On the Road to Damascus

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 has us bouncing from Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch right back to Saul. When we last saw Saul, he was leading persecutions against the church, and when we pick up with him, he is doing that still. The language Luke uses to describe Saul’s behavior toward the church – ravaging (8:3), breathing threats and murder (9:1) – present a vivid and frightening picture. This is a man who is single-minded and zealous in his mission.

He is heading north to Damascus, indicating that the church has spread at least that far, and on his way he has a dramatic experience. The experience follows a pattern that has been seen often enough before, such as in the calls of Abraham, Moses, Samuel, and Ezekiel. A mysterious voice calls his name – Saul, Saul! A light from heaven flashes around him, blinding him so that he must be led by the hand to Damascus.

A disciple named Ananias is called upon by Jesus to go to Saul and help him regain his sight. Ananias is loath to do such a thing. He has heard enough to know that Saul is an enemy. But oddly enough, the Lord tells Ananias that he intends to use Saul as his instrument. So Ananias went.

We might assume that Ananias carried some apprehension with him. It is clear that the other disciples did. But Saul demonstrates that he has authentic gifts for evangelism. His sudden about-face, from persecutor to defender, has everyone confused. The Jews in Damascus are particularly upset about this change.

It is worth noting the confusion that can arise for modern readers when the text places the Jews against the Christians. First, we must always remember that these apostles were Jews. They broke with their community on the question of Jesus as Messiah. The story of Saul makes it clear that the Christians were a persecuted minority. But, in no way should we see the 21^st century church in America as a persecuted minority. Nor should we regard the Jews as persecutors of the church.  Throughout our history, more often than not, the opposite has been the case.

The story of Saul’s conversion is a dramatic turning point in the story of Acts. Through the little bits that have been given in previous chapters, we have filled in a portrait of Saul. He is a terror to the church. As the church moves ever outward by the power of the Spirit, Saul is pushing back on it, trying to snuff the life out of it. And now, in a flash on the Damascus road, Saul is converted. Luke has been building up to this moment and he takes his time with the telling. Let us consider a few points about Saul’s conversion story.

·        The conversion of Saul is not something that he does – it is something done to him. No one is an agent of their own conversion. Here we see Saul’s agency abruptly taken from him, as he is knocked to the ground, and blinded by the light. Not every conversion is quite so dramatic, but in every case it is the work of God.

·        The conversion of Saul is the beginning of his new life. In the original sense of the Latin root, conversio, Saul has been turned around. As before he was working against the church, now he begins a life of working for and with the church. His baptism and the laying on of hands by the disciples are acts which confirm the work of the Holy Spirit. Conversion is the beginning, the starting point for a journey of growing in faith.

·        The conversion of Saul shows a clear shift from independence to dependence; the flash of light that takes away his sight dramatically signifies this. The life of Christianity is essentially a life of interdependence, lived in community. As the sightless Saul must be led by others, so every new Christian must be led by a community of faith. Gradually, we gain new sight and begin to see the world in the light of God’s kingdom, taking on the work of leading others. But one does not outgrow the need for the community.

·        The conversion of Saul is about this man becoming an instrument. As the Lord told Ananias in a vision, God has chosen Saul to be an instrument to bring the gospel to new and old places. The literal meaning of the word translated “instrument” is container, offering us a beautiful image of the Spirit of God being poured into this man, like oil in a lamp, to take the light out to the nations. The prayer of St Francis, Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, becomes the prayer of every Christian.

The chapter closes with an abrupt turn away from Saul toward Peter, as he “went here and there among all the believers.” Luke here offers us two brief life-giving miracles. A paralyzed man rises from his bed, and the disciple Tabitha is raised from death. While they seem disconnected from the first part of the chapter, these short narratives affirm again the life-giving power of the gospel. Witnesses to Aeneas’ healing are turned to the Lord. The widows of Joppa will not be abandoned. The power of God breaks through and says “No” to the powers of death.

 

The Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Questions for Reflection:

·        Do you have a conversion story? Many Christians do not, having been nurtured in the faith from infancy. Yet it is possible that some of the same elements may be a part of your faith story.

o   Have you ever been called by the Lord?

o   Have you ever known, suddenly and painfully, that you were on the wrong path?

o   Can you recall a time of being led by the community of faith when you couldn’t see the way?

·        In the story of Tabitha, the widows “weeping and showing tunics” might seem silly, unless we understand what it meant to be a widow. It was, by definition, to have nothing. How do you think this story of Tabitha might speak to the 21^st century church and to those of God’s children who have nothing?