And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
On the road to Damascus to seize and destroy believers, a light from heaven brighter than the midday sun shone around Saul, he fell to the earth, and Jesus himself in his own voice called him by name to answer why he persecuted him. To persecute his followers for their faith is to persecute Jesus himself, for Christ is the Head and Representative of his people in heaven, closely united and one with them and suffering in the person of his saints. Saul believed he was serving God with sincere and conscientious zeal, but the encounter exposed his error, that his zeal was not according to knowledge and he was opposing the truth and doing Satan's work. The confrontation stopped his persecuting career and began his conversion, as he repented, trusted Christ as Saviour, was baptized, and Saul the persecutor became Paul the apostle appointed to preach Christ. Although Christ chose him directly as a chosen vessel, he did not then teach him all truth but sent him into the city to learn through his organized church what he must do, and the light could change him only as he yielded his will and obeyed in earnest cooperation with heavenly agencies.
Damascus Road Encounter
Saul was on his way to Damascus to seize the disciples of Jesus, to bind men and women and bring them to Jerusalem for prison and death, when a light from heaven brighter than the midday sun shone round about him, he fell to the earth, and heard Jesus calling him by name asking why he persecuted him. The light and voice stopped him while he was breathing threatenings and slaughter, and his physical sight was at once taken away while his spiritual understanding was opened to see that in attacking the followers of Jesus he was attacking Christ himself.
The one who spoke was Jesus himself in his own voice, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah and Redeemer of Israel and of the world, the crucified, risen and ascended Lord speaking after his ascension, whose revealed glory was more than Saul could endure. He confronted Saul personally and talked with him, identified himself with the believers Saul persecuted, and by that revelation converted him. Saul understood the words and saw the Son of God, while his companions heard a sound but did not understand its message. The glory of the One he had opposed struck him physically blind so that he might gain spiritual sight, leaving a lasting mark of Christ's glory upon his eyes.
Saul was a zealous and powerful Jewish leader, educated by the most learned teachers of the age under Gamaliel, a rabbi and statesman and member of the Sanhedrin, very zealous for the suppression of Christianity. He had consented to Stephen's death and made havoc of the church by entering every house and committing men and women to prison, hunting believers with authority from the high priest. He neared Damascus in proud satisfaction, expecting ostentation and applause for the honor given him and for his zeal and penetration, determined to crown his journey with success and let no difficulty or danger stop him. He meant to question men, women and children about their own faith and the faith of those connected with them, to enter houses with power to seize their inmates, and to carry them as captives to Jerusalem to be condemned and punished without mercy. His attacks for their faith brought suffering and fear to the church, though the signs of God's presence with Stephen had already troubled his conscience.
The voice that felled him reversed his position at once, so that instead of wielding power and receiving honor he became himself virtually a prisoner. Deprived of sight and dependent on the guidance of his companions, he was left blind, helpless and tortured by remorse, feeling himself under sentence of death and not knowing what further disposition the Lord would make of him. The voice that spoke to him then continued to speak to his heart afterward, as he remembered his former persecution with remorse and hoped it would also reach his countrymen. His wonderful conversion was followed by retirement into Arabia, so that the disciples had heard only rumor of his great change with nothing definite and did not credit it, but remembered his former persecutions and suspected him of acting a part to deceive and destroy them when he attempted to join them, causing him great grief and disappointment at their refusal to receive him.
Stephen's martyrdom came before this confrontation, and his faith, courage, steadfastness, radiant and glorified face, and God-given testimony and words remained in Saul's memory, testified to the truth Stephen had proclaimed, and helped bring about his conversion. The confrontation stands at the start of Paul's conversion as Jesus meets him while he is persecuting Christians, and beyond that planned account of Paul's life and work with the apostles there is no further explanation to add. Afterward his eyes were opened to the gospel he had once despised, and he was grateful to preach the truth and continually make new converts to the faith he had once zealously opposed.
Christ One With Believers
To strike at followers of Jesus for their faith is to strike at Jesus himself, for Saul's attack on them was an attack on Christ and harming them strikes directly against him. On the road to Damascus to seize disciples, a light from heaven brighter than the midday sun shone around Saul, he fell to the earth, and heard Jesus calling him by name asking why he persecuted him. The speaker identified Saul's persecution of believers as persecution of himself, showing the close bond between Christ and his people and leading to Saul's conversion and service. Saul was breathing threatenings and slaughter against the disciples, seeking authority to bind men and women and bring them to Jerusalem for prison and death, and the voice stopped his conscientious persecution by revealing that persecuting Christians is persecuting Jesus himself.
Christ is the Head and Representative of his people in heaven, closely united and one with them, afflicted with them and suffering in the person of his saints. He identifies himself with his suffering followers, so that in persecuting the followers of Jesus Saul struck directly against the Lord of heaven. To afflict his brethren on earth is to strike against their Head and Representative in heaven, and Christ suffers in them when they are afflicted.
Falsely accusing and testifying against them is falsely accusing and testifying against the Saviour of the world, and speaking against, wounding, bruising, oppressing or wronging believers by word or deed is counted as done to Christ himself. This includes abusive speech and lawsuits before the world, and words and actions that turn vulnerable souls away, leave them struggling under temptation, or destroy their hope and faith. In those he has purchased Christ is thus pierced, injured, robbed and insulted when they are wounded and bruised.
The same union means kindness shown to a disciple is regarded as done to Christ, even a cup of cold water given because he is a child of God and kindness done for God's sake. Jesus identifies himself with his sincere followers, whose hand reaches over and covers them so that harm aimed at them wounds his covering hand. To injure a believer by word or deed is therefore to wound Jesus himself.
Because he has redeemed them with his own blood and called them by his name, their interests are his own and he is present with those who suffer for truth. He sees every act of injustice with infinite eye, is near to those who suffer for righteousness to deliver from physical harm and to save from the greater evil of failing integrity so they can remain faithful and triumph, and counts cruelty to them as done to himself. Every insult, reproach, false accusation, misrepresentation, falsehood and abuse against his unfaltering servants and instruments of reproof is charged against the guilty as done to Christ in the person of his saints, counted against the doers, and will call persecutors to answer and be punished.
Enmity against God's children is enmity against Christ himself and not merely against men. Those who reject truth and mistreat his saints repeat the treatment Christ received, as the world enraged at him is enraged at those who join their interest with his, and to war against the obedient who follow the Lamb is to be responsible for the death of Christ again in the person of his saints. This is a deadly conflict between Christ and Satan, in which temptations upon God's children work out Satan's wrath against Christ who gave himself as sacrifice and redeemed people by his blood. Satan is full of wrath against Jesus but cannot hurt the Saviour directly, only by conquering and ruining through his devices those for whom Christ died, and when souls are ruined the Saviour is wounded.
Saul's Mistaken Zeal Exposed
Saul fell to the earth when a light brighter than the midday sun shone around him, and he heard Jesus himself asking why he was persecuting him. The question exposed his error and ignorance, for while he believed he was serving God he was opposing Jesus, working against the truth, serving evil and doing Satan's work. The voice revealed that his attack on believers was an attack on Jesus himself, because Christ identifies with his suffering people as their Head and Representative in heaven. Saul understood the words and saw the Son of God, recognizing the speaker as Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah and Redeemer, the crucified, risen and ascended Lord. His companions heard a sound but did not understand its message, while the confrontation began his change from persecutor to preacher of the one he had hated.
Saul was as sincere, conscientious and zealous as possible, breathing threatenings and slaughter and seeking authority to bind men and women for prison and death. Yet his zeal was not according to knowledge nor the inspiration of heaven or of true religion, and his erroneous conscientiousness put him on Satan's side instead of the Lord's side. Sincerity alone therefore does not justify an evil course or make belief safe, and sincere belief that he was doing right did not leave him guiltless once the Spirit brought his cruel actions to his attention. He had persecuted with great zeal while following the dictates of his own conscience, causing saints to be cast into prison and put to death, hailing them before judges and seeking to wipe them from the earth as doing God service. When he saw he was in the wrong path he turned and linked himself with the very people he had thought worthy only of persecution.
He did it ignorantly in unbelief yet obtained mercy, which proves that people in churches who conscientiously serve the Lord according to the best light they have, even while honoring an idol sabbath in error, can be enlightened and saved rather than condemned. He had resisted and worked against the truth in midnight darkness and in ignorance, without having rejected light and evidence, and his soul was precious in the sight of God. Those who now stand in opposition to the truth, even those supposed to have passed the boundary of love and mercy, may like Saul be won to Christ even in the very last work of the controversy. Therefore every soul in darkness needs aid, every man is to be treated as honest, and no word is to be spoken and no deed done that will confirm opposers in unbelief or make light of them.
A man's conscience follows his faith and must be enlightened before he can correctly discern spiritual things. Saul's conscience did not condemn him until the revelation showed him what spirit was moving him, giving him a terrible view of his wicked course in persecuting Christ in the person of his saints. That revelation changed his character and his conscience, and the blindness brought by the Lord's glory taught that it is not safe always to follow the dictates of one's own conscience. Christ has come to lighten every man that comes into the world so men may have a correct faith, and when light is flashed into a soul snared in error he beholds his condition, humbles himself, becomes converted, accepts the truth, and is guided by the Spirit of truth to the best and highest good.
Unconverted, Saul hunted up souls to persecute because Satan was using him, and without the converting power of God in the soul the same will happen now. Unconverted men will work with all their power with satanic agencies, as was done in Christ's day when the only begotten Son of God was crucified, and history is to be repeated. Lucifer's act to exalt himself will give him power over just such men in present and future experience, so great education and experience help nothing unless they perfect the knowledge of the glory of God to exalt Jehovah and his only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
Clear but terrible light broke upon Saul and taught him that Jesus had come to earth in fulfillment of his mission, had been rejected, abused, condemned and crucified by those he came to save, and had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. In that moment he remembered that Stephen had been put to death by his consent and that through his work many worthy saints had met death by cruel persecution. He learned that Jesus, whom in blindness he had counted an imposter who disregarded God's law, is indeed the Redeemer of the world, the Author and Finisher of faith from Adam's day, the vindicator of truth and fulfiller of all prophecies and Old Testament promises about Israel's Redeemer. Christ had been regarded as making of none effect the law of God, but Paul learned that Christ was the originator and foundation of the entire Jewish system of sacrifices, that in his death type met antitype, and that he came for the express purpose of vindicating his Father's law and upholding it. Through the revelation the mission of the Saviour and Paul's own work in turning Jews and Gentiles from darkness and Satan's power to God and in preaching to the Gentiles became plain, and he fully comprehended the difference between a living faith and a dead formalism. After it he still claimed to be one of the children of Abraham and kept the Ten Commandments in letter and in spirit as faithfully as before, while knowing that the typical ceremonies must soon altogether cease because that which they had shadowed forth had come to pass, with the light of the gospel shedding its glory upon the Jewish religion and giving a new significance to its ancient rites. His conversion and changed life convinced many that Jesus is the Son of God.
Conversion and New Mission
The voice on the Damascus road stopped Saul's persecuting career and began his conversion, for as he journeyed to seize the disciples a light from heaven shone around him, he fell to the earth, and Jesus confronted him with persecuting Himself in His followers, showing how closely Christ is bound to His people. Stricken down by a glory more than he could endure, he beheld the countenance of the risen Lord and heard Christ calling him by name, and by that revelation he was converted from stubborn unbelief to sincere, fervent faith in Jesus as the world's Redeemer. The vision of Jesus whom he had hated first filled him with terror and then became consolation, as transforming mercy made him a new man, convicted of sin and guilt under heavenly agencies and the light of the law that showed him a sinner where he thought he kept it zealously. He repented, died to sin, forsook his evil ways, trusted Christ as Saviour, professed faith, was baptized and preached Jesus, so that Saul the persecutor became Paul the apostle, united with the disciples and among the chief of the apostles.
The encounter with the crucified and glorified Christ changed the whole course of his life, turning him from a persecutor who despised Jesus into a disciple and learner and then into a penitent believer called to be Christ's apostle. Conquered by Christ, he became His willing servant to carry the knowledge of Christ to others, living for Christ and using every blessing to help others as a devoted and effective worker. Thereafter love for the Lord he had persecuted in His people came before all else, and exalting the cross became the defining purpose and motive of his words and actions in lifelong faithfulness.
Through that revelation the mission of the Saviour and Paul's own work became plain to his mind, preparing and appointing him to recognize his duty and preach Christ to the Gentiles. He was sent to help Jews and Gentiles turn from darkness and Satan's power to God to receive forgiveness and share the inheritance of the sanctified, turning to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected the message. He came fully to comprehend the difference between a living faith and a dead formalism, ending his pride in Pharisaical strictness. He still claimed to be a child of Abraham and kept the Ten Commandments in letter and in spirit as faithfully as before, while knowing that the typical ceremonies, rites and sacrifices that had shadowed forth Christ's death must soon altogether cease because what they foreshadowed had come to pass, with gospel glory giving new significance to the ancient Jewish religion.
Jesus personally appeared to him and talked with him face to face after the ascension, giving him a wonderful personal experience and beginning his experience of seeing Jesus and learning of His work in heaven. That face-to-face meeting established him as an apostle chosen by God and not by men with a plain work among the Gentiles, and it is why Peter and James, then the only apostles in Jerusalem, gave the once fierce persecutor the right hand of fellowship so that he was as beloved and respected as he had been feared and avoided. He was sent to advocate in the synagogues the cause Stephen died to vindicate, with evidences from prophecy that the crucified Jesus is the Son of God, testifying that he had seen and spoken with Christ as truly as the disciples had. The heavenly light that blinded his eyes left a lasting mark of Christ's glory upon his eyes as a bodily reminder, and in solitude in Arabia apart from the apostles Jesus communed with him, established him in faith, and gave wisdom, grace and assurance of sustaining grace until he knew his deep repentance was accepted, his great sin pardoned, and Christ would be with him in ministry. That assurance stayed with him through all his after life, producing living, abiding faith as he cultivated Christ's presence in all his works, received strength in prayer, and obeyed as a faithful soldier ever looking to his Captain for orders, so that no obstacles made the work seem impossible.
Though very strict and zealous in religion as a Pharisee, he was not a Christian until Christ revealed Himself and talked with him, showing him that he was persecuting his Master in the person of the saints. That meeting converted him, and he became one of the sect he had despised and hated. From then Christ was ever supreme to him, the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely, and for love of Christ he received the same cruel treatment he had once cooperated in giving.
His change from determined enemy of the gospel marked by hatred and contempt to devoted minister shows that beneath even crime and degradation grace can rescue a soul and make it shine as a jewel in the Redeemer's crown. It shows that even a persecutor's heart can be open to divine impressions. It teaches that even the worst guilt is forgiven upon repentance like Saul's, so that even those who taunted Christ on the cross and abused Him in the judgment hall would have been forgiven had they repented as he did. His conversion became a pattern seen again in Farel's turn from violent opposition and bondage to religious tradition and zealous service to its forms to the liberty of God's children, accepting salvation by grace and giving his heart to Jesus. It displays the same mercy that saves the thief on the cross, receives denying Peter, and honors Mary Magdalene as first witness of the resurrection, whose blood cleanses from all sin so that the sinner who casts himself naked and helpless upon it stands complete in Christ with his robe washed clean instead of patched with filthy rags of his own righteousness.
Taught Through the Church
Although Jesus himself stopped Saul on the Damascus road and brought him directly into his own presence, he did not then teach him all the truth he must learn. Saul had been chosen as a chosen vessel for a most important work, yet when he asked what he should do he was not told that work at once but was directed to go into the city and learn what he must do. He was thus placed in connection with the organized and acknowledged church, to be told what to do and to receive instruction and further help through that appointed channel. This shows Christ using his organized church as the channel of light and salvation, with Christ himself as the source of revelation and conviction while the disciples help the penitent learn the truth. Saul's learning and public standing did not remove his need to receive Christian teaching in this way, even though he had been acting under blind error and prejudice.
Saul had to confess his wrongdoing and unite with the very disciples he had persecuted, becoming a learner of those disciples rather than receiving all instruction directly from Jesus. His blessings were to reach him through ordained agencies and the people appointed to serve the church. His sincere belief that he was doing right did not leave him guiltless once the Spirit impressed upon him the knowledge of his cruel work in persecuting the saints. Through that confrontation he learned that Jesus, whom in blindness he had counted an impostor, is indeed the Author and foundation of all the religion of God's chosen people from Adam's day and the Finisher of the faith, the vindicator of the truth and the fulfiller of all prophecies. He learned that Christ, whom he had regarded as making of none effect the law of God, was the originator and foundation of the entire Jewish system of sacrifices, that in Christ's death type met antitype, and that Christ came for the express purpose of vindicating his Father's law.
This condemns the idea that a person is responsible to Christ alone for light and experience independent of Christ's body. It establishes the principle that the Redeemer does not sanction religious experience independent of his church.
Under the Holy Spirit's conviction and the light of the law Saul saw himself a sinner where he had thought he was keeping the law zealously, and found he had transgressed its claims. His thoughts, words, and actions stood condemned by the law, and the thought of his zeal in persecuting God's people filled him with abhorrence of himself and bitter remorse. The glory of the One he had blasphemed struck him physically blind so that he might gain spiritual sight, and in the days and nights of his blindness he had time for reflection and no longer saw himself righteous but sinful. He humbled himself and sought pardon through the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour, recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah and seeing how prejudice and unbelief had blinded him. Hopeless and helpless, he cast himself on Jesus as the only one who could pardon him and clothe him with righteousness, and after a hard struggle gave up his supposed righteousness as a proud Pharisee who thought himself justified by good works to become a humble suppliant for mercy. He died to sin and became obedient to the claims of God's law, repenting of his sins, trusting Christ as Saviour, being baptized, and preaching Jesus as earnestly as he once condemned him, with his former confidence in hereditary piety, ceremonial forms, and deeds of the law disconnected from faith in Christ put away.
Cooperating With Light
The sudden flashing of light from heaven around Saul and the voice asking why he was persecuting Christ awakened him and called for his cooperation, yet that light and conviction by themselves could not break the bewitching power of falsehood and the spell of the world's deception or turn him to obedience. Saving light shines in vain unless the sinner or backslider inclines the heart to do God's will, yields the will to God, accepts the light, acknowledges what is known to be righteousness and truth, takes up God's service, obeys the direction given, and arouses the energies of the will in earnest, willing cooperation with the heavenly ministrations appointed for the saving of the soul. Saul had to respond to the light by following the directions he was given, and the obedient actions that followed showed the nature of his resolve. Even a thousandfold more light and conviction piled upon evidence would accomplish nothing without that resolving and decided acting, for God will not do for man what man must do for himself.
To kick against the pricks is to resist the gospel to one's own injury and suffering, and the opposer's own heart will sooner or later condemn him for his wrong opposition shaped by error. Paul's conversion, begun when he was stopped while persecuting Christians by a voice and a great light from heaven, is to be looked at and traced out through his whole life alongside studying the life of Jesus Christ and the shame of His crucifixion as a criminal. That revelation of Christ at his conversion exalted Paul above every other apostle, yet he labored with his hands as a tentmaker, proving manual labor is not degrading and is not inconsistent with true greatness and elevation of human and Christian character. The impression made on him as a former persecutor never lost its force on his mind but remained with him, shaping his understanding of Christian character and humanity's duty and obligation to God and enabling him to give a correct representation of the Christian life and character, even though the special revelation given him and the many things seen and heard in later visions that were not lawful to utter were seldom dwelt upon when he spoke to the people.
Saul in his bitter prejudice against Christ was shut behind strong iron walls of opposition as hard as any minister will meet, yet God could work mightily to break down that prejudice and bring him into working order. Those who labor for people so shut in must not get in the way or be discouraged by difficulties and fierce opposition, but hide in God, be humble and teachable and softened by His Spirit, and endure hardness as good soldiers. They are to labor with melting love and pity and tenderness, cling to Jesus Christ who endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself, and be ready to be counseled by more experienced brethren.
Comfort and Warning Today
The question to Saul proves that all heaven is interested in the believing church, for the Commander of heaven Himself was watching the suffering being brought upon His church and acted to arrest the bold persecutor on his Damascus road of imprisonment and death. It proves there is an observer in heaven watching all that is done on earth, and that Christ still lives and works today with the same power He showed with the apostles, opening ways before those who put their trust in Him. He identifies Himself with His faithful people so that persecuting them is persecuting Him, because their interests are His and He suffers in the person of His saints.
He is near to those who suffer for righteousness, able not only to deliver them from physical harm but to save them from the greater evil of failing to keep their integrity, so that by divine grace they can remain faithful in every circumstance and triumph. Injury done to His unfaltering servants through misrepresentation, falsehood and abuse is regarded as injury done to Himself, wounding Him and wounding the hand of the Lord, and He ever takes the part of all made to suffer unjustly and spreads His hand over them as a buckler. When a servant of God is treated unjustly he should therefore direct attention away from personal injury and show how the wrong wounds Christ, which can lead to humility and repentance. To cherish suspicion and jealousy against those whom the Lord loves is exceedingly sinful, and abusive speech against gospel ministers speaks against Christ in the person of His saints.
God keeps His infinite eye upon those servants, counts the wrong against the doers as against Himself, and though He may long bear with human perversity and delay punishment He remembers wrongs and will punish them, for His hand bears the sword of justice. His people under the bitterest persecution from false teachers who will not hear the Word of God and who prepare stumbling blocks for hearers are not to fear, for Satan cannot go beyond his limit and the Lord will be their defense. When the last decision has been made and all have taken sides either for Christ and the commandments or for the great apostate, God will arise in His power and the mouths of those who have blasphemed against Him will be forever stopped.
Opposition to Christ's faithful servants and to their correction is opposition to Christ Himself and warring against Christ, not merely against the human servant, for Paul's denunciation of those who rejected his correction and hindered his work came by the Spirit of God and not from personal resentment. To be arrayed against the message God sends through His humble instrument is to be arrayed against Christ, so that injury spoken or done to the servant bearing God's message is injury done to Christ Himself and confession and reconciliation must be made straight between the soul and God. Saul learned to his humiliation that while he thought he was doing God service he was persecuting Christ Himself and using his power against the truth, and the self-revelation of the Saviour filled him with abhorrence of himself and his work. The glory of the One he had blasphemed struck him physically blind so that he might gain spiritual sight, and in the days and nights of his blindness he had time for reflection, no longer seeing himself righteous but sinful, with his thoughts, words and actions condemned by the law and his zeal in persecuting God's people filling him with bitter remorse.
Hopeless and helpless he cast himself on Jesus as the only one who could pardon him and clothe him with righteousness, and after a hard struggle gave up his supposed righteousness as a proud Pharisee who thought himself justified by good works to become a humble suppliant for mercy. This warns workers in God's cause who like Saul despise the messages God sends for the salvation of His people and use their capabilities to make His work of none effect that they need the same repentance and forgiveness to be saved. Paul's thorough conversion is what fitted him for God's work, and self-confident young men who take truths brought out by other minds and meet opponents with sharp speeches need that same thorough conversion to become living representatives of the truth with greater spiritual life and simplicity, receiving words from God to give to the people and arrest attention. Men who with all their powers war against the law of God and break that holy law have carnal minds at enmity with God, not subject to the law of God, and they cannot be made subject to it unless, like Paul, they are thoroughly converted.
On the road to Damascus to seize and destroy believers, a light from heaven brighter than the midday sun shone around Saul, he fell to the earth, and Jesus himself in his own voice called him by name to answer why he persecuted him. To persecute his followers for their faith is to persecute Jesus himself, for Christ is the Head and Representative of his people in heaven, closely united and one with them and suffering in the person of his saints. Saul believed he was serving God with sincere and conscientious zeal, but the encounter exposed his error, that his zeal was not according to knowledge and he was opposing the truth and doing Satan's work. The confrontation stopped his persecuting career and began his conversion, as he repented, trusted Christ as Saviour, was baptized, and Saul the persecutor became Paul the apostle appointed to preach Christ. Although Christ chose him directly as a chosen vessel, he did not then teach him all truth but sent him into the city to learn through his organized church what he must do, and the light could change him only as he yielded his will and obeyed in earnest cooperation with heavenly agencies.
Damascus Road Encounter
Saul was on his way to Damascus to seize the disciples of Jesus, to bind men and women and bring them to Jerusalem for prison and death, when a light from heaven brighter than the midday sun shone round about him, he fell to the earth, and heard Jesus calling him by name asking why he persecuted him. The light and voice stopped him while he was breathing threatenings and slaughter, and his physical sight was at once taken away while his spiritual understanding was opened to see that in attacking the followers of Jesus he was attacking Christ himself.
The one who spoke was Jesus himself in his own voice, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah and Redeemer of Israel and of the world, the crucified, risen and ascended Lord speaking after his ascension, whose revealed glory was more than Saul could endure. He confronted Saul personally and talked with him, identified himself with the believers Saul persecuted, and by that revelation converted him. Saul understood the words and saw the Son of God, while his companions heard a sound but did not understand its message. The glory of the One he had opposed struck him physically blind so that he might gain spiritual sight, leaving a lasting mark of Christ's glory upon his eyes.
Saul was a zealous and powerful Jewish leader, educated by the most learned teachers of the age under Gamaliel, a rabbi and statesman and member of the Sanhedrin, very zealous for the suppression of Christianity. He had consented to Stephen's death and made havoc of the church by entering every house and committing men and women to prison, hunting believers with authority from the high priest. He neared Damascus in proud satisfaction, expecting ostentation and applause for the honor given him and for his zeal and penetration, determined to crown his journey with success and let no difficulty or danger stop him. He meant to question men, women and children about their own faith and the faith of those connected with them, to enter houses with power to seize their inmates, and to carry them as captives to Jerusalem to be condemned and punished without mercy. His attacks for their faith brought suffering and fear to the church, though the signs of God's presence with Stephen had already troubled his conscience.
The voice that felled him reversed his position at once, so that instead of wielding power and receiving honor he became himself virtually a prisoner. Deprived of sight and dependent on the guidance of his companions, he was left blind, helpless and tortured by remorse, feeling himself under sentence of death and not knowing what further disposition the Lord would make of him. The voice that spoke to him then continued to speak to his heart afterward, as he remembered his former persecution with remorse and hoped it would also reach his countrymen. His wonderful conversion was followed by retirement into Arabia, so that the disciples had heard only rumor of his great change with nothing definite and did not credit it, but remembered his former persecutions and suspected him of acting a part to deceive and destroy them when he attempted to join them, causing him great grief and disappointment at their refusal to receive him.
Stephen's martyrdom came before this confrontation, and his faith, courage, steadfastness, radiant and glorified face, and God-given testimony and words remained in Saul's memory, testified to the truth Stephen had proclaimed, and helped bring about his conversion. The confrontation stands at the start of Paul's conversion as Jesus meets him while he is persecuting Christians, and beyond that planned account of Paul's life and work with the apostles there is no further explanation to add. Afterward his eyes were opened to the gospel he had once despised, and he was grateful to preach the truth and continually make new converts to the faith he had once zealously opposed.
Christ One With Believers
To strike at followers of Jesus for their faith is to strike at Jesus himself, for Saul's attack on them was an attack on Christ and harming them strikes directly against him. On the road to Damascus to seize disciples, a light from heaven brighter than the midday sun shone around Saul, he fell to the earth, and heard Jesus calling him by name asking why he persecuted him. The speaker identified Saul's persecution of believers as persecution of himself, showing the close bond between Christ and his people and leading to Saul's conversion and service. Saul was breathing threatenings and slaughter against the disciples, seeking authority to bind men and women and bring them to Jerusalem for prison and death, and the voice stopped his conscientious persecution by revealing that persecuting Christians is persecuting Jesus himself.
Christ is the Head and Representative of his people in heaven, closely united and one with them, afflicted with them and suffering in the person of his saints. He identifies himself with his suffering followers, so that in persecuting the followers of Jesus Saul struck directly against the Lord of heaven. To afflict his brethren on earth is to strike against their Head and Representative in heaven, and Christ suffers in them when they are afflicted.
Falsely accusing and testifying against them is falsely accusing and testifying against the Saviour of the world, and speaking against, wounding, bruising, oppressing or wronging believers by word or deed is counted as done to Christ himself. This includes abusive speech and lawsuits before the world, and words and actions that turn vulnerable souls away, leave them struggling under temptation, or destroy their hope and faith. In those he has purchased Christ is thus pierced, injured, robbed and insulted when they are wounded and bruised.
The same union means kindness shown to a disciple is regarded as done to Christ, even a cup of cold water given because he is a child of God and kindness done for God's sake. Jesus identifies himself with his sincere followers, whose hand reaches over and covers them so that harm aimed at them wounds his covering hand. To injure a believer by word or deed is therefore to wound Jesus himself.
Because he has redeemed them with his own blood and called them by his name, their interests are his own and he is present with those who suffer for truth. He sees every act of injustice with infinite eye, is near to those who suffer for righteousness to deliver from physical harm and to save from the greater evil of failing integrity so they can remain faithful and triumph, and counts cruelty to them as done to himself. Every insult, reproach, false accusation, misrepresentation, falsehood and abuse against his unfaltering servants and instruments of reproof is charged against the guilty as done to Christ in the person of his saints, counted against the doers, and will call persecutors to answer and be punished.
Enmity against God's children is enmity against Christ himself and not merely against men. Those who reject truth and mistreat his saints repeat the treatment Christ received, as the world enraged at him is enraged at those who join their interest with his, and to war against the obedient who follow the Lamb is to be responsible for the death of Christ again in the person of his saints. This is a deadly conflict between Christ and Satan, in which temptations upon God's children work out Satan's wrath against Christ who gave himself as sacrifice and redeemed people by his blood. Satan is full of wrath against Jesus but cannot hurt the Saviour directly, only by conquering and ruining through his devices those for whom Christ died, and when souls are ruined the Saviour is wounded.
Saul's Mistaken Zeal Exposed
Saul fell to the earth when a light brighter than the midday sun shone around him, and he heard Jesus himself asking why he was persecuting him. The question exposed his error and ignorance, for while he believed he was serving God he was opposing Jesus, working against the truth, serving evil and doing Satan's work. The voice revealed that his attack on believers was an attack on Jesus himself, because Christ identifies with his suffering people as their Head and Representative in heaven. Saul understood the words and saw the Son of God, recognizing the speaker as Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah and Redeemer, the crucified, risen and ascended Lord. His companions heard a sound but did not understand its message, while the confrontation began his change from persecutor to preacher of the one he had hated.
Saul was as sincere, conscientious and zealous as possible, breathing threatenings and slaughter and seeking authority to bind men and women for prison and death. Yet his zeal was not according to knowledge nor the inspiration of heaven or of true religion, and his erroneous conscientiousness put him on Satan's side instead of the Lord's side. Sincerity alone therefore does not justify an evil course or make belief safe, and sincere belief that he was doing right did not leave him guiltless once the Spirit brought his cruel actions to his attention. He had persecuted with great zeal while following the dictates of his own conscience, causing saints to be cast into prison and put to death, hailing them before judges and seeking to wipe them from the earth as doing God service. When he saw he was in the wrong path he turned and linked himself with the very people he had thought worthy only of persecution.
He did it ignorantly in unbelief yet obtained mercy, which proves that people in churches who conscientiously serve the Lord according to the best light they have, even while honoring an idol sabbath in error, can be enlightened and saved rather than condemned. He had resisted and worked against the truth in midnight darkness and in ignorance, without having rejected light and evidence, and his soul was precious in the sight of God. Those who now stand in opposition to the truth, even those supposed to have passed the boundary of love and mercy, may like Saul be won to Christ even in the very last work of the controversy. Therefore every soul in darkness needs aid, every man is to be treated as honest, and no word is to be spoken and no deed done that will confirm opposers in unbelief or make light of them.
A man's conscience follows his faith and must be enlightened before he can correctly discern spiritual things. Saul's conscience did not condemn him until the revelation showed him what spirit was moving him, giving him a terrible view of his wicked course in persecuting Christ in the person of his saints. That revelation changed his character and his conscience, and the blindness brought by the Lord's glory taught that it is not safe always to follow the dictates of one's own conscience. Christ has come to lighten every man that comes into the world so men may have a correct faith, and when light is flashed into a soul snared in error he beholds his condition, humbles himself, becomes converted, accepts the truth, and is guided by the Spirit of truth to the best and highest good.
Unconverted, Saul hunted up souls to persecute because Satan was using him, and without the converting power of God in the soul the same will happen now. Unconverted men will work with all their power with satanic agencies, as was done in Christ's day when the only begotten Son of God was crucified, and history is to be repeated. Lucifer's act to exalt himself will give him power over just such men in present and future experience, so great education and experience help nothing unless they perfect the knowledge of the glory of God to exalt Jehovah and his only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
Clear but terrible light broke upon Saul and taught him that Jesus had come to earth in fulfillment of his mission, had been rejected, abused, condemned and crucified by those he came to save, and had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. In that moment he remembered that Stephen had been put to death by his consent and that through his work many worthy saints had met death by cruel persecution. He learned that Jesus, whom in blindness he had counted an imposter who disregarded God's law, is indeed the Redeemer of the world, the Author and Finisher of faith from Adam's day, the vindicator of truth and fulfiller of all prophecies and Old Testament promises about Israel's Redeemer. Christ had been regarded as making of none effect the law of God, but Paul learned that Christ was the originator and foundation of the entire Jewish system of sacrifices, that in his death type met antitype, and that he came for the express purpose of vindicating his Father's law and upholding it. Through the revelation the mission of the Saviour and Paul's own work in turning Jews and Gentiles from darkness and Satan's power to God and in preaching to the Gentiles became plain, and he fully comprehended the difference between a living faith and a dead formalism. After it he still claimed to be one of the children of Abraham and kept the Ten Commandments in letter and in spirit as faithfully as before, while knowing that the typical ceremonies must soon altogether cease because that which they had shadowed forth had come to pass, with the light of the gospel shedding its glory upon the Jewish religion and giving a new significance to its ancient rites. His conversion and changed life convinced many that Jesus is the Son of God.
Conversion and New Mission
The voice on the Damascus road stopped Saul's persecuting career and began his conversion, for as he journeyed to seize the disciples a light from heaven shone around him, he fell to the earth, and Jesus confronted him with persecuting Himself in His followers, showing how closely Christ is bound to His people. Stricken down by a glory more than he could endure, he beheld the countenance of the risen Lord and heard Christ calling him by name, and by that revelation he was converted from stubborn unbelief to sincere, fervent faith in Jesus as the world's Redeemer. The vision of Jesus whom he had hated first filled him with terror and then became consolation, as transforming mercy made him a new man, convicted of sin and guilt under heavenly agencies and the light of the law that showed him a sinner where he thought he kept it zealously. He repented, died to sin, forsook his evil ways, trusted Christ as Saviour, professed faith, was baptized and preached Jesus, so that Saul the persecutor became Paul the apostle, united with the disciples and among the chief of the apostles.
The encounter with the crucified and glorified Christ changed the whole course of his life, turning him from a persecutor who despised Jesus into a disciple and learner and then into a penitent believer called to be Christ's apostle. Conquered by Christ, he became His willing servant to carry the knowledge of Christ to others, living for Christ and using every blessing to help others as a devoted and effective worker. Thereafter love for the Lord he had persecuted in His people came before all else, and exalting the cross became the defining purpose and motive of his words and actions in lifelong faithfulness.
Through that revelation the mission of the Saviour and Paul's own work became plain to his mind, preparing and appointing him to recognize his duty and preach Christ to the Gentiles. He was sent to help Jews and Gentiles turn from darkness and Satan's power to God to receive forgiveness and share the inheritance of the sanctified, turning to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected the message. He came fully to comprehend the difference between a living faith and a dead formalism, ending his pride in Pharisaical strictness. He still claimed to be a child of Abraham and kept the Ten Commandments in letter and in spirit as faithfully as before, while knowing that the typical ceremonies, rites and sacrifices that had shadowed forth Christ's death must soon altogether cease because what they foreshadowed had come to pass, with gospel glory giving new significance to the ancient Jewish religion.
Jesus personally appeared to him and talked with him face to face after the ascension, giving him a wonderful personal experience and beginning his experience of seeing Jesus and learning of His work in heaven. That face-to-face meeting established him as an apostle chosen by God and not by men with a plain work among the Gentiles, and it is why Peter and James, then the only apostles in Jerusalem, gave the once fierce persecutor the right hand of fellowship so that he was as beloved and respected as he had been feared and avoided. He was sent to advocate in the synagogues the cause Stephen died to vindicate, with evidences from prophecy that the crucified Jesus is the Son of God, testifying that he had seen and spoken with Christ as truly as the disciples had. The heavenly light that blinded his eyes left a lasting mark of Christ's glory upon his eyes as a bodily reminder, and in solitude in Arabia apart from the apostles Jesus communed with him, established him in faith, and gave wisdom, grace and assurance of sustaining grace until he knew his deep repentance was accepted, his great sin pardoned, and Christ would be with him in ministry. That assurance stayed with him through all his after life, producing living, abiding faith as he cultivated Christ's presence in all his works, received strength in prayer, and obeyed as a faithful soldier ever looking to his Captain for orders, so that no obstacles made the work seem impossible.
Though very strict and zealous in religion as a Pharisee, he was not a Christian until Christ revealed Himself and talked with him, showing him that he was persecuting his Master in the person of the saints. That meeting converted him, and he became one of the sect he had despised and hated. From then Christ was ever supreme to him, the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely, and for love of Christ he received the same cruel treatment he had once cooperated in giving.
His change from determined enemy of the gospel marked by hatred and contempt to devoted minister shows that beneath even crime and degradation grace can rescue a soul and make it shine as a jewel in the Redeemer's crown. It shows that even a persecutor's heart can be open to divine impressions. It teaches that even the worst guilt is forgiven upon repentance like Saul's, so that even those who taunted Christ on the cross and abused Him in the judgment hall would have been forgiven had they repented as he did. His conversion became a pattern seen again in Farel's turn from violent opposition and bondage to religious tradition and zealous service to its forms to the liberty of God's children, accepting salvation by grace and giving his heart to Jesus. It displays the same mercy that saves the thief on the cross, receives denying Peter, and honors Mary Magdalene as first witness of the resurrection, whose blood cleanses from all sin so that the sinner who casts himself naked and helpless upon it stands complete in Christ with his robe washed clean instead of patched with filthy rags of his own righteousness.
Taught Through the Church
Although Jesus himself stopped Saul on the Damascus road and brought him directly into his own presence, he did not then teach him all the truth he must learn. Saul had been chosen as a chosen vessel for a most important work, yet when he asked what he should do he was not told that work at once but was directed to go into the city and learn what he must do. He was thus placed in connection with the organized and acknowledged church, to be told what to do and to receive instruction and further help through that appointed channel. This shows Christ using his organized church as the channel of light and salvation, with Christ himself as the source of revelation and conviction while the disciples help the penitent learn the truth. Saul's learning and public standing did not remove his need to receive Christian teaching in this way, even though he had been acting under blind error and prejudice.
Saul had to confess his wrongdoing and unite with the very disciples he had persecuted, becoming a learner of those disciples rather than receiving all instruction directly from Jesus. His blessings were to reach him through ordained agencies and the people appointed to serve the church. His sincere belief that he was doing right did not leave him guiltless once the Spirit impressed upon him the knowledge of his cruel work in persecuting the saints. Through that confrontation he learned that Jesus, whom in blindness he had counted an impostor, is indeed the Author and foundation of all the religion of God's chosen people from Adam's day and the Finisher of the faith, the vindicator of the truth and the fulfiller of all prophecies. He learned that Christ, whom he had regarded as making of none effect the law of God, was the originator and foundation of the entire Jewish system of sacrifices, that in Christ's death type met antitype, and that Christ came for the express purpose of vindicating his Father's law.
This condemns the idea that a person is responsible to Christ alone for light and experience independent of Christ's body. It establishes the principle that the Redeemer does not sanction religious experience independent of his church.
Under the Holy Spirit's conviction and the light of the law Saul saw himself a sinner where he had thought he was keeping the law zealously, and found he had transgressed its claims. His thoughts, words, and actions stood condemned by the law, and the thought of his zeal in persecuting God's people filled him with abhorrence of himself and bitter remorse. The glory of the One he had blasphemed struck him physically blind so that he might gain spiritual sight, and in the days and nights of his blindness he had time for reflection and no longer saw himself righteous but sinful. He humbled himself and sought pardon through the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour, recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah and seeing how prejudice and unbelief had blinded him. Hopeless and helpless, he cast himself on Jesus as the only one who could pardon him and clothe him with righteousness, and after a hard struggle gave up his supposed righteousness as a proud Pharisee who thought himself justified by good works to become a humble suppliant for mercy. He died to sin and became obedient to the claims of God's law, repenting of his sins, trusting Christ as Saviour, being baptized, and preaching Jesus as earnestly as he once condemned him, with his former confidence in hereditary piety, ceremonial forms, and deeds of the law disconnected from faith in Christ put away.
Cooperating With Light
The sudden flashing of light from heaven around Saul and the voice asking why he was persecuting Christ awakened him and called for his cooperation, yet that light and conviction by themselves could not break the bewitching power of falsehood and the spell of the world's deception or turn him to obedience. Saving light shines in vain unless the sinner or backslider inclines the heart to do God's will, yields the will to God, accepts the light, acknowledges what is known to be righteousness and truth, takes up God's service, obeys the direction given, and arouses the energies of the will in earnest, willing cooperation with the heavenly ministrations appointed for the saving of the soul. Saul had to respond to the light by following the directions he was given, and the obedient actions that followed showed the nature of his resolve. Even a thousandfold more light and conviction piled upon evidence would accomplish nothing without that resolving and decided acting, for God will not do for man what man must do for himself.
To kick against the pricks is to resist the gospel to one's own injury and suffering, and the opposer's own heart will sooner or later condemn him for his wrong opposition shaped by error. Paul's conversion, begun when he was stopped while persecuting Christians by a voice and a great light from heaven, is to be looked at and traced out through his whole life alongside studying the life of Jesus Christ and the shame of His crucifixion as a criminal. That revelation of Christ at his conversion exalted Paul above every other apostle, yet he labored with his hands as a tentmaker, proving manual labor is not degrading and is not inconsistent with true greatness and elevation of human and Christian character. The impression made on him as a former persecutor never lost its force on his mind but remained with him, shaping his understanding of Christian character and humanity's duty and obligation to God and enabling him to give a correct representation of the Christian life and character, even though the special revelation given him and the many things seen and heard in later visions that were not lawful to utter were seldom dwelt upon when he spoke to the people.
Saul in his bitter prejudice against Christ was shut behind strong iron walls of opposition as hard as any minister will meet, yet God could work mightily to break down that prejudice and bring him into working order. Those who labor for people so shut in must not get in the way or be discouraged by difficulties and fierce opposition, but hide in God, be humble and teachable and softened by His Spirit, and endure hardness as good soldiers. They are to labor with melting love and pity and tenderness, cling to Jesus Christ who endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself, and be ready to be counseled by more experienced brethren.
Comfort and Warning Today
The question to Saul proves that all heaven is interested in the believing church, for the Commander of heaven Himself was watching the suffering being brought upon His church and acted to arrest the bold persecutor on his Damascus road of imprisonment and death. It proves there is an observer in heaven watching all that is done on earth, and that Christ still lives and works today with the same power He showed with the apostles, opening ways before those who put their trust in Him. He identifies Himself with His faithful people so that persecuting them is persecuting Him, because their interests are His and He suffers in the person of His saints.
He is near to those who suffer for righteousness, able not only to deliver them from physical harm but to save them from the greater evil of failing to keep their integrity, so that by divine grace they can remain faithful in every circumstance and triumph. Injury done to His unfaltering servants through misrepresentation, falsehood and abuse is regarded as injury done to Himself, wounding Him and wounding the hand of the Lord, and He ever takes the part of all made to suffer unjustly and spreads His hand over them as a buckler. When a servant of God is treated unjustly he should therefore direct attention away from personal injury and show how the wrong wounds Christ, which can lead to humility and repentance. To cherish suspicion and jealousy against those whom the Lord loves is exceedingly sinful, and abusive speech against gospel ministers speaks against Christ in the person of His saints.
God keeps His infinite eye upon those servants, counts the wrong against the doers as against Himself, and though He may long bear with human perversity and delay punishment He remembers wrongs and will punish them, for His hand bears the sword of justice. His people under the bitterest persecution from false teachers who will not hear the Word of God and who prepare stumbling blocks for hearers are not to fear, for Satan cannot go beyond his limit and the Lord will be their defense. When the last decision has been made and all have taken sides either for Christ and the commandments or for the great apostate, God will arise in His power and the mouths of those who have blasphemed against Him will be forever stopped.
Opposition to Christ's faithful servants and to their correction is opposition to Christ Himself and warring against Christ, not merely against the human servant, for Paul's denunciation of those who rejected his correction and hindered his work came by the Spirit of God and not from personal resentment. To be arrayed against the message God sends through His humble instrument is to be arrayed against Christ, so that injury spoken or done to the servant bearing God's message is injury done to Christ Himself and confession and reconciliation must be made straight between the soul and God. Saul learned to his humiliation that while he thought he was doing God service he was persecuting Christ Himself and using his power against the truth, and the self-revelation of the Saviour filled him with abhorrence of himself and his work. The glory of the One he had blasphemed struck him physically blind so that he might gain spiritual sight, and in the days and nights of his blindness he had time for reflection, no longer seeing himself righteous but sinful, with his thoughts, words and actions condemned by the law and his zeal in persecuting God's people filling him with bitter remorse.
Hopeless and helpless he cast himself on Jesus as the only one who could pardon him and clothe him with righteousness, and after a hard struggle gave up his supposed righteousness as a proud Pharisee who thought himself justified by good works to become a humble suppliant for mercy. This warns workers in God's cause who like Saul despise the messages God sends for the salvation of His people and use their capabilities to make His work of none effect that they need the same repentance and forgiveness to be saved. Paul's thorough conversion is what fitted him for God's work, and self-confident young men who take truths brought out by other minds and meet opponents with sharp speeches need that same thorough conversion to become living representatives of the truth with greater spiritual life and simplicity, receiving words from God to give to the people and arrest attention. Men who with all their powers war against the law of God and break that holy law have carnal minds at enmity with God, not subject to the law of God, and they cannot be made subject to it unless, like Paul, they are thoroughly converted.