But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.
"Luke here records Paul's conversion (Acts 22:4ff. and Acts 26:12ff. also give account of it, to the crowd in Jerusalem and to Herod Agrippa II). In his own writings, Paul refers to it only a few times. He related it to the supernatural purposes of God (Gal. 1:15); he spoke of its suddenness (1 Cor. 15:8; Phil. 3:12); he called it an act of new creation by God (2 Cor. 4:6); he acknowledged the merciful character of it (1 Tim. 1:13); and he claimed that during it he saw the Lord (1 Cor. 9:1). He was, therefore, just as qualified as the other apostles, for his conversion experience was just as objective a reality as their meetings with the risen Christ before the Ascension." (Ryrie)
"In the revelation of God to us this event is given a most prominent place. Saul's conversion is more fully described and more often referred to in the Scriptures than any other conversion, or indeed, than any other one personal experience outside of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The major parts of three separate chapters in Acts are taken up with this account and it forms the main subject of two of Paul's five recorded discourses. So conscious is the apostle himself of the importance of his conversion in connection with the gospel of the grace of God, that he refers to it over and over again in his epistles." (Stam)
"What happened on the road to Damascus was unique. Saul's conversion is unlike any other conversion. Nor has such an event taken place since then. That it will be repeated on a larger scale in the future day is assured by the Word of Prophecy. The heavens will be opened once more. Out of the opened heavens there will again shine forth the Glory of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. In His Glory, He will appear the second time. And when He comes in the clouds of heaven there will be still His blinded people on earth, a remnant of them, and like Saul they will behold the glorious vision. Then will be fulfilled what is written in Zechariah 22:10: 'They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for His only Son.'" (Gaebelein)
"Thus the conversion of Saul marked the beginning of the unfolding of the mystery of God's purpose and grace. (Note, we say the beginning, for the dispensation of grace, with the revelation of it, emerged gradually. See Acts 26:16; 2 Cor. 12:1. The careful student of Scripture will not expect to find the Pentecostal program suddenly abolished, with the dispensation of grace in its fullness suddenly replacing it.) The very fact that another apostle was being raised up, quite separate from the twelve, clearly indicates that God had begun to usher in the new dispensation: 'the dispensation of the grace of God' (Eph. 3:2,3). With regard to this Dr. Arno C. Gaebelein wrote in his book on 'The Gospel of Matthew': 'Superficial readers of the Word of God make no difference between the Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of Grace ...' (Vol. II, P. 189). But the distinction is important, as I.R. Dean, in his 'Coming Kingdom,' points out. Says Mr. Dean: 'What was it necessary for Paul to have a new revelation of the gospel if he was to preach the same gospel that John the Baptist and Christ and His disciples had preached? Wherein lies the difference? 'John the Baptist and Christ and His disciples offered Israel a Messiah .... Paul's gospel does not offer Israel a Messiah at all; God is not offering anyone a Messiah now' (P. 210). Dean is right, for rather than offering men a Messiah now, God is offering reconciliation by grace to all men, in a world where the Messiah, the King, was, and remains, rejected." (Stam)
"Saul was born in Tarsus, an old city, and the capital of Cilicia. In that city was situated a great university given mostly to the study of Philosophy. Josephus in agreement with Jewish literature identified the city with Tarshish, to which Jonah attempted to flee. Saul has often been called a 'Hellenist,' that is, a Grecian Jew. But his is easily answered by his own words, 'a Hebrew of the Hebrews.' He belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, and his father was likewise a member of the same class, for Saul called himself 'a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee' (Acts 23:6). His bringing up was on the strictest Jewish order. All the observances of the law and the traditions of the elders were conscientiously followed by him. This fact he calls to mind when he wrote his great defense of the Gospel to the Galatians. 'For ye have heard,' he states, 'of my conversation in time past in the Jew's religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it. And profited in the Jew's religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my faither' (Gal. 1:13, 14). He also witnesses of his life before the Grace and Power of God converted him, when he wrote to the Philippians, 'Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless' (Phil. 3:5, 6). This young Pharisee had a strong belief in the God of Israel, in His promises and the destiny of Israel. This belief manifested itself outwardly in a zeal for God. While he was thus filled with pride of race, zeal for God, but without knowledge, striving to attain righteousness, to fulfill and obey the very letter of the law, he had an intense hatred of what he supposed to be disloyalty to the law. In Tarsus, his native city, he became fully acquainted with Greek customs, Greek life, literature, art and philosophy. The local industry of Tarsus was tent making. These tents were manufactured out of goat's hair. This trade the young Saul learned. Teaching boys a certain trade is an ancient Jewish custom. His family may have been very influential and wealthy. He had a married sister living in Jerusalem, who must have been very highly connected (Acts 23:16). Saul of Tarsus was furthermore a Roman citizen. This was a high honor and privilege. It could be bought for large sums of money. When Paul was about to be scourged he mentioned his Roman citizenship. The chief captain, a Greek by the name of Claudius Lysias (Acts 23:26), said: 'With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born' (Acts 22:28). The prisoner held a higher honor than the captain; no wonder Claudius Lysias was afraid. His family must have had the Roman citizenship conferred upon them as a mark of distinction or reward for some eminent service. Saul received his religious education in Jerusalem. We listen again to his own words, 'I am verily a man, a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city (Jerusalem) at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye are all this day' (Acts 22:3). Gamaliel was the greatest rabbi of the Pharisees, the president of the Sanhedrim. He was the son of Simon and grandson of the celebrated Hillel. We have found his name before in the fifth chapter. He was highly esteemed for his learning. The Talmud says, 'When he died the honor of the Torah (law) ceased, and purity and piety became extinct.' At the feet of this great and learned man, Saul of Tarsus sat. That Saul was highly respected in Jerusalem and close to the leaders of the people, is seen by the letters entrusted to him and the commission to Damascus. He may have been even a member of the council, for 'he voted.' 'When they (Christians) were put to death, I gave my voice (lit., my vote) against them' (Acts 26:10). It may be interesting to say a word on his outward appearance. He has frequently been pictured as a tall, handsome-looking man. But in 2 Corinthians 10:10 we read otherwise. The Corinthians were used to the athletic figures of the Greeks. Of Paul they said, 'His letters are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible.' A very old apocryphal book, dating back to the end of the first century, 'Acta Pauli et Theclae,' has an interesting description of his person, which may be genuine. 'A man of moderate stature, with crisp hair, crooked legs, blue eyes, large knit brows, and long nose, at times looking like a man, at times like an angel.'" (Gaebelein)
belonging to the Way - believers in Jesus Christ as the Messiah
"From other passages in Acts it seems clear that the term, 'the Way' is Luke's inspired designation for the faith and practices of Messiah's followers, not a derisive term used by Saul (See Acts 18:25,26; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14,22). Perhaps the term was used much as we might speak of 'the message' or 'these truths,' but it is not without significance that the same terminology is used in John 14:6, where we have the words of our Lord: 'I Am The Way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.'" (Stam)
Damascus - This city was about 150 mi (241 km) from Jerusalem.
"In the Old Testament times it was the capital of Syria. It is situated on one of the most fertile plains in the world, about 2,200 feet above the level of the sea, a plain watered by the river Chrysorrhoes and abundant in fruit treats and grain crops. It is about sixty miles from the sea coast, and was once the highway of traffic to the East. Under the Greek regime, it was eclipsed by the greater importance of the new capital, Antioch (Acts 11:20). It has again, however, established its former superiority and is a large city with 150,000 inhabitants. A large colony of Jews, who had several synagogues, resided there." (Walker)
"We must not miss the significance of this. As we have pointed out, Israel, through whom God had promised to send salvation and blessing to the Gentiles, had now joined the Gentiles in their rebellion against God and Saul of Tarsus was leading that rebellion. But when Saul pressed the persecution into Gentile territory, divine intervention was immediate and direct. If the people of Israel would not accept salvation through Christ they were not, at least, to be permitted to keep it from the Gentiles. Thus God now proceeds to show them that He did not choose them because He needed them, but because of His sovereign grace, and that He can justly offer salvation to all, entirely apart from the covenant promises, entirely apart from Israel—wholly and solely through the merits of the Crucified. And for this purpose, yea, on these grounds, He saves Saul, His chief enemy on earth, sending him forth with 'the gospel of the grace of God!' (Acts 20:24; Eph. 3:2)." (Stam)
"Luke here records Paul's conversion (Acts 22:4ff. and Acts 26:12ff. also give account of it, to the crowd in Jerusalem and to Herod Agrippa II). In his own writings, Paul refers to it only a few times. He related it to the supernatural purposes of God (Gal. 1:15); he spoke of its suddenness (1 Cor. 15:8; Phil. 3:12); he called it an act of new creation by God (2 Cor. 4:6); he acknowledged the merciful character of it (1 Tim. 1:13); and he claimed that during it he saw the Lord (1 Cor. 9:1). He was, therefore, just as qualified as the other apostles, for his conversion experience was just as objective a reality as their meetings with the risen Christ before the Ascension." (Ryrie)
"In the revelation of God to us this event is given a most prominent place. Saul's conversion is more fully described and more often referred to in the Scriptures than any other conversion, or indeed, than any other one personal experience outside of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The major parts of three separate chapters in Acts are taken up with this account and it forms the main subject of two of Paul's five recorded discourses. So conscious is the apostle himself of the importance of his conversion in connection with the gospel of the grace of God, that he refers to it over and over again in his epistles." (Stam)
"What happened on the road to Damascus was unique. Saul's conversion is unlike any other conversion. Nor has such an event taken place since then. That it will be repeated on a larger scale in the future day is assured by the Word of Prophecy. The heavens will be opened once more. Out of the opened heavens there will again shine forth the Glory of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. In His Glory, He will appear the second time. And when He comes in the clouds of heaven there will be still His blinded people on earth, a remnant of them, and like Saul they will behold the glorious vision. Then will be fulfilled what is written in Zechariah 22:10: 'They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for His only Son.'" (Gaebelein)
"Thus the conversion of Saul marked the beginning of the unfolding of the mystery of God's purpose and grace. (Note, we say the beginning, for the dispensation of grace, with the revelation of it, emerged gradually. See Acts 26:16; 2 Cor. 12:1. The careful student of Scripture will not expect to find the Pentecostal program suddenly abolished, with the dispensation of grace in its fullness suddenly replacing it.) The very fact that another apostle was being raised up, quite separate from the twelve, clearly indicates that God had begun to usher in the new dispensation: 'the dispensation of the grace of God' (Eph. 3:2,3). With regard to this Dr. Arno C. Gaebelein wrote in his book on 'The Gospel of Matthew': 'Superficial readers of the Word of God make no difference between the Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of Grace ...' (Vol. II, P. 189). But the distinction is important, as I.R. Dean, in his 'Coming Kingdom,' points out. Says Mr. Dean: 'What was it necessary for Paul to have a new revelation of the gospel if he was to preach the same gospel that John the Baptist and Christ and His disciples had preached? Wherein lies the difference? 'John the Baptist and Christ and His disciples offered Israel a Messiah .... Paul's gospel does not offer Israel a Messiah at all; God is not offering anyone a Messiah now' (P. 210). Dean is right, for rather than offering men a Messiah now, God is offering reconciliation by grace to all men, in a world where the Messiah, the King, was, and remains, rejected." (Stam)
"Saul was born in Tarsus, an old city, and the capital of Cilicia. In that city was situated a great university given mostly to the study of Philosophy. Josephus in agreement with Jewish literature identified the city with Tarshish, to which Jonah attempted to flee. Saul has often been called a 'Hellenist,' that is, a Grecian Jew. But his is easily answered by his own words, 'a Hebrew of the Hebrews.' He belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, and his father was likewise a member of the same class, for Saul called himself 'a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee' (Acts 23:6). His bringing up was on the strictest Jewish order. All the observances of the law and the traditions of the elders were conscientiously followed by him. This fact he calls to mind when he wrote his great defense of the Gospel to the Galatians. 'For ye have heard,' he states, 'of my conversation in time past in the Jew's religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it. And profited in the Jew's religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my faither' (Gal. 1:13, 14). He also witnesses of his life before the Grace and Power of God converted him, when he wrote to the Philippians, 'Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless' (Phil. 3:5, 6). This young Pharisee had a strong belief in the God of Israel, in His promises and the destiny of Israel. This belief manifested itself outwardly in a zeal for God. While he was thus filled with pride of race, zeal for God, but without knowledge, striving to attain righteousness, to fulfill and obey the very letter of the law, he had an intense hatred of what he supposed to be disloyalty to the law. In Tarsus, his native city, he became fully acquainted with Greek customs, Greek life, literature, art and philosophy. The local industry of Tarsus was tent making. These tents were manufactured out of goat's hair. This trade the young Saul learned. Teaching boys a certain trade is an ancient Jewish custom. His family may have been very influential and wealthy. He had a married sister living in Jerusalem, who must have been very highly connected (Acts 23:16). Saul of Tarsus was furthermore a Roman citizen. This was a high honor and privilege. It could be bought for large sums of money. When Paul was about to be scourged he mentioned his Roman citizenship. The chief captain, a Greek by the name of Claudius Lysias (Acts 23:26), said: 'With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born' (Acts 22:28). The prisoner held a higher honor than the captain; no wonder Claudius Lysias was afraid. His family must have had the Roman citizenship conferred upon them as a mark of distinction or reward for some eminent service. Saul received his religious education in Jerusalem. We listen again to his own words, 'I am verily a man, a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city (Jerusalem) at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye are all this day' (Acts 22:3). Gamaliel was the greatest rabbi of the Pharisees, the president of the Sanhedrim. He was the son of Simon and grandson of the celebrated Hillel. We have found his name before in the fifth chapter. He was highly esteemed for his learning. The Talmud says, 'When he died the honor of the Torah (law) ceased, and purity and piety became extinct.' At the feet of this great and learned man, Saul of Tarsus sat. That Saul was highly respected in Jerusalem and close to the leaders of the people, is seen by the letters entrusted to him and the commission to Damascus. He may have been even a member of the council, for 'he voted.' 'When they (Christians) were put to death, I gave my voice (lit., my vote) against them' (Acts 26:10). It may be interesting to say a word on his outward appearance. He has frequently been pictured as a tall, handsome-looking man. But in 2 Corinthians 10:10 we read otherwise. The Corinthians were used to the athletic figures of the Greeks. Of Paul they said, 'His letters are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible.' A very old apocryphal book, dating back to the end of the first century, 'Acta Pauli et Theclae,' has an interesting description of his person, which may be genuine. 'A man of moderate stature, with crisp hair, crooked legs, blue eyes, large knit brows, and long nose, at times looking like a man, at times like an angel.'" (Gaebelein)
belonging to the Way - believers in Jesus Christ as the Messiah
"From other passages in Acts it seems clear that the term, 'the Way' is Luke's inspired designation for the faith and practices of Messiah's followers, not a derisive term used by Saul (See Acts 18:25,26; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14,22). Perhaps the term was used much as we might speak of 'the message' or 'these truths,' but it is not without significance that the same terminology is used in John 14:6, where we have the words of our Lord: 'I Am The Way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.'" (Stam)
Damascus - This city was about 150 mi (241 km) from Jerusalem.
"In the Old Testament times it was the capital of Syria. It is situated on one of the most fertile plains in the world, about 2,200 feet above the level of the sea, a plain watered by the river Chrysorrhoes and abundant in fruit treats and grain crops. It is about sixty miles from the sea coast, and was once the highway of traffic to the East. Under the Greek regime, it was eclipsed by the greater importance of the new capital, Antioch (Acts 11:20). It has again, however, established its former superiority and is a large city with 150,000 inhabitants. A large colony of Jews, who had several synagogues, resided there." (Walker)
"We must not miss the significance of this. As we have pointed out, Israel, through whom God had promised to send salvation and blessing to the Gentiles, had now joined the Gentiles in their rebellion against God and Saul of Tarsus was leading that rebellion. But when Saul pressed the persecution into Gentile territory, divine intervention was immediate and direct. If the people of Israel would not accept salvation through Christ they were not, at least, to be permitted to keep it from the Gentiles. Thus God now proceeds to show them that He did not choose them because He needed them, but because of His sovereign grace, and that He can justly offer salvation to all, entirely apart from the covenant promises, entirely apart from Israel—wholly and solely through the merits of the Crucified. And for this purpose, yea, on these grounds, He saves Saul, His chief enemy on earth, sending him forth with 'the gospel of the grace of God!' (Acts 20:24; Eph. 3:2)." (Stam)
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