why was ananias afraid of helping saul

Present active participle of sunbubazo, old verb to make go together, to coalesce, to knit together. Ananiass vision was intended to direct him to the house of Judas and to Saul. 30And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.p. In the place of Ananias we would fear that it might not work out, and the consequences could be very serious. Nothing is more evident in the account of Sauls conversion than his radical reversal. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him (Daniel 2:22). * [9:26] This visit of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned by Paul in Gal 1:18. to go lay hands on Saul (soon to be known as Paul) and restore his 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. He paid for his education by working for the priests. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. He did not say that God revealed his Son to him, but that He revealed His Son in him. (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) It does not store any personal data. also Isaiah 64:6). When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 60:3). Grace is not only the basis for ones salvation, but also for ones spiritual walk and service: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:6-7). His disciples150 lowered him in a basket, from the window of a room which was in the wall of the city (9:25). Ananias and Saul - June 3, 2022. Who told Saul to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street? 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The Old Testament passages which I have suggested bear to Saul (blind, light) are passages which speak of Israel in their original context. No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the Who does the voice of Vanessa on Phineas and Ferb? * [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. 12And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight., 13Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, (C)how much [a]harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. Saul, why do you persecute me? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. There is no story in Acts more important than Saul/Pauls call, his encounter with the risen Christ. The common characteristics of conversion are those on which I would like to focus in the conversion of Saul. 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. WebThe Conversion of Saul. When one looks at all the references to this event, it was, in fact, a personal appearance of the risen, glorified Jesus to Saul (cf. No, I worked harder than all of themyet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of Gods grace given me through the working of his power. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. 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 (Philippians 3:1-9; cf. At length, in Gods good time, the door opened, and the events of half a lifetime assumed final and complete significance. E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles, (Grand Rapids: Wm. Saul was the bad guy. They are private Christians, living like islands rather than as a part of His body. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. But hidden in its shadows is another inspiring story, and one to which most people in the pew may more easily relate. 1* Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,a went to the high priestb Romans 6). The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. What is meant by the competitive environment? 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 150 It is interesting to ponder the identity of these disciples of Saul. And having escaped from Damascus in a basket, most likely alone, he probably returned to Jerusalem alone, without a witness who could corroborate his claims. 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. Second, the only result of this event shown in the Bible is that Saul received his sight. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. During his conversion A letter delivered at that time by a Roman ambassador to Ptolemy VIII of Egypt concludes with the demand: If any pestilent men have fled to you from their own country {Judaea}, hand them over to Simon the high priest, so that he may punish them according to their law (1 Macc. And they will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 22:5). 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?). 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life (1 Timothy 1:12-16). The church did not shrink or suffer for Sauls arrival, but it grew because of it. So Ananias found Saul at Judas' house, praying for help. This doctrine does not hold that men are as bad as they could be in each area of their life, but that sin has permeated every dimension of a persons life. The first thing we shall do is to make some observations on the passage as a whole to attempt to see the forest before we scrutinize the trees. Instead, he became the first believer to minister to Saul. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 1. Pauls method was consistent with his message. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). 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. This old city is the most enduring in the history of the world (Knowling). If he were viewed as a reactionary, a trouble-maker, perhaps there were some unbelievers who thought Saul was too much trouble. The first evidence of Sauls conversion was his immediate identification with the church in Damascus. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray (Revelation 18:23). Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? Saul took this most seriously, not eating or drinking until after his confession of faith by means of his baptism. Elsewhere in Acts, such as with the apostles, Stephen and Philip, the message of the gospel was underscored by signs and wonders which accompanied the message. God changed him from being a man who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and a persecutor of the Christians into a bold missionary who preached the Gospel wherever he went. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. The voice from heaven did not call out, Have you ever heard of the four spiritual laws?152 Ananias was sent to Saul only. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deuteronomy 28:28-29). Suppose you were a Christian who had just arrived in Damascus, and you had been able to learn the whereabouts of a group of believers. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. One cannot help but wonder if it did not send chills up and down Pauls spine when he cast the spell of blindness on the Jewish false prophet, Bar-Jesus: And when they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He has sovereignly chosen to use people to lead people to salvation, Spirit baptism, deliverance, and healing. This first account occurs when the word is first spread to the Gentiles. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Corinthians 15:8-11). It was as the Son of God that Christ was revealed to him on the Damascus road (Gal. Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. Those whose lives Saul would gladly have taken in his unsaved days now sought to save his life by sending him away. He got up and was baptized, Shortly afterwards, the Lord spoke to a disciple named Ananias, asking him to go to Saul, place his hands on him, and restore his sight. He knew what Saul had done to the church in Jerusalem. Web3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Dont let it trouble youalthough if you can gain your freedom, do so. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. He hears the voice of the Lord crying out to him. Enough revelation for the moment. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. 29He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,* but they tried to kill him. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6-7; cf. If there is one thing of which Saul is now convinced (by what he has so far seen and heard on the road) it is that whoever he is talking to is LORD. also Psalm 50:15; Joel 2:32; Jeremiah 29:12; 33:3-8). Now they were keeping watch on the gates day and night so as to kill him, We know that the salvation of men rests ultimately with God and not with usand not even with the one whom we wish to see saved. The Lord Perhaps so, but I am not as confident of this as I once was. WebAnanias, had he disobeyed Christ, would not have helped Saul on that path in which he, as Paul the apostle, did so much, and suffered so much, for Christ. Ananias was used as Gods instrument in the conversion of Saul, but even he had to be pushed to go to Saul. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and, going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. Luke is emphatic in his representation of mans salvation as having been ordained and orchestrated by God, as a manifestation of His sovereign grace: And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed (Acts 13:48). Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. A vision, in this context, was a supernatural sight from God. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. It is, in the Bible, the radiance of Gods glory. 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). 2 What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? Did Peter and Paul meet? What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16). Who is blind but my servant {Israel}, and deaf like the messenger I send? What happened to Straight Street since then? (6) Little emphasis is placed on Sauls reception of the Holy Spirit, and nothing is said about what happened as Saul received the Spirit. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, He is the Son of God. 21 And all those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests? 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding147 the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ. 5 Why did Ananias and Sapphira lie to God? When I look through the Gospels and the Book of Acts, I never find the gospel presented in the same way to different people. And if this was important for Saul to do, it was equally important for the church to accept him into their fellowship, as an expression of their unity in Christ. He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell from Sauls eyes. 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one.g It lay within the jurisdiction of the Roman province of Syria, and it formed part of the Decapolis, a league of self-governing cities. And Jesus took the persecution of Christians very personally. Copyright 2019-2023 USCCB, please review our Privacy Policy. Saul immediately began to preach about the Son of God in the synagogues. Israel too will just as surely return to God; and when it happens, it will be all of God, all to His glory and praise: 15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Ananias fulfills his task: He laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever, says the Lord. Saul seems to have been the instigator of the persecution of the church, which began at the death of Stephen in Jerusalem and worked outward from there. In other words, Is Sauls conversion typical and illustrative of the conversion of every saint, or is it unique, the exceptional case, which has little correspondence to most converts?. The first words spoken to Saul were, Saul, Saul, Why are you persecuting Me? (Acts 9:4). We shall then seek to identify the characteristics of Sauls conversion which are typical of every conversion. 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). The only question is who is the LORD? 5He said, Who are you, sir? The reply came, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.e (3) Sauls conversion experience was quick and dramatic in one sense, but it also involved a process, a process of at least three days.135. Verse 18 tells us that, "straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight, and he arose and was baptized." Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness (Micah 7:8-9). The election of Saul to salvation was specific and thus, personal. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory (Isaiah 60:19). When he was still very young, Michael was hired out as a shepherd boy. 20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. That Luke would narrate this conversion three times is testimony to the importance he attaches to it. The good news of the gospel is that Christ Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). No, Ananias did not do any of these things so far as the author of Luke-Acts is concerned. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. Saul was not aware, until after our Lords words, that the One who had interrupted his journey was Jesus, and that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah, the LORD, but he was certain, at this point, that whoever this One was, He was the LORD. But the gospel is good news for sinners. For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.. 152 I do not mean to criticize the four laws of Campus Crusade, which have been used of God to bring many to faith in Christ. What a shock these words must have been to Saul, who up to this point, seems to have prided himself for his faithfulness to Judaism! 9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). Web3. Stat two things God told Anaias concerning Saul Briefly describe what happened during Anaias' meeting with Saul. This is very evident in the conversion of Saul. It was time for Saul to ponder what he had seen and heard. Now this would have been a very bitter pill to swallow for many Jewish Christians. Not everyone can be Paul, but we all can and should be Ananias. To establish the congregations identity with Ananias, the preacher might want to begin in the middle of the passage which actually looks back to Acts 8:1-3 (and 9:1). The laying on of Ananias hands was also an expression of unity, as was the later right hand of fellowship extended by some of the apostles to Saul (Galatians 2:9). by the sin of Adam. 00:00. There may well have been a long time between Sauls conversion and his arrival at Jerusalem. One thing was certain; no matter how much time had passed, the apostles were not yet convinced of Sauls conversion. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, (what was bad was that they lied about the amount). The salvation of Saul was to result in the gospel being preached to distant people and lands, and in the extension of the church to many key cities. 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. This text portrays one of the historical landmarks of the church. WebAnswer: > 10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. Here I am, Lord, he replied. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to his death (Philippians 3:7-10). Why did Saint Paul change his The Creator of the universe specifying the name of a street and the house in one of His planets. . 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. \4Q-b24Q-z U`E(O42. As persecution was no longer needed to disperse the church and the gospel, peace was restored to the land. * [9:43] The fact that Peter lodged with a tanner would have been significant to both the Gentile and Jewish Christians, for Judaism considered the tanning occupation unclean. We will also attempt to determine to what degree Sauls conversion was typical and to what degree it was unique. Why were Ananias and Sapphira killed on the spot? With the conversion of Saul, persecution of the church did not stop, for now some of the Hellenistic Jews were opposing his preaching (and no doubt, the church at large as well). We know nothing of Ananias beyond this story in the shadows. He started to KNOW GRACE! In fact, as Saul would later write, he realized that he was chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). There is clearly no attempt to establish some kind of pattern or formula for evangelism here, at least as far as methodology is concerned. This would leave AD 33-46 for the visit to Arabia (Gal. All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Trembling and astonished, he inquired, A light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel (Luke 2:32). Amen. . Proving (sunbibazon). I can believe someone might have prayed that Saul be waylaid, or terminated, in some divine act or providential accident (act of God). At first he found himself in the position of being regarded as an apostate by the Jews and suspect by the Christian community of Jerusalem. 34Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. And when the Galatians began to depart from the true gospel, Paul rebuked them for turning from Him: I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel (Galatians 6). To Paul, his relationship, by faith, to Jesus Christ was also the beginning of his new relationship to the body of Christ, the church: Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christs afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. The result was the restoration of Sauls sight and, it would seem, Sauls reception of the Holy Spirit. It was the most powerful piece of artillery in the Jewish camp that was suddenly turned round upon them. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 123.

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