Acts 9:1

This chapter reveals the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, the mighty persecutor (Acts 9:1-19), Paul's first ministry at Damascus, ending in the Jewish plot to kill him (Acts 9:20-25), his journey to Jerusalem and departure for Tarsus (Acts 9:26-30), a brief summary of the continued prosperity of the church (Acts 9:31), and the account of two miracles by Peter, (a) the healing of Aeneas at Lydda (Acts 9:32-35) and (b) the raising of Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36-43).

There are a number of interlocking patterns in the book of Acts, one of these being seen in Luke's relating one after another various remarkable examples of individual conversions to Christianity, and another being related to the name "Christian," as it came to be the accepted designation of the members of Christ's body. Thus:

<LINES><MONO>

I. The "name bearer" of the sacred name was chosen in Acts 9:15.

II. The Gentiles, in the person of Cornelius and others, were formally welcomed into the church in Acts 10, this being prophetically revealed as prerequisite to the giving of the "new name" (Isaiah 62:2).

III. At the first great Gentile congregation in Antioch, as revealed in Acts 11:26, the disciples were called "Christians".MONO>LINES>

For further study of the name "Christian," see under Acts 11:26.

But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2)

Regarding the chronological placement of this event, "Saul's journey from Jerusalem to Damascus took place not far from that year which saw the death of Tiberius and the accession of Caligula,"[1] that is, in 37 A.D.

We are inclined to be a little surprised at the authority exercised by the Jewish hierarchy in so distant a place as Damascus. Of course, the Sanhedrin "claimed over the Jews in foreign cities the same power, in religious questions, which they exercised at Jerusalem."[2] However, it was the death of Tiberius, leading to a loss of Roman control of Damascus during the reigns of Caligula and Claudia, which made it possible for the arrogant Sanhedrin to pursue their goals with such impunity at that particular time. It is not certainly known just who ruled Damascus during that period, but the eclipse of Roman authority for a time is proved by the fact that no coins with the image of Caligula or Claudius have been discovered there, whereas there have been found many with the image of Augustus or Tiberius who preceded them, and many with the images of emperors who succeeded them, thus leaving a gap, viewed by Wiesler as proof that during those two reigns Rome had no authority in Damascus.[3]

The synagogues ... This indicates a large Jewish population in Damascus. Josephus told how the citizens of Syrian Damascus

Came upon the Jews and cut their throats, as being in a narrow place, in number ten thousand, and all of them unarmed, and this in one hour's time, without anybody to disturb them.[4]

Josephus mentioned the same event later, saying that

The barbarous slaughterers of our people cut the throats of eighteen thousand Jews, with their wives and children.[5]

True to their policy of finding contradictions wherever they can, some have insisted that Josephus "contradicted himself," apparently overlooking the fact that the latter figure includes the "wives and children." The point of these numbers is that the Jewish community in Damascus was very large. These massacres took place during the Jewish wars prior to A.D. 70.

Any that were of the Way ... In Acts, this title of the Christian religion recurs in Acts 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22. This title was explained by Bruce as "a term used by the early Christians to denote their own movement, considered as the way of life or the way of salvation."[6]

Threatenings and slaughter ... Such an expression would hardly have been used if the persecution had resulted in the death of Stephen alone. There were many slain on account of their faith.

[1] E. S. Howson, Life and Letters of St. Paul (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Publisher, 1966), p. 68.

[2] Ibid., p. 67.

[3] Ibid., p. 68.

[4] Flavius Josephus, Antiquities and Wars of the Jews, translated by William Whiston (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston), p. 703.

[5] Ibid., p. 853.

[6] F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Publishers, 1954), p. 194.