Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-09-30
SAUL'S CONVERSION.
LESSON !, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NAT OVAL Series, OCT. 2.

iii, 3-Commentary by the Rev. d. NJ.
Stearns.
The text of this lesson is so long, and
the space allotted me is so short, that 1
cannot quote the verses, and must there
fore urge the reader to read the notes with
the Bible open at the place.
/. This verse takes us to chapters vii, IS;
viii, l, 8, and also for Paul's own testimony
as to his former life to chapters xxi, 8, 4;
XVI, oil; and Gal. 1, 10, IA. He thought
that Jesus of Nazareth was an impostor
and deceiver, and that he in this perse-
cution was doing right in the sight Of the
God of Israel.
2. With letters of authority from the
high priest he started for Damascus that
he might arrest and bring as prisoners tc
Jerusalem any whom he might find wor-
Shipping Jesus. Observe in the margin
and in the Revised Version of this verse
that the religion of Jesus is spoken of as
1.-THE Way" See also chapters xiv, 90
and xix, 8, 90, r. V. 1t is the same express
sion that Jesus used in John xiv, 6, II am
the way"
8. The Lord who rules In heaven and
on earth allowed him to come near, but
not into, Damascus with his murderous
intentions. Not even the devil can go one
step beyond Gods permission dan. iv, 35;
Job xxXviii, II; i, 10. 1t was at midday
that this light from heaven, brighter than
the sun, shone upon him (xXvi, 13).
4. He fell to the earth, as did those
Roman soldiers in Gethsemane John xviii,
81. Compare Isa vi, 5; Dan. X, T. 8, 8; Rev.
|, II, and remember that these were holy
men, but Saul was an unsaved man, and
consider what you will do before such
lcrh in, ha
tongue (xxvi, 14). When Saul touched be-
lever in Jesus he touched Jesus Him.
SELF for all believers are members of His
body.
5. What revelation to Saul to hear
from heaven the voice of the man whom
he thought to have been deceiver, to
have been lawfully executed and to have
gone to the place of the lost. So shall Is
rael be surprised some day when they
shall see this same Jesus coming.
g. Jesus being alive and in heaven, Saul
sees in moment by the enlightenment of
the Holy Spirit, that he has been all wrong
In his thoughts of Jesus; he at once &C.
knowledges Him as Lord u Cor. xii, 81,
and meekly asks what he is to do. In
moment he has changed masters and has
become the obedient servant of Jesus
Christ.
T. The men who were with him saw the
light and heard the sound of the voice, but
heard not the words, neither did they see
Jesus. Compare chapter xxi, 9; John xii,
2s, 90; Dan. x, Z. That Saul saw Jesus is
evident from verse II and l Cor. XIV, 8.
8. What Jesus said to Saul as He COM
manded him to rise and stand upon his
feet is fully stated in Paul's testimony be-
fore Agrippa in chapter XVI, 1918. The
glory of the light from heaven so blinded
Saul that he had to be led by the hand into
the city What contrast between the
humble, and for the present helpless dis
ciple and the recent proud blasphemerl
9. Three days blind and fasting, the
world shut out, the body mortified, dying
to self, God dealing with his soul. Some
1t is the period of death preceding resur
rection Gen. xxi, A. xiii, III Jonah ii, IL
Hos. vi, 2; John H. 10; Rev XII, ~.
10. One of Gods chosen ones at Damas-
Gus, willing and obedient one, for see his
prompt reply, is selected to be the Lords
messenger to Saul. Paul testifies that this
Ananias was devout man and had good
report of all the Jews Chapter xxi, 12). His
reply to the Lord s call reminds us of the
boy Samuel and also of the prophet Isaiah
Il Sam. iii, t. g. g. 10 lisa. vi, 8.
II. We have here some light upon the
manner in which Saul passed his three
days of blindness. He gave himself to
prayer; it was season of true penitence
and communion with God, more of it
would be good for every Christian, for I'M
less we are much alone with God we shall
never be much used by God. AS to Paul's
after conduct in this respect, see Gal. l.
| 1919.
10. The Lord regarded Saul's prayers
and graciously gave him a vision of this
same Ananias coming to him and laying
his hand upon him. AS to other visions
which God gave this His servant, see xxi,
II, Is; xvi, 0. We may not expect visions
from God, for we have the completed
word, and faith is more blessed at present
than sight John Xxx, 29)
10, IA. Saul and his doings seem to have
been well known even at Damascus, and
also his present mission and authority. 1t
is probable also that the saints at Damas-
Gus had given themselves to prayer that
God would save them from the power of
Saul, and possibly they had prayed for his
conversion, but like the saints at Jerusa
lem, in chapter xii, II, 10, the answer was
too good to be true. How wondrous is our
lack of confidence in God.
15 The Lord graciously bears with
Ananias in his objections, and repeats His
command to go, adding that Saul is YES
sci of His choice to bear his name before
Jews and Gentiles, great and small. In
Gal. /, Is, 16, Paul tells US that God had
set him apart from his birth to reveal His
Son in him. In Eph. i, we read that the
elect were chosen before the foundation of
the world.
16 Saul is not only chosen to bear the
name of Jesus, but also to suffer for the
sake of that name. The two are insepara-
bly, connected in this present age, for it
is an evil age, and the whole world lieth
in the wicked one gal. i, A. John, v,
10, r. V }. See also John XIV, IS, 10; xvi, 33;
II Tim. ii, ~; iii, IL; but be encouraged by
Rom. viii, 18.
II. Ananias is obedient, searches out
Saul, calls him brother and in the name
Of Jesus lays hands upon him that he may
receive his sight and be filled with the
Spirit. Natural sight is restored to him.
but he has now new sight, spiritual
vision; old things are passed away, all
things are become new.