Church History: 23After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.26When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Luke makes no mention here of Paul's journey into Arabia, which he tells us himself was immediately after his conversion, (Galatians 1:16-17). As soon as God had revealed his Son in him, that he might preach him, he went not up to Jerusalem, to receive instructions from the apostles (as any other convert would have done, that was designed for the ministry), but he went to Arabia, where there was new ground to break up, and where he would have opportunity of teaching, but not learning; then he returned to Damascus.
Three years after his conversion, he met with difficulties at Damascus, and had a narrow escape of being killed there. The Jews took counsel to kill him, being more enraged at him than at any other of the preachers of the gospel, not only because he was more lively and zealous in his preaching than any of them, and more successful, but because he had been such a remarkable deserter, and his being a Christian was a testimony against them. The Jews watched the gates day and night to kill him; they incensed the governor against him, as a dangerous man, who therefore kept the city with a guard to apprehend him, at his going out or coming in. Now Christ showed Paul what great things he must suffer for his name. The government was in arms against him, which was a great thing, and, as all his other sufferings afterwards, helped him considerably. Saul was no sooner a Christian than a preacher, no sooner a preacher than a sufferer; so quickly did he rise to the summit of his appointment.
He met with difficulties at Jerusalem the first time he went there. This is thought to be that journey to Jerusalem of which he himself speaks (Galatians 1:18): “After three years I went up to Jerusalem, to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.” His friends were afraid of him. When he came to Jerusalem, he did not go to the chief priests and the Pharisees (he had taken his leave of them long since), but he tried to align himself with the disciples. Wherever he went, he identified himself as one of the despised persecuted people, and associated with them. They were now in his eyes the excellent ones of the earth, in whom was all his delight. He desired to be acquainted with them, and to be admitted into communion with them; but they looked strange upon him, shut the door to him, and would not go about any of their religious exercises if he were nearby, for they were afraid of him.
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