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| 1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. |
Hear ye my defence – The noble address was a model of skill, logic and eloquence. R1559:5
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| 2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) |
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| 3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city 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 all are this day. |
Of Gamaliel – Saul had received a special course in theology or Jewish Law at Jerusalem, under Gamaliel, one of the greatest teachers of that time. R2117:3
An advanced school or seminary, attended by few except the sons of the rich, implying that Paul's parents were rich. R4355:2
The custom was that the pupils would ask questions and get the views of the teachers. R5553:1
Zealous toward God – Paul was zealous toward God long before his conversion from Judaism to Christianity. R1671:6
His heart being in a right attitude of loyalty. R2823:5
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| 4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. |
Persecuted this way – He had a religious zeal which led him to persecute Christ and his followers, the Church. R2823:3,5
The Lord's people. F339
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| 5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished. |
Went to Damascus – Armed with authority for the apprehension of the Lord's followers, accompanied by others who seemingly were under his command as a police force. R2823:6
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| 6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. |
A great light – Evidently a supernatural one, because the light was far brighter than the sun at noon. R2969:4
Exceedingly bright light, glaringly brilliant. R2824:1
Round about me – Saul himself was evidently the center of the manifestation. R2117:5
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| 7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"
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And I fell – Immediately prostrated himself. R2824:1
Unto the ground – Seeing Jesus in his glory, unveiled, Saul was smitten to the earth and seriously blinded. R5299:2
Heard a voice – The voice spoke in the Hebrew tongue; whereas those who were with Saul probably spoke in the Syriac or Greek language. R2969:5
Saul, Saul – Hebrew, Saul; Greek, Paul. R2823:2
Persecutest thou me – Fighting the truth ignorantly. R2823:3
Those who touch his saints, touch him; "He is the head of the body, the church" (Col. 1:18); "Now are ye the body of R2824:2
"Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me." (Matt. 25:40) R92:4
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| 8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest."
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Who art thou, Lord? – Paul recognized that this was a lordly, powerful one--yet he wished to make no mistake, he wished to know who thus reproved him, that he might benefit more. R2824:1
Thou persecutest – Those who touch his saints, members of the Body of Christ, touch him. R2824:2
Whoever is a faultfinder and busybody in the affairs of the brethren is doing this against the flesh of Jesus. R5274:3
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| 9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. |
The light – But not the vision which Saul saw representing the Son of Man in his glorified condition. R2969:4
The voice – Only Saul could distinguish the words, which were meant for him alone. R2117:6, 2969:5
The voice was heard by all, but the message by Saul only. R2824:3
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| 10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, "Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do."
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What shall I do – I am ready to obey. R2824:3
It meant, I am not more sincere now than I was a moment ago, but the eyes of my understanding have been opened. I am anxious now to undo what I have been heretofore mistakenly doing. R2824:3
We can but admire the promptness with which Saul at once laid down the arms of his opposition, and placed himself on the side of the one whose cause he had so recently persecuted. R2117:6
There is more hope of those who are outspoken in their opposition to the truth, but who, though blinded, are truly consecrated to the Lord, than for some of those who are its very cool and indifferent friends. R2824:5
Appointed for thee to do – This shows us that Paul was in the divine mind and plan beforehand. R2824:4
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| 11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. |
I could not see – The wonderful light which flashed upon his eyes destroyed his sight. R2824:5
Of that light – Saul was but a man and could not see the fullness of the glory which no man can see and live, but he did see as much of a representation of that glory as was possible. R2824:6
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| 12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, |
Ananias – The name Ananias signifies, "Jah is gracious." R2118:6
A devout man – We should always expect that those whom the Lord would choose as his special messengers would be good men, devout men, pious men. 2824:6
A good report – Ananias was esteemed amongst the Jews as a good man. R2824:6
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| 13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
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Receive thy sight – His eyes were never restored to their former strength. R2825:1, 2118:2
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| 14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. |
Hath chosen thee – "No man can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him." (John 6:44) R2825:2
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| 15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. |
Unto all men – Henceforth it was open to all. R3023:5
Seen and heard – We are not to attempt to tell others things which we have not seen and have not heard ourselves. R2825:3
In mental vision Paul was "caught up to the third heaven" (2 Cor. 12:2); granted a glimpse of the R1558:3; A70
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| 16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. |
Why tarriest thou? – We should urge our friends who see the truth to prompt, full and complete consecration and obedience. R2825:4
Baptized – Greek, baptizo; immersed. 251:5
Which our Lord and his apostles practiced and enjoined upon all followers. R1539:3
Wash away thy sins – This relates to Jews, either natural born or proselyted. R1421:1
Jews were called to repent and to be baptized for the remission of sins against their Covenant. John's baptism was for Jews only, and were, so to speak, transferred from Moses into Christ. R2825:5, 1541:6
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| 17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; |
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| 18 And saw him saying unto me, "Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me."
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| 19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: |
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| 20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. |
I also – Saul of Tarsus was probably a member of the Sanhedrin, which tried Stephen. R2958:4
Paul tells us that he was a sort of ringleader amongst those who killed him. R2952:3
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| 21 And he said unto me, "Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles."
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Unto the Gentiles – They heard the Apostle in peace and with profound attention up to this point. Then all their prejudices seemed to be aroused with the thought that this man taught that Gentiles could have favor with God equal to the Jews. R3189:3
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| 22 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. |
Away with such a fellow – They cried against him in much the same language that they used against the Lord. R3189:3
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| 23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, |
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| 24 The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. |
Examined by scourging – The Roman Colonel commanded that the Apostle must be whipped until he confessed what he had done wrong. R4485:5, 3189:4
That he might know – The Roman commander, not understanding the Hebrew language, had not been able to follow the Apostle's discourse. R3189:3
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| 25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? |
They bound him – To a bent whipping post. R4485:5
Is it lawful – He did not say, "If you beat me, I will make it a sad day for you!" R5897:6
Paul more than once appealed to the Law for justice. R954:3*
We are at liberty to use any legitimate means for our own deliverance, even as St. Paul took advantage of his Roman citizenship. R5942:3, 4485:6
That is a Roman – Saul's family must have been one of the most influential families of Tarsus to also be a citizen of Rome. R2117:2
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| 26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. |
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| 27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. |
Yea – The Colonel took the Apostle's word for it that he was a Roman citizen; for an untruthful claim would have meant sure death. R4485:5
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| 28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born. |
A great sum – Paul's Roman citizenship was worth a great sum. R478:5
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| 29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. |
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| 30 On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them. |
Council to appear – The point of dispute was a religious one. R4485:3, 5952:1
Paul was afforded another opportunity to witness the Gospel to the Jews, to their most influential Court of Seventy. R4485:6
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