Chapter 9

9:2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

of this way

that were of The Way, i.e. Christ. John 14:6 .

9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

me?

The Lord identifies Himself with His people.

9:7  And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

voice

Cf Acts 22:9 ; 26:14 .

A contradiction has been imagined. The three statements should be taken together. The men heard the "voice" as a sound ( (Greek - ajnafwnevw ), but did not hear the "voice" as articulating the words, "Saul, Saul," etc).

9:20  And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

that he is the Son of God

Cf. Acts 2:36 . Peter, while maintaining the deity of Jesus--"God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ"--gives especial prominence to His Messiahship. Paul, fresh from the vision of the glory, puts the emphasis on His Deity. Peter's charge was that the Jews had crucified the Son of David Acts 2:25-30 Paul's that they had crucified the Lord of glory 1 Corinthians 2:8 . In the A.V. the sense is largely lost. The point was, not that the Christ was God, a truth plainly taught by Isaiah. ; Isaiah 7:14 ; Isaiah 9:6 Isaiah 9:7 but that Jesus, the crucified Nazarene, was the Christ and therefore God the Son.

9:22  But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

But Saul

It seems probable that Acts 9:22-25 refer to Paul's labours in Damascus after his return from Arabia Galatians 1:17 .

The "many days" of verse Acts 9:23 may represent the "three years" of Galatians 1:18, which intervened between Paul's return to Damascus and his visit to Peter.

9:26  And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

gone to Jerusalem

The Acts records four visits of Paul to Jerusalem after conversion:

(1) Acts 9:23-30 . This seems identical with the visit of Galatians 1:18 Galatians 1:19 . The "apostles" of verse Acts 9:27 were Peter, and James, the Lord's brother.

(2) Acts 11:30 . Paul may have been in Jerusalem during the events of Acts 12:1-24 Acts 12:25 .

(3) Acts 15:1-30 ; Galatians 2:2-10 .

(4) Acts 21:17-23:35 .

9:29  And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

Grecians

Hellenists, i.e. Grecian Jews.

9:36  Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

Dorcas

i.e. gazelle.

9:39  Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

widows

Contra, Acts 6:1 .