The Way to Love, Anthony de Mello

• Those who most fear to die are the ones who most fear to live. That in running away from death we are running away from life. 177.

• If you want to know what it means to be happy, look at a flower, a bird, a child; they are perfect images of the kingdom. For they live from moment to moment in the eternal now with no past and no future. They are spared the guilt and anxiety that so torment human beings and they are full of the sheer joy of living, taking delight not so much in persons or things as in life itself. As long as your happiness is caused or sustained by something or someone outside of you, you are still in the land of the dead. The day you are happy for no reason whatsoever, the day you find yourself taking delight in everything and in nothing, you will know that you have found the land of unending joy called the kingdom. 161-162.
• To find the kingdom is the easiest thing in the world but also the most difficult. Easy because it is all around you and within you, and all you have to do is reach out and take possession of it. Difficult because if you wish to possess the kingdom you may possess nothing else. You must drop all inward leaning on any person or thing, withdrawing from them forever the power to thrill you, or excite you, or to give you a feeling of security or well being. Contrary to what your culture and religion have taught you, nothing, but absolutely nothing can make you happy. Things and people can't really give you a single minute of happiness. They can only offer you a temporary thrill, a pleasure that initially grows in intensity, then turns into pain if you lose them and into boredom if you keep them. Think of the numberless persons and things that so excited you in the past. 162-163.

• Every painful event contains in itself a seed of growth and liberation. A simple truth of life that most people never discover: Happy events make life delightful but they do not lead to self-discovery and growth and freedom. That is reserved to the things and persons and situations that cause us pain. 157.

• Happiness Cannot Be Acquired by Anthony De Mello. 8 min. Rickshaw driver in Calcutta. AIDS patient with 6 months to live.
  
• The Root of Sorrow is Attachment by Anthony De Mello. 9 min.
  
• The Cause of Unhappiness. 8 min.
  
• Wake Up. Prayer. 1 1/2 hour talk.

Persecution, Prayer and Deliverance (Acts 12:1-24)

Acts 12 is one of the most colorful and entertaining narratives in all of Acts with the humorous scene where Peter is prodded by an angel to put on his clothes (Ac 12:8), and how later he was left standing and locked out at the gate of the home of his Christian friends by an excited gatekeeper (Ac 12:13-14) after having been led through numerous gates manned by his captors (Ac 12:9-10)!

2 halves of Acts. Acts 12 ends the 1st 1/2 of Acts--"the Palestinian period"--with Acts 1-8:3 covering the Jewish Christian church, and Acts 8-12 moving the church step by step from a Jewish sect to a worldwide religious force. The 2nd 1/2 of Acts (13-28) covers the development of the universal mission as it spread throughout the Roman world.

Opposition and persecution. The recent peace and growth of the church (Ac 9:31; 11:21, 26) comes to an abrupt end as Herod Agrippa I reenergizes Jewish opposition and initiates a major persecution centering on the apostles, like the difficult times in Acts 4-5. But despite facing renewed opposition, the church does not retreat. She forges ahead through suffering and even gains courage and Spirit-given strength (Ac 12:24). God's hand of justice also reaches down to give Herod what he has earned, a terrible death (Ac 12:23).

1. Herod's plot (12:1-5). Persecution and arrest.
1. James is martyred (12:1-2).
2. Peter is arrested and imprisoned (12:3-5).
2. Herod's defeat (12:6-19). Unexpected deliverance.
1. Miraculous escape (12:6-11).
2. Reactions to the stupendous event (12:12-19).
   
3. Herod's death (12:20-23). Divine judgment on Herod Agrippa I.
4. God's victory (12:24-25). The Word continues to grow. The church continues its mission.

References:

1. Osborne, Grant. Acts. Verse by Verse. 2019. Persecution under Herod (12:1-25).
2. Witherington III, Ben. The Acts of the Apostles. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. 1998. Rescue and Retribution in Jerusalem (12:1-25).
3. Stott, John. The Message of Acts. 1990. Through the Bible through the year, Daily reflections from Genesis to Revelation. 2006. 
4. Peterson, David G. The Acts of the Apostles. The Pillar NT commentary. 2009. The Word Advances in Judea and Syria (9:32-12:25). Peter's Deliverance in Jerusalem (12:1-25).
5. Marshall, I. Howard. Acts. Tyndale NT commentaries (TNTC). 1980. The Beginning of the Gentile Mission (9:32-12:25).
1. Peter's mighty works (9:32-43).
2. The conversion of Cornelius (10:1-11:18).
3. The church at Antioch (11:19-30).
4. The imprisonment and escape of Peter (12:1-25).
6. Wright, N.T. Acts for Everyone, Part 1. Chapters 1-12. 2008.

When Christians were First Called Christians (Acts 11:1-30)

"The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch" (Ac 11:26b).

How the early Christians described themselves. They spoke of being

• disciples,
• believers,
• saints,
• brothers and sisters,
• Nazarenes (Ac 24:5), or
• followers of the "Way."

By being "called Christians" (Ac 11:26), Luke is indicating that the followers of Jesus were first perceived to be a group clearly distinct from Jews in Antioch. He wants his audience to be able to distinguish Christians (both Jews and Gentiles) from Jews who are not followers of Christ. Thus, this distinction is not ethnic but social on the basis of adherence or religious loyalties. 

God made the Gentile mission clear to the Jerusalem church with Cornelius. Still, it is not a finalized movement, and many still have serious doubts about its legality according to the Torah--the Gentiles are an unclean people. Though they became Christians, they're not ready to be rid of their Jewish cultural sensitivities and aversion toward Gentiles in general. So Peter has to return to Jerusalem, explain his actions, and justify his making a convert of Cornelius without 1st becoming a Jewish proselyte. Still, the fallout from this event is not fully sorted out before the apostolic council in Acts 15.

The utmost importance of Saul and Cornelius' conversion. As with Saul's conversion, Cornelius' conversion is narrated for the 2nd time because of its great importance for the church's God-given mission. Luke wants every Christian to be aware of these 2 world-shaking salvation-historical events for the future history of the church. This 2nd retelling adds certain details: "wild beasts" (Ac 10:12; 11:6) and that "six" companions travelled with him to Caesarea (Ac 10:23; 11:12).

Antioch--1 of the 1st churches formed by the exodus after the "great persecution" following the death of Stephen (Ac 11:19; 8:1-3). It is the 3rd largest city in the Roman world after Rome and Alexandria. It was of great strategic importance to early Christianity, being the first major cosmopolitan city outside Israel where Christianity established itself as a force to be reckoned with. It was a great commercial center near an important religious center connected with Artemis and Apollo. It was the Roman provincial capital for Syria with a half million people in the mid 1st century.

1. Justification in Jerusalem  (11:1-18). Peter Justifies Gentile Conversions in Jerusalem. Controversy and vindication.
1. Criticism of Peter (11:1-3). Peter is called to account.
2. Peter retells the Cornelius story (11:4-17). He recalls God's direction and control. It's a defense speech explaining what happened step by step.
3. The Jewish Christian reaction (11:18). Peter's speech silenced the criticism and led to the praising of God. The church acknowledges God's leading.
2. The Church at Antioch (11:19-30) [Expansion]. The Word Goes to Antioch in Syria. Taking root--and a name--in Antioch. Christians and Collections. [Expansion and Opposition (11:19-12:24)]. The Antioch Chronicles (11:19-15:35)]
1. The Planting of a New Church (11:19-21). The Greek mission is initiated by unnamed evangelists.
2. Barnabas and Saul arrive: Their encouraging ministry (11:22-26).
1. The Greek mission is endorsed by Barnabas (11:22-24).
2. The Greek mission is consolidated by Saul (11:25-26).
3. The famine relief: Generosity in ministry to Christians in Jerusalem (11:27-30). The Greek mission is authenticated by good works.

1st, the Samaritans, now the Gentiles (Ac 11:1; 8:14). Ac 11:1 links what came before, and what follows. Like the Samaritans accepting the word of God (Ac 8:14), the story of Cornelius accepting God's word about Jesus (Ac 10:44, 34-43) means that a whole new ethnic group, involving the multitude of pagan nations, has come into the picture. The Jerusalem church is caught just as unprepared as they were with the results of the mission of Philip in Samaria. The flow of God's history is moving away from Jerusalem toward Rome.

References:

1. Osborne, Grant. Acts. Verse by Verse. 2019. Cornelius: The Gentile Mission: Cornelius and Antioch (11:1-30).
1. Peter Justifies Gentile Conversions in Jerusalem (11:1-18).
2. Luke Introduces the Church at Antioch (11:19-30).
2. Witherington III, Ben. The Acts of the Apostles. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. 1998.
3. Stott, John. The Message of Acts. 1990. Through the Bible through the year, Daily reflections from Genesis to Revelation. 2006. 
4. Peterson, David G. The Acts of the Apostles. The Pillar NT commentary. 2009. The Word Advances in Judea and Syria (9:32-12:25). Peter's Role in the Evangelisation of the Gentiles (10:1-48).
5. Marshall, I. Howard. Acts. Tyndale NT commentaries (TNTC). 1980. The Beginning of the Gentile Mission (9:32-12:25).
1. Peter's mighty works (9:32-43).
2. The conversion of Cornelius (10:1-11:18).
3. The church at Antioch (11:19-30).
4. The imprisonment and escape of Peter (12:1-25).
6. Wright, N.T. Acts for Everyone, Part 1. Chapters 1-12. 2008.

Present Suffering and Future Glory (Romans 8:18-39)

Key Verse: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Rom 8:18).

1. How did Paul view present sufferings and future glory (Rom 8:18)? What does the creation expect (Rom 8:19)? Why does creation suffer (Rom 8:20; Gen 3:17-18)? For what does it groan in hope (Rom 8:21-22)?
2. Read Rom 8:23. How does Paul describe believers? For what do we groan inwardly (Php 3:20-21)? What is our true hope and how does it enable us to wait patiently (Rom 8:24-25)?
3. What are our weaknesses, and how do they affect our prayer (Rom 8:26a; 7:18-20)? Who helps us and how (Rom 8:26b-27)? Why is the Spirit's intercessory prayer effective?
4. What conviction do believers have, and on what basis (Rom 8:28)? What is the good which God works for (Rom 8:29-30)? How does Paul describe the process of God's work in a believer's life?
5. What does Paul emphasize in his rhetorical questions in Rom 8:31-35? What problems do we confront and how can we overcome them?
6. How should believers regard sufferings (Rom 8:36)? What does it mean to be "more than conquerors" (Rom 8:37)? Who tries to separate us from God's love, and why can they not (Rom 8:38-39)?

The First Non-Jewish Christian (Acts 10)

Luke uses repetition to emphasize the importance of the issues involved, as with Paul and Cornelius' conversion. Luke repeats Paul's and Cornelius' conversion 3 times each [or even 4 times with Cornelius' story between Acts 10 and 15]. Why? Saul is not your "typical" Jewish convert to Christianity, nor Cornelius your typical Gentile convert. Yet Luke places special stress on them, because they serve as the catalyst to change the character and general direction of the early church. Luke presents this important story of Gentile synagogue adherents--those at the fringes of Judaism--who become Christians, and also those with some social standing and status--the Ethiopian eunuch and Cornelius. Saul's call to go to the Gentiles and Cornelius' response to the heavenly vision and reception of the Holy Spirit brought about a crisis--which was resolved in some measure at the "apostolic council" recorded in Acts 15. Acts 9-10 are a turning point leading to the Jerusalem church endorsing an outright mission to the Gentiles--which is what God had always intended (Gen 12:3; Exo 19:6; Isa 49:6).

Fulfilling divine will toward a universal religion--both in its geographical and social scope (Acts 10:1-11:18)--requires human action. The move in a Gentile direction comes directly from God, as the visions and messengers--divine and human--are employed to confront, convict, convince and even convert Saul and Cornelius. God's divine plan of universal salvation is worked out AND requires humans to respond to it and carry out their part in the drama. The visions and messages Peter and Cornelius receive are divinely ordained, but they are incomplete without human reflection and action. The human action and response is not viewed as either automatic or coerced. There are 7 scenes as follows:

1. Cornelius' vision (10:1-8). Send for Simon. Peter is sent for by Cornelius.
2. Peter's vision (10:9-16). Food for thought. Kill and eat.
3. Peter's puzzlement--meeting with messengers and the journey to Cornelius' house (10:17-23).
4. Peter's dialogue with Cornelius about the visions (10:24-33). Journeying to the Gentiles.
5. Peter's sermon (10:34-43). Peter preaches to Cornelius' household. By word.
6. Divine intervention and Cornelius' baptism (10:44-48). And the Spirit.
7. Recapitulation by Peter of what happened in scenes 1-6 to the Jerusalem church (11:1-18). Peter justifies his actions. Justification in Jerusalem. Compare Ac 11:1; 8:14.
1. Peter is called to account (11:1-3).
2. Peter recalls God's direction and control (11:4-17).
3. The church acknowledges God's leading (11:18).

How the gospel spread out from Jerusalem (Ac 1:8). A reason Luke wrote Acts was to show people like Theophilus (Ac 1:1; Lk 1:1-4) how a religious phenomenon which began as a Jewish messianic movement spread not only geographically but also spread across ethnic barriers and social boundaries. Acts 8:4-9:43 shows step by step how the gospel fulfilled the promise of Pentecost (Ac 2:38-39) and became universal:

1. from the persecution after the martyrdom of Stephen (Ac 8:1, 3; 9:1-2; 11:19),
2. to the gospel in Samaria (Ac 8:4-7, 12, 17, 23),
3. to the Ethiopian eunuch (Ac 8:27ff),
4. to the conversion and call of Saul, the missionary to the Gentiles (Ac 9:3-5, 17-19),
5. to the gospel moving upward along the coast [Lydda and Joppa] (Ac 9:32-42), and then
6. to the pure Gentile--Cornelius (Acts 10)--whose conversion will force the church 
7. to accept God's will to take the gospel to the Gentiles and is ready
8. to break out into Antioch (Acts 11), the 1st Gentile church in Acts, and then
9. to the missionary journeys of Paul (Acts 13-28).

References:

1. Osborne, Grant. Acts. Verse by Verse. 2019. Cornelius: The Gospel goes to the Gentiles (10:1-48).
1. Cornelius and Paul see preparatory visions (10:1-16).
2. Peter encounters Cornelius (10:17-33).
3. Peter gives a sermon in Cornelius' house (10:34-43).
4. The Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit (10:44-48).
2. Witherington III, Ben. The Acts of the Apostles. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. 1998. The Petrine Passages (9:32-11:18).
   
1. Peter the Healer (9:32-43).
2. Peter's Vision and Missionary Ventures (10:1-11:18).
3. Stott, John. The Message of Acts. 1990. Through the Bible through the year, Daily reflections from Genesis to Revelation. 2006. 
4. Peterson, David G. The Acts of the Apostles. The Pillar NT commentary. 2009. The Word Advances in Judea and Syria (9:32-12:25). Peter's Role in the Evangelisation of the Gentiles (10:1-48).
1. 2 significant visions (10:1-16).
2. 2 significant journeys (10:17-29).
3. Salvation for Gentiles in the Fellowship of the Spirit (10:30-48).
5. Marshall, I. Howard. Acts. Tyndale NT commentaries (TNTC). 1980. The Beginning of the Gentile Mission (9:32-12:25).
1. Peter's mighty works (9:32-43).
2. The conversion of Cornelius (10:1-11:18).
3. The church at Antioch (11:19-30).
4. The imprisonment and escape of Peter (12:1-25).
6. Wright, N.T. Acts for Everyone, Part 1. Chapters 1-12. 2008.
7. Fernando, Ajith. The Message of Jesus in Action. 2010.

Peter Replicates Jesus' Ministry (Acts 9:31-43)

The church continues to expand into new areas--cities on the Mediterranean coast. In preparation for the great events of the conversion of Cornelius [the 1st Gentile convert] in Acts 10-11, Peter travels to Lydda and then to Joppa, moving further and further away from Jerusalem into Gentile territory. As he responds to various needs, Aeneas is healed, Tabbitha [Dorcas] is raised from death, and many people turn to Christ. Aeneas and Dorcas were not people with social status or fame but ordinary people who had suffered greatly. They were healed not for their piety or wealth, but because they needed help.

The healing of the paralytic and the resuscitation of the widow parallel and reduplicate the ministry of Jesus (Lk 5:17-26; 7:11-17) and the earlier ministries of Elijah and Elisha (1 Ki 17:17-24; 2 Ki 4:18), showing that the church is truly reliving the life and ministry of Jesus--a major theological core theme of Acts. Peter's Christ-likeness is highlighted as he works signs and wonders among the people, as did the prophets. Then Peter is led by God to the house of Simon the tanner, where he receives the vision that will impel him to preach the gospel to a Roman household in Caesarea.

Summary: A church growing in peace and numbers (Ac 9:31). Several summary passages all show that even in times of tumult, the church under the Spirit is flourishing (Ac 2:40; 4:4, 31; 5:14; 6:7). As persecution increases, the power of the Spirit grows exponentially, and this shows all that has transpired. This is the Luke's 1st mention of ministry in Galilee, which was nearly the entire focus in his Gospel, so in Acts he centers on Judea and Samaria. There are 5 areas of growth:

1. A "time of peace" (Ac 9:31a) after all the tumult--the persecution after the death of Stephen. The saints can breathe a sigh of relief.
2. They were "strengthened" (Ac 9:31b) or "built up" in Christ, who is the foundation of God's people. This is a major Pauline metaphor for the beauty and strength of God's people (Rom 14:19; 1 Cor 10:23; 14:3-5, 12; 2 Cor 13:10; Eph 4:12, 29), alluding to Rome's predilection for huge building projects.
3. They are "living [walking] in the fear of the Lord" (Ac 9:31c), literally "advancing in awe," as they experience more and more of Christ, advancing to "the measure of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13). Their church growth is in every area--not just in numbers but also in the spiritual and social arenas, and in their fellowship.
4. They are "encouraged by the Holy Spirit" (Ac 9:31d), being comforted in all life's troubles.
5. As a result, the church "increased in numbers" (Ac 9:31e) as more and more joined the church.

Lydda: Healing a Lame Man (9:32-35).

Joppa: Raising One who had Died (9:36-43). 

References:

1. Osborne, Grant. Acts. Verse by Verse. 2019. Peter Ministers in Coastal Cities (Ac 9:31-43).
1. Summary: A church growing in peace and numbers (9:31).
2. Lydda: Healing a lame man (9:32-35).
3. Joppa: Raising one who had died (9:36-43). 
2. Witherington III, Ben. The Acts of the Apostles. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. 1998. The Petrine Passages (9:32-11:18).
   
1. Peter the Healer (9:32-43).
2. Peter's Vision and Missionary Ventures (10:1-11:18).
3. Stott, John. The Message of Acts. 1990. Through the Bible through the year, Daily reflections from Genesis to Revelation. 2006. Peter Heals Aeneas and Raises Tabitha (9:32-43).
4. Peterson, David G. The Acts of the Apostles. The Pillar NT commentary. 2009. The Word Advances in Judea and Syria (9:32-12:25). Peter's Pastoral and Evangelistic Ministry in Western Judea (9:32-43).
1. Healing Aeneas in Lydda (9:32-35).
2. Raising Tabitha/Dorcas in Joppa (9:36-43).
5. Marshall, I. Howard. Acts. Tyndale NT commentaries (TNTC). 1980. The Beginning of the Gentile Mission (9:32-12:25).
1. Peter's mighty works (9:32-43).
2. The conversion of Cornelius (10:1-11:18).
3. The church at Antioch (11:19-30).
4. The imprisonment and escape of Peter (12:1-25).
6. Wright, N.T. Acts for Everyone, Part 1. Chapters 1-12. 2008.
7. Fernando, Ajith. The Message of Jesus in Action. 2010.

• 6:1-9:31. The Church begins to Expand.
• 9:1-31. Saul as the Salient [main, principal, major, chief, important] Jewish Convert. Augustine said, "We owe the conversion of Paul to the prayer of Stephen."
• 9:1-19a. The Assaulting of Paul. Saul's conversion and commissioning.
• 9:19b-31. Saul's Early Efforts.
• 9:32-11:18. The Petrine Passages. The conversion of Cornelius.
• Peter heals Aeneas and raises Tabitha (9:32-43).
• Peter is sent for by Cornelius (10:1-8).
• Peter receives a vision (10:9-23).
• Peter preaches to Cornelius' household (10:23b-48).
• Peter justifies his actions (11:1-18).
• 11:19-15:35. The Antioch Chronicles.

Paul's Life as a new Christian (Acts 9:19-31)

• "...in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God" (Ac 9:20).
• "So Saul ... moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord" (Ac 9:28).

Saul, as a new Christian, begins preaching in Damascus immediately after conversion (Ac 9:20), without being instructed by those who were Christians before him (Gal 1:11-24), and without the prior approval of the apostles in Jerusalem, who have a role in verifying individuals and missions (Ac 8:14-17; 9:27-28; 11:1-18, 22-24). It is the earliest stages of Saul's Christian life.

• After returning to Jerusalem and being accepted because of the testimony of Barnabas (Ac 9:26-27), Saul replicates Stephen's ministry in Jerusalem, proclaiming Jesus as Messiah and Son of God in the synagogues of Damascus, and debating with Hellenistic Jews, who then plot to kill him (Ac 9:22-23).
• This is the 1st of 2 preliminary stages for Saul's future ministry to the Gentiles, his time in Damascus [and Arabia] (9:19b-25) and then in Jerusalem (9:26-30); it is the same pattern of preaching, plot and escape (Ac 9:20-25, 28-30).
• This shows how quickly the Lord's words about Saul are fulfilled (Ac 9:15-16): the persecutor becomes the persecuted! 
• Luke's editorial summary statement focuses on peace and church growth (Ac 9:31) following Saul's conversion, bringing this narrative of Acts to an end.
• The Holy Spirit is specifically the agent of growth, and the power source in Paul's ministry (Ac 9:22; 1:8).

Similarities between Paul in Ac 9:20-35 and Jesus in Lk 4:16-30.

1. Both begin their ministries by entering a synagogue and delivering a salvation message (Ac 9:20; Lk 4:15).
2. The audiences react in shock or astonishment in view of the message delivered (Ac 9:22; Lk 4:20).
3. The audiences ask in Paul's case if he is not the same man who had opposed Christianity violently (Ac 9:21), and in Jesus' case if he is not Jesus the son of Joseph (Lk 4:22).
4. Both escape a rather violent response to their messages (Ac 9:23-25; Lk 4:28-30).

Reconciling 3 accounts in Acts 9, Galatians 1 and 2 Corinthians 11.

1. "Saul spent several days ... in Damascus" (Ac 9:19) and he "went into Arabia [and] returned to Damascus" (Gal 1:17). There may have been more than 1 trip, for Damascus could have been Paul's central base. This time in Arabia would be Paul's 1st foray into Gentile witness with his new Christian family in Damascus, and he could have spent intermittent ministry time between the 2 places. Paul would have studied Christian beliefs to understand those whose belief system he wanted to challenge with the gospel and Christian doctrine. In Arabia he likely put it together for an evangelistic ministry to Gentiles.
2. "Then after 3 years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him 15 days" (Gal 1:18), which coincides with "many days had gone by" (Ac 9:24a). At the end of 3 years his powerful ministry in Damascus and Arabia angered Aretas, who worked with the Jews in Damascus to arrest Saul with the necessity of sneaking Paul out of Damascus in a basket to save his life from the Jews and Aretas (Ac 9:23-25; 2 Cor 11:32-33). [Those Paul was ministering to in Arabia were Nabatean Arabs, from whom herod came, and whose king was Aretas.] Luke likely omitted the Arabia ministry from Acts to save space in a very lengthy book that covered 30 years of life and events in the early church.
• Thus, the 3 accounts when put together make a perfectly coherent whole.

Paul's preaching and teaching astonished, perplexed and bewildered the Jews in Damascus (Ac 9:20-22) in 2 ways:

1. The very fact that he had made a complete turnaround and was a follower of Christ (Ac 9:21).
2. The power of his preaching and apologetic proof that indeed that Jesus was the promised Messiah (Ac 9:20, 22). He truly had become the successor of Stephen, whose reasoning provided irrefutable evidence [probably from prophecy] of Jesus' messianic nature (Ac 6:10). His power and strength was both:
1. physical as he recovered from his blindness and fasting and especially
2. spiritual as his ministry blossomed and grew.

1st trip to Jerusalem (9:26-30). Understandably, the Christians were still afraid of him (Ac 9:26). They may have spent about 2 years being hounded, arrested, and some even killed under Saul's hostile enmity. He may have left for Damascus about AD 34, and so now it would be AD 37/38, which is not enough time for them to lower their defenses. They were afraid it was just a plot to lure them to him and make it easier to arrest them. But Barnabas saves the day and brought him to the apostles (Ac 9:27; 4:36-37)--with only Cephas [Peter] and James being in town at the time (Gal 1:18-19). Barnabas, who becomes Saul's mentor and form a long-lasting partnership, explains 3 things to them:

1. Saul had "seen the Lord" (Ac 9:27a).
2. "...the Lord had spoken to him" (Ac 9:27b).
3. "...he had preached fearlessly [boldly] in the name of Jesus" (Ac 9:27c), like Peter, John and the Christians in Ac 4:13, 29, 31.

As in Damascus and now in Jerusalem his enemies wanted to "kill him" (Ac 9:23, 29). "When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus" (Ac 9:30). Caesarea was the provincial capital, a large port city about 70 miles north. From there, they most likely sent him by boat to Tarsus, most likely for his safety. Jerusalem had become too dangerous for him. 

How long was Saul in Tarsus? He didn't go to Tarsus to rest up with his family, but began his Gentile mission there. There were 14 years between Damascus and his 2nd Jerusalem visit (Gal 2:1), the famine visit (Ac 11:30; Gal 2:1-10). With the 3 years in Arabia, that leaves 10-11 years in Tarsus [AD 38-49]. During that time, the ministry of Gal 1:21-24 in Cilicia and Syria almost certainly took place. It would have been a time of evangelistic outreach and church planting very much like his time in Damascus and Arabia, but now in a fully Gentile environment. At the end of that time Barnabas came and brought him to Antioch, where the Gentile mission proper begins (Ac 11:25).

"Fanaticism is always a sign of repressed doubt." "Fanaticism is found only in those who are compensating for secret doubts." Carl Jung. It was how fanatical and blindly zealous Saul was before becoming a Christian.

References:

1. Osborne, Grant. Acts. Verse by Verse. 2019. Saul preaches in Damascus and Jerusalem (9:19b-31):
1. Proclaiming the Son of God in Damascus (9:19b-25).
2. Disputing with Helenists in Jerusalem (9:26-31).
2. Witherington III, Ben. The Acts of the Apostles. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. 1998. Saul's early efforts (9:19b-31).
   
3. Stott, John. The Message of Acts. 1990. Through the Bible through the year, Daily reflections from Genesis to Revelation. 2006.
4. Peterson, David G. The Acts of the Apostles. The Pillar NT commentary. 2009.
5. Marshall, I. Howard. Acts. Tyndale NT commentaries (TNTC). 1980.
6. Wright, N.T. Acts for Everyone, Part 1. Chapters 1-12. 2008.
7. Fernando, Ajith. The Message of Jesus in Action. 2010.

• 6:1-9:31. The Church begins to Expand.
• 9:32-11:18. The Petrine Passages. The conversion of Cornelius.
1. Peter heals Aeneas and raises Tabitha (9:32-43).
2. Peter is sent for by Cornelius (10:1-8).
3. Peter receives a vision (10:9-23).
4. Peter preaches to Cornelius' household (10:23b-48).
5. Peter justifies his actions (11:1-18).
• 11:19-15:35. The Antioch Chronicles.

The Greatest Conversion in History (Acts 9:1-18)

• What's your conversion story? This is my magical mystical supernatural conversion of experiencing God for the first time.
• Is the conversion of Saul intended to be a model of Christian conversion today? Yes, but only if we distinguish between the dramatic outward accompaniments and the essential inward experience.

1. * Why would Saul/Paul seem most unlikely to be converted? Read Ac 7:58; 8:1, 3; 9:1-2; 22:4; 26:10; 1 Cor 15:9; Gal 1:13. Why did he go beyond Jerusalem to Damascus [136 miles, a week's journey]? Read Gal 1:14; Phil 3:5-6; Ac 8:1. How far away is that?
2. * What is this "light from heaven"? Read Ac 9:3; 26:13; 7:55-56; 1 Cor 9:1; 15:8; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:6; Exo 3:2; 13:21-22; 24:16; 40:34-35; 1 Tim 6:16; 1 Jn 1:5; Mt 17:2; Mk 9:3; Lk 9:29.
3. What happened to Saul and why? Read Ac 9:4a; Ezek 1:28; 3:23; Dan 8:17; Rev 1:27. Why the repetition of Saul' name? Read Ac 9:4b; Gen 22:11; Exo 3:4; Lk 10:41; Mt 23:37. Why does Jesus say "persecute me"? Read Ac 9:5; Eph 1:22; 4:12; Col 1:18, 24.
4. Read Ac 9:6. What does this order say about who is now in charge? How did this affect Saul's companions? Read Ac 9:7; 26:14. How did this affect Saul? Read Ac 9:8-9. What might Saul have done during those 3 days?
5. How might Ananias have become a disciple? Ac 9:10; 2:41? Why were his instructions very hard to obey? Read Ac 9:11-14, 1-2; 8:1-3.
6. * Read Ac 9:15; 22:14-15; 26:16. Why does God choose people? Read 1 Pet 2:9; Jn 15:16. Are you chosen? What was God's purpose for Saul's life? For your life? Why suffering? Read Ac 9:16, 22-23, 29; Lk 21:12; Jn 3:19. What is your suffering as a Christian?
7. Read Ac 17-18. What was the result of Ananias meeting Saul?

The most famous conversion in church history happened to one who seemed most unlikely to be converted. Saul's conversion is the high point and most important event in the NT, as there are 4 versions of it with 3 by Luke from 3 slightly different angles [Acts 9; 22; 26; Gal 1 (Ac 9:1-19; 22:3-16; 26:4-18; Gal 1:11-16)]. The great antagonist of the gospel will become its outstanding protagonist. The persecutor will become the persecuted and suffer like Jesus (Ac 9:16). A Pharisaic persecutor of Christians becoming a Christian apologist and missionary is a paradox so profound that it requires multiple retellings, with each version bringing out further nuances of significance. The Book of Common Prayer says that we should always "have his wonderful conversion in remembrance." This is monumental both in Acts and in church history, as it was the pivot on which the future of the church turned. It is one of the critical steps for the universal mission of the church.

Paul's commissioning to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Ac 9:5; 22:14-15; 26:17-18, 20; Rom 1:1, 5, 13; 11:13; 15:15-18; Gal 1:15-16; 2:2, 7-8; Eph 3:1-8; Col 1:24-29) is like the call of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekial. It is an instructive case study in Christian conversion, which shows Christianity to be a divine revelation.

How is Paul's conversion and commissioning applicable to Christians today? We can and must:

1. Experience a personal encounter with Christ.
2. Surrender to him in penitence and faith.
3. Receive his summons to service.

In meeting Jesus, Saul encountered a:

1. Divine contact (Ac 9:3). As with the Ethiopian salvation is always the sovereign will of God that comes about by God's power, purpose and determination. God answered Stephen's prayer. God sovereignly makes contact with the sinner who is the object of his divine grace and sovereign regenerating power–not always this dramatically, but always this sovereignly. Anyone and everyone's salvation is always initiated by God.
2. Divine conviction (Ac 9:4; Jn 15:25). Repetition implies a rebuke: Martha, Martha; Jerusalem, Jerusalem; Simon, Simon; Saul, Saul.
3. Divine conversion (Ac 9:5; 22:8; 1 Ti 1:15; Phil 3:7-10). The 1st evidence of true conversion is submission (Ac 22:8), compliance, obedience.
4. Divine communion (Ac 9:9). For 3 days he communed with his Lord. It's the blindness not of darkness but of the light. But he is stunned, helpless, friendless. He has friends who are now enemies, and enemies who don't know they are to be friends. This is a magnificent picture of salvation in all it's beauty and glory. It is sudden, unexpected, explosive, a miracle in a moment, but it must embody [1] that sovereign work, [2] that conviction of rejecting Christ as the great sin, [3] that conversion of submitting and saying, "Lord, what will you have me do?" And [4] the contemplation and communion that thinks deeply about this miracle.

Paul was unique as was his conversion because:

• by birth, he was a Jew, 
• by conviction, a Pharisee, 
• by citizenship, a Roman, 
• by education, a Greek, and then 
• by grace, a Christian.

He then became a:

• missionary, 
• theologian, 
• evangelist, 
• church planter, 
• pastor, 
• teacher, 
• preacher, 
• leader, 
• thinker, 
• statesman, 
• fighter, 
• an organizer / administrator, and
• lover all at the same time.

"The Way" occurs 6x in Acts (Ac 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). It refers to both a type of behavior and to those who exhibit it (Ac 22:4; 24:14), and which means "the way of salvation" (Ac 16:7; 18:26). Damascus, a commercial center, was an important city 135 miles N-NE of Jerusalem, lying on the main route from Egypt to Mesopotamia. It was part of the league of cities known as the Decapolis and had a considerable Jewish population.

From persecutor to preacher evangelist. Saul of Tarsus (Ac 9:11; 22:3), later called Paul (Ac 13:9), was previously connected with the death of Stephen (Ac 7:58; 8:1) and then identified as the leader in a campaign of devastating persecution against the early church. Ac 9:1 continues from Ac 8:3 when Paul was vehemently and violently opposed to the Jesus movement (1 Cor 15:9; Gal 1:13-14, 11-23; Phil 3:5; Ac 22:4; 26:10). But on the road to Damascus, the arch-persecutor met the glorified Lord Jesus and was transformed (1 Cor 9:1; 15:8; Gal 1:15-16). By the end of the account in Acts 9 Saul is evangelizing in Damascus (Ac 9:19-22) without the direction or permission of the Jerusalem church, as was with Philip in Acts 8. This brought a period of peace for the church and led to a whole new phase of growth (Ac 9:31). Also Acts 9 connects to Acts 10 for recounting a crucial conversation narrative involving 2 visions leading to the future primary missionary to the Gentiles and the conversion of a prominent Gentile, Cornelius.

References:

1. Osborne, Grant. Acts. Verse by Verse. 2019. Saul's Conversion and Peter's Mission (Ac 9:1-43). 
2. Witherington III, Ben. The Acts of the Apostles. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. 1998. Saul as the Salient Jewish Convert (Ac 9:1-31).
   
3. Stott, John. The Message of Acts. 1990. Through the Bible through the year, Daily reflections from Genesis to Revelation. 2006.
1. Saul himself: his pre-conversion state in Jerusalem (9:1-2).
2. Saul and Jesus: his conversion on the Damascus Road (9:3-9).
3. Saul and Ananias: his welcome into the church in Damascus (9:10-25).
4. Saul and Barnabas: his introduction to the apostles in Jerusalem (9:26-31).
4. Peterson, David G. The Acts of the Apostles. The Pillar NT commentary. 2009. Saul's Conversion and Commissioning (9:1-19a).
1. Meeting the ascended Lord (9:1-9).
2. Accepted into fellowship of the persecuted church (9:10-19a).
5. Marshall, I. Howard. Acts. Tyndale NT commentaries (TNTC). 1980. The conversion and call of Paul (9:1-19a).
6. Wright, N.T. Acts for Everyone, Part 1. Chapters 1-12. 2008.
7. Fernando, Ajith. The Message of Jesus in Action. 2010.

Saul's Conversion by Chat GPT (1/25/23):

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, As we read in Acts 9, we see the incredible story of Saul's conversion to Christianity. Saul, also known as Paul, was a devout Jew and a fierce persecutor of the early Christian church. He was on his way to Damascus to arrest and bring back to Jerusalem any followers of Jesus he found there, when he was struck by a bright light from heaven and heard the voice of Jesus asking him, "Why do you persecute me?" In that moment, Saul's life was forever changed. He was blinded by the light and had to be led into Damascus by his companions. There, he met with a disciple named Ananias, who laid his hands on Saul and prayed for him. Saul's sight was restored, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Saul, now Paul, became one of the greatest Christian missionaries and leaders of all time. He preached the gospel throughout the Roman Empire, establishing churches and spreading the word of Jesus Christ to all who would listen.This powerful story of conversion reminds us that no matter how far we may have strayed from the path of righteousness, there is always hope for redemption and forgiveness. Just as Saul, who was once an enemy of the church, became one of its greatest advocates, so too can we be transformed by the power of God's love and grace. Let us remember the words of Paul himself, who wrote in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are offered the gift of salvation and the opportunity to live a new life in him. Let us all strive to follow in Paul's footsteps, spreading the good news of the gospel to all we meet and living our lives as true followers of Jesus Christ. May God bless us all in our journey of faith. Amen.

• 6:1-9:31. The Church begins to Expand.
• 9:1-31. Saul as the Salient [main, principal, major, chief, important] Jewish Convert. Augustine said, "We owe the conversion of Paul to the prayer of Stephen."
• 9:1-19a. The Assaulting of Paul. Saul's conversion and commissioning.
• 9:19b-31. Saul's Early Efforts.
• 9:32-11:18. The Petrine Passages. The conversion of Cornelius.
• Peter heals Aeneas and raises Tabitha (9:32-43).
• Peter is sent for by Cornelius (10:1-8).
• Peter receives a vision (10:9-23).
• Peter preaches to Cornelius' household (10:23b-48).
• Peter justifies his actions (11:1-18).
• 11:19-15:35. The Antioch Chronicles.