Acts 9:26, commentary and pictures

Saul came to Jerusalem about three years after his conversion, after escaping from Damascus where his life was hunted, and sought to join the disciples as a brother and be received among them, but they were all afraid of him and did not believe he was truly a follower of Jesus. In another place the return is put as shortly after his conversion. They remembered him as a zealous persecutor who had sought to destroy the church and deliver believers to death, and though they had heard rumor of his wonderful change, he had retired into Arabia with no definite news since, so they suspected he was acting a part to deceive and destroy them. Barnabas, who had known him when he opposed the believers, heard his testimony of miraculous conversion, fully believed him, took him by the hand and brought him to the apostles, telling them how Jesus had appeared to him on the way to Damascus and how he had boldly preached in the synagogues there that Jesus is the Son of God. Peter and James, then the only apostles in Jerusalem, could not withstand God and gave the once fierce persecutor the right hand of fellowship, so that he became as beloved among those who had feared him as he had formerly been feared. His change turned the loss of a prominent opponent into gain for the early church, showing that unless the converting power of God comes to souls, Satan will use even zealous, educated men against Christ and His people as he used Saul.

Arrival and Initial Rejection

This belongs to the account of Saul's conversion after he had been traveling to Damascus to search out believers in Jesus and seize them for trial and punishment in Jerusalem. He returned to Jerusalem about three years after his conversion, after his escape from Damascus when his life had been hunted there. In those writings that describe the timing differently, the return is set shortly after his conversion.

He came chiefly to see Peter, with a strong, yearning desire to become acquainted with the apostles, especially Peter as chief of the apostles, and to meet the Galilean fishermen who had lived and prayed and conversed and spoken with Christ on earth. As he entered Jerusalem he regarded the city and the temple with changed views, knowing that God's retributive judgment was hanging over them. When come to Jerusalem he assayed to join himself to the disciples as a brother and to be received as one of their number.

But they were all afraid of him and did not believe that he was a disciple or had truly become a follower of Jesus, and his own brethren were unwilling to receive him. They remembered him as a zealous persecutor who had worked to destroy the church, a proud Pharisee who had persecuted and delivered to death those who believed in Jesus as the Son of God. So his conversion and new allegiance and his conversion and preaching in Damascus were difficult to trust and accept. They suspected he was pretending and acting a part in order to deceive and destroy them.

Although they had heard reports and rumor of his wonderful conversion and great change, he had immediately retired into Arabia and departed to Arabia, and they had heard nothing definite of him since and lacked definite, reliable news confirming his change, so they did not believe the report. His past and the danger surrounding him, and questioning and doubting of his fitness for the work because he had persecuted the church, added to their unwillingness. This rejection grieved and disappointed him.

Vindication and Wider Lesson

Barnabas had given money to sustain the cause of Christ and relieve the poor, and had known Paul when he opposed the believers, yet he renewed acquaintance with him, heard his testimony of miraculous conversion and experience since, and fully believed him. He was the first to honor him with the right hand of fellowship, taking him by the hand, vouching for his conversion and experience, and leading and bringing him to the apostles. All his Christian brethren had questioned and doubted his fitness for the work because he had persecuted the church, but Barnabas was the first to so honor him.

He told them that Jesus had personally appeared and talked with Paul on the way to Damascus, that Paul had recovered sight in answer to the prayers of Ananias, and that Paul had afterward maintained in the synagogues of Damascus that Jesus is the Son of God and had boldly preached in Jesus' name at Damascus. Peter and James were then the only apostles in Jerusalem, and they no longer hesitated because they could not withstand God, but gave the once fierce persecutor the right hand of fellowship and welcomed him into fellowship, so fear and doubt gave way to fellowship. He became as beloved and respected among those who had once feared and avoided him as he had formerly been feared and avoided.

The meeting joined Peter, one of the chosen companions of Christ on earth, with Paul, a Pharisee who since the ascension had met Jesus face to face, talked with him, seen him in vision, and seen the nature of his work in heaven. His change of allegiance meant the former persecutor joined the followers of Jesus and strengthened their cause, so the loss of a prominent opponent became a gain for the early church. After seeking fellowship he preached Jesus and described his conversion, but his testimony about Christ was not received by the Jews, and it enraged the priests and rulers who sought to kill him and put his life in danger. Jesus told him in a vision to leave Jerusalem and go to the Gentiles, though Paul had hoped his former persecutors would be persuaded by his conversion.

The chapter is a lesson to all about conversion and persecution: Saul hunted up souls to be persecuted before he was converted, and unconverted men will still work with all their power against Christ and His people as satanic agencies did when they crucified the Lord Jesus Christ. History is to be repeated, for Lucifer's act to exalt himself will be a power exercised upon just such men to be met in present and future experience, and long experience and education do not help unless they perfect the knowledge of the glory of God to exalt Jehovah and His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. Therefore the converting power of God must come to souls, or Satan will use them as he used Saul.