The Conversion of Saul

Acts 9:1-6

The account of the acts of the apostles experiences another high-low trend that began back in chapter five. Everything was going great for the church in Jerusalem, BUT ANANIAS. Then the gospel goes to Samaria, and everything is going great for the church there, BUT SIMON. Then we see the gospel going out into the world via Philip, and even as far away as Damascus, but then we are reminded that the great persecutor of the church was still carrying out his dastardly deeds.

This word, the emphatic “yet” in verse one, tells us that while good things were happening in Samaria and in the wilderness, Saul was relentless in his pursuit of the followers of Christ. The usage of the phrase “breathing out threatenings and slaughter” indicates a couple of things, namely that:

every breath of Saul’s was spent in pursuit of the Christians

every word that Saul said was in directing others to assist him

He had essentially been deputized by the high priest and had a license to kill, and he utilized it with every fiber of his being. Verse one says that he participated in and endorsed the slaughter of the disciples, an action that is not otherwise supported by any evidence in this context. We have to look elsewhere to find Saul’s own admission of this heinous act. Some 30 years later, he admits this to an angry mob in Jerusalem and Luke records this, likely hearing it first-hand from Paul (Acts 22:4). Sometime later, Paul again describes his actions against the saints to Agrippa in (Acts 26:10-11), saying he tried to get them to blaspheme Jesus, and even voted to have many of them put to death. All of these things happened between the time of Stephen’s murder, and this present time that we are looking at in chapter nine.

But Saul was on a crash course with God’s purpose and providence, even as he prepared to travel outside of Judea into the region of Syria with the written authority to arrest men and women who confessed Christ and bring them back to Jerusalem for arraignment and potential execution.

Verse 3

As he neared Damascus, Saul collided with Jesus.

A light suddenly shone bright around him from the heaven.

It was brighter than the noonday sun (Acts 22:6)

Saul instantly “saw the light” and knew it was supernatural

all who come to Christ first have to see the light of His glory

the shepherds in the field the night of Jesus’ birth

“the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid” (Luke 2:9)

Jesus is the true Light (John 1:9)

He is the light that shines in darkness (John 1:5)

on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36)

He illuminated Moses on Mount Sinai

Without “seeing the Light,” we will never see the truth

Verse 4

It was so sudden, frightening, and overpowering that he and all of his entourage fell to the ground (Acts 26:14; Acts 22:9). Then, as if the light was not supernatural and frightening enough, he heard a voice speaking audibly.

“Saul, Saul”

in Acts 26:14, Saul says that this voice spoke to him in the Hebrew tongue

reduplication of a word was a Hebrew expression of speech that was a way of emphasizing a point

Verily, verily (truly, truly) is found many times in Jesus’ teachings

other times in Scripture, this form of speech is repeated

by using this method of speech, combined with Saul’s name, it gives an implication of tenderness and care

sort of like someone might say “come, come” or “there, there” when comforting a child

the Voice is communicating with Saul on a personal level, and wants him to understand that this is no chance encounter. Saul had been pursued and apprehended intentionally

the Voice then asks him, “Why are you persecuting me?”

every encounter with Jesus results in a question

Jesus asks questions of everyone, and they are questions He already knows the answer to, but He asks them to cause us to ask the same question and seek the answer

Matthew 8:26 “26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”

Luke 6:46 “46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

Luke 9:20 “20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.””

John 3:12 “12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”

John 5:6 “6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?””

Jesus called to Saul and asked him, “Why are you persecuting me?”

Saul, overwhelmed by fear and amazement, was unable to answer the question

Jesus, ever gracious, answers the question for him in verse 5

Verse 5

Saul immediately recognized this was a supernatural encounter. It was much more than a dream or an hallucination. The intense light, the voice, hearing his name...this all pointed to his very real senses of sight, hearing, and recognition. While on his knees (or his face), all he can say is, “Who art thou, Lord?”

cowering, Saul asks, “Who are you, Master?”

He may not know exactly who is speaking just yet

but by calling him the noun “Lord” (Master), he is acknowledging his subservience to the Voice

Jesus answered him

“I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest”

imagine this conversation: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you?” “I am Jesus, who you are persecuting.”

almost like, “I am Jesus. Who else would I be?”

even though Saul knew he was in the presence of a supernatural force, he did not quite understand the source

Jesus then answers the question from verse 4 “Why are you persecuting me?”

the answer is “it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks”

this was a metaphor of a stubborn ox, driving the goad deeper by kicking against it

Oxen are simple creatures. Because of their sheer strength and stamina, they are able to work for long distances and over an extended amount of time. But they are also stubborn and stupid, so they must be poked and prodded by the ox-driver to guide them wherever they should go

if an ox is resisting the goad, which is a long sharp stick, they can either flinch away from it, or push back against it. By doing the latter, they drive the goad deeper into their flanks, which infuriates them, causing them to fight back even harder

how does this answer the question Jesus asked Saul?

Saul was being poked and prodded by the Holy Spirit, probably at or before the murder of Stephen

perhaps this was why he watched and approved, but did not participate in the stoning

in his heart, he knew it was wrong, but he still sided with the enemy

by refusing to yield to the Holy Spirit, he pushed against Him and then grew angrier and angrier and it eventually turned to hatred

I think there are two kinds of people who hate the Lord

those who are of their father, the devil John 8:43–44 “43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

those who belong to Jesus, but are resisting, such as Saul. He did not know he belonged to Jesus, but Jesus did, and He did not cease to pursue him until he yielded

Verse 6

At this point, Saul fully understands the gravity of his situation. A few moments prior, he had been an unstoppable force, with the full power and authority of the high priest to hunt down the “blasphemers” and haul men and women to prison without mercy, and to stand and cast a vote to execute the worst offenders, so as to silence the Gospel. In a flash of light at midday, his entire status and belief system came to a grinding halt and crashed to the earth.

The first portion of verse 6 does not appear in most modern versions of this passage, nor does it in the most ancient manuscripts (in case you notice it “missing”). However, it is consistent with Paul’s retelling of this event in Acts 22:10 which says “And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’”

So Saul, trembling from fright and realization of what he has done, addresses Jesus as he is intended to. He once again calls Him, “Lord,” but now he knows why. This voice is not just a supernatural voice, but the voice of the living Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Son of the Living God

“Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”

when you hear from the Lord, ask Him what He wants you to do

little Samuel understood this 1 Samuel 3:10 “10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.””

if we are to call on Jesus and acknowledge Him as Master, all that’s left to do is ask, “Master, what do you want me to do?”

and then go and do what He commands!!

The power of the Lord is so complete that in the span of a few moments, Saul was turned from a:

murderer to a missionary

hater to a herald

sinner to a saint

persecutor to a preacher

atheist to an apostle

this is the same Jesus who transformed you and who transformed me!

no longer are we slaves to sin, but we are servants of the Lord! Romans 6:17-18

Romans 6:17–18 KJV 1900

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

the answer to Saul’s question is one that often frustrates us, but he seemed to obey without hesitation: “Go on to the next place and wait for further instruction.”

isn’t that how Jesus instructed His disciples on the day of His ascension? Acts 1:4

He said, “Go and wait” and Saul, like the 11 Apostles, obeyed

We do not like to wait on the Lord. And he does not want us to sit on our hands, but wants us to pray, watch and wait for Him (Mark 13:33)

Sinner, how long will you resist the Lord? He is calling you to repentance! You may be angry at God, you may say God has never done anything for you, or perhaps you blame your problems on God. But have you considered all that He has done has been to prod you to yield to Him? Your anger, hate, failures, resistance, and disbelief is all your own, but God will turn your broken and battered heart of stone into one of healthy flesh if you will but yield to Him. He is calling to you. Will you answer?

Dear saint, have you fully yielded to the call of Jesus. Like Saul on the road to Damascus, you may have trembled at the realization of your sin and have turned to Jesus and truly call Him “Lord,” but have you obeyed Him from there? He may have told you to go wait for further instructions, but what will you do while you wait? Next week, we will look at what Saul did while he waited for the next step, but consider this question to you: what will you do? Or perhaps He has called you to the next step, but you have failed to follow His instructions. Is it fear that holds you back? Or is it refusal to step outside of your own desires and designs? Or have you just had your ears closed, and taken your eye off of the prize of the high calling of God? Whatever your answer, it is time to repent of your inaction and disobedience, and follow Christ to the next step of your journey.