The Conversion of Saul- Jesus sent Ananias to open his eyes (Acts 9 :10-19) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

The Conversion of Saul- Jesus sent Ananias to open his eyes (Acts 9 :10-19)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce    

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel music

Scriptures reading Acts 9:10-19

 

¹⁰And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. ¹¹And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, ¹²And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. ¹³ Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: ¹⁴And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. ¹⁵ But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel; ¹⁶ For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. ¹⁷ And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. ¹⁸And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. ¹⁹And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Verse 11 The Lord sent Ananias, one member of His Body, to Saul that Saul might be initiated into identification with the Body of Christ. This too must have impressed Saul with the importance of the Body of Christ, helping him to realize that a saved believer needs the members of the Body of Christ.

Verse 12 Or, regain. The blinded Saul’s receiving of signt was his being saved in full. This was exceedingly important to him. It was especially important that his inner eyes were opened to see the things of God concerning His mysteries and His economy.

Verse 14 Indicating that in the early days calling upon the Lord’s name was a sign of the Lord’s followers (1Cor.1:2). This calling must have been audible, so that others could hear, thus it became a sign.

Verse 15 “ for this man is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name” Because of this, Saul had been set apart from his mother’s womb and called by the Lord (Gal.1:15). The Lord is sovereign and able, according to His choosing in eternity, to make the most fierce among His persecutors a vessel, a leading apostle, to carry out His commission in preaching the gospel and taking the way he had opposed and persecuted. Eventually, the opposing Saul became, in his victorious ministry of the gospel, Christ’s vanquished captive in the triumphal procession celebrating Christ’s victory over all His enemies (2 Cor.2:14). The Lord’s perfecting of His chosen vessels in such a way is excellent and glorious.

Verse 17 Saul’s case was a particular one also because, as the most significant persecutor, he had been saved directly by the Lord from heaven while on his way to persecute the believers. Hence, like the Samaritan believers (8:14-17) and the twelve disciples in Ephesus (19:1-7), he needed a member of the Body of Christ to initiate him into identification with the Body of Christ by the laying on of hands. Filled outwardly. According to the principle of salvation in God’s New Testament economy, Saul must have received the Holy Spirit of life essentially at the time of his conversion, prior to Ananias’s coming and laying his hands on him. Before Ananias came, Saul was praying to the Lord (v.11) indicating that he had believed in the Lord and was calling on Him (Rom.10:13-14) like those believers whom he had ravaged and was going to arrest (vv.21,14). But since he had not been saved through any member of the Body of Christ, the Holy Spirit did not fall upon him economically (2:17) until Ananias came as the representative of the Body to identify him with the Body of Christ.

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.