Acts 9

18-19 When Ananias placed his hands on Saul, immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he received his sight. Then Saul was baptized. Although the Bible doesn’t tell us, we can suppose that it was Ananias who baptized Saul.

What an amazing thing Saul’s conversion was! Indeed, it has proven to be one of the most significant events in all of world history. How could such a fierce enemy of Christ so quickly become one of His apostles? Saul was a mature and learned man. He wasn’t crazy. But suddenly his life was turned totally around. Within three days, Jesus’ greatest enemy had become His greatest apostle! How can we explain it? It can only be explained by saying that Saul did, in fact, meet the living and glorified Christ on that road to Damascus. There is no other possible explanation. Saul’s conversion is proof that Jesus Christ did indeed rise from the dead—and is alive today.

Is there anyone who thinks he is too evil, too sinful, to become a follower of Christ? Let him remember Saul! Jesus can change anyone—even the worst sinner on earth.

20 According to Galatians 1:17, Saul went immediately into Arabia after his conversion, and only later returned again to Damascus. Here in the book of Acts, Luke does not mention Saul’s trip to Arabia. As soon as Saul returned to Damascus, he at once began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. Saul’s heart had been converted; now his behavior had been converted too. Instead of persecuting Christians, he was now taking their side.

21-22 People were astonished at the change in Saul. Saul especially baffled the Jews of Damascus, because he set about proving to them that Jesus was the Christ—the Messiah—by quoting prophecies from their own Scriptures, the Old Testament. Not only that, Saul, himself a Jew, could say, “I have seen the risen Christ with my own eyes.”

23-25 Just as the Jews of Jerusalem had become angry with Stephen and the other disciples, so in the same way did the Jews in Damascus quickly become angry with Saul. That was natural, because in their eyes, Saul had betrayed them. From that time on, wherever Saul went, most of the Jews became his enemies and bitterly opposed him.

Surrounding the city of Damascus there was a great wall, with gates for passing in and out of the city. Saul’s Jewish enemies in Damascus tried to prevent him from escaping by setting a watch at each of these gates. But Saul’s friends lowered him in a basket from an opening in the wall, and he escaped (see 2 Corinthians 11:32-33).

26 Three years after his conversion, Saul returned to Jerusalem (Galatians 1:18). No one welcomed him! The Jews, of course, were now his enemies. But the Christians didn’t accept him either at first. They naturally doubted whether Saul had truly become a Christian.

Many new Christians have had an experience similar to Paul’s. They have found themselves rejected by their old friends, and yet they are not accepted by their new brothers and sisters in Christ. Let this not be! We must wholeheartedly accept a newly baptized believer no matter how evil his previous life has been. Even if afterward he betrays our trust, that is God’s concern, not ours. It is much better to let an enemy into our fellowship than to keep a true believer out. After all, even Jesus had His Judas.

27 But Saul found a friend in Barnabas. The name Barnabas means Son of Encouragement (Acts 4:36-37). Barnabas did indeed encourage Saul. He introduced Saul to the apostles, in particular to Peter and James, the Lord’s brother (Galatians 1:1819). In addition, Barnabas testified to the genuineness of Paul’s conversion.

28-30 Saul stayed in Jerusalem with Peter and James for two weeks. Saul spoke boldly with the Jews in Jerusalem, especially with the Jews of Greek descent. But the Jews became angry and sought to kill him. At that time the Lord again appeared to Saul in a vision and told him to leave Jerusalem at once (Acts 22:17-21). Therefore, the apostles took Saul to Caesarea on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. From there, Saul went by boat to Tarsus in present-day Turkey, the city where Saul was born (Acts 22:3). There Saul remained for some years.

Saul’s (Paul’s) story resumes in Acts 11:25 and continues to the end of the book.

31 In this verse, Luke talks about the CHURCH throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria.⁵⁰ In one way, there are many local churches in different places; but in another way, all these local churches make up one universal church, that is, Christ’s church. This is why Luke speaks here of the church in the singular.

Following the conversion of their main enemy Saul and his subsequent departure from Jerusalem, the Christians enjoyed a period of relative peace. During this period, through the working of the Holy Spirit, the church grew and prospered. If the church can prosper in persecution, it certainly ought to be able to prosper in peace! Even Christians need times of peace; if persecution is continuous, they become weary.

Notice here that Luke says the church grew both in strength and in numbers. Both kinds of growth are necessary; a church that grows only in numbers only grows fat.

32-35 At that time Peter went to visit some of the churches located in Judea and Samaria. These churches had been established by the disciples who had fled from Jerusalem during the persecution following Stephen’s death (Acts 8:1). One of the churches Peter visited was located in Lydda, a city north of Jerusalem. There Peter healed a man named Aeneas, and as a result, all who lived in Lydda and the surrounding plain of Sharon turned to the Lord.

Aeneas was healed instantly and completely. “Jesus Christ heals you,” Peter said to Aeneas (verse 34). Not tomorrow, but today! “Get up and take care of your mat,” said Peter. Aeneas had now no need to lie in bed; it was time to make his bed! Immediately Aeneas got up. When Jesus heals us, we must get up and not keep lying in bed.

36-38 While Peter was still in Lydda, a Christian woman named Tabitha got sick and died in the nearby city of Joppa. Joppa was on the Mediterranean coast about ten miles from Lydda. When the Joppa Christians heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent for him to come and raise up Tabitha. Even though Tabitha was already dead, they still sent for Peter. It was too late to call a doctor, but not too late to call Peter!

39 When Peter arrived, the widows of Joppa showed him the clothes that Tabitha had made for them. They were grateful. Let these widows be an example for us. How of ten we fail to show gratitude for the help we have received! Instead of proclaiming what others have done for us, we hide it. Let this not be.

40-43 Just as Jesus raised up Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:22-24,35-43), so Peter raised up Tabitha. As a result, many people believed; they had seen the power of the risen Christ at work in His apostle Peter.

Whenever the apostles healed people or performed other miracles, we must understand that it was really Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit who was doing the work. Today also, whenever Christians do the work of Christ, it is the Holy Spirit living in them who does the work. Christians are only the instruments. When we do any good work, others must be able to say: “That is Christ’s work.” For any work that we do, the credit goes not to us but to God and to Jesus Christ (see Matthew 5:16 and comment).

In Joppa Peter stayed at the house of a tanner named Simon (verse 43). While there, Peter received a very important vision, which is described in detail in Acts Chapter 10.