15-16. “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
He who declares the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:1010Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (Isaiah 46:10)) displays sovereign grace. Saul of Tarsus is a chosen vessel of the One he so zealously persecuted (vs. 4)! The Lord does not speak of great things that Saul would accomplish, but of great things he would suffer. It is the time of conflict, suffering and labor now. The day of rest and glory is coming.
17. “And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”
The first words recorded by the Holy Spirit between a fearful follower (see vss. 13-14) and pardoned persecutor are “brother Saul”! What a display of the infinite grace of God towards both. Divine grace gave courage to the obedient servant as it had reached down to pick up the chief of sinners.
18. “And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.”
Saul had been blind to the glory of Christ as he energetically persecuted the assembly, entering into every house (Acts 8:33As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. (Acts 8:3)) and dragging to prison the Lord’s people. But on the way to Damascus he was blinded by the risen Christ of glory.
Earlier he had seen no beauty in Christ; now he sees no one save Jesus only. The result is immediate obedience—he rises, a new vision, we may say, filling his eyesight, and is immediately baptized. Oh! that we would ever walk with the Christ of glory filling our vision in this dark wilderness.
19-20. “And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.”
The newborn believer, like a newborn infant, needs food—the sincere milk of the Word—and fellowship with those of like precious faith.
The moral order of Saul’s conversion is beautiful. He receives sight, is obedient to baptism, is given food, and fellowships with the people of God. Afterwards, he preaches the gospel to the lost—the truth as to the person of Christ. This is, as it were, the normal pattern of true Christian conversion.
21. “But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?”
The grace of God is beyond the understanding of man—His ways are indeed past finding out. The former destroyer has, in Christ, become a new creation. Old things having passed away, all who hear Saul know he is not the Saul who had come to persecute in Damascus.
22. “But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.”
While the new believer’s spiritual strength increased, the unbelieving Jews’ confusion increased. To them, void of faith and requiring a sign, Saul’s preaching was a stumblingblock. But the Christ who had saved Saul of Tarsus was, and is, the cornerstone—the foundation of all blessing.
23-25. “And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: but their laying wait was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.”
Man’s religious heart is ever at enmity with God (Col. 1:2121And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (Colossians 1:21)), who gives testimony of the Messiah to His guilty earthly people—and in matchless grace does so for many days. But their unbelieving hearts will not have the sovereign grace of God, nor will they humble themselves and submit to His truth.
Yet, the eyes of the Lord are in every place, and thus Saul, now a disciple of Christ, is aware of their wicked plans. The once haughty pharisaical enemy of Christ must now taste what it is to be weak. He who wrote, “When I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:1010Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)), learns by experience that there are times to flee in a basket at night, even as there will be other times of fighting with beasts at Ephesus. Christ in glory gives strength to do all things.
26. “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.”
Here was further humbling for the servant of Christ. Rather than a reception of loving hospitality and welcome at Jerusalem, his former deeds of persecution against Christians bear the fruit of fear—what Saul the persecutor had sowed, Saul the believer now reaped.
27. “But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.”
How wonderful that there was a Barnabas (the “son of consolation”) who in divine grace stood in the breach, commending the seeking Saul to the fearful assembly. May we be a Barnabas today!
28. “And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.”
Before Saul began his public ministry there, he was established in public fellowship with the assembly.
29. “And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.”
Fellowship with the assembly in Jerusalem gave Saul liberty and the name of Jesus gave him authority to preach and reason with the Hellenist Jews.
30. “Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.”
What happy fellowship! The brethren in Jerusalem did not just send Saul away from the danger, but they went with him before sending him on his way.
31. “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”
The assemblies were first built up, and then they were found walking in the truth they learned. The result was that the Spirit of God was at liberty to bring comfort and blessing to them by increasing their numbers. Oh! that we too would walk in what we know today!
Ed.