April, 1941
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
145
was so born in order that in this he might be an example of certain ones who were to be bom "hereafter.” Thus he was not an example of those who had believed, nor of those who were then believing, but of those who should after ward believe, t The reference is to the nation of the Jews which, in a coming day, will be converted as Saul was con verted, by a sight of the crucified, risen, and glorified Jesus of Nazareth when He comes again in His glory. m . T h e P urpose of G race (10-17) Saul saw and heard the Man in the glory. This fact is most important as revealing that God had come forth to man (in Christ), and that man, in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, now had gone in to God. Ananias, meaning "Jehovah has shown grace,” was commanded to go to Saul to restore his sight. He was given proof of the reality of Saul’s conver sion when he was told, "Behold, he prayeth.” Saul had said prayers before, but now he was praying. The Word of the Lord concerning Saul was that he was a chosen vessel of the Lord, one who would carry the Lord’s Word to all men, both Jews and Gentiles, high and low. In delivering this message, he would meet trials and difficulties, sorrows and suffering, but the grace that was operative in his con version would attend all his ways until final victory was attained. Points and Problems 1. “If he found any of this way” (v. 2). The new faith is never called a “re ligion” in these early records, nor is it called "Christianity.” The most common term used seems to have been “ the Way,” as here and in other passages (Acts 16:17; 18:25, 26; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22; cf. R. V .).,It reflects and re calls the teaching of our Lord while on earth, "l am the way” (John 14:6). Mod em religion has perverted this idea by calling Christianity a “way of living.” Of course, Christianity does demand of those who embrace it a certain way of living, but this is only a by-product. It is first of all, not a way of ^living, but the Way of Life; and this Way is not in us, but in Christ Himself. Thus to speak evil of the "Way” was to blaspheme God Himself. 2. “And he said, Who art thou, Lord?” (v. 5). I cannot agree with Barnes here that this word “Lord” means only "Sir” on Saul’s lips. The word was undoubtedly used in that sense among the pagans. But Saul was a Jew. And moreover he was a devout and highly intelligent Jew. He certainly knew that the Greek word used in the passage (kurios) was used hundreds of times in the Old Testament Septuagint Version to translate the sacred name “Jehovah.” Furthermore, as an intelli gent Jew, Saul must have known that
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the light which struck him to the ground, brighter than the midday sun (Acts 26:13), was a manifestation of Deity. He knew that this was the “Lord” (Jehovah). He also had known the claims of Jesus to deity, and now the coming of the divine glory to strike him down while engaged in the sorry busi ness of persecuting His followers must have raised in his mind some doubt about the identity of Jesus. Therefore, his first question is, “Who art thou, Lord?” The query in Saul’s mind is, Can it be possible that Jesus is the divine Messiah? That this interpretation of his question is correct may be seen clearly from the Lord’s answer. If Saul did not know that this was Jehovah, then the answer should have supplied the proper information. It should have said, “I am the Lord God.” But Saul knew this was the Shekinah glory of the Lord. He did not know it was Jesus, though the suspicion had flashed into his mind. And the Lord’s answer set tled the matter forever: “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” [Ser brief article by Dr. McClain on page 129, this issue, for further treat ment of Saul’s conversion. — E d it o r .] A carpenter, when a companion ques tioned the correctness of some work he was doing upon a building, pulled out a notebook and looked at it. "I am obeying instructions,” he said. "I’m not the contractor, and Fm going by the book.” But a little later, when he was- ridi culing his friend for the latter’s refusal to undertake certain work on the Sab bath, he was surprised to receive his own reply: “I am going by the Book. Some one else is responsible for the final outcome; all I have to do is to obey instructions. If that is the safest way to do when you are building a house, it is the safest way to do when you are building a life.”—Forward. Golden Text Illustration A cts 26:19
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B e s t W i s h e s from W . A . B R O W N
Saul’s Happy Day A c t s 9:1-31
MEMORY VERSE: "Thou shalt call his name Jesus.; for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). APPROACH: Some days stand out in our minds because they were particular ly happy days. Do you remember the
day you got your skates, the day you went to Grandma’s, your b i r t h d a y a year ago ? S o m e days are happier than others, but the happiest day in the world for any per son is the day that
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