“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth - "No, Paul's sincerity did not excuse him, though it did afford God grounds for showing him mercy (1 Tim 1:13). Paul doubtless had a threefold purpose in referring to his former bitter enmity against Christ. First, it would indicate that he had not lightly changed his attitude toward Christ. Second, it would indicate that if one so utterly sincere could be so wrong, the position of his hearers, in God's sight, might be far worse. Third, his 'I verily ... myself' expresses the apostle's sympathy with his hearers and his hope that God might save them too ... He states it thus that he might be seen as one who has come to know the truth—to know Christ—and has thus come to his senses." (Stam)
I cast my vote - "...does not necessarily mean that Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin but simply that he agreed with its action." (Ryrie)
"'Voice,' Gr., psephos, a stone used for voting. See R.V. The fact that Paul could cast such votes would seem to indicate further that he was a member either of the Sanhedrin or of the larger body, 'the estate of the elders' (Cf. Gal 1:14)." (Stam)
"The word 'vote' means, literally, the stone or pebble with which the vote was recorded. It occurs again only in Rev 2:17 (stone). If the expression be taken quite literally, it will mean that Saul was a member of the Sanhedrin before his conversion, and, as such, gave his vote like the other Sanhedrists. This view is strongly advocated by some, and has much to be said in its favour. In that case, we should have to suppose that he was elected to that important body because of his prominence as a Jewish propagandist; as also, apparently, that he had been previously married,—a qualification required in members of the Sanhedrin,—though subsequently becoming a widower (1 Cor 7:7). On the other hand, it is urged that he was too young for membership in such a council of 'elders', and that the phrase may be used loosely as merely indicating that he gave his full consent (Acts 22:20)." (Walker)
I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities - "Paul's testimony that 'many' of the saints were thus imprisoned and put to death, indicates that Stephen was not the only martyr during this period. Doubtless Stephen's martyrdom is the only one mentioned by Luke because it was crucial and representative in Israel's history, but Luke does inform us that Stephen's murder touched off a 'great persecution' in which Saul 'made havoc of the church' (Acts 8:1,3) and went forth 'breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord' (Acts 9:1). Moreover, at his conversion, the Jews at Damascus exclaimed: 'Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem?' (Acts 9:21). Finally, Paul himself later wrote to the Galatians: 'Beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it [Lit., laid it waste]' (Gal 1:13). Thus there is no reason to doubt Paul's testimony before Agrippa, or to conclude that it is contradicted by the fact that Luke records Stephen's martyrdom alone. 'Even to foreign cities' proves that his journey to Damascus was not the first and only such venture, but the last of many like it." (Stam)
make them blaspheme - "I.e., was forcing them to blaspheme against Christ, which would not have been blasphemy to the Jews." (Ryrie)
"But it was not enough that those apprehended for their faith in Christ were imprisoned, tried and executed, for Saul had first tortured many of them to force them to recant [blaspheme]. 'I punished them oft,' he says, 'in every synagogue [in Jerusalem, Ver. 10 and 22:18,19] and compelled them to blaspheme' (Ver. 11). 'Compelled' refers to the object, rather than the result of the punishment, for the imperfect tense is used. Those tortured did not necessarily yield, otherwise 'many' would not have been 'put to death.'" (Stam)
with the authority and commission of the chief priests - "But it must not be assumed from this that the chief priests were not more than glad to have this young zealot [Saul] stir up hatred against Christ and His followers, and Paul is careful to stress this fact ... he had gone forth as the appointed representative of Israel and her rulers, and his bitter enmity against Christ and His followers was but the expression of theirs." (Stam)
I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun - "...the light which shone from heaven was brighter than that of the noonday sun. Only those who know the blinding glare of the Syrian sun at high noon can begin to appreciate this. This was no subjective vision, experienced by the apostle alone. The light from heaven shone round about Paul and his companions that day (Ver.13) as actually as the glory of the Lord had shone round about the shepherds at Christ's birth (Luke 2:9). And like the shepherds, they were all 'sore afraid' and all fell to the earth (Ver. 14). This fact alone indicates how important an event in history was the conversion and commission of Paul." (Stam)
kick against the goads - "A Greek proverb for useless resistance; i.e., it was useless for Paul to persecute the church—he was only hurting himself. Goads were long, wooden rods with a sharp point used to prod oxen while plowing." (Ryrie)
"Expressing futile resistance, as when oxen kick against the goads of their drivers. This phrase is not found at Acts 9:5 in most texts." (Stam)
the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you - "Christ appeared more than once to Paul after his conversion (Acts 18:9; 22:17-21;23:11), and also vouchsafed him special revelations (2 Cor 12:1-4)." (Walker)
"We learn that the truths he was to proclaim were to be further made known to him in a series of revelations in which the Lord Himself would appear to Him (Acts 26:16; Cf. 2 Cor 12:1-4). This refutes the teaching that Paul's 'revelation ministry' did not begin until after Acts 28:28. The apostle, in his first revelation of Christ, had already seen the Lord in a glory far excelling that in which the twelve had ever seen Him. They had known only the Christ on earth; Paul, from the beginning had known only the Christ 'exalted far above all' and had seen Him in His heavenly glory. They [the twelve] had been sent to proclaim His kingdom rights, even after His ascension (See Acts 1:6-8; 3:19-21; etc.). He [Paul] had been sent 'to testify the gospel of the grace of God' (Acts 20:24). [It was] one message that was gradually committed to him in a series of revelation (Acts 20:24; 26:16; 1 Cor 9:17; 2 Cor 12:1-4; Gal 1:11,12,15, 16; Eph 3:1-4; Col 1:24-26; etc.)." (Stam)
delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles - "We learn from this passage that from the day of Paul's conversion he was chosen from Israel and from the Gentiles as Christ's apostle to both. The word 'delivering' (Ver. 17) is almost certainly an incorrect rendering of the Greek here, for Paul was not 'delivered' from the Gentiles in the sense that would be intended here; in fact he was finally beheaded by Nero. The Greek exaireo means simply 'to take out.' Thus it can refer to deliverance, as in Acts 23:27, where it is correctly rendered 'rescued.' But surely it could not be rendered 'rescue' or 'deliver' in Matt 5:29. In this passage it is correctly rendered: 'And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee.' Neither, we believe, is 'delivering' the correct rendering here. Dean Howson translates it: 'thee have I chose,' in Life and Epistles of St. Paul (P. 673). And J.N. Darby, in his New Translation, renders it: 'taking thee out.' This is a more consistent rendering, for Paul was indeed chosen and taken out from both his own people (the term 'the people,' in Scripture, refers to Israel - see Psa 2:1 and cf. Acts 4:25,27) and the Gentiles, and sent back to both with the message of grace. This distinguished him, too, from the twelve. They represented the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt 19:28). He, as one apostle, represents the one Body (Col 1:24; Eph 4:4). Some hold that the 'unto whom' refers only to the Gentiles, not both. It is true that Paul was sent especially to the Gentiles, as over against the nation Israel, but his ministry to the end, included both Jews and Gentiles (See Acts 26:20; 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 2:14-18; etc.)." (Stam)
"And how complete a representative! He was a Hebrew, a born Hebrew and intensely Hebrew (Phil 3:5). He was also, as we have seen, a Roman (Acts 22:25), a born Roman (Acts 22:28) and intensely Roman (Acts 21:39; 25:9-11). Here, then, we have a Hebrew and a Roman in one person! Moreover, he was a former enemy, reconciled to God by grace—'exceeding abundant' grace! What an ideal representative of the believing Jews and Gentiles in this dispensation, who have been 'reconciled to God in one body,' who have 'the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace!'" The Books of Acts, of course, is primarily the account of the fall of the nation Israel, not 'the history of the founding of the Church,' but the record of Acts does confirm the testimony of Paul's early epistles that the reconciling of believing Jews and Gentiles to God in one body began with Paul, during his early ministry." (Stam)
I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth - "No, Paul's sincerity did not excuse him, though it did afford God grounds for showing him mercy (1 Tim 1:13). Paul doubtless had a threefold purpose in referring to his former bitter enmity against Christ. First, it would indicate that he had not lightly changed his attitude toward Christ. Second, it would indicate that if one so utterly sincere could be so wrong, the position of his hearers, in God's sight, might be far worse. Third, his 'I verily ... myself' expresses the apostle's sympathy with his hearers and his hope that God might save them too ... He states it thus that he might be seen as one who has come to know the truth—to know Christ—and has thus come to his senses." (Stam)
I cast my vote - "...does not necessarily mean that Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin but simply that he agreed with its action." (Ryrie)
"'Voice,' Gr., psephos, a stone used for voting. See R.V. The fact that Paul could cast such votes would seem to indicate further that he was a member either of the Sanhedrin or of the larger body, 'the estate of the elders' (Cf. Gal 1:14)." (Stam)
"The word 'vote' means, literally, the stone or pebble with which the vote was recorded. It occurs again only in Rev 2:17 (stone). If the expression be taken quite literally, it will mean that Saul was a member of the Sanhedrin before his conversion, and, as such, gave his vote like the other Sanhedrists. This view is strongly advocated by some, and has much to be said in its favour. In that case, we should have to suppose that he was elected to that important body because of his prominence as a Jewish propagandist; as also, apparently, that he had been previously married,—a qualification required in members of the Sanhedrin,—though subsequently becoming a widower (1 Cor 7:7). On the other hand, it is urged that he was too young for membership in such a council of 'elders', and that the phrase may be used loosely as merely indicating that he gave his full consent (Acts 22:20)." (Walker)
I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities - "Paul's testimony that 'many' of the saints were thus imprisoned and put to death, indicates that Stephen was not the only martyr during this period. Doubtless Stephen's martyrdom is the only one mentioned by Luke because it was crucial and representative in Israel's history, but Luke does inform us that Stephen's murder touched off a 'great persecution' in which Saul 'made havoc of the church' (Acts 8:1,3) and went forth 'breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord' (Acts 9:1). Moreover, at his conversion, the Jews at Damascus exclaimed: 'Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem?' (Acts 9:21). Finally, Paul himself later wrote to the Galatians: 'Beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it [Lit., laid it waste]' (Gal 1:13). Thus there is no reason to doubt Paul's testimony before Agrippa, or to conclude that it is contradicted by the fact that Luke records Stephen's martyrdom alone. 'Even to foreign cities' proves that his journey to Damascus was not the first and only such venture, but the last of many like it." (Stam)
make them blaspheme - "I.e., was forcing them to blaspheme against Christ, which would not have been blasphemy to the Jews." (Ryrie)
"But it was not enough that those apprehended for their faith in Christ were imprisoned, tried and executed, for Saul had first tortured many of them to force them to recant [blaspheme]. 'I punished them oft,' he says, 'in every synagogue [in Jerusalem, Ver. 10 and 22:18,19] and compelled them to blaspheme' (Ver. 11). 'Compelled' refers to the object, rather than the result of the punishment, for the imperfect tense is used. Those tortured did not necessarily yield, otherwise 'many' would not have been 'put to death.'" (Stam)
with the authority and commission of the chief priests - "But it must not be assumed from this that the chief priests were not more than glad to have this young zealot [Saul] stir up hatred against Christ and His followers, and Paul is careful to stress this fact ... he had gone forth as the appointed representative of Israel and her rulers, and his bitter enmity against Christ and His followers was but the expression of theirs." (Stam)
I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun - "...the light which shone from heaven was brighter than that of the noonday sun. Only those who know the blinding glare of the Syrian sun at high noon can begin to appreciate this. This was no subjective vision, experienced by the apostle alone. The light from heaven shone round about Paul and his companions that day (Ver.13) as actually as the glory of the Lord had shone round about the shepherds at Christ's birth (Luke 2:9). And like the shepherds, they were all 'sore afraid' and all fell to the earth (Ver. 14). This fact alone indicates how important an event in history was the conversion and commission of Paul." (Stam)
kick against the goads - "A Greek proverb for useless resistance; i.e., it was useless for Paul to persecute the church—he was only hurting himself. Goads were long, wooden rods with a sharp point used to prod oxen while plowing." (Ryrie)
"Expressing futile resistance, as when oxen kick against the goads of their drivers. This phrase is not found at Acts 9:5 in most texts." (Stam)
the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you - "Christ appeared more than once to Paul after his conversion (Acts 18:9; 22:17-21;23:11), and also vouchsafed him special revelations (2 Cor 12:1-4)." (Walker)
"We learn that the truths he was to proclaim were to be further made known to him in a series of revelations in which the Lord Himself would appear to Him (Acts 26:16; Cf. 2 Cor 12:1-4). This refutes the teaching that Paul's 'revelation ministry' did not begin until after Acts 28:28. The apostle, in his first revelation of Christ, had already seen the Lord in a glory far excelling that in which the twelve had ever seen Him. They had known only the Christ on earth; Paul, from the beginning had known only the Christ 'exalted far above all' and had seen Him in His heavenly glory. They [the twelve] had been sent to proclaim His kingdom rights, even after His ascension (See Acts 1:6-8; 3:19-21; etc.). He [Paul] had been sent 'to testify the gospel of the grace of God' (Acts 20:24). [It was] one message that was gradually committed to him in a series of revelation (Acts 20:24; 26:16; 1 Cor 9:17; 2 Cor 12:1-4; Gal 1:11,12,15, 16; Eph 3:1-4; Col 1:24-26; etc.)." (Stam)
delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles - "We learn from this passage that from the day of Paul's conversion he was chosen from Israel and from the Gentiles as Christ's apostle to both. The word 'delivering' (Ver. 17) is almost certainly an incorrect rendering of the Greek here, for Paul was not 'delivered' from the Gentiles in the sense that would be intended here; in fact he was finally beheaded by Nero. The Greek exaireo means simply 'to take out.' Thus it can refer to deliverance, as in Acts 23:27, where it is correctly rendered 'rescued.' But surely it could not be rendered 'rescue' or 'deliver' in Matt 5:29. In this passage it is correctly rendered: 'And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee.' Neither, we believe, is 'delivering' the correct rendering here. Dean Howson translates it: 'thee have I chose,' in Life and Epistles of St. Paul (P. 673). And J.N. Darby, in his New Translation, renders it: 'taking thee out.' This is a more consistent rendering, for Paul was indeed chosen and taken out from both his own people (the term 'the people,' in Scripture, refers to Israel - see Psa 2:1 and cf. Acts 4:25,27) and the Gentiles, and sent back to both with the message of grace. This distinguished him, too, from the twelve. They represented the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt 19:28). He, as one apostle, represents the one Body (Col 1:24; Eph 4:4). Some hold that the 'unto whom' refers only to the Gentiles, not both. It is true that Paul was sent especially to the Gentiles, as over against the nation Israel, but his ministry to the end, included both Jews and Gentiles (See Acts 26:20; 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 2:14-18; etc.)." (Stam)
"And how complete a representative! He was a Hebrew, a born Hebrew and intensely Hebrew (Phil 3:5). He was also, as we have seen, a Roman (Acts 22:25), a born Roman (Acts 22:28) and intensely Roman (Acts 21:39; 25:9-11). Here, then, we have a Hebrew and a Roman in one person! Moreover, he was a former enemy, reconciled to God by grace—'exceeding abundant' grace! What an ideal representative of the believing Jews and Gentiles in this dispensation, who have been 'reconciled to God in one body,' who have 'the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace!'" The Books of Acts, of course, is primarily the account of the fall of the nation Israel, not 'the history of the founding of the Church,' but the record of Acts does confirm the testimony of Paul's early epistles that the reconciling of believing Jews and Gentiles to God in one body began with Paul, during his early ministry." (Stam)
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