why was ananias afraid of helping saul
Say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says. 5 And whether they listen or fail to listenfor they are a rebellious housethey will know that a prophet has been among them. When Ananias placed his hands on Saul he was filled with the Holy Spirit, healed of his blindness, received water baptism, and began to eat and regain his strength. Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. (what was bad was that they lied about the amount). Acts ix. It does not store any personal data. The second evidence of Sauls conversion was in his bold proclamation of his newly found faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. 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. Sauls conversion is a watershed event, catapulting the gospel to the Gentiles and to more distant places. The good news of the gospel is that Christ Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave Jesus was LORD and not a false prophet! It is some 150 miles Northeast from Jerusalem and watered by the river Abana from Anti-Lebanon. 10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 12and [in a vision] he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay [his] hands on him, that he may regain his sight. 3 Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? We will next seek to learn how this description of Sauls conversion fits into and contributes to the development of Lukes argument in Acts. There is a great basis for comfort in the sovereignty of God. 87-89), plays out the two views of Sauls conversion, the first (and seldom held the view of Ramsay), that Saul was suddenly and radically converted; second, that there was a considerable process involved. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photolithoprinted}, 1966), p. 91. 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. 17(K)And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and (L)laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord [c]Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and (M)be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. We will also attempt to determine to what degree Sauls conversion was typical and to what degree it was unique. And look, you blind, that you may see. 20 The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins, declares the Lord. Web3. What do Ananias actions, when asked in the passage to heal Saul, suggest about his feelings toward him? 27Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. To him be honor and might forever. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Saul saw and heard the resurrected Christ. Saul, in my opinion, is portrayed by Luke as the first-fruits of these promises. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinnersof whom I am the worst. Ananias had to overcome his fear so that Saul would be overcome by grace. They, not unlike Ananias, were very reluctant to have anything to do with this Christian killer. In this chapter we have, I. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. (12) The same Saul who played a role in Stephens execution was to become, in large measure, his replacement. I was inclined to think that most of us, experientially, are called to faith in Christ only to gradually learn Gods will for our life, progressively revealed to us as we walk in Him. 31* The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. The church did not shrink or suffer for Sauls arrival, but it grew because of it. Let us suppose further that the church had gathered on this particular evening for a time of prayer, prompted by the news that Saul was soon to arrive, with all the necessary legal machinery (that is, the authorization of the chief priests and the Sanhedrin130) to arrest and extradite131 the saints who were in the city. And the second group, who were waiting for Saul to come and help them deal with the followers of the Way, were about to discover that Saul had joined them, perhaps bringing other members of the opposition along with him. Ananias is not the last believer who has seen fit to keep God up to date (The Storytellers Companion to the Bible: The Acts of the Apostles). Then a voice said to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?, Saul asked the voice, Who are you, sir?, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 1:2; 2 Tim. One is the truth from God Himself, A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Who is blind but my servant {Israel}, and deaf like the messenger I send? 1:4). F. F. Bruce, p. 190. Upon hearing Peters words, Ananias fell to the ground and died. WebThere was no indication in Jesus words that Ananias was going to give Saul the Holy Spirit. That Luke would narrate this conversion three times is testimony to the importance he attaches to it. Nothing is said in our text about any miracles being performed by Saul, as yet. So it would appear. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus’ followers🤨 There were three Ananiases in the Bible. 138 Three times (8:3; 9:2; 22:4) this fact of persecuting women is mentioned as a special blot in Pauls cruelty (the third time by Paul himself) and one of the items in his being chief of sinners (1 Tim. Saul recognized that he was a sinner, and that his righteousness was but dung before God. Christian ministry be reconciled with the wealth and prosperity that (Acts 9:17) and that Saul was to "be filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17). FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 2 Corinthians 4:14; cf. 136 E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Wm. It was just such a miracle which gave Saul his spiritual sight, as he received back his physical sight. Ananias and Saul - June 3, 2022. also 16:17; 18:25-26). There are no exceptions in this all of Romans 3:23, as Paul indicated in these Old Testament words, cited just before: THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE (Romans 3:10b-12). 143 . 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. 145 We may note incidentally the two new descriptions of the Christians used here. Jesus repeated his command, explaining that Saul was his chosen instrument to deliver the gospel to the Gentiles, their kings, and the people of Israel. Ananias and Saul. As he himself understood the heavenly voice which said to him at his baptism, You are my Son (Mark 1:11 par. 135 There are those who describe Saul as a tormented man after the stoning of Stephen. Ananias (/nnas/ AN--NY-s; Ancient Greek: from Hebrew , Hananiah, favoured of the LORD) was a disciple of Jesus at Damascus mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible, which describes how he was sent by Jesus to restore the sight of Saul of Tarsus (who later was called Paul the Apostle) and . When God spoke to Ananias commanding him to go to the house where Saul was staying, he was to receive him as a brother; and he was told that he was called to suffer as Gods chosen vessel to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, kings, and to his fellow-Israelites. Could it be that God had also appointed someone to meet Saul as he entered the city, with specific instructions as to where he was to stay? 16For (I)I will show him how many things he must suffer for My (J)names sake.. His career as a persecutor of Christians seems to have begun with Stephen, but it quickly spread to all of the Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 7:588:3). Then Jesus told them, You are going to have the light just a little while longer. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The Book of Galatians is but one example of this. Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 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. He sent me so that you can by the sin of Adam. AT this season we are called upon to think of foreign missions. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end (Isaiah 60:20). Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? It may well be a call to live transformed lives in the same circumstances in which we were found. His conversion was by far the most vital influence in Pauls life. 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). 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. Q To both Ananias (Acts 9:10) and Saul (Acts 9:12). * [9:29] Hellenists: see note on Acts 6:17. Like Stephen, Saul seemed to gravitate toward preaching to the Hellenistic Jews (9:29). It is not clear whether this official was a representative of the king resident in Damascus to look after the interests of the Arabs there, or whether Damascus at this time was under the control of Nabataea. I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 168. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. See Appendix B for information on Sauls Theology in the Book of Romans. 139 A. T. Robertson writes, It is open to question if kurie should not here be translated Sir as in 16:30 and in Matt. His disciples150 lowered him in a basket, from the window of a room which was in the wall of the city (9:25). 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? It was evidently a term used by the early followers of Jesus to denote their movement as the way of life or the way of salvation. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 181. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1). Saul had been granted permission by the high priest to arrest any man or woman in Damascus who were Christians. Now they were keeping watch on the gates day and night so as to kill him, 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. No doubt God had used Ananias to serve as Sauls first Barnabas. Just as Barnabas would vouch for Saul with the apostles in Jerusalem, so Ananias, a highly respected Jewish Christian, would vouch for Saul here. 3. The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. They wanted to keep Gods blessings to themselves. It was due to the intervention of Barnabas, a man who would prove to be a lifetime friend of Paul, that the apostles risked a meeting with him and then granted him the freedom to associate with the saints in Jerusalem. What is the meaning of Sapphira in the Bible? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. i3&K>Kpg The couple wanted to appear as outstanding church members, but they didnt want to part with their possessions. The life of Paul and his writings are very important parts of the New Testament. 17 Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. He goes for broke. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". His parents allowed visiting priests to minister secretly in their home during the dangers of the French Revolution. 20and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. The towns of Lydda, Sharon, and Joppa were populated by both Jews and Gentiles and their Christian communities may well have been mixed. . And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul (Acts 16:14). . I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 171. How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! He realized that it was nothing which he had donenor ever would dobut only by what Jesus Christ had done that saved him. Furthermore, in Acts 26:10 Paul testifies that he received letters from the chief priests, not just the chief priest alone. Michael Garicoits (1797-1863) was born into a poor, but hardworking and humble family. What happened to Straight Street since then? What is wrong with Ananias response to the Lord? Saul went to other cities where he sought to arrest Christians and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. It lay within the jurisdiction of the Roman province of Syria, and it formed part of the Decapolis, a league of self-governing cities. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The narrative lectionary is a four-year cycle of readings Read more. From the fact that three different accounts of Sauls conversion are recorded in Acts, we know this event had to play a crucial role in the expansion of the church. How can this message of suffering for Jesus' name in . He is trying to inform God of whats going on. Shape us into children who rejoice in knowing and proclaiming you to the world. Sauls baptism followed, accompanied by his profession of faith, his calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). 2 What do we know about Ananias in Acts 9? (8) Saul was saved independently of the apostles. Even if he were not one of these men, he would surely have hated to hear the gospel. also Isaiah 64:6). 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. The first evidence of Sauls conversion was his immediate identification with the church in Damascus. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. The Lord Why do you think the street was named "Straight" Here Saul took the various items in the life of Jesus of Nazareth and found in them the proof that he was in reality the Messiah (ho Christos). 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. WebSaul/Paul was a pretty mean guy who persecuted Christians. With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith (2 Thessalonians 1:11). Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. 1:11, Acts 20:23; 2 Cor. Second, the only result of this event shown in the Bible is that Saul received his sight. The same grace which was shown to Saul in his salvation is shown to all whom God calls to Himself: 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. During the subsequent Roman rule, the He should not become uncircumcised. Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. And because Saul is welcomed into the church, he is sent out by the church. Ancestry, Pharisaic training, Hellenistic education, were fused by it into the character which the Holy Spirit formed and fashioned over the fourteen years of training. Just as Saul had opposed those who believed, so Bar-Jesus opposed the proconsuls conversion. We would readily grant that every conversion which is recorded is unique, to some degree. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? And what a comfort to know that God always finishes what He starts: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). Not knowing what had happened, she, too, lied about the offering and was also struck dead (Acts 5:111). What Paul learned about himself, personally, on the road to Damascus he came to understand and to preach concerning all men. 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast (Galatians 2:8-9). The risen Lord selected Saul out of the group with which he was traveling to hear, to see Him, and to understand His words. WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. Saul was not content to punish some and to drive the rest from the holy city. He did not want to merely contain Christianity or to drive it from Jerusalem; he wanted to rid the earth of Christianity and its followers. 154 What is both interesting and important about this text is that the call of salvation does not necessarily require a change of career. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. In the end, God Himself will provide the illumination so that the sun and the stars will not be needed for this function: The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted (Isaiah 30:26). Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard (Isaiah 58:8). The words of Jesus, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? related by Luke with no variation in all three accounts, exerted a profound and lasting influence on the thought of Paul. This divine illumination is that miracle which God performs within a lost, blinded, dead soul, so as to bring about salvation: 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (5) Sauls salvation was an act of divine grace. You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. He became a priest himself in 1823. What is meant by the competitive environment? The results of Sauls preaching were predictable, very much like the response Saul would have had (or did have) to the preaching of the gospel before his conversion. Second, the gospel should be proclaimed in a way that is personal. 3:7, 8; 1 Tim. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. To put it differently, the account of Sauls conversion in Acts 9 is but the first of three accounts, the other two coming from the lips of Paul himself. We know nothing of Ananias beyond this story in the shadows. There is more space devoted to convincing Ananias than there is to the conversion of Saul. The Creator of the universe specifying the name of a street and the house in one of His planets. The life-changing implications of conversion are expressed in these words of Paul to Titus: 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. He has sovereignly chosen to use people to lead people to salvation, Spirit baptism, deliverance, and healing. I see a man who is confident, aggressive, and zealous, rather than a man troubled by inner doubts. They could hear the voice but they did not see anyone who was speaking. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. This is a miracle, a miracle which is all of God, and all of grace. 1:11--2:10; Philippians 3:1-14; Colossians 1:24-29; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; 6:13-16; 2 Timothy 1:8-12; Titus 2:11-15; 3:1-7. Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. And notice one more detail about the way in which Ananias did this. WebSauls Baptism. * [9:3143] In the context of the period of peace enjoyed by the community through the cessation of Pauls activities against it, Luke introduces two traditions concerning the miraculous power exercised by Peter as he was making a tour of places where the Christian message had already been preached. 136. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it (Revelation 21:23-24). When all is said and done, the miracle which took place on the way to Damascus (and likely in Damascus as well) was that Saul saw Jesus as the Son of God, as the Messiah, and as his Savior and Lord: Am I not free? New King James Version (NKJV). When Saul stood up, he discovered he was completely blind, and the men who were with him had to lead him by his hand until they reached Damascus. Over and over in his epistles, Paul spoke of salvation in terms of radical change. Damascus, a city some 150 miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, was one such city. Sauls conversion was to play a crucial role in the expansion of the gospel. The details of what was said and done when Ananias arrived are fuzzy. Ananiass vision was intended to direct him to the house of Judas and to Saul. Israel was also blind, and Pauls blindness was but a specific example of this blindness: The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. in 1971. 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. * [9:119] This is the first of three accounts of Pauls conversion (with Acts 22:316 and Acts 26:218) with some differences of detail owing to Lukes use of different sources. Blindness, not willing to see, not willing to understand is all too common but Ananias cured Saul blindness by a touch. 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 3 And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who art Thou, Lord?139 And He said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but rise, and enter the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. 7 And the men who traveled with him140 stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one.141 8 And Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.142 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. `}Hq)l2hZ0r89asO70Da`qg 22But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah. 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?). One moment, Saul is inflicting pain and suffering on others who trust in Jesus as the Messiah, the next, he is enduring suffering for the sake of Jesus, the Messiah. Though I have fallen, I will rise. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. . 6 What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? In other words a beginning point for narrating Acts 9:1-19 could be with Ananias knowledge of Saul as a persecutor, which he expresses in verse 13. Christianity was described as putting off the old and putting on the new (Colossians 3). I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. It was surely fear (reverence), among other things, which prompted this. . But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy lifenot because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. Why was Ananias afraid? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? remark on the symmetry with which Luke sets forth the two stories: The simultaneous preparation of the hearts of Ananias and of Saul, and the simultaneous preparation of those of Peter and Cornelius,the questioning and hesitation of Peter and the questioning and hesitation of Ananias,the one doubting whether he might make friendship with the Gentiles, the other doubting whether he might approach the enemy of the Church,the unhesitating obedience of each when the Divine will was made known,the state of mind in which both the Pharisee and the centurion were found,each waiting to see what the Lord would say to them,this close analogy will not be forgotten by those who reverently read the two consecutive chapters.
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