Saul's journey to Damascus is believed to have taken place in around 37 AD. Bible scholars and historians feel they have narrowed down the date of the crucifixion to either April 7, 30 AD or April 3, 33 AD. There is a great deal of information online that explains why these two dates are the best candidates for the date of Jesus' death and you might enjoy looking them up if you have time. Saul heads out for Damascus either seven years or four years following the crucifixion. The Christian movement is growing rapidly and the opposition against it is growing rapidly, with Saul being one of the church's greatest enemies.
Luke has been telling us about the ministry of Philip in Samaria and today he backs up to let us know what Saul has been doing. "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem." (Acts 9:1-2) Saul is consumed with such hatred for the Christians that he's willing to travel a six-day journey (one hundred and thirty miles) to seize believers and drag them back to Jerusalem to prison where they will face unfair trials, beatings, and perhaps even death.
Saul knows he has an ally in Caiaphas, the high priest. After all, Caiaphas already bears guilt in the death of Jesus and in the death of Stephen. The Jews, under Roman rule, do not have the authority to carry out capital punishment, but this didn't prevent Stephen from being stoned to death. It did prevent Jesus from being stoned to death at their hands, for He had such a huge following (both for spiritual and political reasons) that the Sanhedrin feared an uprising of their own people. Such a thing would have garnered unwelcome attention from Rome and unpleasant consequences from the Roman government. The Sanhedrin protected themselves by forcing Pontius Pilate into such an uncomfortable political predicament that he gave in to their demands to crucify Jesus; therefore, the Sanhedrin could blame Rome for the death of Christ. They could always say, "Would Pontius Pilate have crucified Him if He were not worthy of death? Would Rome execute a man who isn't guilty of sedition? We simply brought Him, and the charges against Him, before Pilate. If you have a problem with the execution of Christ, take your complaints to the Roman government, not to us." The stoning of Stephen is a thing that went unnoticed by Rome. He was not known to the Roman government or to the majority of the Jews. Would Rome even care if the Jews put some Christians to death? Would Rome even hear about it? The Jews certainly aren't going to report it and admit they've broken the law. The Christians, most of whom fled the city when persecution broke out, aren't going to report it. Pontius Pilate isn't going to report that he doesn't have full control over the goings-on in Jerusalem. The stoning death of Stephen, and the mistreatment and potential deaths of other Christians, are things that the Sanhedrin confidently feels can be swept under the rug.
Saul is walking along the road to Damascus accompanied by the officers of the Sanhedrin. William Barclay's Bible commentary tells us this interesting bit of information, "Just before Damascus the road climbed Mount Hermon and below lay Damascus, a lovely white city in a green plain. That region had this characteristic phenomenon that when the hot air of the plain met the cold air of the mountain range, violent electrical storms resulted. Just at that moment came such a lightning storm and out of the storm Christ spoke to Paul." I can't help but be reminded of an encounter the prophet Elijah had with the Lord in 1 Kings 19. Before the Lord spoke to Elijah there was a powerful windstorm, then an earthquake, then a fire. But Elijah says the Lord was not in any of these. Following these phenomena came "a gentle whisper" or as the KJV so beautifully puts it "a still small voice". The Lord used weather phenomena to get Elijah's attention before He spoke to him. In today's passage the Lord uses weather phenomena to get Saul's attention before He speaks to him. And just as the still small voice asked Elijah, "What are you doing here?", the voice has a question for Saul.
"As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?'" (Acts 9:3-4) The voice of the Lord once asked Elijah why he was hiding in depression and despair, considering giving up his ministry. Elijah was in a bad place and the voice of the Lord came to him, encouraged him, instructed him, and breathed new life into his ministry. Saul too is in a bad place. The Lord is about to instruct him and breathe new life into him, giving him one of the greatest ministries anyone has ever conducted for the kingdom of Christ.
Saul is overwhelmed. He's on his knees in the dust, facedown on the ground, eyes now pressed tightly shut against the glory of such light. Who can this voice belong to? "'Who are You, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' He replied. 'Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.'" (Acts 9:5-6) Saul knows he is in the presence of greatness. The only thing he can think to say is, "Who are You? Who are You? What glory is this? What power is this? Whose voice is this that shakes me to my very soul?" When the Lord replies, "I am Jesus," there is no doubt in Saul's mind. In only a few seconds, the man who formerly hated Christians so much he wanted them all dead becomes a Christian himself. He sees the light literally and spiritually. And when he sees it, he knows that to persecute Christians is to persecute Jesus Christ Himself. To harm the people of Christ is to harm the Son of the living God. To deny the name of Christ is to deny the name of the Chosen One of Almighty God. Saul is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt. He will someday give his own life for the name of the One who met him on the Damascus road.
"The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything." (Acts 9:7-9) Saul fasts in darkness for three days. When the Lord gives him further instructions, Saul will be more than ready to hear and obey them.
I'm reminded of a Southern Gospel song that I think is from the early 1990s. It was one of my late mother's favorite songs and it was about the conversion of Saul. The lyrics went something like this, "What was that You said, Lord? Are You talking to me? Seems the blinder I get the better I see. Won't You tell me again? And I'll do it this time. For I see much better since You struck me blind." The Lord Jesus Christ has Saul's attention. He has Saul's heart. He has Saul's soul. He has Saul's allegiance. The violent Saul of Tarsus is really on the road now....on the road to becoming the Apostle Paul, one of the finest preachers of the gospel who has ever lived.
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