6 What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". He got up and was baptized, Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. . I do not question that he did receive the Spirit, but merely observe that this receiving of the Spirit (accompanied by the laying on of hands) was not something Luke wanted to emphasize. At this point, the conversion of the hero of the Gentile mission is recounted. For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him. For less than $5/mo. Nevertheless, there must have been those who intended to use Sauls coming to oppose the church. Unless otherwise noted, all material copyright 2023, Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. He was to come to the earth as the great light, the light to the Gentiles, and so He did. The first evidence of Sauls conversion was his immediate identification with the church in Damascus. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. Indeed, God would reveal His sovereignty by using Saul to further the gospel, first by his opposition (which scattered the church and spread the gospel), and then by his conversion (which resulted in his powerful proclamation of Jesus as Messiah). 1:11--2:10; Ephesians 3:1-13; cf. They, too, were afraid of Saul and did not believe he really was a follower of Jesus Christ. Linking is encouraged, but content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed including, but not limited to such means as framing or other digital copying and/or distribution method, in whole or in part without the publisher's written consent. Lest anyone think they are too sinful to save, let me remind you that when Paul wrote that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, he quickly added, among whom I am foremost of all.. * [9:36] Tabitha (Dorcas), respectively the Aramaic and Greek words for gazelle, exemplifies the right attitude toward material possessions expressed by Jesus in the Lucan Gospel (Lk 6:30; 11:41; 12:33; 18:22; 19:8). This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. We do not know the exact time when Saul was saved. a. That is because our Lord always confronts, convicts, and converts men and women individually, in the light of their own actions and beliefs. (14) There is an interesting symmetry or parallel between the conversion of Saul and the conversion of Cornelius. We can overcome our fears if, like Ananias, we trust that Jesus is directing the preaching work, 17) and the restoration of the man after the shattering experience he had known, and for the early ministry in Tarsus, Syria, Cilicia, and Antioch, which prepared mind and method for the major assault on the pagan world. Ananias was afraid because he knew Saul's reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church . But why would they be called his disciples? But the gospel is good news for sinners. Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell their property? Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. At first, I thought this was unique with Saul. But Saul only became bolder in his preaching. To the church, Saul turned out to be a friend, a fellow-believer, in fact, a flaming evangelist, who proclaimed Christ more clearly and powerfully than anyone had previously done in Damascus. We are simply told that the message itself was proclaimed powerfully and that people were amazed at the message and its miraculous impact on Sauls own conduct. It was Gods initiative all the way. (9) On the road to Damascus, Saul did far more than to see a bright light and to hear a voice from heaven. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way,137 both men and women,138 he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. One cannot help but wonder if it did not send chills up and down Pauls spine when he cast the spell of blindness on the Jewish false prophet, Bar-Jesus: And when they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. One moment, Saul is inflicting pain and suffering on others who trust in Jesus as the Messiah, the next, he is enduring suffering for the sake of Jesus, the Messiah. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. How can this message of suffering for Jesus' name in 142 His companions therefore took him by the hand and led him through the gate of Damascus to the place where, presumably, arrangements had been made for him to stay. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 185. The Lord told him, Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. His disciples150 lowered him in a basket, from the window of a room which was in the wall of the city (9:25). Preachers working through the narrative lectionary with their congregations, then, will do well to explore this passage in detail in order to establish the character of Paul well for the second half of Acts (Acts 13-28; see how this role is foreshadowed in 9:15), which shifts the focus from the ministry of the Twelve in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to his role in taking the gospel throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and even to Rome (see Acts 1:8). And now, he is preaching the same message. My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever, says the Lord. Ananias (/nnas/ AN--NY-s; Ancient Greek: from Hebrew , Hananiah, favoured of the LORD) was a disciple of Jesus at Damascus mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible, which describes how he was sent by Jesus to restore the sight of Saul of Tarsus (who later was called Paul the Apostle) and . And if this was important for Saul to do, it was equally important for the church to accept him into their fellowship, as an expression of their unity in Christ. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6-7; cf. Second, the only result of this event shown in the Bible is that Saul received his sight. By divine revelation, Peter called out Ananias for lying to the Holy Spirit and to God. 00:00. WebThis happened to Ananias of Damascus when he ministered to Saul of Tarsus. Saul, like Stephen, had a ministry which focused on the Hellenistic Jews. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 27Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. This light was more, much more, than just a bright light. A devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, Saul was a member of the Pharisees and was taught by none other than Gamaliel, whom we have already met (Acts 5:34-40). They, not unlike Ananias, were very reluctant to have anything to do with this Christian killer. They wanted to keep Gods blessings to themselves. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 129 By this time Saul has gained a reputation as the ringleader of the movement to make Christianity extinct. It is no wonder then that this one who was Sauls all in all would be the focus, the substance, of the gospel which he preached: But we preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children (1 Thessalonians 2:7). He hears the voice of the Lord crying out to him. and the other is a deceptive, self-serving half-truth from people interested Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight,. All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. 137 The Way is a designation for the new movement used several times in Acts 9:19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22; cf. Copyright 2023 Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. 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No, I worked harder than all of themyet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of Gods grace given me through the working of his power. /w\/)sr?o|cBw3>E> Ananias is not only surprised by his commission; he is resistant to it, at least initially. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Sauls world of self-trust was now at an end and prayer was helping him see that. Hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church. 7 Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is difficult. Shape us into children who rejoice in knowing and proclaiming you to the world. In other words, Is Sauls conversion typical and illustrative of the conversion of every saint, or is it unique, the exceptional case, which has little correspondence to most converts?. They are private Christians, living like islands rather than as a part of His body. Amen (Romans 11:33-36). The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world (John 1:4-5, 7-9). As he himself understood the heavenly voice which said to him at his baptism, You are my Son (Mark 1:11 par. WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. Web3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Acts 9, 22, 26; Romans 15:15-21; cf. * [9:26] This visit of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned by Paul in Gal 1:18. Up till now, Jesus was the sinner, and Saul was the saint. 9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deuteronomy 28:28-29). When God spoke to Ananias commanding him to go to the house where Saul was staying, he was to receive him as a brother; and he was told that he was called to suffer as Gods chosen vessel to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, kings, and to his fellow-Israelites. It was a city in the days of Abraham, and at the time of the Israelite monarchy it was the capital of the most important Aramaean kingdom. WebA study of the language describing what resulted from Ananias going to Saul should help in determining the part played by Ananias in Saul's being "filled with the Holy Spirit." Israel too will just as surely return to God; and when it happens, it will be all of God, all to His glory and praise: 15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light. When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them (John 12:35-36). When he found him, he "laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'" More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to his death (Philippians 3:7-10). a conversion of will, intellect, and emotion, which dictated the abiding purpose and direction of his subsequent life and activity. Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was helpful to the Lord. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15). God changed him from being a man who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and a persecutor of the Christians into a bold missionary who preached the Gospel wherever he went. Who has saved us and called us to a holy lifenot because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? Throughout his life and ministry Paul marveled at the grace of God shown to him and to other sinners. The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Matthew 4:16). 21:29 (30); John 5:7; 12:21; 20:15; and should be so in John 9:36. He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. Did they think their task would be a simple one? Nevertheless, at some point in time Saul did arrive in Jerusalem. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). If the blinding of Saul was a major turning point in his life, so was the blinding of Bar-Jesus. . The message which Saul received was not only a call to salvation, but a divine call to ministry. Hear, you deaf! Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. The second option is to invite the congregation to identify with Ananias (who shows up in verse 10). 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. He should not become uncircumcised. In this approach, preachers will offer their congregations a chance to relate to Sauls epiphany as a way of meeting Christ in the midst of our lives and being transformed by that encounter. >zZ0y^C{tg All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. The "Straight Street" or Via Recta in Latin, was a straight From 64 B.C. The risen Lord selected Saul out of the group with which he was traveling to hear, to see Him, and to understand His words. For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.. But beyond this, his conversion totally changed the remainder of his life. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photo-lithoprinted}, 1966), p. 90. Now they were keeping watch on the gates day and night so as to kill him, In spite of this, we are not told here that Saul did receive the Holy Spirit or what happened when he did. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. They could hear the voice but they did not see anyone who was speaking. 31* The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Paul would later use this expression (in the plural) to address his unbelieving Jewish opponents, as in Acts 22:1. It was due to the intervention of Barnabas, a man who would prove to be a lifetime friend of Paul, that the apostles risked a meeting with him and then granted him the freedom to associate with the saints in Jerusalem. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. A resource for the whole church from Luther Seminary. Presumably this is the case, however I still wonder a bit about this. Saul seems to have been the instigator of the persecution of the church, which began at the death of Stephen in Jerusalem and worked outward from there. Then, on the road to Damascus, he was blinded by a vision of Jesus. We are given a little insight from the account in Acts 12 when Peter was imprisoned and it appeared he would soon be executed, as James had already been, and as we would infer Herod purposed to do with Peter (Acts 12:1-4). Hd7/`l@TM0h#`C2 +u-AsQ3j++&?Fu7_[1_?a^J> One thing was certain; no matter how much time had passed, the apostles were not yet convinced of Sauls conversion. The Lord seeks and saves individuals, and thus our methods should be personal. (5) Sauls salvation was an act of divine grace. It is not a transition, but a transformation. ACTS 9:10-14 10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, NKJV, Ancient-Modern Bible, Comfort Print: One faith. Salvation may occur in a large group, such as those saved at the preaching of Peter at Pentecost, but each individual was saved because of a personal encounter with Christ. Everyone is born in sin, and every part of their being is affected by sin (intellect, emotions, and will). For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? 35And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. 87-89), plays out the two views of Sauls conversion, the first (and seldom held the view of Ramsay), that Saul was suddenly and radically converted; second, that there was a considerable process involved. The men who traveled with Saul were frightened and confused. The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations (Isaiah 51:4). Then Jesus told them, You are going to have the light just a little while longer. 32As Peter was passing through every region, he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). 140 They are called his sunodeuontes, `those who were in the caravan with Him (cf. In Jerusalem, as in Damascus, Saul spoke out boldly proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ, the promised Messiah. How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move We may not be able to identify the precise moment or the exact events which brought it about, but salvation does not happen in some kind of group way. A( ) Ananias is obscure. With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith (2 Thessalonians 1:11). The election of Saul to salvation was specific and thus, personal. You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you. 9oY+ Saul could only be persecuting Jesus through the members of His body, the church. Just as Saul seemingly had hatred toward Christ-followers, how do you think a Christ-follower like Ananias felt toward Saul? Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? also Isaiah 64:6). He knew that going to see Saul would put his life in danger. (3) Sauls salvation was personal. Not only does the narrator tell the story of Sauls transformation from persecutor to apostle in Acts 9, Saul himself re-tells the story twice when defending himself before persecutors (before the tribune in Jerusalem, Acts 22:1-21; and before Agrippa, Acts 26:1-23).
