why was ananias afraid of helping saulwhy was ananias afraid of helping saul

Nevertheless, conversion has certain elements which are vital and which are to be present in any salvation experience. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). When Sapphira showed up, she, too, lied to Peter and to God, saying that they had donated the entire proceeds of the sale of the land to the church. 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). The words of Jesus, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? related by Luke with no variation in all three accounts, exerted a profound and lasting influence on the thought of Paul. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. Matt. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, Chapter 9. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus followers What did Ananias's do to heal Paul's eyes? Blindness, not willing to see, not willing to understand is all too common but Ananias cured Saul blindness by a touch. When her lie had been exposed, she also fell down and died at Peters feet. (8) The salvation of Saul made him a vital part of Christs body, the church. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness (Micah 7:8-9). 87-89), plays out the two views of Sauls conversion, the first (and seldom held the view of Ramsay), that Saul was suddenly and radically converted; second, that there was a considerable process involved. In this approach, preachers will offer their congregations a chance to relate to Sauls epiphany as a way of meeting Christ in the midst of our lives and being transformed by that encounter. The blinding of Bar-Jesus thus seems to be the second major turning point in the ministry of Paul. Then, on the road to Damascus, he was blinded by a vision of Jesus. 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 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. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. Proving (sunbibazon). This old city is the most enduring in the history of the world (Knowling). Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 00:00. sOGOSapQ3[y~@9W He became a priest himself in 1823. 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). 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! Fourth, if we had all the facts, there would be no problem. If there is one thing of which Saul is now convinced (by what he has so far seen and heard on the road) it is that whoever he is talking to is LORD. So Ananias found Saul at Judas' house, praying for help. The conclusion of many of the commentators is that Sauls conversion was a much longer process than I see reflected in this account, or in any other. Ananias is not the last believer who has seen fit to keep God up to date (The Storytellers Companion to the Bible: The Acts of the Apostles). Romans 6). 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light (Matthew 17:2). vii.) 22But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah. Saul seems to have been the instigator of the persecution of the church, which began at the death of Stephen in Jerusalem and worked outward from there. All of this account describes the two complementary divine visions which Ananias and Saul received. When he found him, he "laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'" 19and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.*. also Isaiah 64:6). 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). We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. . The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. 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. 1 What happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a result of lying to God? WebSauls Baptism. Israel was called of God and set apart to proclaim the way of salvation to the Gentiles. 11:2328; 12:710; Gal. [ a]It is hard for you to kick against the goads. Did they send for Saul? The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is difficult. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Get up and make your bed. He got up at once. It was surely fear (reverence), among other things, which prompted this. WebAnd Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, Saul Visits Jerusalem. The details of what was said and done when Ananias arrived are fuzzy. A light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel (Luke 2:32). This would leave AD 33-46 for the visit to Arabia (Gal. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. 2 What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? Ananias was that kind of a disciple. Under the influence of this experience he gradually developed his understanding of justification by faith (see the letters to the Galatians and Romans) and of the identification of the Christian community with Jesus Christ (see 1Cor 12:27). Their story is rarely shown in art, but is the subject of one of the Raphael Cartoons, and a panel on the Brescia Casket, both illustrated here. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". As I look at the problem, I believe several conclusions must be drawn. Why were Ananias and Sapphira killed on the spot? 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christtheir Lord and ours 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 9). 9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:24-27). of him. In this chapter we have, I. 136. Some of the Hellenistic Jews responded to the preaching of Saul as they had to Stephens preaching; they wanted to kill him (9:29). In His coming as the light, those who come to the light become lights to the world themselves: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2). (11) Sauls conversion was a watershed event which greatly affected the history of the church. He wrote letters to the first churches in order to help them understand the Scriptures and to tell them how to live as good Christians. In the Bible, Reuben and Saul were of no relation to each other. 1:15). A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 114. 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). (1 Corinthians 9:1). 36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated means Dorcas). and the other is a deceptive, self-serving half-truth from people interested If the worst sinner (Saul) was not too sinful to save, then you are not too sinful for God to save. Sauls conversion was a miracle, short and simple, but not so much the result of the external miracle of the bright light and the voice of the Lord as the internal transformation and illumination which God wrought: 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man (Galatians 1:15-16). 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. 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. Israel too will just as surely return to God; and when it happens, it will be all of God, all to His glory and praise: 15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. Christianity was described as putting off the old and putting on the new (Colossians 3). Rather than attempt to pacify Ananias or to alleviate his apprehension, God went on to tell him that Saul would not only be a brother, but he would be His instrument for bringing the gospel to Gentiles too. Hb```f``:Ab,=`.9Z3{x5v\);]c#qea #'&D|z:wyKN,0(t\tbRFhT2thS2(9.`mNbq)-pk^;>:+pq2Ck AUbK=N\2M/`KqGLZS1 $[S|Rd\.9i'9T\.EXdxlYcqb 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. 28He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. A letter delivered at that time by a Roman ambassador to Ptolemy VIII of Egypt concludes with the demand: If any pestilent men have fled to you from their own country {Judaea}, hand them over to Simon the high priest, so that he may punish them according to their law (1 Macc. Just as Saul seemingly had hatred toward Christ-followers, how do you think a Christ-follower like Ananias felt toward Saul? 14And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.l 34Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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 These two shocking deaths served as an example to the body of Christ that God hates hypocrisy. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! He sent me so that you can For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all (Romans 11:25-32). (Philippians 1:4-9). WebThe Good Ananias: A Lesson for Believers. He amazed everyone because they knew he was speaking the same words as the people he had been persecuting. 41He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. If he were viewed as a reactionary, a trouble-maker, perhaps there were some unbelievers who thought Saul was too much trouble. 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 should not be circumcised. the light and blind passages above). What Israel failed to do, Jesus, the Messiah would do. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. Acts 26:18). However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. He knew what Saul had done to the church in Jerusalem. God chose Saul and had his destiny planned, before He saved him. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. Ananias was used as Gods instrument in the conversion of Saul, but even he had to be pushed to go to Saul. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The saints (9:32, 41; 26:10; cf. WebAnanias placed his hands upon Saul who received the Holy Spirit and the restoration of his sight. For Paul, the method of proclaiming the gospel must be consistent with the message itself, and so it was. A vision, in this context, was a supernatural sight from God. 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. Saul was received as a true believer, as a brother.146 The laying on of Ananiass hands, however, was a distinct act of identification with Saul. The church did not shrink or suffer for Sauls arrival, but it grew because of it. 21All who heard him were astounded and said, Is not this the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who call upon this name, and came here expressly to take them back in chains to the chief priests? Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. Q (Acts 9:11)? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Why did Ananias have to overcome his fear? 27Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. * [9:43] The fact that Peter lodged with a tanner would have been significant to both the Gentile and Jewish Christians, for Judaism considered the tanning occupation unclean. 24 Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to (1 Corinthians 7:15, 17-22, 24).154. Ananias had not only heard of how Saul had been systematically destroying the church in Jerusalem, hunting down men and women and turning them over to the Grace is also the source and the standard for our service: Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person (Colossians 4:6). 9:31). And Jesus took the persecution of Christians very personally. Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell their property? 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). It's still there and you can still see the evidence of the colonnades (click 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. When God spoke to Ananias commanding him to go to the house where Saul was staying, he was to receive him as a brother; and he was told that he was called to suffer as Gods chosen vessel to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, kings, and to his fellow-Israelites. 28 And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? 10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul,why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Barnabas, one of the Christians, assured them Sauls faith was genuine. When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple (vs. 26). The pastor advised him to pray for the person every day for two weeks pray for the person not about the person. No, God showed him "how many things he must suffer for B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photo-lithoprinted}, 1966), p. 90. When Ananias Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers (Ephesians 4:11). 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. 149 It is more significant than might be supposed at first glance that the only occurrence of the title `Son of God in Acts should be in this report of Sauls early preaching. 8 Although I am less than the least of all Gods people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. Saul, the typical (albeit more zealous) Jew, opposed God in the person of Christ and His body, the church, even while he thought he was serving Him. What are 3 long term physical effects of tobacco use? But as Saul grew in strength and as his arguments were irrefutable, just as Stephens had been (Acts 6:10), his opponents realized that the only way to silence Saul was to kill him. Transform us as you transformed Paul. FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? The result was the restoration of Sauls sight and, it would seem, Sauls reception of the Holy Spirit. To put it differently, the account of Sauls conversion in Acts 9 is but the first of three accounts, the other two coming from the lips of Paul himself. We honor him on May 14. It is the very word that Luke will use in 16:10 of the conclusion reached at Troas concerning the vision of Paul. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. WebAnanias went. Not knowing what had happened, she, too, lied about the offering and was also struck dead (Acts 5:111). ,%d/3o3o6jda=|4S-LJ3ajLcNfZyV;CkCl>390q {KQ0lQ)0>~cy:CJkP|4M-\v 24n but their plot became known to Saul. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. They were to be a light to the Gentiles, but they failed. 9oY+ It strikes many readers as harsh, a return to Old Testament retribution. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast (Galatians 2:8-9). Throughout his life and ministry Paul marveled at the grace of God shown to him and to other sinners. Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers (Ephesians 4:11). 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). This would mean that the Gospel isnt as good as we thought it was and that God violates the law of double jeopardy where He punishes the same sin twice. . And be thankful (Colossians 3:15). Present active participle of sunbubazo, old verb to make go together, to coalesce, to knit together. As persecution was no longer needed to disperse the church and the gospel, peace was restored to the land. Though I have fallen, I will rise. The first question which must be asked with regard to the interpretation of this text is this: What is the meaning of this text in the context of the whole book? Luke has included this account of Sauls conversion in order to contribute to the argument which he is seeking to develop. WebAs Donald Davis notes, In case God has overlooked Sauls atrocities, [Ananias] takes occasion to issue a brief reminder. . 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?d Indeed, God would reveal His sovereignty by using Saul to further the gospel, first by his opposition (which scattered the church and spread the gospel), and then by his conversion (which resulted in his powerful proclamation of Jesus as Messiah). But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy lifenot because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. But there is a greater discrepancy between the accounts of Sauls conversion in Acts and that which Paul gave in Galatians 1. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move 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. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Saul saw and heard the resurrected Christ. 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. Presumably this is the case, however I still wonder a bit about this. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, 2. At first Ananias was afraid because he knew how Saul persecuted the Christians, but the Lord said that Saul had a special ministry he must fulfill. The message which Saul received was not only a call to salvation, but a divine call to ministry. Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? * [9:13] Your holy ones: literally, your saints.. God then used this man to further His purposes in launching the career of the most influential of the apostles. On various occasions in his epistles, Paul made either direct or indirect references to his former life of opposition and his radical conversion.132 Pauls theology, his lifestyle, his ministry, and his methodology, all are rooted in his conversion. Who is blind but my servant {Israel}, and deaf like the messenger I send? Or did they somewhat dread his arrival, knowing how zealous he was in his opposition to the church. 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?). But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze upon him, and said, You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? We can learn more about his life in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and we can still read some of the letters he wrote that have been collected into the Bible, such as Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. 1:2; 2 Tim. Saul went to other cities where he sought to arrest Christians and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. 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. The remaining verses of this account describe the results of Sauls conversion, all of which serve as dramatic proof of his radical transformation as a result of his encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus. We may not be able to identify the precise moment or the exact events which brought it about, but salvation does not happen in some kind of group way. What is the significance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. Sauls salvation was focused on one thing and on one thing aloneChrist. That He had already appeared to Saul "on the road" A devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, Saul was a member of the Pharisees and was taught by none other than Gamaliel, * [9:2] The Way: a name used by the early Christian community for itself (Acts 18:26; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). Granted, his experience is unique and dramatic. 133 I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 173. It may be that Sauls conversion was the instrument God used to convert these followers of Saul, so that they really were his disciples, in a two-fold sense. 7 Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? And if this was important for Saul to do, it was equally important for the church to accept him into their fellowship, as an expression of their unity in Christ. 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. 147 The more Saul preached, the more the Jews were confused. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray (Revelation 18:23). 17 Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. 10. 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).
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