why was ananias afraid of helping saul

He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. At first he found himself in the position of being regarded as an apostate by the Jews and suspect by the Christian community of Jerusalem. Those who think themselves worthy of Gods blessings (as many Jews did in that day) are those who are in trouble. Pauls opposition resulted in the scattering of the Christians from Jerusalem, thus taking the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and beyond (Acts 8:1; 11:19-21). * [9:3143] In the context of the period of peace enjoyed by the community through the cessation of Pauls activities against it, Luke introduces two traditions concerning the miraculous power exercised by Peter as he was making a tour of places where the Christian message had already been preached. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:3-6). also 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2). 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. Upon hearing Peters words, Ananias fell to the ground and died. At length, in Gods good time, the door opened, and the events of half a lifetime assumed final and complete significance. E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles, (Grand Rapids: Wm. I believe that as Luke portrays Saul in Acts, it is as a prototype, a picture of Israel. We honor him on May 14. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 60:3). 1:11--2:10; Philippians 3:1-14; Colossians 1:24-29; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; 6:13-16; 2 Timothy 1:8-12; Titus 2:11-15; 3:1-7. * [9:8] He could see nothing: a temporary blindness (Acts 9:18) symbolizing the religious blindness of Saul as persecutor (cf. Ananias who was Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! It is evident in the way he was saved. remark on the symmetry with which Luke sets forth the two stories: The simultaneous preparation of the hearts of Ananias and of Saul, and the simultaneous preparation of those of Peter and Cornelius,the questioning and hesitation of Peter and the questioning and hesitation of Ananias,the one doubting whether he might make friendship with the Gentiles, the other doubting whether he might approach the enemy of the Church,the unhesitating obedience of each when the Divine will was made known,the state of mind in which both the Pharisee and the centurion were found,each waiting to see what the Lord would say to them,this close analogy will not be forgotten by those who reverently read the two consecutive chapters. Ananias would have lost a human beings greatest privilege, of being an agent of the Lord (like an angel of the Lord). Shortly afterwards, the Lord spoke to a disciple named Ananias, asking him to go to Saul, place his hands on him, and restore his sight. 26o When he arrived in Jerusalem* he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. Saul proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God (9:20), a designation understood to refer to Israels awaited Messiah.149. He spoke of salvation as dying to the old manner of living and as rising from the dead in order to live an entirely new life (Romans 6). Why do you think the street was named "Straight" also 16:17; 18:25-26). Their attempt to deceive the apostles was an attempt to deceive God putting the Spirit of the Lord to the test (v. 9) and they paid the price! Damascus, a city some 150 miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, was one such city. It was almost as though Saul had looked intently into the beam of an intensely powerful carbon-act light, the kind used as search lights. 1:11, Acts 20:23; 2 Cor. It was his preaching that resulted in the conversion of many Gentiles, and it was his writing (his epistles) to these saints which greatly strengthened them in their faith. Questions: Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? 2 Corinthians 4:14; cf. Web17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me He knew what Saul had done to the church in Jerusalem. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18). Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? Furthermore, in Acts 26:10 Paul testifies that he received letters from the chief priests, not just the chief priest alone. The account records their sudden deaths after lying to the Holy Spirit about money. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The message which Saul received was not only a call to salvation, but a divine call to ministry. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. There is clearly no attempt to establish some kind of pattern or formula for evangelism here, at least as far as methodology is concerned. You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you. How humorous it seems to hear Ananias informing the Lord that Saul was an enemy, one who had caused many Christians great suffering and adversity, as though He was unaware of this! It is not clear His name was Ananias (not to be confused with the husband of The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. He sent me so that you can Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world (John 1:4-5, 7-9). But these laws, which seek to summarize the gospel in a concise way, should always be applied individually. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to his death (Philippians 3:7-10). In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. What is meant by the competitive environment? 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. All of these should be expected and can be rather easily explained. 12and [in a vision] he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay [his] hands on him, that he may regain his sight. He also warned those who would corrupt grace, to make it a pretext for sin (cf. And so, Saul asked the LORD who He was. WebAnanias was afraid of Saul. Did they think their task would be a simple one? That is all we know about Ananias - the small but essential part he played at the start of Paul's pilgrimage of faith. This light would thus have been very bright indeed. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 13But Ananias replied, Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones* in Jerusalem.k It is difficult to estimate the amount of resistance Ananias would have had to this divine instruction to receive Saul as a brother in the Lord. Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was * She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. 11The Lord said to him, Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. And what a comfort to know that God always finishes what He starts: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). Who told Saul to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street? The Old Testament passages which I have suggested bear to Saul (blind, light) are passages which speak of Israel in their original context. (1) Sauls salvation was the salvation of a sinner. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). What a shock Sauls conversion must have been to both groups! Ananias found Saul and said to him, Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit. As soon as Ananias spoke, Saul could see again. 24n but their plot became known to Saul. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 132 The impact of Sauls conversion on his message and his ministry is testified to by A. T. Robertson: Luke evidently attached great importance to the story of Sauls conversion as the turning point not simply in the career of the man, but an epoch in the history of apostolic Christianity. This doctrine does not hold that men are as bad as they could be in each area of their life, but that sin has permeated every dimension of a persons life. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow-citizens with the saints, and are of Gods household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22). Did they send for Saul? The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. 1:29, 30, NKJV, Abide Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version. And they will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 22:5). In the process, Saul was to greatly extend the outreach of the gospel to the Gentiles. The words which Ananias spoke to Saul indicate he was also to lay hands on him so that he would receive the Holy Spirit (9:17). The approach the Lord took was one of dealing with Saul in the light of his sin, of his salvation, and of his ministry. He paid for his education by working for the priests. The two messages cannot be reconciled. Note Pauls summary of the gospel at the end of Galatians 2: I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20). 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Everyone is born in sin, and every part of their being is affected by sin (intellect, emotions, and will). How old was Jesus when he was crucified? Do not let anyone despise you (Titus 2:11-15). Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. For it was the Fathers good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him (Colossians 1:13-19). Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. . He spoke of it as the movement from darkness to light (Colossians 1:12-13; Ephesians 4:8-14) in which the new believer should now walk. There is no more appropriate conclusion to our message than the words of the apostle Paul, which immediately follow those above, and which aptly express the response of the Christian to the wisdom, the grace, and the sovereignty of the God who has saved us, and who works all things together for His glory and for the good of His chosen ones: Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! But Elymas the magician (for thus his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. When Saul looked at the disciples of The Way (Jesus disciples) all he saw was a heretical sect that was a threat to the nation of Israel and Gods Law. Hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church. Elsewhere in Acts, such as with the apostles, Stephen and Philip, the message of the gospel was underscored by signs and wonders which accompanied the message. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;* so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.h This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. Paul recognized that his ministry was that of bringing the light to those who were lost, including the Gentiles, kings, and his fellow-Israelites: For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:47). Thus, whenever he spoke of his conversion and his call to ministry, he always spoke of this incident as an act of divine grace, of Gods unmerited favor, of an act of mercy toward him: I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:15-16). Thus, he did not use the method of many others, which was man-centered, not Christ-centered: For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void. 10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, here am I, Lord. 11 And the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight. 13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Thy saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy name.145 15 But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My names sake.. I am not at all sure how this can be determined from the text. Saul is welcomed into the church. Ancestry, Pharisaic training, Hellenistic education, were fused by it into the character which the Holy Spirit formed and fashioned over the fourteen years of training. . 3. And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he WebThe last time they saw Saul, he was arresting and killing Christians. When I saw it, I fell face down, and I heard the voice of one speaking. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. It is the invitation for sinful Israelites to be saved, by repenting and calling on the name of the Lord for salvation: Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. The conversion of Saul is important in another way. Pauls hatred for Christ and His followers was common knowledge. 20and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 30And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.p. In Peters words, Ananias and Sapphira agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord(v9), which appears to be a terrible sin in the eyes of God, so terrible that it even warranted having the couple killed on the spot, without even being given the chance to confess and repent. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. His career as a persecutor of Christians seems to have begun with Stephen, but it quickly spread to all of the Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 7:588:3). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. A( ) Ananias is obscure. Or did they somewhat dread his arrival, knowing how zealous he was in his opposition to the church. The conversion of Saul is a very crucial event in this book, which spells out from a historical point of view (Romans, from a theological viewpoint) the relationship of Jews and Gentiles in the plans and purposes of God. i3&K>Kpg Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. He is trying to inform God of whats going on. The baptism of Saul was his testimony to the change which had taken place. One is the truth from God Himself, The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. Even then he knew he wanted to live the life of a religious. When he was still very young, Michael was hired out as a shepherd boy. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith (Philippians 3:1-9; cf. I. Howard Marshall summarizes the problem in these words: Nevertheless, we obtain a different impression of things from Galatians 1:16-24, according to which (1) Paul did not confer with men after his conversion nor go to the apostles in Jerusalem, but (2) departed to Arabia and then returned to Damascus; then (3) three years later he went to Jerusalem for a visit lasting a fortnight during which he saw only Peter and James, and at this time he was unknown by sight to the churches of Judea; thereafter (4) he went to Syria and Cilicia. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). The voice from heaven did not call out, Have you ever heard of the four spiritual laws?152 Ananias was sent to Saul only. (4) Sauls salvation was miraculous. Saul had been granted permission by the high priest to arrest any man or woman in Damascus who were Christians. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photolithoprinted}, 1966), p. 91. But hidden in its shadows is another inspiring story, and one to which most people in the pew may more easily relate. When Saul was confronted on the road to Damascus, he saw the risen, glorified Lord. Q Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit because it was the Holy Spirit who dwelt in the apostles, giving them their power and authority. Who does the voice of Vanessa on Phineas and Ferb? For the time being, God is using the disobedience of Israel to accomplish His purposes, but there is surely a time coming when Israel will be restored to the Lord, by faith in Christ. Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. I see a man who is confident, aggressive, and zealous, rather than a man troubled by inner doubts. 138 Three times (8:3; 9:2; 22:4) this fact of persecuting women is mentioned as a special blot in Pauls cruelty (the third time by Paul himself) and one of the items in his being chief of sinners (1 Tim. called for him to be slapped. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. Saul was knocked to the ground and confronted with the reality that hed been working against God rather than helping God. in expanding, as well as justifying, their earthly wealth and power. They too rebelled against God and forsook His word and persecuted His prophets. 2:7; 2 Tim. 139 A. T. Robertson writes, It is open to question if kurie should not here be translated Sir as in 16:30 and in Matt. 39So Peter got up and went with them. Some were amazed, taking note of the dramatic turn-about in Sauls faith and practice (9:21). 23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. The casting of this spell on this false prophet could therefore have been an act of kindness, as Gods blinding of Saul had been, intended to cease his opposition and perhaps even to bring about his conversion. Did Peter and Paul meet? For Paul, the method of proclaiming the gospel must be consistent with the message itself, and so it was. It is here that Paul took the leadership and became the dominant or leading individual, instead of Barnabas. The message of the gospel, to be sure, is always the same, but the approach is not. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? . In this chapter we have, I. It is the very word that Luke will use in 16:10 of the conclusion reached at Troas concerning the vision of Paul. How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? The splendid deliberateness with which God forged His human tool is the great lesson of these years. 1:19; Rom. When we look at Pauls great love and compassion for the saints, we have to remind ourselves of the hate he once had toward them. The importance of Sauls conversion can hardly be overestimated. One moment, Saul was persecuting the church; shortly thereafter he was seeking to fellowship with the saints. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent (Psalm 104:2). In peace, as in persecution, the church was comforted and continued to increase. He should not become uncircumcised. It is, in the Bible, the radiance of Gods glory. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight (Acts 9:10-12). This is very evident in the conversion of Saul. What is wrong with Ananias response to the Lord? WebAnanias, I am sure. 142 His companions therefore took him by the hand and led him through the gate of Damascus to the place where, presumably, arrangements had been made for him to stay. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 185. 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lords freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christs slave. And Jesus took the persecution of Christians very personally. Second, the gospel should be proclaimed in a way that is personal. . They do not understand the gospel well enough. His acceptance by the latter was finally brought about through his friendship with Barnabas (Acts 9:27). 6 What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? Ananias not only Saul saw and heard the resurrected Christ. God changed him from being a man who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and a persecutor of the Christians into a bold missionary who preached the Gospel wherever he went. 14And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all (D)who call on Your name., 15But the Lord said to him, Go, for (E)he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before (F)Gentiles, (G)kings, and the (H)children[b] of Israel. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. But as I see the call of God referred to in the New Testament, it seems that the call of salvation assumes other callings, to which Paul and other New Testament writers made frequent reference: Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God (Romans 1:1). Ananias (/nnas/ AN--NY-s; Ancient Greek: from Hebrew , Hananiah, favoured of the LORD) was a disciple of Jesus at Damascus mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible, which describes how he was sent by Jesus to restore the sight of Saul of Tarsus (who later was called Paul the Apostle) and . 1. 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. His conversion was the beginning of a life-long process of maturing and growth in the Lord. Thank God that is what happened. Nothing is more evident in the account of Sauls conversion than his radical reversal. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. (6) Little emphasis is placed on Sauls reception of the Holy Spirit, and nothing is said about what happened as Saul received the Spirit. 148 I would assume that Saul was one of those who covered his ears so as not to hear the praise of Stephen, as reported in Acts 7:57. To Him be the glory forever. The Lord seeks and saves individuals, and thus our methods should be personal. with his wife Sapphira, sold some property and agreed to hold back WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. Then he In our text Ananias was instructed to go to Saul and to lay hands on him so that he might receive his sight (9:12). This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. The conversion of Saul, as depicted in our text, was not only a divine call to salvation, but it was also a call to service. This is why Jesus was so receptive of sinners and so hard on the self-righteous. And if Sauls blindness led to his own conversion, at least the blinding of Bar-Jesus contributed to the conversion of the proconsul (and perhaps too his own conversionwho knows?). Here the Jews were strong in numbers (10,000 butchered by Nero later) and here some disciples had found refuge from Sauls persecution in Judea and still worshipped in the synagogues. * (10) Sauls encounter with Christ was not only a conversion, but it was also a call to a very specific ministry. Say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says. 5 And whether they listen or fail to listenfor they are a rebellious housethey will know that a prophet has been among them. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.. also 2:14-17; 3:12-18; 4:1-18; 5:17-21; 6:13--7:1; Galatians 1:13-17; cf. AT this season we are called upon to think of foreign missions. We know that the salvation of men rests ultimately with God and not with usand not even with the one whom we wish to see saved. Sauls salvation was focused on one thing and on one thing aloneChrist. We know from other accounts (22:6; 26:13) that it was high noon when Saul was stopped in his tracks by a bright light from heaven. and the other is a deceptive, self-serving half-truth from people interested Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. Let us avoid cookie cutter conversions.. It may well be a call to live transformed lives in the same circumstances in which we were found.

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