Saul continues to persecute THE ACTS. the Christian church ried daughters being prophetesses. It is likely that his iti- || imperious duty that any master of a family can be called on nerant mission ended here; though he continued occasionally to perform; and which it is impossible for any man to acto perform the work of an evangelist; and to bring up his complish by substitute. And which none can neglect without family in the knowledge and fear of God, which is the most endangering his own salvation. CHAPTER IX. Saul, bent on the destruction of the Christians, obtains letters from the high-priest, authorizing him to seize those whom he should find at Damascus, and bring them bound to Jerusalem, 1, 2. On his way to Damascus, he has a divine vision, is convinced of his sin and folly, is struck blind, and remains three days without sight, and neither eats nor drinks, 3—9. Ananias a disciple, is commanded in a vision, to go and speak to Saul, and restore his sight, 10-16. Ananias goes and lays his hands on him, and he receives his sight, and is baptized, 17—19. Saul, having spent a few days with the Christians at Damascus, goes to the synagogue, proclaims Christ, and confounds the Jews, 20-22. The Jews lay wait to kill him, but the disciples let him over the walls of the city, in a basket, by night, and he escapes to Jerusalem, 23-25. Having wished to associate with the disciples there, they avoid him; but Barnabas takes and brings him to the apostles, and declares his conversion, 26, 27. He continues in Jerusalem preaching Christ, and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, who endeavour to slay him but the disciples take him to Cæsarea, and send him thence to his own city Tarsus, 28-30. About this time, the churches being freed from persecution, are edified and multiplied, 31. Peter heals Eneas at Lydda, who had been afflicted with the palsy eight years; in consequence of which miracle, all the people of Lydda and Saron are converted, 33-35. Account of the sickness and death of a Christian woman named Tabitha, who dwelt at Joppa; and her miraculous restoration to life by the ministry of Peter, 36-41. Gracious effects produced among the inhabitants of Lydda by this miracle, 42, 43. A. D. cir. 33. An. Olymp. cir. CCIII. 1. 2 And desired of him letters to A. M.cir.4037. Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might b Gr. of the way: So ch. 19. 9, 23. Αλλα πνεοντας δορυ και λογχας και λευκολόφους του φάλειας, Και πηλήκας, και κνημίδας και θυμούς επταβοείους. Ranæ. ver. 1048. They breathed spears, and pikes, and helmets, and crests, and greaves, and the fury of redoubted heroes. The figure is a favourite one with Homer: hence μɛvɛa πYɛ¡OVTES AbaVTES, the Abantes breathing strength.—Il. ii. 536. and how frequently he speaks of his fierce countrymen, as, μενεα πνείοντες Αχαιοι, the Greeks breathing strength, see Il. iii. 8. xi. 508. xxiv. 364. which phrase an old Scholiast interprets, being filled with strength and fury. St. Luke, who was master of the Greek tongue, chose such terms as best expressed, a heart desperately and incessantly bent on accomplishing the destruction of the objects of its resentment. Such, And going to Damascus for this purpose, CHAP. IX. A. D. cir. 33. An. Olymp. cir. CCHI. 1. is met by Jesus Christ on the way. A. M. cir. 4037. bring them bound unto Jerusalem. | shined round about him a light from 4 And he fell to the earth, and A.M.cir. 4037. A. D. cir. 33. cir. ccii.1. Ch. 22. 6. & 28. 12. 1 Cor. 15. 8. b Dan. 8. 17. & 10. 9. at this time, was the heart of Saul of Tarsus; and it had already given full proof of its malignity, not only in the martyrdom of Stephen, but also in making havoc of the church; and in forcibly entering every house, and dragging men and women, whom he suspected of Christianity, and committing them to prison. See chap. viii. 3. Went unto the high-priest] As the high-priest was chief in all matters of an ecclesiastical nature, and the present business was pretendedly religious; he was the proper person to apply to for letters by which this virulent persecutor might be accredited. The letters must necessarily be granted in the name of the whole sanhedrin, of which, Gamaliel, Saul's master was at that time the head; but the high-priest was the proper organ, through whom this business might be negotiated. when they took possession of Syria: but the Turkish emperor Selim having defeated them at the battle of Aleppo in 1516, Damascus was brought under the government of the Turks, and in their hands it still remains. In the time of St. Paul, it was governed by Aretus, whose father Obodas, had been governor of it under Augustus. Damascus is 112 miles south of Antioch; 130 N. N. E. of Jerusalem; and 270 S. S. W. of Diarbek. Longitude 37°. East. Latitude 33°. 45' North. The fruit tree called the Damascene, vulgarly Damazon, and the flower called the Damask rose, were transplanted from Damascus to the gardens of Europe: and the silks and linens, known by the name of Damasks, were probably first manufactured by the inhabitants of this ancient city. derec in Christians. Whether they were men or women] Provided they were Jews; for no converts had as yet been made among the Gentiles: nor did the power of the high-priest and sanhedrin extend to any but those who belonged to the synagogues. Pearce. Any of this way] That is, this religion, for so Verse 2. Letters to Damascus to the synagogues] Da- Hebrew, and os hodos in Hellenistic Greek, are often to be mascus, anciently called porn Damask and pen Darmask, understood. An derec Yehovah, the way of the Lord, was once the metropolis of all Syria. It was situated at 50 implies the whole of the worship due to him, and prescribed miles distance from the sea; from which it is separated by by himself: the way or path in which he wills men to walk, lofty mountains. It is washed by two rivers, Amara or that they may get safely through life; and finally attain everAbara, which ran through it, and Pharpar, called by the lasting felicity. The Jewish writers designate the whole docGreeks Chrysorrhea, the golden stream, which ran on the trine and practice of Christianity by a similar expression, outside of its walls. It is one of the most ancient cities in derec hanotsarim, the way, doctrine, or sect of the the world, for it existed in the time of Abraham: Gen. xiv. 15. and how long before, is not known. The city of Damascus is at present a place of considerable trade, owing to its being the rendezvous for all the pilgrims from the north of Asia, on their road to and from the temple of Mecca. It is surrounded with pretty strong walls, which have nine gates; and is between four and five miles in circumference. It contains about 100,000 inhabitants, some say more, the principal part of whom are Arabs and Turks, with whom, live in a state of considerable degradation, about 15,000 Christians. Damascus, like other places of importance, has passed through the hands of many masters. It was captured and ruined by Tiglath Pileser, who carried away its inhabitants to Kin, beyond the Euphrates, about 740 years before the Christian æra: and thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, chap. xvii. 1—3. and that of Amos, chap. i. 4, 5. It was also taken by Sennacherib, and by the generals of Alexander the Great. Metellus and Lælius seized it, during the war of Pompey with Tigranes; before Christ 65. It continued under the dominion of the Romans, till the Saracens took possession of it in A. D. 634. It was besieged and taken by Teemour lenk, A. D. 1400, who put all the inhabitants to the sword. The Egyptian Mamelukes repaired Damascus In every country where there were Jews and synagogues, the power and authority of the sanhedrin and high-priest were acknowledged: just as papists in all countries, acknowledge the authority of the pope. And as there can be but one pope, and one conclave; so there could be but one high-priest, and one sanhedrin; and this is the reason why the highpriest and sanhedrin at Jerusalem, had authority over all Jews, even in the most distant countries. Verse 3. Suddenly there shined round about him] This might have been an extraordinary flash of the electric fluid, accompanied with thunder; with which, God chose to astonish and confound Saul and his company; but so modified it, as to prevent it from striking them dead. Thunder would naturally follow such a large quantity of this fluid, as appears to have been disengaged at this time; and out of this thunder, or immediately after it, Christ spoke in an awful and distinct voice, which appears to have been understood by Saul only. Saul reproved for the sin A. D. cir. 33. a A. D. cir. 33. cir. CCIII. 1. A. M. cir.4037. heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, || And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom A.M.cir.4037. thou persecutest: it is hard for thee An. Olymp. to kick against the pricks. An. Olymp. Saul, why persecutest thou me? cir. CCIIL 1. 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? Προς κεντρα μη λακτιζε. Verse 4. And he fell to the earth] Being struck down And ESCHYLUS in Agamemnon, ver. 1633. with the lightning: many persons suppose he was on horseback, and painters thus represent him; but this is utterly without foundation. Painters are in almost every case, wretched commentators. Verse 5. Who art thou, Lord?] Tis & Kupis; Who art thou SIR? He had no knowledge who it was that addressed him; and would only use the term Kupiɛ, as any Roman or Greek would, merely as a term of civil respect. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest] "Thy enmity is against me and my religion; and the injuries which thou dost to my followers, I consider as done to myself." The following words making 20 in the original, and 30 in our version, are found in no Greek MS. The words are, It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks: and he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and the Lord said unto him. It is not very easy to account for such a large addition which is not only not found in any Greek MS. yet discovered, but is wanting in the Itala, Erpen's Arabic, the Syriac, Coptic, Sahidic, and most of the Slaconian. It is found in the Vulgate, one of the Arabic, the Ethiopic, and Armenian; and was probably borrowed from chap. xxvi. 14. and some marginal notes. It is wanting also in the Complutentian edition, and in that of Bengel. Grics bach also leaves it out of the text. And again in Prometh. Vinct. ver. 323. Προς κεντρα κωλον εκτενείς, όρων ότι Τραχύς μονάρχος ουδ' υπεύθυνος κρατεί. "Thou stretchest out thy foot against goads, seeing the fierce monarch governs according to his own will." Resistance is of no use, the more thou dost rebel, the more keenly thou shalt suffer. See the Scholiast here. PINDAR has a similar expression, Pyth. ii. ver. 171—5. Φέρειν δ' ελαφρως. Επαυχένιον λαβοντα Ζυγού γ' αφηγεί Ποτι κέντρον δε τοι Λακτιζέμεν, τελέθει Ολισθηρος οιμος. "It is profitable, to bear willingly the assumed yoke. To kick against the goad, is pernicious conduct." where see the Scholiast who shews that "it is ridiculous for a man to fight with fortune: for if the unruly ox, from whom the metaphor is taken, kick against the goad, he shall suffer still more grievously." TERENCE uses the same figure. Phorm. Act I. scen. 2. ver. 27. Venere in mentem mihi istæc: nam inscitia est "These things have come to my recollection, for it is It is hard for thee, &c.] Σκληρον σοι προς κεντρα λακτιa. This is a proverbial expression, which exists not only in substance, but even in so many words, both in the Greek and Latin writers. Kevrov kentron, signifies an ox goad, a piece of pointed iron stuck in the end of a stick; with which the ox is urged on, when drawing the plough. The origin of OVID the proverb seems to have been this: sometimes it happens that a restive or stubborn ox, kicks back against the goad, and thus wounds himself more deeply: hence it has become a proverb to signify the fruitlessness and absurdity of rebelling against lawful authority; and the getting into greater difficulties by endeavouring to avoid trifling sufferings. So the proverb Incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Charybdim. Out of the cauldron, into the fire. "Out of bad, into worse." The saying exists almost in the apostolic form, in the following writers. EURIPIDES, in Bacch. ver. 793. Θυοιμ' αν αυτώ μαλλον, η θυμούμενος Προς κεντρα λακτίζοιμι θνητος ων, Θεω. ❝I, who am a frail mortal, should rather sacrifice to him who is a Gop, than by giving place to anger, kick against the goads." has the same idea in other words, Trist. lib. ii. ver. 15. At nunc (tanta meo comes est insania morbo) Saxa malum refero rursus ad icta pedem. Scilicet et victus repetit gladiator arenam ; Et redit in tumidas naufraga puppis aquas. But madly now I wound myself alone, Dashing my injured foot against the stone; So to the wide arena wild with pain The vanquished gladiator hastes again; So the poor shatter'd bark, the tempest braves, Launching once more into the swelling waves, Intelligent men in all countries, and in all ages of the world, have seen and acknowledged the folly and wickedness of fighting against God; of murmuring at the dispensations of his providence, of being impatient under affliction; and of opposing the purposes of his justice and mercy. The words He is directed to go to Damascus A. M. cir. 4037. A. D. cir. 33. cir. CCIII. 1. 6 And he trembling and astonished be told thee what thou must do. Au. Olymp. said, Lord, what wilt thou have me A. M.cir.4037. A. D. cir. 33. An. Olymp. cir. CCIII, 1. a Luke 3. 10. ch. 2. 37. & 16. 30. Dan. 10. 7. See ch. 22. 9. & 26. 13. contain an universal lesson; and teach us patience under affiction, and subjection to the sovereign will of God: and they especially shew the desperate wickedness of endeavouring by persecution, to hinder the dissemination of the truth of God in the earth. He that kicks against this goad, does it at the risk of his final salvation. The fable of the viper and the file is another illustration of this proverb: it gnawed and licked the file, till it destroyed its teeth, and wasted away its tongue. The maxim in the proverb should be early inculcated on the minds of children and scholars; when chastised for their faults, resistance and stubbornness produce increased coercion and chastisement. And let parents and masters learn that the oft repeated use of the goad and ferula, seldom tend to reclaim, but beget obduracy and desperation. The advice of Columella to the ploughman, having some relation to the proverb in the text, and a strong bearing on this latter part of the subject, is worthy of the most serious regard, "Voce potius quam verberibus terreat; ultimaque sint opus recusantibus remedia, plaga. Nunquam stimulo lacessat juvencum, quod retrectantem calcitrosumque eum reddit: nonnunquam tamen admoneat flagello." COLUMELLA, De Re Rustica, lib. ii. cap. 2. in fine. "Let the husbandman intimidate his oxen more by his voice than by blows, to which he should never have recourse but in extreme cases. A young steer should never be goaded, for this will induce him to kick and run back; but on proper occasions the whip, as an incentive to activity, may be profitably used." In reference to the same subject, which all concerned, should feel to be of the greatest importance, I shall close with the advice of one greater than the Roman agriculturist; Fathers provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged; Coloss. iii. 21. but bring them up (Ev Taideix xxi vouĴscia Kupiov) in the discipline and admonition of the Lord, Eph. vi. 4. using the authority that God has given you, with a steady hand, actuated by a tender and feeling heart. lion becomes a lamb. What wilt thou have me to do? Wilt Verse 7. Stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.] The men were ɛɛ stupified, hearing 5 wvns the voice or thunder, but not distinguishing the words, which were addressed to Saul alone; and which were spoken out of the thunder, or in a small still voice, after the peal had ceased. The remarkable case 1 Kings xix. 11-13. may serve to illustrate that before us. And he said go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord; and the Lord passed by and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord: and after the wind an earthquake : and after the earthquake a fire; and after the fire a still small voice: and when Elijah heard it he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entering in of the cave, and behold there came a voice unto him and said, wHAT DOST THOU HERE, ELIJAH! The thunder must have been heard by all; the small still voice by Saul alone. This consideration amply reconciles the passage in the text with that in chap. xxii. 9. where Paul says, they that were with me, saw the light and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spake with me. They had heard the thunder which followed the escape of the lightning, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to Saul: they did not hear the words, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest, &c. but they saw and heard enough to convince them that the whole was superna Verse 6. Trembling] Under a strong apprehension of tural; for they were all struck down to the earth with the meeting the judgment he deserved. And astonished] At the light, the thunder and the voice. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?] The word Kupte Lord, is here to be understood in its proper sense, as expressing authority and dominion: in the 5th verse it appears to be equivalent to our word Sir. The pride of the pharisee is now brought down to the dust; and the fury of the persecutor is not only restrained, but the splendor of the light, and the sound of the thunder, which I suppose took place on this occasion. It has been a question among divines, whether Jesus Christ did really appear to Saul on this occasion. The arguments against the real appearance, are not strong. St. Luke tells us that those who were with him heard the voice but they saw no man; which is a strong intimation that he saw what they did not. Ananias, it seems, was informed that there had been a real appear ance, for in addressing Saul, ver. 17. he says, The Lord Je- || law, having a good report of all the Jews that dwelt there. sus that APPEARED unto THEE in the way as thou camest, &c. || See on ver. 17. And Barnabas intimates thus much, when he brought him To him said the Lord in a vision] Ev ipapari, in a strong before the apostles at Jerusalem, for he declared unto them impression made upon his mind, which left no doubt conhow he had SEEN the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken || cerning its heavenly origin; nor of the truth of the things reunto him and chap. xxii. 14. where the discourse of Ana-presented by it. It is very probable that the whole took nias is given more at large, he says, The God of our fathers || place in a dream. hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will and SEE that JUST ONE, and shouldst HEAR the voice of his mouth: so we find that hearing the voice, or words of his mouth, was not what is called the appearance; for besides this, there was an actual manifestation of the person of Christ. But St. Paul's own words 1 Cor. ix. 1. put the subject out of dispute: Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? HAVE I NOT SEEN JESUS CHRIST IN THE FLESH? to which may be added, 1 Cor. xv. 8. And last of all, HE WAS SEEN OF ME Also, as of one born out of due time. Verse 8. When his eyes were opened, he saw no man] Instead of oudeva no man, the Codex Alexandrinus, the Syriac, Vulgate, and some others, have ouder nothing. He not only saw no man, but he saw nothing, being quite blind; and therefore was led by the hand to Damascus, μn BλETY, being without sight. Verse 9. Neither did eat nor drink.] The anxiety of his mind and the anguish of his heart were so great that he had no appetite for food; and he continued in total darkness and without food for three days, till Ananias proclaimed salvation to him in the name of the Lord Jesus. Verse 11. Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight] How very particular is this direction! and it was necessary that it should be so, that he might see the whole to be a divine communication: the house was probably one in which Saul was accustomod to reside when at Damascus ; and where he was known as a native of Tarsus. Tarsus was a city of Cilicia, seated on the Cnydus, and now called Tarasso. It was at one period, the capital of all Cilicia; and became a rival to Alexandria and Athens in the arts and sciences. The inhabitants, in the time of Julius Cæsar, having shewn themselves friendly to the Romans, were endowed with all the privileges of Roman citizens: and it was on this account, that St. Paul claimed the rights of a Roman citizen; a circumstance which on different occasions, was to him and the cause in which he was engaged, of conside rable service. Behold, he prayeth] He is earnestly seeking to know my will, and to find the salvation of his soul: therefore, go speedily and direct him. Some have laid needless stress on these words, as if they intimated, that "though Saul as a Pharisee, had often said his prayers, yet he had never prayed Verse 10. A certain disciple-named Ananias] A gene- them till now." This is not correct; he could himself testify, ral opinion has prevailed in the Greek church, that this Ana- that while he was a Pharisee, he had lived in all good connias was one of the 72 disciples, and that he was martyred; || science towards God: and consequently in that time, made and they celebrate this martyrdom on the first of October. many faithful and fervent prayers: but he was praying now for It has been farther stated, that his house was turned into a instruction, and his prayers were speedily answered. church, which remains to the present day, though now occuVerse 12. Hath seen in a vision] While God prepares pied as a Turkish mosque: but even the Mohammedans have|| Ananias by a vision, to go and minister to Saul; he at the same the tradition, and treat his memory with great respect. How-time prepares Saul by another vision, to profit by this ministry. ever this may be; from chap. xxii. 12. we learn what is of more importance, that he was a devout man, according to the Verse 13. Lord, I have heard by many of this man] This was all done in a dream, else this sort of reasoning with his |