerve cells, tests
indicate the cells reactto light in ways that could give formerly blind people
black-and-white vision. As part of photosynthesis, these spinach proteins send
an electricalimpulse in response to light, which is what is neededfor sight as
well. To heal Paul from his temporary blindness, God didn't use spinach;
instead, He sent His servant Ananias not only with healing but also with a
prophetic message.
The Difference Jesus Makes
Read:Acts 26:1-18, 27-32
I would to God that . . . all who hear me today, might become . . . as I am. —
Acts 26:29

Throughout history, people have treated others with unbelievable cruelty in
the name of religion. They have often done so without feelings of remorse or
guilt. Muslims and Christians have fought “holy wars” againstone another,
which have been anything but holy. And within their own ranks, so-called
Christians have persecutedother Christians. Like Saul of Tarsus before he
became Christ’s apostle to the Gentiles, they think they are doing God a
service when actually they are persecuting Jesus (Acts 9:4).
When I first learned about the atrocities committed in the name of religion,
my boyhood confidence in the Christian faith was shaken. I didn’t dare tell
my parents about my misgivings, so I talkedto the Lord about it. He led me to
notice what happened in Paul’s life.
As a powerful member of the Pharisees, Saul(the Hebrew name of Paul)
thought he was pleasing God by persecuting Christians. Then he met Jesus
(Acts 9:1-19). From then on, he peacefully soughtto bring even his enemies to
Christ.
It’s not Christ’s way to force His will on us. Neither should we force our will
on others. As we put God’s ways into practice, we’ll find we can love those
with whom we disagree. That’s the difference Jesus makes!
Thinking It Through
How did Jesus reactto Peter's attempt to defend Him with a sword? (Jn.
18:10-11). Whatdid Jesus sayshould be our attitude toward our enemies?
(Mt. 5:43-48).
No force is greaterthan the powerof God's love.

By Herbert Vander Lugt (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries,
Grand Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
Surprise Interview
Read:Acts 26:9–15
The King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the leastof
these my brothers and sisters, youwere doing it to me!” Matthew 25:40 nlt
On a crowdedLondon commuter train, an early morning rider shovedand
insulted a fellow passengerwho gotin his way. It was the kind of unfortunate
and mindless moment that usually remains unresolved. But later that day, the
unexpected happened. A business manager senta quick messageto his social
media friends, “Guess who just showedup for a job interview.” When his
explanation appearedon the Internet, people all over the world winced and
smiled. Imagine walking into a job interview only to discoverthat the person
who greets you is the one you had shoved and sworn at earlier that day.
Saul also ran into someone he never expectedto see. While raging againsta
group called the Way (Acts 9:1–2), he was stopped in his tracks by a blinding
light. Then a voice said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (v. 4). Saul
asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The One speaking to him replied, “I am Jesus,
whom you are persecuting” (Acts 26:15).
When we help or hurt one another, Jesus takes it personally.

Years earlier Jesus had said that how we treat the hungry, the thirsty, the
stranger, and the prisoner reflects our relationship to Him (Matt. 25:35–36).
Who would have dreamed that when someone insults us, or when we help or
hurt another, the One who loves us takes it personally?
Father, forgive us for acting as if You were not present in our moments of
need, hurt, anger, or compassion.
When we help or hurt one another, Jesus takes it personally.
By Mart DeHaan(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand
Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
Acts 9:5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said,"Iam Jesus whom
you are persecuting, (NASB: Lockman)
KJV Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am
Jesus whom thou persecutest:it is hard for thee to kick againstthe pricks.
(NOTE - WORDS IN BOLD ARE NOT IN THE MORE MODERN
MANUSCRIPTS. THIS PHRASE HOWEVER IS FOUND IN Acts 26:14).
Who are You, Lord1 Sa 3:4-10; 1 Ti 1:13
I am Jesus Acts 26:9
you are persecuting Acts 5:39; Dt 32:15;Job 9:4; 40:9,10;Ps 2:12; Isa 45:9; 1
Cor 10:22

Acts 9 Resources -Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
JESUS'REVEALED HIMSELF
AND REPEATS THE REBUKE
And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" - Saul is obviously confusedand does not
know with Whom he is speaking. He was not yet a sheep, one who knows His
Master's voice, but that would soonchange (cf Jn 10:14, 16). Compare the
questions of others who encounteredGod (Manoah - Jdg 13:17+, Jacob- Ge
32:29)While the Greek term for Lord (kurios) canbe translated"Sir" (some
11x in the NAS - Mt 27:63;Jn 12:21;Acts 16:30+), the very fact that Saul is
on the ground strongly suggestsa holy fear or reverence ofthe Voice he has
just heard (cf "bath kol"). So while some commentators render it "Who are
You, Sir," explaining Saul did not yet know Jesus, it is highly unlikely that
Luke's intent signifies anything but Lord.
Lord (2962)(kurios from kuros = power) primarily means the owner, master,
lord, supreme one, one who is sovereign. Kurios describes Jesus as the One
who possesses absolute authority, absolute ownership and uncontestedpower.
Kurios describes Jesus as the One to Whom a person(a disciple) belonged,
over which He has the powerof deciding.
Kurios is used in 13x in 12 verses in Acts 9 far more than any other chapter in
Acts and all refer to the Lord Jesus.
Acts 9:1; Acts 9:5; Acts 9:10; Acts 9:11; Acts 9:13; Acts 9:15; Acts 9:17; Acts
9:27; Acts 9:28; Acts 9:31; Acts 9:35; Acts 9:42;

Saul had been fighting all his life againstJesus as Lord but in a moment
surrendered to His Lordship. Are you fighting againstthe Lordship of Christ?
Becausethe Spirit had openedthe eyes of his heart, Saul recognizedthe
Savior as Lord. R.C. Sproul writes, “Resisting the lordship of Christ is not
only sinful, but it is stupid, because Godhas raised Him from the grave,
placed him at His right hand, and given Him all authority in heaven and on
earth and has calledevery person to bow the knee before Him. To resistHim
is foolish.”
Notice Saulinitially skirts the charge of persecution!Matthew Henry
comments "Convictions ofsin, when they are set home with powerupon the
conscience, willsilence all excuses and self-justifications....Christbrings souls
into fellowshipwith Himself by manifesting Himself to them."
And He said,"I am (ego eimi) Jesus whom you are persecuting - For just a
moment put yourself in Saul's sandals and imagine you thoughts as you hear
that the One you have been persecuting is the risen God! Yes, Saul had been
struck by a bright light, but this revelation coming from Jesus in that light
would have been like a "lightning bolt" or like a "dagger" cutting into Saul's
heart! In a moment, you discoverthat all you have devoted your life to
accomplishhas been a total waste!Beloved, there are many successful,
wealthy people who will one day have a similar experience, but sadly it will be
too late for most because their discoverywill come after they take their last
breath! However, this principle applies to believers also -- Stop and ask
yourself - What am I working for? Fortime or for eternity? For the earthly or
the heavenly? For the material or the spiritual? Forthe profane or the
profound? Forwhat passesawayorwhat lasts always? Perhaps youneed a
"DamascusRoadRevival," so that you might realign your life priorities while
you still have time! Don't be a "Saul," insteadbe "Paul!"

Notice that Christ uses His earthly name Jesus which the angelic messenger
had given to Joseph, Matthew recording “She (MARY) will bear a Son; and
you shall callHis name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins
(NOTICE HOW THIS LAST CLAUSE EXPLAINS THE MEANING OF HIS
NAME!).” (Mt 1:21) Jesus was the Name that spoke ofChrist's willing
humiliation in emptying Himself to become a Man (Php 2:5-10+). "He would
show that now that He is in His glory He is not ashamedof His humiliation."
(Matthew Henry)
In Acts 22:8 Jesus declares ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whomyou are
persecuting.’Notice this Name is used as a Name of scorn and derision and
one which Saul was undoubtedly familiar and likely himself had used to
blaspheme God! "There is nothing more effectualto awakenand humble the
soul than to see sin to be againstChrist, an affront to Him, and a
contradiction to His designs." (Henry) Do you really comprehend that your
sins are againstGod the Father, His Sonand His Spirit (cp Eph 4:30+)? (cf
Joseph's sensitive consciencein Ge 39:9)
Longenecker- Saul could not escape the fact that the Jesus whose followers he
had been persecuting was alive, exalted, and in some manner to be associated
with God the Father, whom Israelworshiped. He, therefore, had to revise his
whole estimate of the life, teaching, and death of the Nazarene because God
had beyond any question vindicated him. Thus he came to agree with the
Christians that Jesus’deathon the cross, ratherthan discrediting him as an
impostor, fulfilled prophecy and was really God’s provision for man’s sin and
that Jesus’resurrectionconfirmed him as being the nation’s Messiahand
mankind’s Lord. (Expositor's Bible Commentary)
Jesus (2424)(Iesous)is transliteration of the Greek Iesous, whichin turn is the
transliteration of the Hebrew Jehoshua (Yehoshua)or Jeshua (Yeshua) both
of which mean Jehovahis help or Jehovahis salvation. Statedanother way the

Greek Iesous corresponds to the OT Jehoshua (Yehoshua)which is contracted
as Jeshua (Yeshua). In the Gospels the single Name Jesus (Iesous)is used as
His personalName some 538 times.
Imagine Saul's thoughts upon hearing those words "I am Jesus!" While we
have no record that Saul ever saw or met Jesus during Jesus'earthly ministry,
there is not doubt that he was well aware of the claim by His disciples that
Jesus had risen from the dead. Now the fact that He is speaking to Saul
indicates that Jesus was indeed alive and by implication had risen from the
dead. Saul's systematic theologywas turned upside down in a moment!
However, one aspectofhis theologywas affirmed and that was his belief
(which all Pharisees held) that there would be a resurrection! Jesus was alive!
Jesus had alluded to the oneness betweenJesus and His followers in Luke
declaring
“The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects
Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.” (Luke 10:16+)
Paul clearly understood this conceptof oneness betweenJesus andHis
followers as indicated by his numerous allusions to unity with Christ in his
epistles. ReadRo. 12:4-5;1 Cor. 12:12-27;Eph. 1:22-23;4:4-16; 5:23-30;Col.
1:18-24;2:19).
You can mark it down that those who speak againstChristians speak against
Christ. Those who strike Christians strike Christ. Those who malign
Christians malign Christ. Those who take advantage of Christians take
advantage of Christ. This begs the question, even if you are a believer, have
you ever done any of those things to another believer?

Persecuting (cfuse in Acts 22:4, 7, 26:11-15, 1 Cor 15:9+)(1377)(seedioko)in
the presenttense describes Saul's continued ravaging of the disciples of Jesus.
What a change the Gospeland the indwelling Spirit brought about on Saul
who later used dioko writing "So then we pursue (dioko) the things which
make for peace and the building up of one another." (Ro 14:19+). This was
the antithesis of Saul's pursuit prior to conversion(cf Paul's pursuit in Php
3:12, 14+)!The righteous God pursued the unrighteous pursuer and wonhim
with the Gospel. O, thank God for the transforming powerof the glorious
Gospel!
A T Robertson- Saul surrendered instantly as Thomas did (John 20:28) and
as little Samuel (1 Sam. 3:9). This surrender of the will to Christ was the
conversionof Saul. He saw a real Person, the RisenChrist, to whom he
surrendered his life. On this point he never waveredfor a moment to the end.
Remember that to be converted means to be "turned around," so that Saul
(and all believers) are "turned around by Christ" and face the opposite
direction (a very similar picture is seenwith repentance). Saulthe persecutor
will become Paul the preacher. And just as the world was amazed at Saul's
conversion, the lost world is always amazed (and often very disturbed) when
someone they knew in the darkness, turns to the light and begins to walk in
the light. Did your conversionhave that impact on those who knew you when
you were still in Adam before the Spirit place you forever in Christ?
Steven Cole writes that "In 1Ti 1:16, Paul says, “And yet for this reasonI
found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might
demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe
in Him for eternallife.” Paul’s conversionis an example for us all. It is an
example of the fact that none are too far gone for God’s mighty powerto save.
It is an example of what God can do when He takes hold of a life. It is an

example to encourage us to pray for and share with every sinner, no matter
how wicked. It is an example for us to commit ourselves afreshto whatever
purpose God has given us to do for His kingdom. As Paul later wrote, “For
the love of Christ controls us, having concludedthis, that one died for all,
therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longerlive
for themselves, but for Him who died and rose againon their behalf” (2Co
5:14-15).
Jack Andrews - Saul's encounterwith Christ changedhim forever. (Sermon)
He went from persecuting Christ to praising Christ.
He went from plotting againstChristians to preaching Christ.
On the Damascus roadhe went from death to life;
from bondage to liberty;
from blindness to sight;
from futility to forgiveness.
OswaldChambers - The mystery of believing
And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? Acts 9:5.
By the miracle of Redemption Saul of Tarsus was turned in one secondfrom a
strong-willed, intense Pharisee into a humble, devoted slave of the Lord Jesus.
There is nothing miraculous about the things we can explain. We command
what we are able to explain, consequentlyit is natural to seek to explain. It is
not natural to obey; nor is it necessarilysinful to disobey. There is no moral
virtue in obedience unless there is a recognitionof a higher authority in the
one who dictates. It is possibly an emancipationto the other person if he does
not obey. If one man says to another—‘You must,’ and ‘You shall,’ he breaks

the human spirit and unfits it for God. A man is a slave for obeying unless
behind his obedience there is a recognitionof a holy God. Many a soul begins
to come to God when he flings off being religious, because there is only one
Masterof the human heart, and that is not religion but Jesus Christ. But woe
be to me if when I see Him I say—‘Iwill not.’ He will never insist that I do,
but I have begun to sign the death-warrant of the Son of God in my soul.
When I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say—‘I will not,’ He will
never insist; but I am backing awayfrom the re-creating powerof His
Redemption. It is a matter of indifference to God’s grace how abominable I
am if I come to the light; but woe be to me if I refuse the light (see John 3:19–
21 ).
He Feels Your Pain
Read:Acts 9:1-5
I am Jesus, whomyou are persecuting. —Acts 9:5
The 20th century could well be labeled “the century of martyrs.” Thousands
of Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world have been imprisoned,
tortured, and murdered on accountof their faith. In fact, more Christians
have been killed for their faith during our century than in all the previous
centuries combined.
Does Godcare? Does the blood, pain, and death of Christ’s witnessesmean
anything to Him?

The first Christian martyr was Stephen. He was stonedto death for his
allegiance to Jesus Christ, and a young man named Saul consented to his
brutal murder (Acts 8:1).
Shortly after Stephen’s death, Saul was traveling to Damascus whenhe was
knockedto the ground. He heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting Me?” (9:4). Saul might have wondered, “You? I didn’t persecute
You. His name was Stephen.” Yet the voice declared, “I am Jesus, whom you
are persecuting” (v.5).
Every stone hurled at Stephen was hurled at Christ. Every stone that hit him
hit Christ. Every pain he felt, Christ felt.
The Lord Jesus knows whenwe are hurt for His sake. He experiences our
pain. No attack comes to us that Christ does not feel. He is a sympathetic
Savior.
Nevera weaknessthat He does not feel,
Nevera sickness thatHe cannotheal,
Nevera sorrow that He does not share,
Moment by moment I'm under His care. —Whittle
When You take a stand for Christ, He stands with you.
By Haddon W. Robinson(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries,
Grand Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Two Crucial Questions
Read:Acts 9:1-9
Who are You, Lord? . . . Lord, what do You want me to do? —Acts 9:5-6
Receiving Jesus as our Saviorfrom sin brings us into a life-changing
relationship with the Sonof God. Although we may not know at the time all
the far-reaching implications of our commitment to Him, we cannot escape
the factthat as God, He has a right to be Lord of every area of our lives.
Sooneror later we must come to that point where we confess, inthe words of
Thomas, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
In Saul’s conversionexperience, he recognizedJesus as both Saviorand Lord.
When Saul heard Jesus’voice on the Damascus highway, he askedthis crucial
question: “Who are You, Lord?” From the answer, “Iam Jesus,”Paul
instantly realized that the One he had been persecuting truly was the Savior.
In that moment he casthimself on His mercy. Trembling in the divine
presence, he askeda secondcrucialquestion, “Lord, what do You want me to
do?” He was, as OswaldChambers puts it, “giving up his right to himself.”
Believer, you’ve trusted Jesus as your Savior. You’ve setttled the issue of who
He is. But have you askedthat secondcrucialquestion, “Lord, what do You
want me to do?” Say to Him today, “Lord, I’ll do whateverYou ask!”
Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love. —Havergal
Christ who purchased us has the right to possessus.
By Dennis J. DeHaan(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand
Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
FRANK ALLEN
We have seenthat a great change came overSaul; let us see how and by what
powerit was
brought about.
Saul had made havoc of the church at Jerusalem;he had askedletters of the
high priest and of the
Sanhedrim, to take to Damascus, to order the members of the synagogues
there to seek out,
arrest, bind and bring to Jerusalemall Christians. We see Saul representedin
pictures as riding
upon a horse, but there is nothing to indicate that he was so conveyed. As he
and his party neared
Damascus, aboutnoon when the Syrian sun was shining with intense
brilliancy, all at once there

shone round about him a light from Heaven which was brighter than the sun.
Saul could not
stand in the presence ofthis greatlight and fell to the earth. A voice saidto
him: “Saul, Saul,
why persecutestthou me?” (9:4).
Those who were with him saw the light and fell to the ground. They also heard
a voice but did
not discernthe words which were spoken. Saulasked:“Who art thou, Lord?”
(9:6) The Lord
replied: “I am Jesus whomthou persecutest” (9:6). Saul was told to: “Arise,
and go into the
city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (9:7).
- He who came to arrestwas being arrested;
- He who came to give orders was taking orders;
- He who came boldly and defiantly was guided blindly and humbly.
- He who came to castout the disciples found refuge and strength from
disciples.
All who were with him stoodby him speechless withastonishment. Saul arose
from the earth but
still he could see nothing. His companions led him by the hand and brought
him into Damascus
where he found shelter in the house of Judas on Straight street, the main
thoroughfare of the city.
He was there three days fasting, without food or drink.
The voice said, as Saul tells us elsewhere,“itis hard for thee to kick against
the pricks” (9:5).

Many have argued from this statementthat Saul had been arousedin his
conscienceby the death
of Stephen and that now he was pressing on againsthis conscience andwas at
last overwhelmed
by it. There was evidently an inward monitor which was not permitting Saul
to go forward
without some questions in his mind. Still his consciencewas notaccusing him,
as he afterward
tells us, and he thought that he was doing God’s service.
Those who assertthat Saul was overcome by an accusing conscience are
endeavoring to give a
natural, rather than a supernatural, explanation of the conversationofSaul.
The recordwill
permit of no such explanation. It was a sudden, supernatural powerwhich
arrestedSaul and
struck him to the ground. It was a supernatural light which wrought a
supernatural change upon
the heart of Saul.
We are not left in doubt as to who causedthe light and whose voice it was that
spoke. It was
Jesus who was continuing to work in the hearts of men. It was the brightness
of the glory of
Christ, so bright that human eyes could not look upon Him without being
blinded. It was a light
so bright that it could not shine in the heart of man without imparting to that
man the light of life.

DR. JACK ARNOLD
“And he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting Me?’” -- The high and mighty Saul found himself
groveling in the dust as he came face to face with the glorified Christ. He saw
the light; he. heard voices and he was astoundedand perplexed at all this
supernatural phenomena. Saul had no idea he was persecuting Jesus. He
thought he was persecuting Christians. It was right here that the Apostle Paul
receivedhis first inkling of the spiritual union of a Christian with Christ. The
Christian and Christ are one spiritually. Jesus identifies Himself so closely
with Christians that it is impossible to persecute Christians without
persecuting Christ. To touch a Christian with hatred and violence is to touch
Christ. Saul was getting an indirect lessonin theologyfrom the glorified
Christ.
“And he said, ‘Who art Thou, Lord’” -- Saul immediately recognizedthe
light and voice as from the Lord-God but he did not know it was Christ who
was appearing to him. Saul may have expectedthat the God of Judaism
would appear to him for he believed in the supernatural. However, the last
person in the world he expectedto encounterfrom heaven was Jesus of
Nazareth. Saul was probably the most brilliant and religious man of his day
but he did not know Jesus Christeven when He appearedto him. How sad!

“And he said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, . . .’” -- Christ's answer
to Saul was not very theologicalbut it was profound. He said, “I am Jesus.”
He could have said, “I am Jehovah,” or “I am the Lord,” but He said, “I am
Jesus.” Itwas Jesus ofNazareth whom Saul hated so much and it was Jesus
whom he must recognize, acknowledge andserve. Saul had to change his
whole attitude about Christ. Insteadof being a Jewishheretic and imposter
who was nailed to the stake for blasphemy, this Jesus was to be acknowledged
as the eternal God, the eternalKing, the eternalPriest, the eternal Prophet
and the eternal Son of God! He hated Jesus ofNazarethand now he must fall
down and worship Him.
WILLIAM BARCLAY
In this passagewe have the most famous conversionstory in history. We must
try as far as we can to enter into Paul's mind. When we do, we will see that
this is not a sudden conversionbut a sudden surrender. Something about
Stephen lingered in Paul's mind and would not be banished. How could a bad
man die like that? In order to still his insistent doubt Paul plunged into the
most violent actionpossible. First he persecutedthe Christians in Jerusalem.
This only made matters worse because once againhe had to ask himself what
secretthese simple people had which made them face peril and suffering and
loss serene and unafraid. So then, still driving himself on, he went to the
Sanhedrin.
The writ of the Sanhedrin ran whereverthere were Jews. Paulhad heard that
certain of the Christians had escapedto Damascus andhe askedfor letters of
credit that he might go to Damascus and extradite them. The journey only
made matters worse. It was about 140 miles from Jerusalemto Damascus.
The journey would be made on foot and would take about a week. Paul's only
companions were the officers of the Sanhedrin, a kind of police force. Because

he was a Pharisee, he could have nothing to do with them; so he walkedalone;
and as he walkedhe thought, because there was nothing else to do.
The way went through Galilee, and Galilee brought Jesus evenmore vividly to
Paul's mind. The tension in his inner being tightened. So he came near
Damascus, one ofthe oldestcities in the world. Just before Damascus the road
climbed Mount Hermon and below lay Damascus, a lovely white city in a
greenplain, "a handful of pearls in a goblet of emerald." That region had this
characteristic phenomenonthat when the hot air of the plain met the cold air
of the mountain range, violent electricalstorms resulted. Just at that moment
came such a lightning storm and out of the storm Christ spoke to Paul. In that
moment the long battle was overand Paul surrendered to Christ.
So into Damascus he went a changedman. And how changed!He who had
intended to enter Damascus like anavenging fury was led by the hand, blind
and helpless.
There is all of Christianity in what the RisenChrist said to Paul, "Go into the
city, and you will be told what to do." Up to this moment Paul had been doing
what he liked, what he thought best, what his will dictated. From this time
forward he would be told what to do. The Christian is a man who has ceased
to do what he wants to do and who has begun to do what Christ wants him to
do.
JIM BOMKAMP
9:3-5 - “3 And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching
Damascus, andsuddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he

fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who art Thou, Lord?” And He said, “I am
Jesus whom you are persecuting,” – Jesus appears to the apostle Paul
3.1. It has often been said that it was a horse that Saul was riding into
Damascus forhere it is said that he ‘fell to the ground’, and it has also aptly
been said that ‘he rode a high horse’ into Damascus.
3.1.1. Others have said that since Pharisees despisedhorses that he would
have been riding an ass.
3.2. Note that it was just before Saul gotinto Damascus that the Lord
appearedto him, for the Lord appeared to him just before the slaughter that
Saul would have carried out againstthe church.
3.3. Notice that Jesus says to Saul, ‘Why are you persecuting Me’, for
when any of Jesus’disciples suffer the Lord suffers with them just as if it were
happening to Him, so clearlyand completely does He identify with His people.
3.3.1. Laterin Paul’s writing about body life in the church he speaks much
about the unity that the believer has with the Lord, being a member of His
very own body, and we cansee from Jesus’words how that Saul came to
understand this concept.

3.4. Notice that Jesus tells Saul who He is by giving him His human name,
‘Jesus’, the name that the angeltold Mary and Josephto call Him, the name
that is literally ‘Joshua’, and means, “JehovahSavior”
3.5. We see in this story that Saul is ‘apprehended’ by the Lord (see
Phil. 3:12), called for His purposes, and thus his conversionis much different
than the greatestmajority of Christians.
3.6. Saul had a very disciplined mind and he had thought that his life had
been submitted to the Lord and now in an instant he knows that he has been
mistaken, but he immediately responds to the calling of the risen Jesus by
calling Him, “Lord”
3.6.1. Saulwas actuallyconverted at this very moment for we know that the
scripture teaches that no one can callJesus, ‘Lord’, except by the Holy Spirit
(1 Cor. 12:3).
3.6.2. Saul asks the question as to whom it is who is speaking to him so that
he can follow Him, and he does so by calling Him, ‘Lord’
CALVIN
Verse 4
4.And therefore Luke saith that he fell to the ground. For what other thing
can befall man, but that he must lie prostrate and be, as it were, brought to
nothing, when he is overwhelmed with the present feeling of God’s glory? And

this was the first beginning of the bringing down of Paul, that he might
become apt to hear the voice of Christ, which he had despisedso long as he sat
haughtily upon his horse.
Saul, Saul! Luke compared the light which shined round about Paul to
lightning, though I do not doubt but that lightnings did fly in the air. And this
voice, which Christ did send out to beat down his pride, may full well be called
a lightning orthunderbolt, because it did not only strike him, and make him
astonished, but did quite kill him, so that he was now as nobody with himself,
who did so much please himself before and did challenge to himself authority
to put the gospelto flight. Luke putteth down his name in Hebrew in this
place, Saul, Saul! because he repeateththe words of Christ, who spake unto
him, undoubtedly, according to the common custom of the country.
Verse 5
5.Who art thou, Lord? We have Paul now somewhattamed, but he is not yet
Christ’s disciple. Pride is correctedin him, and his fury is brought down. But
he is not yet so thoroughly healedthat he obeyeth Christ; he is only ready to
receive commandments, who was before a blasphemer. Therefore, this is the
question of a man that is afraid, and thrown down with amazedness. Forwhy
doth he not know, by so many signs of God’s presence, thatit is God that
speaketh? Thereforethat voice proceededfrom a panting and doubtful mind;
therefore, Christ driveth him nigher unto repentance, Whenhe addeth, I am
Jesus, letus remember that that voice sounded from heaven. Therefore it
ought to have piercedthe mind of Paul when he consideredthat he had made
war againstGodhitherto. It ought to have brought him by and by to true
submission, when he consideredthat he should not escape scotfree, if he
should continue rebellious against him whose hand he could not escape.
This place containeth a most profitable doctrine, and the profit thereofis
made manifold, for Christ showethwhat greataccounthe maketh of his

gospel, whenhe pronounceth that it is his cause, from which he will not be
separated. Therefore he can no more refuse to defend the same than he can
deny himself. Secondly, the godly may gather greatcomfort by this, in that
they hear that the Son of God is partner with them of the cross, whenas they
suffer and labor for the testimony of the gospel, and that he doth, as it were,
put under his shoulders, that he may bear some part of the burden. For it is
not for nothing that he saith that he suffereth in our person;but he will have
us to be assuredlypersuaded of this, that he suffereth togetherwith us, (574)
as if the enemies of the gospelshould wound us through his side. Wherefore
Paul saith, that that is wanting in the sufferings of Christ what persecutions
soeverthe faithful suffer at this day for the defense of the gospel, (Colossians
1:24.) Furthermore, this consolationtendeth not only to that end to comfort
us, that it may not be troublesome to us to suffer with our Head, but that we
may hope that he will revenge our miseries, who crieth out of heaven that all
that which we suffer is common to him as wellas to us. Lastly, we gather
hereby what horrible judgment is prepared for the persecutors ofthe Church,
who like giants besiege the very heaven, and shake their darts, which shall
pierce (575) their ownhead by and by; yea, by troubling the heavens, they
provoke the thunderbolt of God’s wrath againstthemselves. Also, we are all
taught generally, that no man run againstChrist by hurting his brother
unjustly, and specially, that no man resist the truth rashly and with a blind
madness, under colorof zeal.
It is hard for thee. This is a proverbial sentence, takenfrom oxen or horses,
which, when they are pricked with goads, do themselves no goodby kicking,
save only that they double the evil by causing the prick to go farther into their
skins. Christ applieth this similitude unto himself very fitly, because men shall
bring upon themselves a double evil, by striving againsthim, who must of
necessitybe subjectto his will and pleasure, will they nill they. Those which
submit themselves willingly to Christ are so far from feeling any pricking at
his hands, that they have in him a ready remedy for all wounds; but all the
wicked, who endeavor to castout their poisonedstings againsthim, shall at
length perceive that they are assesand oxen, subject to the prick. So that he is
unto the godly a foundation whereonthey rest, but unto the reprobate who

stumble at him, a stone which with his [its] hardness grindeth them to powder.
And although we speak here of the enemies of the gospel, yet this admonition
may reachfarther, to wit, that we do not think that we shall getany thing by
biting the bridle so often as we have any thing to do with God, but that being
like to gentle horses, we suffer ourselves meeklyto be turned about and
guided by his hand. And if he spur us at any time, let us be made more ready
to obey by his pricks, lest that befall us which is said in the Psalm, That the
jaws of untamed horses and mules are tied and kept in with a hard bit, lest
they leap upon us, etc.
In this history we have a universal figure of that grace which the Lord
showethforth daily in calling us all. All men do not setthemselves so violently
againstthe gospel;yet, nevertheless, both pride and also rebellion againstGod
are naturally engenderedin all men. We are all wickedand cruel naturally;
therefore, in that we are turned to God, that cometh to pass by the wonderful
and secretpowerof God, contrary to nature. The Papists also ascribe the
praise of our turning unto God to the grace ofGod; yet only in part, because
they imagine that we work together. But when as the Lord doth mortify our
flesh, he subdueth us and bringeth us under, as he did Paul. Neither is our will
one hair readierto obey than was Paul’s, until such time as the pride of our
heart be beatendown, and he have made us not only flexible but also willing
to obey and follow. Therefore, suchis the beginning of our conversion, that
the Lord seekethus of his ownaccord, when we wander and go astray, though
he be not called and sought; that he changeth the stubborn affections ofour
heart, to the end he may have us to be apt to be taught.
Furthermore, this history is of greatimportance to confirm Paul’s doctrine. If
Paul had always beenone of Christ’s disciples, wickedand froward men
might extenuate the weight of the testimony which he giveth of his Master. If
he should have showedhimself to be easyto be entreated, and gentle at the
first, we should see nothing but that which is proper to man. But when as a
deadly enemy to Christ, rebellious againstthe gospel, puffed up with the

confidence which he reposedin his wisdom, inflamed with hatred of the true
faith, blinded with hypocrisy, wholly set upon the overthrowing of the truth,
[he] is suddenly changedinto a new man, after an unwonted manner, and of a
wolf is not only turned into a sheep, but doth also take to himself a shepherd’s
nature, it is as if Christ should bring forth with his hand some angelsent from
heaven. For we do not now see that Saul of Tarsus, but a new man framed by
the Spirit of God; so that he speakethby his mouth now, as it were from
heaven.
J. R. LUMBY
Verse 4
4. καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν ἤκουσεν, and he fell to the earth and heard. The fall was
in consequence ofthe dazzling intensity of the brightness. From Acts 26:14 we
find that not only Saul but his companions were struck down by the light,
though there was more in the vision which he beheld than was made evident
to them, and by reasonof the greaterglorywhich was manifestedto him his
natural sight was blinded.
φωνήν. By using the accusative casehere and the genitive in Acts 9:7, St Luke
seems to point out that there was a difference betweenthe hearing which Saul
experiencedand that of his companions. St Paul in Acts 22:9 marks the
distinction in his own narrative of what occurred. Speaking of his
companions, he says τὴν φωνὴν οὐκ ἤκουσαν, though here in Acts 9:7 we have
ἀκούοντες μὲντῆς φωνῆς said of them.
Taking all the instances togetherthe correctconclusionseems to be that when
ἀκούεινsignifies direct hearing, it may have after it a genitive case and

participle, but not an accusative andparticiple. Thus the constructionof
λέγουσαν in this verse must be takenas an apposition to φωνήν, a voice that
said, &c. So also must be explained the construction in Acts 26:14.
Saul during the vision heard articulate sounds, a voice which spake to him,
but his companions were only conscious ofa sound from which they
comprehended nothing.
Of a similar supernatural communication to Hyrcanus the high priest we have
(Joseph. Ant. XIII. 10. 3) φασὶ γὰρὅτι … αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ ναῷ θυμιῶνμόνος ὢν ὁ
ἀρχιερεὺς ἀκούσειε φωνῆς ὡς οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ νενικήκασινἀρτίως τὸν
Ἀντιόχον. In this case the sound was that of intelligible words.
Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις;Saul, Saul, why persecutestthou Me? It is very
noteworthy that in all the three accounts of the vision the Greek text of Saul’s
name is a transliteration of the Hebrew, shewing that we have here a very
close adherence to the words of Jesus. The Lord spake in the language of His
people, and both the evangelistand the apostle have preserved for as this
remarkable feature of the heavenly address. The only other place where the
Hebrew form of Saul’s name is retained is in the speechof Ananias when
(Acts 9:17) he comes to see the convert in his blindness. As he also had
receiveda communication from Jesus in connexionwith Saul’s conversion, we
can understand how the same form of the name would have been given to him.
Moreoverhe was himself, to judge from his name, a Hebrew, and therefore
that form would be most natural on his lips. Exceptin these casesStLuke
always employs the Greek form of the word.
Christ speaksofHimself as persecutedby Saul, because ‘in all the affliction of
His people He is afflicted’ (Isaiah 63:9), and ‘whoso toucheth them toucheth
the apple of His eye’ (Zechariah2:8).

Verse 5
5. εἶπεν δέ, Τίς εἶ, κύριε and he said, Who art thou, Lord? Saul is sensible of
the divine nature of the vision, and shews this by his address. The appearance
of Christ, though in a glorified body, must have been like that which He wore
in His humanity, and since Saul does not recognize Jesus we may almost
certainly conclude that he had not known Him in His ministerial life.
ὁ δέ, and he said. The verb is neededfor the sense in English, but the Greek
could dispense with it, as is done below in Acts 9:11. See also Acts 19:2.
ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς, ὃν σὺ διώκεις, I am Jesus whomthou persecutest. The
emphatic contrastof the pronouns is to be noticed, though it cannotbe
representedin a translation. In Acts 22:8 St Paul gives the fuller form of the
sentence, I am Jesus of Nazareth. The Lord speaking from heaven, and
employing this His human name, at once and for ever puts an end to Saul’s
rage and persecution. Him whom he must own as Lord is the same who was
Jesus ofNazareth. Thus he sees, whathis master Gamalielhad before
suggested(Acts 5:39), that to persecute ‘the Way’ is ‘to fight againstGod.’
ADAM CLARKE
Verse 4
And he fell to the earth - Being struck down with the lightning: many persons
suppose he was on horseback, and painters thus representhim; but this is
utterly without foundation. Painters are, in almostevery case, wretched
commentators.

Verse 5
Who art thou, Lord? - Τις ει, Κυριε ; Who art thou, Sir? He had no
knowledge who it was that addressedhim, and would only use the term Κυριε,
as any Roman or Greek would, merely as a term of civil respect.
I am Jesus whomthou persecutest - "Thy enmity is againstme and my
religion; and the injuries which thou dost to my followers I consideras done
to myself." The following words, making twenty in the original, and thirty in
our version, are found in no Greek MS. The words are, It is hard for thee to
kick againstthe pricks: and he trembling and astonishedsaid, Lord, what wilt
thou have me to do? and the Lord said unto him. It is not very easyto account
for such a large addition, which is not only not found in any Greek MS. yet
discovered, but is wanting in the Itala, Erpen's Arabic, the Syriac, Coptic,
Sahidic, and most of the Slavonian. It is found in the Vulgate, one of the
Arabic, the Ethiopic, and Armenian; and was probably borrowed from Acts
26:14, and some marginal notes. It is wanting also in the Complutensian
edition, and in that of Bengel. Griesbachalso leaves it out of the text.
It is hard for thee, etc. - Σκληρον σοι προς κεντρα λακτιζειν. This is a
proverbial expression, whichexists, not only in substance, but even in so many
words, both in the Greek and Latin writers. Κεντρον, kentron, signifies an ox
goad, a piece of pointed iron stuck in the end of a stick, with which the ox is
urged on when drawing the plough. The origin of the proverb seems to have
been this: sometimes it happens that a restive or stubborn ox kicks back
againstthe goad, and thus wounds himself more deeply: hence it has become a
proverb to signify the fruitlessness and absurdity of rebelling againstlawful
authority, and the getting into greaterdifficulties by endeavoring to avoid
trifling sufferings. So the proverb, Incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare
Charybdim. Out of the cauldron into the fire. "Out of bad into worse." The

saying exists, almostin the apostolic form, in the following writers. Euripides,
in Bacch. ver. 793:-
Θυοιμ 'αν αυτῳ μαλλον, η θυμουμενοςπ
Προς κεντρα λακτιζοιμι, θνητος ων, Θεῳ .
"I, who am a frail mortal, should rather sacrifice to him who is a God, than,
by giving place to anger, kick againstthe goads."
And Aeschylus, in Agamemnon, ver. 1633:-
Προς κεντρα μη λακτιζε .
Kick not againstthe goads.
And againin Prometh. Vinct. ver. 323: -
Προς κεντρα κωλονεκτενεις, ὁρων ὁτιπ
Τραχυς μοναρχος ουδ 'ὑπευθυνος κρατει .
"Thou stretchestout thy foot againstgoads, seeing the fierce monarch governs
according to his own will."

Resistanceis of no use: the more thou dost rebel, the more keenly thou shalt
suffer. See the Scholiasthere.
Pindar has a similar expression, Pyth. ii. ver. 171-5:-
Φερειν δ 'ελαφρως��<-144�Επαυχενιονλαβοντα�Ζυγονγ 'αρηγει. Ποτι
κεντρον δε τοι�Λακτιζεμεν, τελεθει�Ολισθηρος οιμος .
"It is profitable to bear willingly the assumedyoke.
To kick againstthe goadis pernicious conduct."
Where see the Scholiast, who shows that "it is ridiculous for a man to fight
with fortune: for if the unruly ox, from whom the metaphor is taken, kick
againstthe goad, he shall suffer still more grievously." Terence usesthe same
figure. Phorm. Act i. scen. 2, ver. 27: -
Venere in mentem mihi istaec:nam inscitia est,
Adversum stimulum calces.- "
These things have come to my recollection, forit is foolishness forthee to kick
againsta goad."

Ovid has the same idea in other words, Trist. lib. ii. ver. 15: -
At nunc (tanta meo comes estinsania morbo)
Saxa malum refero rursus ad icta pedem.
Scilicetet victus repetit gladiatorarenam;
Et redit in tumidas naufraga puppis aquas.
But madly now I wound myself alone,
Dashing my injured foot againstthe stone:
So to the wide arena, wild with pain,
The vanquish'd gladiatorhastes again;
So the poor shatter'd bark the tempest braves,
Launching once more into the swelling waves.

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