Ananias went, and entering into the house where Saul was, he laid his hands upon him, and said: “Brother Saul[1], the Lord Jesus hath sent me, He who appeared to thee in the way as thou earnest, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.” And suddenly there fell from the eyes of Saul, as it were, scales, and he received his sight[2], and, rising up, was baptized[3]. Immediately he began to preach[4] in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God[5].
COMMENTARY.
The Divinity of Jesus Christ. The story of Saul’s conversion bears testimony in several ways to the divinity of our Lord. i. Saul himself saw our Lord Jesus in glory, and was thus, like Stephen, an eye-witness of His Godhead. 2. Saul repeatedly addressed Jesus as “Lord”, that is, God, and preached in Damascus that “Jesus is the Son of God”. 3. The marvellous and sudden conversion of Saul shows the omnipotence of Jesus, for only God can turn the hearts of men. 4. Our Lord also appeared to Ananias, and foretold to him certain things which afterwards came to pass, namely, that Saul would preach the Name of Jesus before Jews and Gentiles, and that he would suffer much for His sake. 5. Ananias confessed Him to be God, addressing Him as “Lord”, and saying to Saul: “The Lord Jesus hath sent me.” 6. Ananias was sent by Jesus, and in His Name he worked a great miracle, for by the touch of his hand Saul recovered his sight. He who, in spite of all these proofs and testimonies, does not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ, is indeed inexcusable.
The Mercy of Jesus. Our Lord loved Saul, who hated and persecuted Him. He sought him out and enlightened him at the very moment when he was most thirsting for blood and was least deserving of grace. He did not speak to him in a terrifying manner, but with
- ↑ Brother Saul. Ananias lovingly addressed him as brother, for he knew that Saul had become his brother in the faith.
- ↑ Received his sight. And was, by this miracle, confirmed in faith.
- ↑ Was baptized. Because he had by prayer and fasting prepared himself for Baptism.
- ↑ To preach. Saul later took the name of Paul, while preaching^ the Gospel in the Roman empire. It is, therefore, said: “From (the unbelieving) Saul proceeded (the believing and holy) Paul."
- ↑ The Son of God, and promised Messias. Paul proved his words from the prophecies which relate to the Messias, and showed that they all found their fulfilment in Jesus. The Jews, who could not answer his arguments, tried to kill him, and kept guard over the gates of the city lest he should escape them; but the disciples lowered him down over the walls in a basket, and thus he escaped. We shall next hear of him at Antioch (XCIV).
