Saul’s Conversion; Acts 9:1-19 – Part 2

Church History: The letters he received were Epistles; implying a commission to bring them to Jerusalem for trial and punishment. From this, it seems that the Sanhedrim at Jerusalem claimed jurisdiction over all synagogues everywhere. They claimed the authority of regulating everywhere the Jewish religion. They were written and signed in the name and by the authority of the Sanhedrim, or great council of the nation. The high priest did it as president of that council. The high priest of that time was Theophilus, son of Artanus, who had been appointed at the feast of Pentecost, A. D. 37, by Vitellius, the Roman governor. His brother Jonathan had been removed from that office the same year.2
Saul was now onward of his journey to Damascus (the worst journey that ever he intended, but the best that ever he undertook,) a journey most maliciously purposed by him, but most mercifully disposed by God. Heaven had designed him for better service, and work of another nature; and accordingly he is stopped in his way, knocked off his horse, a sudden beam of light beyond the brightness of the sun darts upon him, dazzles him, and he hears a voice, saying “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me”? that is, me in my members. Whatever is done against Christians for anything that Christ commands them, he takes it as done against himself. Such as persecuting the saints for their sanctity, persecute Christ himself; and he can no more endure to see them wronged, than himself.
Saul cried out, Lord, what would you have me to do? Saul is no longer a lion, but a lamb; the wolf that hunted before for his prey, now gently couches like a sheep; hears and obeys the voice of Christ the great Shepherd; and a persecutor of the church, becomes the great doctor of the Gentiles.5
While the conversation was passing between Saul and Jesus, the conduct of his companions is thus described by Luke. “Now, the men who were journeying with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no man”. Paul gives a different account of their demeanor, by saying that they all fell to the ground (Acts 26:14); but the two accounts harmonize very naturally. The first effect of such an apparition would naturally to be prostrate them all; but his companions, not being held in this position by any direct address to them, would naturally arise after the first shock was over, and fleeing to a safe distance, there stand gazing, in mute terror, upon the glory which enveloped their leader. This supposition is confirmed by the fact that Paul represents the falling to the earth as occurring before the voice was heard, while their standing speechless is connected by Luke with the close of the conversation.
This supposition helps to account for a well known verbal discrepancy between these two accounts. Luke says they heard the voice; Paul says "they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me." When his eyes were opened. He naturally closed them at the appearance of the light; and in his fright kept them closed for some time. He saw no man. This darkness continued three days. The physical effect of the intense light into which he had gazed upon his eyesight was not more painful than the moral effect of the whole scene upon his conscience. The former made him blind; the latter filled him with remorse. To this feeling alone can we attribute his total abstinence from food and drink. The awful crime of fighting murderously against God and Christ was pressing upon his soul, and as yet he knew not what to do that he might obtain pardon. His Jewish education, if not his natural instinct, prompted him to pray, and this he was doing with all fervor, but the hands he lifted up were stained with blood, the blood of martyrs; and how could he hope to be heard? No penitent ever had greater cause for sorrow, or wept more bitterly than he.