Friday Acts 9:19b-25

Saul proclaims the gospel.

Click here for an online Bible. Acts 9:19b-25

Saul had gone to Damascus with letters from the High Priest which authorized him to arrest Christian Jews. He intended to go to the synagogues and enlist local help in his mission. After his encounter with Christ outside of Damascus, he stayed in the home of a man named Judas.

Ananias came to Saul as a messenger from God and Saul regained his sight. He moved to stay with the disciples in Damascus but still went to the local synagogues. But instead of enlisting help to arrest Christians, he proclaimed the gospel to the Jews in Damascus.

Saul was a zealous Pharisee who was trained by the rabbi Gamaliel. He could out-argue most Jews in any theological debate. Now he argued with the Jews with the claim that Jesus was the Son of God.

This section of Acts does not mention Saul’s time in Arabia. In Galatians 1:17-18, he tells us that he left Damascus and went into Arabia, then returned to Damascus. He went to Jerusalem three years after his encounter with Christ. We don’t know how long he was in each place. He was in Damascus for some time then in Arabia for a while, then back in Damascus. The whole time was three years. We also don’t know if Acts 9:22 refers to the first time in Damascus or the second time or if it is just a blanket transition for the three years.

Sometimes we look at Saul’s time in Arabia as three years in solitude, but that is not necessarily the case. Damascus was the north-west corner of Arabia at that time. The area went south to the Red Sea. There were many Gentile cities in Arabia. Paul’s theology was already complete. There was no New Testament and he was already an expert in the Old Testament. He knew the gospel. The bottom line is that we just don’t know what he was doing.

He returned to Damascus and continued to preach the gospel. There was a plot to kill him by the Jews in collusion with the governor (2 Corinthians 11:32-33). The believers helped him to escape by lowering him from the city wall in a basket.

Saul did not wait to “grow up” in Christ before he started serving. We too often think that we have to grow more before we can be of any use to the Kingdom. Unfortunately, we get comfortable in that mode and never get beyond it. Anyone who has faith can talk about their faith.