Acts 9:6

6. Trembling and astonished Yet prostrate upon the earth.

What… do? The energetic character of Paul speaks out even in his prostrate condition. “He does not,” says Stier, “wail out, ‘Ah! Lord, what have I done?” It may be a deep repentance that ruminates in sorrow over the past; but it is a more effective repentance that seeks, as far as possible, to undo the past by the most earnest use of the future.

Arise… go… city Saul’s narrative to Agrippa declares that at this point God gave him his commission to the Gentiles (Acts 26:16-18) in rich and rounded terms. In his narrative to the hostile Jerusalemites he declares that Ananias confirmed the commission as by divine authority. The direction to be received from Ananias as to what he must do would include not the great commission of his life, but the immediate things to be done, as baptism, etc.

The sort of interior which Damascus had, its base streets yet luxurious indoor residences, Mr. Tristam well describes:

“In the city we were taken to visit one of the wealthiest houses. After picking our way over heaps of offal, stepping over dead dogs, and kicking aside living ones, through a loathsome dark lane, we turned up a narrow entry and were admitted at a small door. This led into a crypt-like vaulted ante-chamber, through which we passed, and, turning round, found ourselves on a sudden in a marble open court, in the centre of which was a fountain, surrounded by exotic trees. (See our vol. i, pp. 121, 326.) All round the court were rooms, and in the centre of each side an open chamber, or large alcove, up two or three steps, with a little marble fountain playing in front, and silk ottomans, worktables, and easy chairs behind. The roofing of these alcoves and the walls were marvellous in their elaborate workmanship and colouring, the whole one mass of carved and gilded arabesque. The flooring was marble: the walls up to the wainscot marble in elaborate mosaic patterns. Each room had a fountain in its centre, and was furnished with silk ottomans all round, lavishly strewn with brocade and silken cushions. A gallery ran round above in front of the upstairs rooms, which were similarly arranged. Such was probably a Jewish house in the palmy days of the monarchy.”