Scripture: But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Acts 9:1-9 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, an angel of the Lord directs Philip to take the road to Gaza. Without delay, Philip heads south to its desert region and spots a royal official of the Ethiopian Queen Candice returning home from Jerusalem in a chariot with his entourage. Directed by the Spirit of the Lord, Philip runs alongside the chariot, overhears the royal official reading from Isaiah 53:7-8, and questions whether he understands the text. The official contends he needs someone to guide him, and thus, he invites Philip to sit in the chariot. Philip expounds on this passage, explains how it points to Jesus, and then presents the Gospel. As they carry on, they approach a body of water. This now-excited believer orders his driver to stop the chariot so Philip can baptize him. As they leave the water, the Spirit of the Lord teleports Philip to Azotus, where he sets out for Caesarea, preaching the Gospel to all the villages en route. Meanwhile, the eunuch, undisturbed by Philip’s supernatural departure, returns home, rejoicing in God.
Today’s devotion introduces the third vignette of the church’s expansion, where its arch-enemy, Saul, encounters Christ and will soon become a radical advocate of the Gospel. Meanwhile, Luke tells us that Saul, set on eradicating this supposed heretical sect, sought letters of authority from the high priest to pursue members of the Way living in Damascus so that he might bring them to Jerusalem for trial and sentencing. As Saul approaches Damascus, a brilliant light shines from heaven, causing him to collapse in shock. Immediately, a voice from the light questions why Saul persecutes him. Confused, Saul asks to clarify the voice’s identity while acknowledging its divine source (Lord). Jesus then proclaims his last “I am” statement until his return at the end of the age: “I am Jesus,” and commands Paul to rise, enter Damascus, and wait for further instruction. Blinded by the light, Saul rises from the ground, and his comrades lead him to Damascus, where he remains blind for three days and neither eats nor drinks. Luke adds that Saul’s traveling companions stood speechless through this epiphany, having heard the voice but seeing no one.
Of note: Damascus, a thriving commercial center and one of the ten Roman-designated cities comprising the Decapolis (a region Jesus visited during his itinerate ministry, see Mark 7:31), had a sizeable Jewish population. Thus, from Saul’s perspective, even though Damasus lay outside Israel, the Way must not establish a foothold in this thriving metropolis and compromise the integrity of the Mosaic law. Ironically, the rabbis of Saul’s day held that adherence to the law was a prerequisite to ushering in the Messianic Age (Babylonian Gemara, Sanhedrin 97b–98a; Baba Bathra 10a; Yoma 86b).
Of further note: Regarding Saul’s entourage “hearing the voice,” since Luke later records Paul recounting this event, stating his companions did not hear the voice (22:9), and only Saul (now going by the name Paul) listened to the voice (26:14), we must assume they merely heard the sound and did not distinguish what Christ spoke to Saul. This explanation would be in keeping with Jesus’ hearing his Father’s voice while the crowds could only hear a booming sound (John 12:28-29).
Takeaway: Saul earnestly believed he acted according to God’s will. Raised a Pharisee under the tutelage of Gamaliel, Saul/Paul, zealous for God, followed the strict manner of the law in persecuting the Way (see Acts 22:3-5). But this undeniable encounter with Christ accomplished four critical elements toward Saul getting on track with his theology and faith journey:
- It exposed Saul’s misguided zeal for the Father, leading to repentance and redirection.
- It confirmed Jesus’ identity as the risen Son of God exalted to the heavenly realm in dominion over the earth.
- It clarified that Saul’s future-oriented escatology must account for the inauguration of the kingdom of God on earth here and now.
- It unified the oneness between Christ and his disciples. You persecute me when you persecute my brothers and sisters.
Gutted by this shocking life-altering encounter that rocked Saul’s understanding of his relationship with God, Saul groped in darkness for three days, seeking no nourishment for life. Still, Saul would soon discover that his Lord resided in the darkness of the grave for three days without worldly sustenance to bring new light and life to Saul.
Our takeaway? As the saying goes, “The road to hell is paved by good intentions.” Saul thought he could earn God’s acceptance by being good enough. His mindset led to misguided persecution that proved to be working against God. Original sin is at the root of such folly. Where Adam and Eve sought equality with God by seeking the knowledge of good and evil, Saul (and we) do the same when we interpret the Father and Son’s commands to justify ourselves and condemn others. But our gracious Father and Son, who look to the heart, will expose our sometimes good but sinful intentions through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, who will disrupt our plans and reveal a greater revelation of Christ and our relationship with him. And sometimes, when this paradigm shift overwhelms us, we must grope in darkness for a season without an appetite for the old way of life. But if we hold fast to our hope in Christ, these painful seasons will renew our desire for life in him, where we will live his abundant life (John 10:10)—growing the Father and Son’s kingdom and glorifying their names, as Saul later will do.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who conquered evil in his death and rose to the light of his resurrection from the darkness of his grave to bring us eternal life. Still, we confess we are prone to spiritual blindness, justifying ourselves with good intentions while condemning others. So would you please help us cooperate with your Holy Spirit when he illuminates our misguided thoughts and ways and renews our desire for life in your Son so we can fully apprehend his abundant life—growing your and your Son’s kingdom and glorifying your names? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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