King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 15 notes
1And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
At this point he realized, or maybe his later analysis of the experience showed, that Jesus was not a man.
How could the man who came blaspheming 🤬 against the temple 🏛 and God, who was killed, and rightly so, be speaking from heaven?
Then he was no man; the claims he said about himself were true.
This statement by Jesus is so revelatory.
It shows the end of this entire Christian 🚶 experience.
Victory is assured. So here Jesus advises Paul that his taking sides against the truth rather than for the truth is self-destructive and counterproductive.
I read that the expression "it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks/goads" was a Roman idiom.
Here's what Google search reveals: To "kick against the goads" is nothing less than an exercise in vanity; futile and pointless. The Greeks and Romans used this saying to imply "ruinous resistance."
Wow, Paul was truly lucky to be handpicked and saved from such an end.
Paul himself called it mercy.
6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
At this divine encounter Paul is changed, and yet his sect of Pharisees saw not spiritual but physical manifestations of the divine, yet would not believe.
7And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
What became of these men who were there with Paul? Did they believe after or not?
Did they become fiery Christians like Paul? No, not likely, else they would have been mentioned.
Oh, how close one can be to greatness and yet far away because of apathy and lack of discernment.
This reminds me of James and John's mother. She discerned the kingdom so much that she desired a good place for her children 🧒.
Not even for herself but for her children.
8And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
Irony of ironies.
I would not be surprised 🤨 that the night before his journey to Damascus,
he might have prayed for Godspeed and favour to capture this sect which was provoking God with their idolatry.
Because of their rejection of God, they, Israel 🇮🇱, once a powerful nation, were now servants to the Romans.
Now to add insult 🤬 to injury, in captivity they were starting a new religion and calling this Jesus the Messiah.
God knew he did all this in ignorance, hence this conversion.
Maybe these men who were with Paul became Christians also. Maybe not as great as he, but believers all the same.
Maybe they became great but were just not mentioned in any text of scripture.
9And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
10And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
13Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
See how Ananias freely expressed himself and his objections before the Lord. The Lord does not gag anyone, so why do we see so much manipulation in our churches today?
Not even God hinders us. So we should not allow men to do so to us, especially in the name of the Lord.
15But 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:
16For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
17And 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.
Wow... Strange times ⌚. Indeed these were strange times for Saul.
It took such an obvious, undeniable supernatural event for Saul to be transformed into a disciple.
However, we know that not all will change, even at the most powerful witness of Christ.
As we can see from the many examples of the Pharisees...
So in soul winning, we ought to plant the seed and leave God to be God.
We need not be disappointed if people change not.
18And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
19And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
20And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
21But 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?
22But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
23And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
24But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
When he was on their side, they cherished him because they believed he was on the side of truth.
After his conversion, they did not ask, "What happened to our brother Paul?" Rather they sought to kill him.
That tells you they followed blind faith and religion and would hear no reason.
Having gone through such a phase ourselves as believers, we should be ready and prepared to answer reasonably our faith and why we believe what we believe.
Faith is the start of Christian belief. But it is not good to have faith that is blind, without any reason at all.
25Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.
26And 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.
27But 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.
28And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
How did Paul feel walking 🚶 among the believers? How did he overcome the regrets, knowing full well he killed a vital tool and pillar in the church — Stephen?
29And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
Not surprisingly... Stephen started off by disputing with certain of the Jews, and that ultimately led to his demise.
Were the Jews just interested in killing anyone who did not side with them, or were they just ignorantly defending what they believed to be true in keeping with the commandments of God?
The latter seems more likely, even though the former is also true.
Because the leaders, chief priests etc., in the face of undeniable evidence kept their stance to protect their place and interest rather than God's.
30Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
31Then had the churches rest throughout all Judæa 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.
So what did the Pharisees say about Saul's conversion? How many priests believed because of Paul, and how many remained adamant? Hmm 🤔
32And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
As an itinerant preacher of a sort, he moved from place to place to strengthen the churches.
33And there he found a certain man named Æneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
34And Peter said unto him, Æneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
35And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.
36Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
37And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
38And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
39Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
40But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.
42And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.
43And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
Only thinking out loud: what happened to all these who were brought back from the dead, in the sense that decades later in life they died again?
Interesting.