Saul Met the Risen Lord
TRANSLATION
(1) Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the High Priest (2) and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. (3) Now as he went on his way it happened that, as he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone round about him. (4) Falling to the ground, he heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (5) And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. (6) But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (7) The men who were traveling with him stood speechless. They heard the sound but saw no one. (8) So Saul got up from the ground and, although he opened his eyes, he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. (9) And for three days he remained without sight and neither ate nor drank.
OBSERVATIONS
Here we find the first of several recountings of Saul’s life-transforming encounter with the risen Christ in the Acts of the Apostles. Several repeated words help us discern the message of this particular segment. “Lord” is found twice (vss. 1 & 5) along with one mention of “Jesus” (vs. 5). “Damascus” is found three times (vss. 2, 3, & 8). The name of “Saul” occurred four times (vs. 1, twice in vs. 4, and once more in vs. 8). “Voice” was used twice (vss. 4 & 7) as was “persecuting” (vss. 4 & 5). Several words having to do with Saul’s temporarily losing his sight were also found: “seeing” (vs. 7), “eyes” and “saw” (vs. 8), and “sight” (vs. 9).
OUTLINE
I. Granted authority by the High Priest, Saul journeyed to Damascus to persecute the believers there. (1 & 2)
II. On the way, the risen Lord confronted Saul with a question and a command. (3-6)
III. Having been blinded, Saul came to Damascus and spent three days fasting and waiting. (7-9)
IDEA STATEMENT
When the risen Lord confronted Saul on the road to Damascus, he realized that in persecuting the followers of Jesus he was persecuting Israel’s Messiah.
APPLICATION
What did Saul see when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus? In the brightness of the light that surrounded him, he was thrown to the ground and blinded. We read that he heard the voice of the risen Lord asking why he was persecuting him, but we’re not told that he actually saw the one speaking to him. Those who accompanied him likewise heard a voice but saw no one in the brightness of the light. Then Luke tells us that “…although (Saul’s) eyes were opened, he saw nothing.” For three days he was left in a state of physical blindness, a condition which reflected his previous spiritual blindness as a persecutor of the church.
We can only speculate on what was going through Saul’s mind as he waited three days in Damascus. He had been trained as a Pharisee, well versed in the Old Testament scriptures, and zealous for the faith of his fathers. Likely, he was trying to piece together how this Jesus whom he had just met fit into all that he had been taught. He likely spent most of his time in darkness praying, crying out to God to reveal the truth to him. The isolation and confusion of those three long days undoubtedly prepared him for what would next take place.