Acts Chapter 9 1~~And Saul, yet inhaling threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2~~and requested of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this Way {Christ is the way, the truth, the Light}, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. {Note: Saul was totally occupied at this time with wiping out Christianity. He lead the persecution against the Church.} 3~~And as he journeyed, he began to draw near to Damascus. And suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. 4~~And having been knocked down to the earth, he heard a voice saying unto him, "Saul . . . Saul . . . why do you persecute Me?" 5~~And he said, "Who are You, Lord? {He recognized he was speaking to deity}" And the Lord said, "I keep on being Jesus Whom you persecute." {Note: Jesus introduces Saul to Positional Truth. If you persecute the Church, you persecute the 'body of Christ', and through the doctrine of Positional Truth, you persecute Christ Himself.} 6~~And he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what will You have me do?" And the Lord said unto him, "Get up and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do." {Note: The first thing you DO as a baby believer is . . . WAIT! You need to LEARN doctrine before you DO anything!} 7~~And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8~~ And Saul arose from the earth and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man {temporary blindness from the light}, but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9~~And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 10~~And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And to him said the Lord in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Who me, Lord?" {Note: Certain here means a common believer. But a faithful, mature believer and God had a plan for his life. But being just a 'believer in the pew' he could not believe God was speaking to him!} 11~~And the Lord said unto him, "Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he keeps on praying." 12~~"And has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight." {Note: His sight here is a double meaning . . . Paul's physical sight, but Ananias is also going to teach him doctrine and therefore 'spiritual sight'.} 13~~Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard by many of this man . . . how much evil he has done to Thy saints at Jerusalem." 14~~"And here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all that call on Thy name." 15~~ But the Lord said unto him, "Go your way. For he is a chosen {elect} vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings {the VIP's of the Roman Empire}, and the children of Israel. {Note: Paul is elected by God NOT the 'election of a 12th apostle earlier in Acts. See Galatians 1:1 for Paul's related comment.} 16~~For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake. {Note: Paul was such a tremendous man. He knew exactly all the sufferings he would have to go through, but of his free will, he decided to serve the Lord in spite of them.} 17~~And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house, and putting his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto you in the way as you came, has sent me, that you might LOOK UP, and be filled with the Holy Spirit." {Note: In this unique 'pre-canon' period of time, the filling of the Holy Spirit was usually from an apostle to a believer. Here we have an apostle receiving the filling of the Holy Spirit from an honorable layman.} 18~~And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and received baptism. 19~~And when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples who were at Damascus. {Note: Paul was receiving more doctrine.} 20~~And straightway he kept on communicating Jesus in the synagogues . . . that He is the Son of God. 21~~But all that heard him were utterly astounded, and said, "Is not this he that kept on destroying them which called on this Name in Jerusalem? And came here for that intent? That he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?" 22~~But Saul gained more power and strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this one is the true Christ. {Note: Soon after this, Saul will go into the desert for three years and study Bible Doctrine. Immediately after his conversion, the Jews gathered their wits, and saw Saul as the threat he was to their way of life and petitioned with the Romans that he be allowed to be killed. The permission was granted, with the stipulation that it was done outside the walls of the city - which was a custom of the day. So they watched the gates so they could kill him as soon as he left the city walls.} 23~~And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. 24~~But their lying wait was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. 25~~Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall in a rope hoist. {Note: Paul was let down from one of the holes in the wall used to shoot arrows from. He was lowered in a hoist that was developed to transfer people from one ship to another in these days.} 26~~And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he kept on attempting to join himself to the disciple but they kept on being afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 27~~But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he {Paul} had seen the Lord in the way, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. {Note: Barnabas broke the ice for Paul. Barnabas was one of the Greatest Grace Men at this time and maybe of all time.} 28~~ And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. 29~~And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians but they went about to slay him. 30~~Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 31~~Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, were multiplied. {Note: Now we move to Peter and see how his leadership developed in the Early Church. Philip the Evangelist was like the obstetrician (delivering the babies into the Christian Life) and Peter was the pediatrician - moving the believers along in Bible Doctrine. Peter reports in II Peter that it is Paul that teaches the advanced doctrines and 'they are difficult to understand'.} 32~~ And it came to pass {change in pace}, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. 33~~And there he found a certain man named Aeneas {famous name used by admirers of Rome}, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy {paralyzed}. 34~~ And Peter said unto him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ, Himself, HEALS you! GET UP! And roll up your bed." And he arose immediately. 35~~ And all that dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to the Lord. 36~~Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha {gazelle in the Aramaic}, which by translation is called Dorcas {gazelle in the Greek}. This woman was full of intrinsically good {divine} works and 'grace in action' {alms deeds} which she did. 37~~ And it came to pass in those days, that having become sick she suddenly died. Whom when they had prepared {with spices}, they laid her in an upper chamber. 38~~ And forasmuch as Lydda was near to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. 39~~ Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber . . . and all the widows stood by him hysterically weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Tabitha made, while she was with them. {Note: All were recipients of Tabithas' gracious attitude and were crying over the garments she had made for each of them.} 40~~But Peter threw them out! And kneeled down, and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, ARISE!" And she opened her eyes and having seen Peter, she sat up. 41~~And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows . . . presented her alive. 42~~And it was known throughout all Joppa and many believed in the Lord. 43~~And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner. {Note: Under Jewish Law, Jews were forbidden to stay with tanners. Their work was needed by society but they were considered outcasts. This represents Peter being oriented to the Principal of Grace at this point. Later Peter falls back into legalism and Paul has to brace him in front of the Church at Jerusalem and Peter takes it and grows in Grace.} ************************************************** Joshua_Sozo™ and Syndein ™ are the Trademarks of Syndein a California DBA of Kenneth Sidley & Associates, Inc., a California Corporation. All rights reserved. Copyright© Syndein 1982-2010. All rights reserved. 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