12 It teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hopethe glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. And having escaped from Damascus in a basket, most likely alone, he probably returned to Jerusalem alone, without a witness who could corroborate his claims. He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. Ironically, Ananias could have become one of Sauls targets of persecution for following the Lord Jesus. When Sapphira showed up, she, too, lied to Peter and to God, saying that they had donated the entire proceeds of the sale of the land to the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. For it was the Fathers good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him (Colossians 1:13-19). 141 Compare this voice with that in John 12:29. Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. ACTS 9:27 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. Saul, the typical (albeit more zealous) Jew, opposed God in the person of Christ and His body, the church, even while he thought he was serving Him. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith (Philippians 3:1-9; cf. 1:1; 1 Cor. . I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 171. Salvation may occur in a large group, such as those saved at the preaching of Peter at Pentecost, but each individual was saved because of a personal encounter with Christ. . helpful to the Lord. Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. 154 What is both interesting and important about this text is that the call of salvation does not necessarily require a change of career. Word was out that Saul would soon be arriving. Luke is emphatic in his representation of mans salvation as having been ordained and orchestrated by God, as a manifestation of His sovereign grace: And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed (Acts 13:48). While Saul in solitude at the house of Judas continued in prayer and supplication, the Lord appeared in a vision to a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias, telling him that Saul of Tarsus was praying and in need of help. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. To both Ananias (Acts 9:10) and Saul (Acts 9:12). Ananias To Paul, his relationship, by faith, to Jesus Christ was also the beginning of his new relationship to the body of Christ, the church: Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christs afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. For just as you once were disobedient to God but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. This would leave AD 33-46 for the visit to Arabia (Gal. Christian ministry be reconciled with the wealth and prosperity that If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. His conversion was by far the most vital influence in Pauls life. For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.. 28 And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. And if this was important for Saul to do, it was equally important for the church to accept him into their fellowship, as an expression of their unity in Christ. Hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church. Hd7/`l@TM0h#`C2 +u-AsQ3j++&?Fu7_[1_?a^J> Saul was not seeking God. Saul was saved in spite of himself. Ananias found Saul and said to him, Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit. As soon as Ananias spoke, Saul could see again. When Saul stood up, he discovered he was completely blind, and the men who were with him had to lead him by his hand until they reached Damascus. Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for, And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting, he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before, I will show him how many things he must suffer for My. Third, these discrepancies may well have been evident to the writers, who did not see fit to remove or explain every problem. He was to come to the earth as the great light, the light to the Gentiles, and so He did. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). What do you suppose the saints would have prayed at this special prayer meeting? Ananias fulfills his task: He laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain Have you had such an encounter? 17 And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened. This conclusion could be based upon Pauls argument in Galatians 1 and 2, along with the expression, when many days had elapsed in Acts 9:23. The passage which we are studying can be divided into these major segments: We will begin this lesson by making some general observations concerning this account of Sauls conversion,134 after which we will examine the sequence of events leading up to Sauls conversion, the events surrounding his conversion, and the consequences of his conversion as depicted by Luke. 31* The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. 131 . He says: It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. Saul, like Stephen, had a ministry which focused on the Hellenistic Jews. My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever, says the Lord. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. s Purpose In Sending Ananias To Saul For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all (Romans 11:25-32). In Hellenistic times it was completely replanned on the Hippodamian grid-system. SAUL The words and actions of Ananias are an evidence of his faith and obedience to the divine commission he was given, as outlined by Luke in the verses above. Not only does the narrator tell the story of Sauls transformation from persecutor to apostle in Acts 9, Saul himself re-tells the story twice when defending himself before persecutors (before the tribune in Jerusalem, Acts 22:1-21; and before Agrippa, Acts 26:1-23). He should not be circumcised. All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. Instead, he became the first believer to minister to Saul. And when the Galatians began to depart from the true gospel, Paul rebuked them for turning from Him: I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel (Galatians 6). 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. God then used this man to further His purposes in launching the career of the most influential of the apostles. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments (Lamentations 4:14). This blindness was only removed by faith in Christ, a miracle brought about by divine action: In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see (Isaiah 29:18). When God spoke to Ananias commanding him to go to the house where Saul was staying, he was to receive him as a brother; and he was told that he was called to suffer as Gods chosen vessel to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, kings, and to his fellow-Israelites. This Paul knew and testified to. "how many things he must suffer for WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. * WebAs Donald Davis notes, In case God has overlooked Sauls atrocities, [Ananias] takes occasion to issue a brief reminder. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. sunodia, Luke 2:44). F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), fn. l. [9:14] 9:12; 26:10; 1Cor 1:2; 2Tm 2:22. This text portrays one of the historical landmarks of the church. For the time being, God is using the disobedience of Israel to accomplish His purposes, but there is surely a time coming when Israel will be restored to the Lord, by faith in Christ. Then Jesus told them, You are going to have the light just a little while longer. We can learn more about his life in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and we can still read some of the letters he wrote that have been collected into the Bible, such as Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. While at first he thought he might have to correct God, in the end he submitted himself and his very life to Gods call. A devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, Saul was a member of the Pharisees and was taught by none other than Gamaliel, Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited. Saul went to other cities where he sought to arrest Christians and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. I can believe the saints who gathered to pray would have prayed for the protection of the church in Damascus and for the safety of individual saints, especially the leaders and the most visible Christians. This would mean that the Gospel isnt as good as we thought it was and that God violates the law of double jeopardy where He punishes the same sin twice. Why were Ananias and Sapphira killed on the spot? Indeed, this seems to be the rule. Hear, you deaf! Bible Hub Saul was the bad guy. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. The children will practice being giving and friendly with someone that they do not know. It is difficult to estimate the amount of resistance Ananias would have had to this divine instruction to receive Saul as a brother in the Lord. The man who, days before, was persecuting Christ was now preaching Christ. 138 Three times (8:3; 9:2; 22:4) this fact of persecuting women is mentioned as a special blot in Pauls cruelty (the third time by Paul himself) and one of the items in his being chief of sinners (1 Tim. Acts 9 He spoke of salvation as the change from death to life (Ephesians 2:1-3). He summed up life in this one word: For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). 23After a long time had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, The light was the light of His glory. Saul, as it were, saw the light, but in addition, he was to become a light, a light to the Gentiles, as well as to his own people. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray (Revelation 18:23). Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard (Isaiah 58:8). More than that, he had a deep dislike and hostility toward Christians before his conversion. 144 Was Ananias the one who told him what he must do? Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped (Isaiah 35:5). Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. There are differences between the three accounts given to us in Acts. With the help of a priest who knew his parents he was allowed to attend religious school. He officiated as high priest from about AD 47 to 52. Like Stephen, the enemies of the gospel attempted to kill Saul when they could not silence him by means of debate. Shape us into children who rejoice in knowing and proclaiming you to the world. His parents allowed visiting priests to minister secretly in their home during the dangers of the French Revolution. Why did Saint Paul change his The Apostle Paul: Ananias and Sauls Obedience Sauls conversion was also his call to ministry, and this conversion experience is strikingly similar to that of one of his predecessors, Ezekiel: 1:4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the northan immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. When Saul reached Jerusalem, the Christians there also were afraid of him, because they thought he was going to have them all arrested. Saul, why do you persecute me? (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) No one, it would seem, was even thinking of what God was about to do. Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). The approach the Lord took was one of dealing with Saul in the light of his sin, of his salvation, and of his ministry. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it . He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 135 There are those who describe Saul as a tormented man after the stoning of Stephen. 137 The Way is a designation for the new movement used several times in Acts 9:19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22; cf. by the sin of Adam. I can believe someone might have prayed that Saul be waylaid, or terminated, in some divine act or providential accident (act of God). Ananias baptizes Saul, and Saul's eyes are opened. 28, p. 185. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? WebThe last time they saw Saul, he was arresting and killing Christians. It was Gods initiative all the way. We shall then seek to identify the characteristics of Sauls conversion which are typical of every conversion. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you write a good story in Smash Bros screening? 10Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus (A)named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias., 11So the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul (B)of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. Unless otherwise noted, all material copyright 2023, Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. 136. The second option is to invite the congregation to identify with Ananias (who shows up in verse 10). The expansion is three-fold: (1) The expansion from Christ, to His apostles, to His church, (2) The geographical expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. Though I have fallen, I will rise. The question must be asked as to whether or not Sauls conversion has a more general application and relevance. Used by permission. What if They'd Said No These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16). The Diocese of Rochester In America 1868-1993. From 64 B.C. 6 For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4, 6). In spite of the clear and present danger, Ananias went and began to look for the Christian hunter Saul. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deuteronomy 28:28-29). The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. We are simply told that the message itself was proclaimed powerfully and that people were amazed at the message and its miraculous impact on Sauls own conduct. It was just such a miracle which gave Saul his spiritual sight, as he received back his physical sight. Yes, Lord, he answered. We know nothing of Ananias beyond this story in the shadows. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Shortly afterwards, the Lord spoke to a disciple named Ananias, asking him to go to Saul, place his hands on him, and restore his sight. For the remainder of this essay, I will pursue the second option. What are 3 long term physical effects of tobacco use? During the subsequent Roman rule, the When the Christians learned that the Hellenists to whom Saul had preached were plotting to kill them, they helped him escape through Caesarea and on to Tarsus. There is a great deal of information we are not given, and thus we cannot be dogmatic about our conclusions. His career as a persecutor of Christians seems to have begun with Stephen, but it quickly spread to all of the Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 7:588:3). Ananias and Saul: The Story Starts With a Disciple With the conversion of Saul, persecution of the church did not stop, for now some of the Hellenistic Jews were opposing his preaching (and no doubt, the church at large as well). 2 What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? Acts 9, 22, 26; Romans 15:15-21; cf. 1:4). F. F. Bruce, p. 190. 23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. During his conversion Note the following impressions gained from a reflection on the passage as a whole. We know from other accounts (22:6; 26:13) that it was high noon when Saul was stopped in his tracks by a bright light from heaven. 2:1 He said to me, Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you. 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. was Ananias That is all we know about Ananias - the small but essential part he played at the start of Paul's pilgrimage of faith. 146 It is possible, however, to understand the expression, Brother, as referring to Saul only as a fellow Jew. Jesus words, Why are you persecuting Me?, clearly implied that Sauls persecution of the church was a persecution of the Lord. Get up and make your bed. He got up at once. 10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. WebAnanias, I am sure. The election of Saul to salvation was specific and thus, personal. The call of salvation is a call to holiness, and to obedience, and to fellowship, with God and with our fellow-believers. . Saul saw and heard the resurrected Christ. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 132 The impact of Sauls conversion on his message and his ministry is testified to by A. T. Robertson: Luke evidently attached great importance to the story of Sauls conversion as the turning point not simply in the career of the man, but an epoch in the history of apostolic Christianity. Q here - view only). 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands onq him to restore his sight.. Israel was also blind, and Pauls blindness was but a specific example of this blindness: The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. He realized that it was nothing which he had donenor ever would dobut only by what Jesus Christ had done that saved him. The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. The account records their sudden deaths after lying to the Holy Spirit about money. And notice one more detail about the way in which Ananias did this. 3 Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? The first thing we shall do is to make some observations on the passage as a whole to attempt to see the forest before we scrutinize the trees. In 2 Corinthians 11:32 Paul speaks of an ethnarch of Aretas, the king of the Nabataean Arabs, who guarded the city to prevent him escaping from it. ). A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 115. Q&A 1. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. When I saw it, I fell face down, and I heard the voice of one speaking. 36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated means Dorcas). How true are two of the proverbs, which read: The mind of a man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9). At first, I thought this was unique with Saul. He who had wanted to kill these saints now wanted to fellowship with them. Ananias This divine illumination is that miracle which God performs within a lost, blinded, dead soul, so as to bring about salvation: 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Who told Saul to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street? He started NOW to trust God. How did God use Ananias in the New Testament? 22But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah. Ananias is not the last believer who has seen fit to keep God up to date (The Storytellers Companion to the Bible: The Acts of the Apostles). In Jerusalem, as in Damascus, Saul spoke out boldly proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ, the promised Messiah. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. Amen (Romans 11:33-36). The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The longer I study Sauls conversion, the more convinced I am that his conversion is typical. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. When I look through the Gospels and the Book of Acts, I never find the gospel presented in the same way to different people. 5He said, Who are you, sir? The reply came, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.e About three hours later, Sapphira arrived. Ananias the high priest brought charges against Paul and Jesus dealt with Nicodemus (John 3) very differently from the Samaritan woman (John 4). The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". But the gospel is good news for sinners. No sinner is beyond the grace and the grasp of God. * [9:20] Son of God: the title Son of God occurs in Acts only here, but cf. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photo-lithoprinted}, 1966), p. 90. Those who know themselves sinners, and who call upon Jesus for salvation, are saved: For WHOSOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED (Romans 10:13, citing Joel 2:32). It may well be a call to live transformed lives in the same circumstances in which we were found. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. Ananias who was 10i There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. He answered, Here I am, Lord. Ananias and Saul - Holy Land of God 10. 8 Although I am less than the least of all Gods people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. The Conversion of Saul (N)Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Ananias would have lost a human beings greatest privilege, of being an agent of the Lord (like an angel of the Lord).
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