And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
When he had come again to Jerusalem, while he was praying earnestly in the temple he entered a trance. In the trance Jesus the Saviour appeared to him after His ascension, meeting him face to face and speaking with him as a heavenly messenger would speak. He was warned and commanded to make haste and get quickly out of Jerusalem and depart from the city, because its people would not receive his testimony concerning Jesus Christ. Paul hesitated to obey, lingering because he wished to stay and labor longer for his Jewish brethren, feeling it cowardice to flee and wanting to wipe out the stain of his part in Stephen's death by boldly vindicating the truth that cost Stephen his life. Jesus answered more decidedly that he must depart, for He would send him far away to the Gentiles, giving him while he prayed his commission and presenting his broad missionary field before him with remarkable distinctness.
Prayer and Trance in Jerusalem
Paul had come again to Jerusalem, and while he was praying earnestly in the temple he entered a trance. He lingered there after his short first meeting with Peter and James, unwilling to leave and anxious to labor longer for his Jewish brethren and former associates while braving all danger. In that temple setting God spoke to him in a holy vision, with Jesus the Saviour appearing to him and speaking as a heavenly messenger would speak.
The vision was a sight of Jesus after His ascension, meeting him face to face and speaking with him. It gave Paul knowledge of Jesus and showed the nature of His work in heaven. In the trance he was warned and commanded to make haste and get quickly out of Jerusalem and depart from the city, because its people would not receive his testimony concerning Jesus Christ.
He hesitated to obey because he wished to stay and persuade the Jews, feeling it cowardice to flee. He wanted to wipe out the stain of his active part in the martyrdom of Stephen by boldly vindicating the truth that cost Stephen his life, and he was willing even to yield his own life to bring the Jews to the truth. He pleaded that the Jews knew he had imprisoned and beaten believers in every synagogue. When the blood of Stephen was shed he stood by consenting to his death and kept the clothing of those who slew him, and he thought his changed life would convince the obstinate Jews and make his testimony persuasive.
Call to the Gentiles
Jesus answered still more decidedly that Paul must depart, for He would send him far hence to the Gentiles, and the direction given in that temple trance appointed his work among them. The warning to leave Jerusalem because its people would not receive his testimony concerning Jesus was thus joined to a positive sending to a distant field. That sending was not Paul's own choice, for he had wished to labor for his own people, yet he was appointed as a chosen messenger and vessel to bear the truth to the Gentiles. The brethren, when they learned of the vision, recognized him in that character as the chosen vessel for this service.
While he was praying in the temple he received his commission from God, and his broad, extensive missionary field was presented before him with remarkable distinctness. While Peter and James and John were appointed to preach Christ among their own countrymen at home, Paul's wider field was laid open to him. To prepare him for this extensive and important work God drew him into close communion and connection with Himself and opened before his enraptured vision a glimpse of the beauty and glory of heaven.
That temple vision helped prepare him to accept and recognize God's appointment to preach Christ to the Gentiles. Together with his conversion and the success of his work among them, it guided his decision to turn to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected the message. In this way the vision given after his return to Jerusalem became part of the ground for his Gentile ministry.
The vision also revealed God's care over him, and when the brethren learned of it they hastened his secret escape for fear the Jews would assassinate him. His departure caused violent opposition to pause for a time, so that the church had rest and growth. The danger in Jerusalem that drove him out led him to preach in other cities, where opposition followed him.
When he had come again to Jerusalem, while he was praying earnestly in the temple he entered a trance. In the trance Jesus the Saviour appeared to him after His ascension, meeting him face to face and speaking with him as a heavenly messenger would speak. He was warned and commanded to make haste and get quickly out of Jerusalem and depart from the city, because its people would not receive his testimony concerning Jesus Christ. Paul hesitated to obey, lingering because he wished to stay and labor longer for his Jewish brethren, feeling it cowardice to flee and wanting to wipe out the stain of his part in Stephen's death by boldly vindicating the truth that cost Stephen his life. Jesus answered more decidedly that he must depart, for He would send him far away to the Gentiles, giving him while he prayed his commission and presenting his broad missionary field before him with remarkable distinctness.
Prayer and Trance in Jerusalem
Paul had come again to Jerusalem, and while he was praying earnestly in the temple he entered a trance. He lingered there after his short first meeting with Peter and James, unwilling to leave and anxious to labor longer for his Jewish brethren and former associates while braving all danger. In that temple setting God spoke to him in a holy vision, with Jesus the Saviour appearing to him and speaking as a heavenly messenger would speak.
The vision was a sight of Jesus after His ascension, meeting him face to face and speaking with him. It gave Paul knowledge of Jesus and showed the nature of His work in heaven. In the trance he was warned and commanded to make haste and get quickly out of Jerusalem and depart from the city, because its people would not receive his testimony concerning Jesus Christ.
He hesitated to obey because he wished to stay and persuade the Jews, feeling it cowardice to flee. He wanted to wipe out the stain of his active part in the martyrdom of Stephen by boldly vindicating the truth that cost Stephen his life, and he was willing even to yield his own life to bring the Jews to the truth. He pleaded that the Jews knew he had imprisoned and beaten believers in every synagogue. When the blood of Stephen was shed he stood by consenting to his death and kept the clothing of those who slew him, and he thought his changed life would convince the obstinate Jews and make his testimony persuasive.
Call to the Gentiles
Jesus answered still more decidedly that Paul must depart, for He would send him far hence to the Gentiles, and the direction given in that temple trance appointed his work among them. The warning to leave Jerusalem because its people would not receive his testimony concerning Jesus was thus joined to a positive sending to a distant field. That sending was not Paul's own choice, for he had wished to labor for his own people, yet he was appointed as a chosen messenger and vessel to bear the truth to the Gentiles. The brethren, when they learned of the vision, recognized him in that character as the chosen vessel for this service.
While he was praying in the temple he received his commission from God, and his broad, extensive missionary field was presented before him with remarkable distinctness. While Peter and James and John were appointed to preach Christ among their own countrymen at home, Paul's wider field was laid open to him. To prepare him for this extensive and important work God drew him into close communion and connection with Himself and opened before his enraptured vision a glimpse of the beauty and glory of heaven.
That temple vision helped prepare him to accept and recognize God's appointment to preach Christ to the Gentiles. Together with his conversion and the success of his work among them, it guided his decision to turn to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected the message. In this way the vision given after his return to Jerusalem became part of the ground for his Gentile ministry.
The vision also revealed God's care over him, and when the brethren learned of it they hastened his secret escape for fear the Jews would assassinate him. His departure caused violent opposition to pause for a time, so that the church had rest and growth. The danger in Jerusalem that drove him out led him to preach in other cities, where opposition followed him.