Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
On Cyprus during the first missionary journey from Antioch, the prudent deputy Sergius Paulus sought instruction in the truth while Elymas tried to turn him from embracing the faith of Christ. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, declared the hand of the Lord upon the deceiver to blind him for a season, and immediately mist and darkness fell so that he groped for someone to lead him by the hand. The temporary blindness was meant to warn him to repent for closing his eyes to the light of the gospel, while it exposed his deception, stopped his opposition, and proved to all that the apostles worked by the power of God and not by sleight of hand. When he saw what was done, the deputy was astonished at the doctrine of the Lord, convinced it was true, and believed and embraced the gospel of Christ. His conversion mattered because as a man of repute and influence he could serve effectively in God's cause, which Satan had specially tried to prevent by working through Elymas to keep him from the truth, leaving the account as a lesson in upholding truth and no low standard.
Context and Miracle
This took place on the first missionary journey, after the Holy Spirit sent Paul and Barnabas out from Antioch and carried them to Cyprus. The deputy involved was Sergius Paulus, a prudent man of repute and influence, who sought instruction in the truth. While he was seeking, Elymas tried to turn him against the apostles and prevent him from embracing the faith of Christ.
That resistance was part of Satan's effort to hinder the spread of the gospel, for the fallen foe works in a special manner through such opposition to keep persons of influence who could be of great service to the cause from embracing the truth. Paul, in the Spirit and power of the Holy Ghost, rebuked the deceiver and declared that the hand of the Lord was upon him to make him blind, not seeing the sun for a season. Immediately mist and darkness fell on him, so that he groped about and went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand. The blindness was temporary, not permanent, to warn him to repent and seek pardon of God for closing his eyes to the evidences of truth and the light of the gospel. Its infliction exposed Elymas's deception and false claims, stopped his opposition to the doctrine of Christ, and made his subtle arts of none effect. It proved to all beholders that the apostles' miracles were wrought by the power of God and not by sleight of hand.
Belief and Lesson
When he saw what was done to Elymas, the deputy believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. Sergius Paulus was convinced that the teaching of the apostles was true, and he embraced the gospel of Christ and accepted it. The striking of Elymas with temporary blindness exposed his deception and false claims and showed his opposition to be powerless, proving to all beholders that the miracles of the apostles were wrought by the power of God and not by sleight of hand. Paul had, in the Spirit and power of the Holy Ghost, rebuked the deceiver and declared that the hand of the Lord was upon him to make him blind, not seeing the sun for a season, and immediately mist and darkness fell on him so that he groped about and went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
His conversion mattered because he was a prudent man of repute and influence who, having embraced the gospel and been convinced of the truth, could have served effectively in God's cause. The attempt to turn this influential man away from the faith and destroy the apostles' influence over him was part of Satan's effort to hinder the spread of the gospel, for the fallen foe works in a special manner to prevent persons of influence who could be of great service to the cause from embracing the truth. The blindness inflicted was for a season and not permanent, to warn him to repent and seek pardon of God for closing his eyes to the evidences of truth and the light of the gospel, and the confusion of Elymas in being obliged to grope about in blindness made his subtle arts of none effect.
The chapter is to be studied as a lesson in upholding truth. The Lord does not encourage false theories or a low standard.
On Cyprus during the first missionary journey from Antioch, the prudent deputy Sergius Paulus sought instruction in the truth while Elymas tried to turn him from embracing the faith of Christ. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, declared the hand of the Lord upon the deceiver to blind him for a season, and immediately mist and darkness fell so that he groped for someone to lead him by the hand. The temporary blindness was meant to warn him to repent for closing his eyes to the light of the gospel, while it exposed his deception, stopped his opposition, and proved to all that the apostles worked by the power of God and not by sleight of hand. When he saw what was done, the deputy was astonished at the doctrine of the Lord, convinced it was true, and believed and embraced the gospel of Christ. His conversion mattered because as a man of repute and influence he could serve effectively in God's cause, which Satan had specially tried to prevent by working through Elymas to keep him from the truth, leaving the account as a lesson in upholding truth and no low standard.
Context and Miracle
This took place on the first missionary journey, after the Holy Spirit sent Paul and Barnabas out from Antioch and carried them to Cyprus. The deputy involved was Sergius Paulus, a prudent man of repute and influence, who sought instruction in the truth. While he was seeking, Elymas tried to turn him against the apostles and prevent him from embracing the faith of Christ.
That resistance was part of Satan's effort to hinder the spread of the gospel, for the fallen foe works in a special manner through such opposition to keep persons of influence who could be of great service to the cause from embracing the truth. Paul, in the Spirit and power of the Holy Ghost, rebuked the deceiver and declared that the hand of the Lord was upon him to make him blind, not seeing the sun for a season. Immediately mist and darkness fell on him, so that he groped about and went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand. The blindness was temporary, not permanent, to warn him to repent and seek pardon of God for closing his eyes to the evidences of truth and the light of the gospel. Its infliction exposed Elymas's deception and false claims, stopped his opposition to the doctrine of Christ, and made his subtle arts of none effect. It proved to all beholders that the apostles' miracles were wrought by the power of God and not by sleight of hand.
Belief and Lesson
When he saw what was done to Elymas, the deputy believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. Sergius Paulus was convinced that the teaching of the apostles was true, and he embraced the gospel of Christ and accepted it. The striking of Elymas with temporary blindness exposed his deception and false claims and showed his opposition to be powerless, proving to all beholders that the miracles of the apostles were wrought by the power of God and not by sleight of hand. Paul had, in the Spirit and power of the Holy Ghost, rebuked the deceiver and declared that the hand of the Lord was upon him to make him blind, not seeing the sun for a season, and immediately mist and darkness fell on him so that he groped about and went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
His conversion mattered because he was a prudent man of repute and influence who, having embraced the gospel and been convinced of the truth, could have served effectively in God's cause. The attempt to turn this influential man away from the faith and destroy the apostles' influence over him was part of Satan's effort to hinder the spread of the gospel, for the fallen foe works in a special manner to prevent persons of influence who could be of great service to the cause from embracing the truth. The blindness inflicted was for a season and not permanent, to warn him to repent and seek pardon of God for closing his eyes to the evidences of truth and the light of the gospel, and the confusion of Elymas in being obliged to grope about in blindness made his subtle arts of none effect.
The chapter is to be studied as a lesson in upholding truth. The Lord does not encourage false theories or a low standard.