Acts 9:27 Kommentar

In this chapter we have, I. The famous story of St. Paul's conversion from being an outrageous persecutor of the gospel of Christ to be an illustrious professor and preacher of it. I. How he was first awakened and wrought upon by an appearance of Christ himself to him as he was going upon an errand of persecution to Damascus: and what a condition he was in while he lay under the power of those convictions and terrors (Act 9:1-9). 2. How he was baptized by Ananias, by immediate directions from heaven (Act 9:10-19). 3. How he immediately commenced doctor, and preached the faith of Christ, and proved what he preached (Act 9:20-22). 4. How he was persecuted, and narrowly escaped with his life (Act 9:23-25). 5. How he was admitted among the brethren at Jerusalem: how he preached, and was persecuted there (Act 9:26-30). 6. The rest and quietness which the churches enjoyed for some time after this (Act 9:31). II. The cure wrought by Peter on Eneas, who had long been laid up with a palsy (Act 9:32-35). III. The raising of Tabitha from death to life, at the prayer of Peter (Act 9:36-43).

And Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter,.... The historian having given an account of the dispersion of all the preachers of the Gospel at Jerusalem, excepting the apostles, and of their success in other parts, especially of Philip's, returns to the history of Saul; who, not satisfied with the murder of Stephen, and with the havoc he made of the church at Jerusalem, haling them out of their houses to prison, continued not only to threaten them with confiscation of goods and imprisonment, but with death itself. The phrase here used is an Hebraism; so in Psa 27:12 , "one that breathes out violence", or cruelty; and this shows the inward disposition of his mind, the rage, wrath, malice, envy, and blood thirstiness he was full of; and is observed to illustrate the riches of divine grace in his conversion. And wonderful it is, that that same mouth which breathed out destruction and death to the followers of Christ, should afterwards publish and proclaim the Gospel of the grace of God; that he whose mouth was full of cursing and bitterness, should hereafter, and so very quickly, come forth in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ. And this rage of his, who now ravened as a wolf, as was foretold of Benjamin, of which tribe he was, was against the lambs of Christ, and the sheep of his fold: against the disciples of the Lord; not against wicked men, murderers, and thieves, and other evildoers, but against the harmless and innocent followers of Jesus, and which was an aggravation of his cruelty: and being thus heated, and full of wrath, he went unto the high priest; Annas or Caiaphas, who, notwithstanding the Jews were under the Roman government, had great authority to punish persons with stripes and death itself, who acted contrary to their law.

And be was with them,.... Peter and James, and the rest of the disciples; he lived with them, conversed with them, and joined with them in all religious exercises; which is signified by his coming in and going out at Jerusalem; no one of the apostles or disciples forbidding or hindering him.

"But Barnabas" - "Son of Consolation" is his appellation, whence also he makes himself easy of access to the man: for "he was a kind man" (ch. xi. 24), exceedingly, and this is proved both by the present instance, and in the affair of John (Mark) - "having taken him, brought him to the Apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord in the way." It is likely that at Damascus also he had heard all about him: whence he was not afraid but the others were, for he was a man whose glance inspired fear.

One may well be much at a loss here to understand how it is that, whereas in the Epistle to the Galatians Paul says, "I went not to Jerusalem," but "into Arabia" and "to Damascus," and, "After three years I went up to Jerusalem," and "to see Peter" (Gal. i. 17), here the writer says the contrary. Well, then, either Paul means, "I went not up with intent to refer or attach myself to them" - for what saith he? "I referred not myself, neither went I to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me:" or else, that the laying await for him in Damascus was after his return from Arabia; or else, again, that the visit to Jerusalem was after he came from Arabia. Certainly of his own accord he went not to the Apostles, but "assayed to join himself unto the disciples" - as being a teacher, not a disciple - "I went not," he says, "for this purpose, that I should go to those who were Apostles before me: certainly, I learnt nothing from them."

"But they were all afraid of him." See how they feared the dangers, how the alarm was yet at its height in them. "But Barnabas," etc. - it seems to me that Barnabas was of old a friend of his - "and related," etc.: observe how Paul says nothing of all this himself: nor would he have brought it forward to the others, had he not been compelled to do so.

It is worth questioning here how, on the one hand, in the Epistle to the Galatians he says that I did not go up to Jerusalem, but to Arabia and Damascus, and after three years to Jerusalem, and that he saw Peter and that he saw none of the other apostles. (Gal. 1:16-17) Yet here, on the other hand, he says that Barnabas led him to the apostles. Now when he says in the Epistle to the Galatians that he did not go up, he means that he did not go up to talk. For he says, "I did not talk with them nor did I go up to Jerusalem." If this is not what he means, it is clear that the plot in Damascus did not occur immediately after his believing, but after his return from Arabia three years later. If this is also not the meaning, then although he did not go to the apostles he tried to attach himself to the disciples, tempering himself as a teacher rather than as a disciple. But Barnabas brings him to the apostles and relates what he had seen and how bold he was. For this reason he says that he went, to go to the apostles before me; I went away; at any rate I learned nothing from them. He took this ascent so as to be therefore, that he went away into Arabia, then he came to Damascus, then to Jerusalem, then to Syria. Or if not this in that order, that again he went up to Jerusalem, then was sent to Damascus, then to Arabia, then again to Damascus, then to Caesarea. And then after fourteen years he went up again to Jerusalem, perhaps when he brought the brothers along with Barnabas. If not this, the author gives another reckoning of the time. For the historian Luke also shortens many things and gathers together many periods. But it seems to me that Barnabas was from the first a friend to him, a man of such fair and exceedingly kind character; therefore also he was called son of consolation by name; therefore he became approachable to the man. [CHRYSOSTOM]

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. This is that Barnabas, a Cypriot by race, a Levite, who is said above to have brought the price of his field and laid it at the feet of the apostles.

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and narrated to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, etc. When these things were done, and to which apostles Barnabas brought Paul, Paul himself shows, writing to the Galatians: But when it pleased Him who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, and so forth, until he says: Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother (Galatians 1). Therefore what Luke subsequently says: And he was with them entering and departing out of Jerusalem, it is credible that this was acted during the fifteen days which he asserts himself to have stayed with Peter and James. And as for what follows, he himself in the Epistle says: Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia (Galatians 1), and how this happened Luke thus subsequently insinuates saying:

That Barnabas was a gentle and condescending man is evident both from this and from what was done by him after this. Perhaps he had known Paul even before, being his friend. To which apostles did he bring Paul? Perhaps to Peter and James, of whom Paul himself also speaks in the Epistle to the Galatians, saying that he knew them. Pay attention to Paul: he does not go to the apostles, as a man who thinks humbly of himself, but goes to the disciples, as if he too were only a disciple. But Barnabas leads him to the apostles as well and tells of what boldness Paul had.

Saul, bent on the destruction of the Christians, obtains letters from the high priest, authorizing him to seize those whom he should find at Damascus, and bring them bound to Jerusalem, Act 9:1, Act 9:2. On his way to Damascus, he has a Divine vision, is convinced of his sin and folly, is struck blind, and remains three days without sight, and neither eats nor drinks, Act 9:3-9. Ananias, a disciple, is commanded in a vision to go and speak to Saul, and restore his sight, Act 9:10-16. Ananias goes and lays his hands on him, and he receives his sight, and is baptized, Act 9:17-19. Saul, having spent a few days with the Christians at Damascus, goes to the synagogues, proclaims Christ, and confounds the Jews, Act 9:20-22. The Jews lay wait to kill him, but the disciples let him down over the walls of the city in a basket, by night, and he escapes to Jerusalem, Act 9:23-25. Having wished to associate with the disciples there, they avoid him; but Barnabas takes and brings him to the apostles, and declares his conversion, Act 9:26, Act 9:27. He continues in Jerusalem preaching Christ, and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, who endeavor to slay him; but the disciples take him to Caesarea, and send him thence to his own city Tarsus, Act 9:28-30. About this time, the Churches, being freed from persecution, are edified and multiplied, Act 9:31. Peter heals Eneas at Lydda, who had been afflicted with the palsy eight years: in consequence of which miracle, all the people of Lydda and Saron are converted, Act 9:32-35. Account of the sickness and death of a Christian woman named Tabitha, who dwelt at Joppa; and her miraculous restoration to life by the ministry of Peter, Act 9:36-41. Gracious effects produced among the inhabitants of Lydda by this miracle, Act 9:42, Act 9:43.

Barnabas - brought him to the apostles - That is, to Peter and James; for others of the apostles he saw none, Gal 1:19. It appears that he went up at this time to Jerusalem merely to see Peter, with whom he abode fifteen days, Gal 1:18. How it came that the apostles and Church at Jerusalem had not heard of Saul's conversion, which had taken place three years before, is not easy to be accounted for. The following considerations may help; 1. It is certain that intelligence did not travel speedily in those primitive times; there were few open roads, and no regular posts, except those between military stations. 2. Though there were many Jews in Damascus, and several Christians, yet the city was heathen, and under a heathen king, with whom the Jews at Jerusalem could have little commerce. 3. Though Herod had married the daughter of Aretas, yet, as he had put her away, there were great animosities between the two courts, which at last broke out into an open war; this must have prevented all social and commercial intercourse. 4. The Christians were at that time greatly persecuted by the Jews, and therefore the few that dwelt at Damascus could have little connection, if any, with their brethren at Jerusalem. 5. It might be the interest of the Jews at Jerusalem, supposing they had heard of it, to keep the fact of Saul's conversion as quiet as possible, that the Christian cause might not gain credit by it. 6. They might have heard of his conversion; but either did not fully credit what they had heard, or were not satisfied that the person who now presented himself was the man; for it is not likely that all the Christians at Jerusalem had been personally acquainted with Saul.

CONVERSION OF SAUL, AND BEGINNINGS OF HIS MINISTRY. (Acts 9:1-25) Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, &c.--The emphatic "yet" is intended to note the remarkable fact, that up to this moment his blind persecuting rage against the disciples of the Lord burned as fiercely as ever. (In the teeth of this, NEANDER and OLSHAUSEN picture him deeply impressed with Stephen's joyful faith, remembering passages of the Old Testament confirmatory of the Messiahship of Jesus, and experiencing such a violent struggle as would inwardly prepare the way for the designs of God towards him. Is not dislike, if not unconscious disbelief, of sudden conversion at the bottom of this?) The word "slaughter" here points to cruelties not yet recorded, but the particulars of which are supplied by himself nearly thirty years afterwards: "And I persecuted this way unto the death" (Act 22:4); "and when they were put to death, I gave my voice [vote] against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to [did my utmost to make them] blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange [foreign] cities" (Act 26:10-11). All this was before his present journey.

But Barnabas . . . brought him to the apostles--that is, to Peter and James; for "other of the apostles saw I none," says he fourteen years after (Gal 1:18-19). Probably none of the other apostles were there at the time (Act 4:36). Barnabas being of Cyprus, which was within a few hours' sail of Cilicia, and annexed to it as a Roman province, and Saul and he being Hellenistic Jews and eminent in their respective localities, they may very well have been acquainted with each other before this [HOWSON]. What is here said of Barnabas is in fine consistency with the "goodness" ascribed to him (Act 11:24), and with the name "son of consolation," given him by the apostles (Act 4:36); and after Peter and James were satisfied, the disciples generally would at once receive him. how he had seen the Lord . . . and he--the Lord. had spoken to him--that is, how he had received his commission direct from the Lord Himself.