Roaming the Damascus Road (Acts Chapters 9, 22, 26)
The book of Acts provides three accounts of Saul’s Damascus road experience – the narrative of Luke (Acts 9:1-19), and two testimonies of Paul, before the multitude in Jerusalem (Acts 22:4-16) and before Agrippa (Acts 26:12-18). The narrative harmonizes and summarizes thusly:
- Purpose
- Saul traveled to find, arrest,
and punish the disciples of Jesus. 9:1-2; 22:4-5; 26:11-12
- People
- Saul traveled with an unknown
number of companions. 9:7; 22:9; 26:13
- Place
- The incident occurred on the road
to Damascus, near the town. 9:3; 22:6; 26:12
- Time
- The incident occurred at noon,
midday. 22:6; 26:13
- Sequence
- Sudden bright light, brighter
than the sun. 9:3; 22:6; 26:13
- Saul and companions fall to the
ground. 9:4; 22:7; 26:14
- A voice (in the Hebrew tongue).
9:4; 22:7; 26:14
- Dialogue of the Lord and Saul.
9:4-6; 22:7-8; 26:14-18
- Reaction of the companions. 9:7;
22:9
- Resolution
- Saul is blinded, led into
Damascus by his companions. 9:8; 22:11
Those men on this journey of persecution with Saul were confused and frightened (Acts 22:9). They were dumbfounded – “stood speechless” – they could hear the sound of a voice (while not understanding it, Acts 22:9; cf. John 12:29).[1] They saw the light (Acts 22:9), but saw not the one from whom the voice emanated.
[1] “Stood”
here may refer to their condition, stopped in their tracks so to speak, rather
than that they were in an upright position on their feet. In addressing
Agrippa, Paul indicates that those journeying with him also fell to the earth
(Acts 26:13-14). On the other hand, they simply may have fallen, and then stood
to their feet, speechless.
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