The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands onq him to restore his sight.. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for thus his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. He wrote letters to the first churches in order to help them understand the Scriptures and to tell them how to live as good Christians. 2:1 He said to me, Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you. 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was helpful to the Lord. 2 Corinthians 4:14; cf. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. And if this was important for Saul to do, it was equally important for the church to accept him into their fellowship, as an expression of their unity in Christ. The common characteristics of conversion are those on which I would like to focus in the conversion of Saul. 1:16f. And laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. a conversion of will, intellect, and emotion, which dictated the abiding purpose and direction of his subsequent life and activity. 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. For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all (Romans 11:25-32). WebActs 9:1. Acts does not tell us that he goes on to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, found churches in urban centers across the Roman Empire, stand true to the gospel while on trial for his faith over and again, and end up under house arrest in Rome awaiting a trial before Caesar. The Conversion of Saul Web3. 1. Ananias came to Saul with grace to liberate him from his wrong-headed beliefs and open his heart to Jesus. 15:21). 1:19; Rom. Who is blind like the one committed to me, blind like the servant of the Lord? (Isaiah 42:18-19). 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, Sapphira). Ananias was that kind of a disciple. 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?). 6:17; Phil. They were based, as I understand it, on what the Lord had revealed to Ananias and not on any confession or actions of Saul, for these seem to follow these initial actions and words of Ananias. Damascus, a city some 150 miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, was one such city. No one, it would seem, was even thinking of what God was about to do. Or could it be that these disciples of Saul were Sauls disciples before his conversion, who accompanied him as he sought to capture Christians. What happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a result of lying to God? 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. They are also very significant in what they conveyed to Saul. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. The first is to ask the congregation to identify with Saul himself. With this backdrop in place, the preacher can now focus on two movements of Ananias part of this story: his vision and conversation with the Lord (verses 10-16) and his laying hands on Saul leading to Sauls baptism (verses 17-19). 31* The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. Salvation is a revolution, not an evolution. 142 His companions therefore took him by the hand and led him through the gate of Damascus to the place where, presumably, arrangements had been made for him to stay. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 185. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory (Isaiah 60:19). Devotion Saul In Sauls account of his conversion to His Jewish brethren, he added that when Ananias arrived, he instructed him to Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name (Acts 22:16). How much does horse riding lessons cost in Bangalore? Ananias is not only surprised by his commission; he is resistant to it, at least initially. WebA study of the language describing what resulted from Ananias going to Saul should help in determining the part played by Ananias in Saul's being "filled with the Holy Spirit." Saul and Ananias | A Story of Learning to See Again 180-181. The splendid deliberateness with which God forged His human tool is the great lesson of these years. In this approach, preachers are offering their congregation a chance to relate to Ananias dream that leads him to overcome his preconception of Saul (a correct but now outdated preconception), come to see Saul as someone God has called, and respond faithfully. The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 60:3). Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. Pauls hatred for Christ and His followers was common knowledge. 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. Before he reached Damascus a light flashed in front of Saul that was so bright he fell down on the ground. many pulpits today promise to those who will follow Jesus? 9:31). 1:11--2:10; Ephesians 3:1-13; cf. Pauls opposition resulted in the scattering of the Christians from Jerusalem, thus taking the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and beyond (Acts 8:1; 11:19-21). The "Straight Street" or Via Recta in Latin, was a straight After this, Saul broke his fast and was strengthened. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. There are differences between the three accounts given to us in Acts. 11The Lord said to him, Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. WebAnanias, I am sure. No change in life is greater than the change from unbelief to belief in Christ, from being lost and condemned to being saved and eternally secure, from being separated from God and others to being united with Him and with all believers. 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. Ananias baptizes Saul, and Saul's eyes are opened. (3) Sauls conversion experience was quick and dramatic in one sense, but it also involved a process, a process of at least three days.135. many pulpits today promise to those who will follow Jesus. WebWe do not know whether Ananias already had previous experience miracles of healing, but the Lord was instructing him to interview the notorious Pharisee Saul, who fiercely persecuted Christians, and to heal his blindness. Israel too will just as surely return to God; and when it happens, it will be all of God, all to His glory and praise: 15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. 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 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze upon him, and said, You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? As at Damascus, Saul eventually had to leave the city of Jerusalem to save his life. It is some 150 miles Northeast from Jerusalem and watered by the river Abana from Anti-Lebanon. It is a miraculous, dramatic reversal, first of ones beliefs, and then of ones behavior. [ a]It is hard for you to kick against the goads. (1) Sauls salvation was the salvation of a sinner. Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. 1 What is the significance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). What is wrong with Ananias response to the Lord? For Paul, the method of proclaiming the gospel must be consistent with the message itself, and so it was. Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse There would likely be another group of people meeting on the evening before Saul arrived in Damascusthose who did not believe in Jesus as their Messiah, and who eagerly sought the eradication of the church in their city. Perhaps so, but I am not as confident of this as I once was. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. The call of salvation is a call to holiness, and to obedience, and to fellowship, with God and with our fellow-believers. Your merchants were the worlds great men. In the Bible, Reuben and Saul were of no relation to each other. 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. What happened when Ananias anointed Saul? One is the truth from God Himself, 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 59:15b60:13). Ananias hesitation to visit Saul showed that he had good relationship with Jerusalem, for he knew of the trouble that the persecutor had raised against the early converts, and of the goal of his mission to Damascus. No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the One who spoke to him was Jesus of Nazareth, the long-looked-for Messiah, the Consolation and Redeemer of Israel. It may well be a call to live transformed lives in the same circumstances in which we were found. For less than $5/mo. What a shock Sauls conversion must have been to both groups! 17) and the restoration of the man after the shattering experience he had known, and for the early ministry in Tarsus, Syria, Cilicia, and Antioch, which prepared mind and method for the major assault on the pagan world. 00:00. It is also bad news for the self-righteous. The approach the Lord took was one of dealing with Saul in the light of his sin, of his salvation, and of his ministry. The blindness to which Saul was subject for three days provided him with much time for reflection, meditation, and prayer. . Acts 9 This doctrine does not hold that men are as bad as they could be in each area of their life, but that sin has permeated every dimension of a persons life. Is paralegal higher than legal assistant? It was his preaching that resulted in the conversion of many Gentiles, and it was his writing (his epistles) to these saints which greatly strengthened them in their faith. Only a radical conversion can produce this attitude in the life of a man like Saul: For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:8). helpful to the Lord. Fifth, faith must take the text on face value, as it is written, and believe it as Gods inspired, inerrant, authoritative word. 11 The Lord told him, Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsusp named Saul, for he is praying. here - view only). If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. The account of Ananias and Saul is found in Acts chapter 11:2328; 12:710; Gal. This blindness was only removed by faith in Christ, a miracle brought about by divine action: In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see (Isaiah 29:18). He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. He sent me so that you can 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Indeed, God would reveal His sovereignty by using Saul to further the gospel, first by his opposition (which scattered the church and spread the gospel), and then by his conversion (which resulted in his powerful proclamation of Jesus as Messiah). From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of Gods choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christtheir Lord and ours 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 9). He realized that it was nothing which he had donenor ever would dobut only by what Jesus Christ had done that saved him. (10) Sauls encounter with Christ was not only a conversion, but it was also a call to a very specific ministry. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers. After that Saul was welcomed by the Christians and he preached freely in and around Jerusalem. 1:2; 2 Tim. Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. But then the preacher can continue that even though Ananias didnt know about Sauls epiphany, he did as the Lord told him anyway. While at first he thought he might have to correct God, in the end he submitted himself and his very life to Gods call. A man once confessed to his pastor that even though he didnt think of himself as hating people, there was one person he really hated for the way the person had wronged him. 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. Ananias and Saul: The Story Starts With a Disciple Julius Caesar confirmed those rights and privileges anew to the Jewish nation (although Judaea was no longer a sovereign state), and more particularly to the high-priesthood. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), pp. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious (Ezekiel 1:4, 26-28; 2:1-7).143. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul,why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Saul, like Stephen, spoke with such power and authority that his opponents could not refute him. Just as Saul had opposed those who believed, so Bar-Jesus opposed the proconsuls conversion. Did he still not realize who the Lord was? Saul had been granted permission by the high priest to arrest any man or woman in Damascus who were Christians. Ananias had not only heard of how Saul had been systematically destroying the church in Jerusalem, hunting down men and women and turning them over to the Like Stephen, the enemies of the gospel attempted to kill Saul when they could not silence him by means of debate. Acts 9 Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. Why did Saint Paul change his It was time for Saul to ponder what he had seen and heard. Present active participle of sunbubazo, old verb to make go together, to coalesce, to knit together. also 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2). Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. Frequent biblical texts speak of God in terms of light: You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game (Psalm 76:4). 9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 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. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15). How did God use Ananias in the New Testament? The emphasis in the account is on Paul as a divinely chosen instrument (Acts 9:15). Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. Ananias And so, Saul asked the LORD who He was. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6-7; cf. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. /w\/)sr?o|cBw3>E> Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations (Isaiah 51:4). He was a man of great respect and influence, and thus he realized that his actions would have broad ramifications. ANANIAS Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse Stat two things God told Anaias concerning Saul Briefly describe what happened during Anaias' meeting with Saul. 3. They, too, were afraid of Saul and did not believe he really was a follower of Jesus Christ. 18Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. * [9:36] Tabitha (Dorcas), respectively the Aramaic and Greek words for gazelle, exemplifies the right attitude toward material possessions expressed by Jesus in the Lucan Gospel (Lk 6:30; 11:41; 12:33; 18:22; 19:8). of him. . Unless otherwise noted, all material copyright 2023, Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. Saul, like Stephen, was a Hellenistic Jew. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? They, not unlike Ananias, were very reluctant to have anything to do with this Christian killer. Verse 18 tells us that, "straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight, and he arose and was baptized." There may well have been a long time between Sauls conversion and his arrival at Jerusalem. 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. In different contexts, preachers might want to draw specific analogies concerning those for whom the congregation should be praying even though it cuts against our grain to do so. It is difficult to estimate the amount of resistance Ananias would have had to this divine instruction to receive Saul as a brother in the Lord. Or did they somewhat dread his arrival, knowing how zealous he was in his opposition to the church. the light and blind passages above). 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus’ followers🤨 There were three Ananiases in the Bible. 8 Although I am less than the least of all Gods people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. Sauls baptism followed, accompanied by his profession of faith, his calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). 30 But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. 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. Sauls Conversion. There will be no more night. . 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life (1 Timothy 1:12-16). No, Ananias did not do any of these things so far as the author of Luke-Acts is concerned. Saul took this most seriously, not eating or drinking until after his confession of faith by means of his baptism. His name was Ananias (not to be confused with the husband of (8) The salvation of Saul made him a vital part of Christs body, the church. 6Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.f Salvation may occur in a large group, such as those saved at the preaching of Peter at Pentecost, but each individual was saved because of a personal encounter with Christ. WebAs Donald Davis notes, In case God has overlooked Sauls atrocities, [Ananias] takes occasion to issue a brief reminder. All of this account describes the two complementary divine visions which Ananias and Saul received. 5 Why did Ananias and Sapphira lie to God? 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,* he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. 2 What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? The blinding of Bar-Jesus thus seems to be the second major turning point in the ministry of Paul. Throughout his life and ministry Paul marveled at the grace of God shown to him and to other sinners. In peace, as in persecution, the church was comforted and continued to increase. At least we can say that no one had enough faith to believe it, even as Peter stood at the door, knocking to get in (12:12-17). The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Matthew 4:16). The first words spoken to Saul were, Saul, Saul, Why are you persecuting Me? (Acts 9:4). How old was Jesus when he was crucified? With the conversion of Saul, persecution of the church did not stop, for now some of the Hellenistic Jews were opposing his preaching (and no doubt, the church at large as well). Perhaps Ananias and Sapphira got caught up in a band-wagon effect. 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lords freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christs slave. I very much doubt anyone prayed that this Saul might be saved. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus followers What did Ananias's do to heal Paul's eyes? 2. The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave ESCAPES IN A BASKET Under the influence of this experience he gradually developed his understanding of justification by faith (see the letters to the Galatians and Romans) and of the identification of the Christian community with Jesus Christ (see 1Cor 12:27). Thus, his opposition to Christ and His church took on a missionary spirit.
When To Take Nac Morning Or Night, Articles W

why was ananias afraid of helping saul 2023