The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. What a terrible revelation this isthat all are sinners, even the best, the most religious, the most righteous! Do not gloat over me, my enemy! 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. Verses 1 and 2 vividly depict Sauls intent, his intense desire and determination to rid the world of Christianity by taking active, aggressive, severe action against those saints who had fled from Jerusalem. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness (John 12:46). There are differences between the three accounts given to us in Acts. 30And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.p. Maybe he died, but it also may be because most of the rest of Acts is fo- cused on more distant places. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. also Psalm 50:15; Joel 2:32; Jeremiah 29:12; 33:3-8). What is wrong with Ananias response to the Lord? Saul immediately began to preach about the Son of God in the synagogues. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The apostles had nothing to do with Sauls conversion, and they were reluctant to believe it had happened or to welcome him into their fellowship. Even if he were not one of these men, he would surely have hated to hear the gospel. Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers (Ephesians 4:11). Fourth, if we had all the facts, there would be no problem. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. In our text Ananias was instructed to go to Saul and to lay hands on him so that he might receive his sight (9:12). 14And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all (D)who call on Your name., 15But the Lord said to him, Go, for (E)he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before (F)Gentiles, (G)kings, and the (H)children[b] of Israel. Perhaps Ananias and Sapphira got caught up in a band-wagon effect. 20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Israel was also blind, and Pauls blindness was but a specific example of this blindness: The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. 20and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 2 Cor. Ananias baptised Saul in the name of Jesus - the one who had sent him to the vanquished enemy of the church. (5) Sauls salvation was an act of divine grace. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.. 146 It is possible, however, to understand the expression, Brother, as referring to Saul only as a fellow Jew. in expanding, as well as justifying, their earthly wealth and power. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. And look, you blind, that you may see. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. It is impossible to overestimate the worth to the student of Christianity of this event from every angle because we have in Pauls Epistles his own emphasis on the actual appearance of Jesus to him as the fact that changed his whole life (1 Cor. I. part of the price for themselves while donating it to the church Ananias came to Saul with grace to liberate him from his wrong-headed beliefs and open his heart to Jesus. The same grace which was shown to Saul in his salvation is shown to all whom God calls to Himself: 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. The importance of Sauls conversion can hardly be overestimated. Ananias found Saul and said to him, Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit. As soon as Ananias spoke, Saul could see again. It is not clear whether this official was a representative of the king resident in Damascus to look after the interests of the Arabs there, or whether Damascus at this time was under the control of Nabataea. I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 168. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? To establish the congregations identity with Ananias, the preacher might want to begin in the middle of the passage which actually looks back to Acts 8:1-3 (and 9:1). 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, The Lord seeks and saves individuals, and thus our methods should be personal. But these laws, which seek to summarize the gospel in a concise way, should always be applied individually. The casting of this spell on this false prophet could therefore have been an act of kindness, as Gods blinding of Saul had been, intended to cease his opposition and perhaps even to bring about his conversion. The first is this: every saved person must have a personal conversion experience. "how many things he must suffer for We know from Romans 7, for example, that Paul had struggles in his spiritual walk. If there is one thing of which Saul is now convinced (by what he has so far seen and heard on the road) it is that whoever he is talking to is LORD. Ananias Get up and go to the street called Straight, to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. It is, in the Bible, the radiance of Gods glory. 1:19; Rom. Here the Jews were strong in numbers (10,000 butchered by Nero later) and here some disciples had found refuge from Sauls persecution in Judea and still worshipped in the synagogues. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus’ followers🤨 There were three Ananiases in the Bible. 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). The men who traveled with Saul were frightened and confused. On various occasions in his epistles, Paul made either direct or indirect references to his former life of opposition and his radical conversion.132 Pauls theology, his lifestyle, his ministry, and his methodology, all are rooted in his conversion. 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one.g He sent me so that you can WebThe Good Ananias: A Lesson for Believers. But Saul only became bolder in his preaching. And when this time comes, God will use their obedience to serve Him: For if their rejection be the salvation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15). WebAnd 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 thee in the way as thou camest, 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. God struck Ananias and Sapphira dead for hypocrisy While their penalties seem extreme to us today, God judged them guilty of sins so serious that they threatened the very existence of the early church. \4Q-b24Q-z U`E(O42. Pauls language in Acts 26:11 seems to mean that Damascus is merely one of other `foreign cities to which he carried the persecution. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 114. . After that Saul was welcomed by the Christians and he preached freely in and around Jerusalem. The argument of the Book of Acts is essentially this: The expansion of the gospel through the church as it is empowered by the Holy Spirit. He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell from Sauls eyes. Thus, his opposition to Christ and His church took on a missionary spirit. 4. Blindness, not willing to see, not willing to understand is all too common but Ananias cured Saul blindness by a touch. The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. Paul experienced many hardships in his travels, and he was frequently thrown into jail for preaching about Jesus. 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). Say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says. 5 And whether they listen or fail to listenfor they are a rebellious housethey will know that a prophet has been among them. 34Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. The "Straight Street" or Via Recta in Latin, was a straight In Damascus, the Lord had spoken to a man named Ananias, and the Lord told Ananias to find Saul and to lay his hands on Saul and pray so that Sauls sight would be restored. This text portrays one of the historical landmarks of the church. 1:2; 2 Tim. Copyright 2023 Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. All rights reserved. 32As Peter was passing through every region, he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda. 145 We may note incidentally the two new descriptions of the Christians used here. (13) As Stephens death, instigated (or at least assisted) by Saul, resulted in an intense and widespread persecution of the churches in Jerusalem and elsewhere, so Sauls conversion seems to have been directly related to the return of peace (cf. Damascus was an important town, about 150 miles (242 km) from Jerusalem, with a considerable Jewish population. Ananias the high priest brought charges against Paul and Note the following impressions gained from a reflection on the passage as a whole. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move 3. He realized that it was nothing which he had donenor ever would dobut only by what Jesus Christ had done that saved him. Who is blind but my servant {Israel}, and deaf like the messenger I send? This three-fold repetition is a clear indication of the importance of this event, especially in the themes Luke is seeking to develop in the Book of Acts. 9. vii.) Saul, in my opinion, is portrayed by Luke as the first-fruits of these promises. Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard (Isaiah 58:8). Present active participle of sunbubazo, old verb to make go together, to coalesce, to knit together. WebExplain why Ananias was told that Saul was a 'Chosen Vessel' Give an account of the vision which Saul had while traveling on the road to the Damascus. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Even then he knew he wanted to live the life of a religious. The couple wanted to appear as outstanding church members, but they didnt want to part with their possessions. 136. Could Judas have been a Christian? Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? There is no story in Acts more important than Saul/Pauls call, his encounter with the risen Christ. As persecution was no longer needed to disperse the church and the gospel, peace was restored to the land. Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. ACTS 9:27 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He was a man of great respect and influence, and thus he realized that his actions would have broad ramifications. . . 19So when he had received food, he was strengthened. . When 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 (vs. 26). Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. Let us avoid cookie cutter conversions.. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast (Galatians 2:8-9). In 2 Corinthians 11:32 Paul speaks of an ethnarch of Aretas, the king of the Nabataean Arabs, who guarded the city to prevent him escaping from it. He trusted that Christ had a future purpose for Saul (verse 15) even though Sauls past as he knew it seemed to point toward a different future. After this incident with Paul we hear no more 19 From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. 28, p. 185. It was only with the exit of Saul from the Holy Land, back to his native land (Tarsus), that peace once again returned. 13:1 On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity (Zechariah 12:1013:1). For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:7). 4. Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. Grace is also the source and the standard for our service: Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person (Colossians 4:6). Who does the voice of Vanessa on Phineas and Ferb? [ a]It is hard for you to kick against the goads. 26o When he arrived in Jerusalem* he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. In Hellenistic times it was completely replanned on the Hippodamian grid-system. 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 . When Ananias placed his hands on Saul he was filled with the Holy Spirit, healed of his blindness, received water baptism, and began to eat and regain his strength. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 113. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight,. . If the worst sinner (Saul) was not too sinful to save, then you are not too sinful for God to save. He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7). It was bright enough to bring about a period of blindness. The result was the restoration of Sauls sight and, it would seem, Sauls reception of the Holy Spirit. The Lord This old city is the most enduring in the history of the world (Knowling). 152 I do not mean to criticize the four laws of Campus Crusade, which have been used of God to bring many to faith in Christ. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. Like Stephen, Saul seemed to gravitate toward preaching to the Hellenistic Jews (9:29). You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you. (7) The salvation of Saul was Christ-centered. Let us not fail to respect the individuality of the conversion experience and to deal with people in the light of their individuality. Furthermore, in Acts 26:10 Paul testifies that he received letters from the chief priests, not just the chief priest alone. It is evident in the way he was saved. One is the truth from God Himself, The conclusion of many of the commentators is that Sauls conversion was a much longer process than I see reflected in this account, or in any other. 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.. Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you (Isaiah 60:1). ,/1Xa} V= endstream endobj 133 0 obj 634 endobj 94 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 88 0 R /Resources 95 0 R /Contents [ 98 0 R 100 0 R 102 0 R 104 0 R 122 0 R 124 0 R 126 0 R 129 0 R ] /MediaBox [ 0 0 792 612 ] /CropBox [ 0 0 792 612 ] /Rotate 0 >> endobj 95 0 obj << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB ] /Font << /F1 109 0 R /F3 106 0 R /F4 107 0 R /F6 118 0 R /F7 116 0 R >> /XObject << /Im1 127 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 131 0 R /GS2 130 0 R >> /ColorSpace << /Cs5 96 0 R >> >> endobj 96 0 obj [ /CalRGB << /WhitePoint [ 0.9505 1 1.089 ] /Gamma [ 2.22221 2.22221 2.22221 ] /Matrix [ 0.4124 0.2126 0.0193 0.3576 0.71519 0.1192 0.1805 0.0722 0.9505 ] >> ] endobj 97 0 obj 1512 endobj 98 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 97 0 R >> stream But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. sOGOSapQ3[y~@9W 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). Let us be careful to discern what changes the gospel requires and what changes it does not. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day (2 Timothy 1:8-12). . Your merchants were the worlds great men. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. He also warned those who would corrupt grace, to make it a pretext for sin (cf. 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. Do not let anyone despise you (Titus 2:11-15). 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. Here is a graphic illustration of what true repentance isit is a turning about, beginning with ones belief and bearing fruit in ones conduct. 138 Three times (8:3; 9:2; 22:4) this fact of persecuting women is mentioned as a special blot in Pauls cruelty (the third time by Paul himself) and one of the items in his being chief of sinners (1 Tim. 8 Is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 harsh? Sauls baptism followed, accompanied by his profession of faith, his calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). (9) On the road to Damascus, Saul did far more than to see a bright light and to hear a voice from heaven. Then he turned to her body and said, Tabitha, rise up. She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.q 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. And they were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. Elsewhere in Acts, such as with the apostles, Stephen and Philip, the message of the gospel was underscored by signs and wonders which accompanied the message. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit because it was the Holy Spirit who dwelt in the apostles, giving them their power and authority. He constantly defended the gospel against those who would diminish grace and seek to pollute it with works. Some of the Hellenistic Jews responded to the preaching of Saul as they had to Stephens preaching; they wanted to kill him (9:29). He is trying to inform God of whats going on. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. The first words of the Lord Jesus to Saul were intended to teach him the inseparable unity between Christ and His church. He is there praying,j The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Barnabas, one of the Christians, assured them Sauls faith was genuine. The man who, days before, was persecuting Christ was now preaching Christ. 23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. * [9:3143] In the context of the period of peace enjoyed by the community through the cessation of Pauls activities against it, Luke introduces two traditions concerning the miraculous power exercised by Peter as he was making a tour of places where the Christian message had already been preached. With the help of a priest who knew his parents he was allowed to attend religious school. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. 37Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after washing her, they laid [her] out in a room upstairs. 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). It is also bad news for the self-righteous. For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all (Romans 11:25-32). 144 Was Ananias the one who told him what he must do? many pulpits today promise to those who will follow Jesus. (N)Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. And if Sauls blindness led to his own conversion, at least the blinding of Bar-Jesus contributed to the conversion of the proconsul (and perhaps too his own conversionwho knows?). The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Thus, it is grace which sustains the saint, in addition to saving him: Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were thus occupied were not benefited (Hebrews 13:9). It is here that Paul took the leadership and became the dominant or leading individual, instead of Barnabas. The Lord Jesus appeared to Ananias in a vision. gJi\!2LITShA%)&bqd=/)@Eg*tttpt @V6wCAp{GyAGG9h d=u3zDca{y:&0}=!P`XX z;g3 {~paveta +w He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. WebActs 9:1. We will next seek to learn how this description of Sauls conversion fits into and contributes to the development of Lukes argument in Acts. to go lay hands on Saul (soon to be known as Paul) and restore his And so, Saul asked the LORD who He was. It was surely fear (reverence), among other things, which prompted this. 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. Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was helpful to the Lord. To Him be the glory forever. 10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, here am I, Lord. 11 And the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight. 13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Thy saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy name.145 15 But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My names sake.. To Paul, his relationship, by faith, to Jesus Christ was also the beginning of his new relationship to the body of Christ, the church: Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christs afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. Ananias small act of obedience led to a great harvest for the kingdom. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We do not know the exact time when Saul was saved. According to Acts 9:10, Ananias was living in Damascus. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. * [9:20] Son of God: the title Son of God occurs in Acts only here, but cf. ), Acts 7:59; 9:2, 21; 1 Cor. Ananias son of Nebedeus (or Nedebeus) was a high priest who, according to the Acts of the Apostles, presided during the trials of the apostle Paul at Jerusalem (Acts 23:2) and Caesarea (Acts 24:1). If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. Enough revelation for the moment. The message which Saul received was not only a call to salvation, but a divine call to ministry. I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. 2:22, Acts 13:2; 22:21; Rom. When Paul spoke of his conversion here in Galatians 1, he did not speak of the light which shone without, but rather of the light which shone within. * [9:26] This visit of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned by Paul in Gal 1:18. My names sake". (11) Sauls conversion was a watershed event which greatly affected the history of the church. Not knowing what had happened, she, too, lied about the offering and was also struck dead (Acts 5:111). FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 17(K)And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and (L)laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord [c]Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and (M)be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. No, God showed him "how many things he must suffer for This conclusion could be based upon Pauls argument in Galatians 1 and 2, along with the expression, when many days had elapsed in Acts 9:23. The election of Saul to salvation was specific and thus, personal. Saul, like Stephen, spoke with such power and authority that his opponents could not refute him. Pauls experience was not visionary but was precipitated by the appearance of Jesus, as he insists in 1Cor 15:8. Ananias fulfills his task: 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 Those who call upon your name echoes 2:21 (Joel 2:32) and recurs in 22:16 in a command to Paul himself to be baptized . 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.

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