Acts ix. 19-25.

THE PLOT AGAINST SAUL AT DAMASCUS. 19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were 20 at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the 21 synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them 22 bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt 23 at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill 24 him but their laying await was known of Saul. And they 25 watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

After his baptism, Saul at once began to preach at Damascus with startling effect. He was not allowed, however, to work in peace. He himself had roused his countrymen to hostility against the Christians, and he was caught in his own toils. The storm broke on his own head. A conspiracy to kill him was formed by the Jews, but he managed to escape to Jerusalem. Paul himself briefly tells the story of his flight from Damascus in 2 Cor. xi. 32 : "In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, in order to take me; but through a window was I let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands." The events in this paragraph cover a period of three years. 19. certain days. An indefinite phrase, indicating, however, a brief period of time. Luke seems

rather hazy with regard to Saul's history immediately after his conversion. See n. on ver. 23.

20. he preached Christ. The better MSS. read as follows: "proclaimed Jesus that he is the Son of God." This is more in keeping with history, because "Christ" had not yet become a mere name for "Jesus."

22. Saul increased the more in strength = continued to grow more and more in spiritual power. Saul's stay at Damascus was a time of spiritual development. He came a raw recruit, and it needed time for him to find his bearings and readjust his religious perspective.

proving. The Greek word used here denotes proof by argument and inference. Saul found himself able to meet the intellectual objections which were brought against Christianity-largely, no doubt, because he himself had passed through the same phase of thought.

23. After many days were fulfilled. The general impression which we get from reading this paragraph is that Saul's stay in the North was only a matter of days. When we turn to the Epistle to the Galatians, however, we find that three years elapsed between Saul's conversion and his visit to Jerusalem (Gal. i. 16-18). "Many days" is an elastic phrase, which is capable (especially in its Greek form) of covering a considerable period of time, and as a matter of fact it is actually used in 1 Kings ii. 38, 39 of the exact interval which is required in the present passage, viz., three years. Some part of this time (how much it is impossible to tell) Saul spent in Arabia (see Gal. i. 17), a fact which Luke completely ignores.

24. they watched the gates day and night. We know from 2 Cor. xi. 32 that they had the support of the authorities, who openly abetted the plot.

25. let him down by the wall. Houses were built on the wall, and it was through a window in one of these that Paul was let down. Cf. Josh. ii. 15,

Acts ix. 26-30.

SAUL'S FIRST VISIT TO JERUSALEM. 26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, 27 and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at 28 Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them 29 coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake

boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against 30 the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

After escaping from Damascus, Saul visited Jerusalem for the first time after his conversion. A brief account of this visit is given in Gal. i. 18, 19, from which we gather that Saul saw none of the Apostles except Peter and James the Lord's brother. The most interesting point in this present paragraph is Luke's account of the action of Barnabas, who succeeded in quelling the natural suspicions which prevailed amongst the Christians

about Saul, and secured a welcome for him in the Church.

26. he assayed to join himself to the disciples. Saul had realised the true spirit of Christianity, and knew that "the communion of saints" was one of its essential principles. Hence the first thing that he did upon reaching Jerusalem was to seek out the Christian Brotherhood.

they were all afraid of him. The conversion of Saul-the ringleader in the persecutionseemed absolutely incredible to the Christians at Jerusalem. They had evidently heard very little about what had happened at Damascus, and were naturally suspicious about receiving the man who had been responsible for the martyrdom of Stephen.

27. Barnabas took him. This incident illustrates the wonderful insight possessed by Barnabas, and is quite in keeping with the description of his character which Luke gives in xi. 24.

to the apostles. I.e., to Peter and James; for, according to Paul's own account (Gal. i. 18), these were the only Apostles he saw on this

visit.

28. he was with them going in and out. According to Galatians, the visit to Jerusalem only lasted fifteen days (Gal. i. 18).

29. against the Grecians. I.e., Grecian Jews, or Hellenists. See n. on vi. 1.

30. sent him forth to Tarsus. This is in agreement with Gal. i. 21: "Then I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia." Tarsus was Saul's native city, and he seems to have remained there till he was summoned by Barnabas to the work at Antioch (xi. 25, 26).

Acts ix. 31-43.

PETER'S MIRACLES AT LYDDA AND JOPPA. 31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judæa and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy 32 Ghost, were multiplied. And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the 33 saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Æneas, which had kept his bed eight 34 years, and was sick of the palsy. And Peter said unto him, Æneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole : arise, and 35 make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And all that

dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the 36 Lord. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she 37 did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid 38 her in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he 39 would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which 40 Dorcas made, while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her 42 alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and 43 many believed in the Lord. And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.