Acts 9:1-19a
“The revelation of Jesus to Paul”
If life could only be simple and yet the simplest things are beautifully complicated. We have three versions of Paul’s “conversion” experience. Two in Acts and one from Paul’s own letter of Galatians. And of course none of them agree. Sounds like a normal conversation between people on any topic. Do we really know what we are talking about? Often I find, I come up short.
“Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing;[some sources say, no one] so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision[Some sources lack the word vision] a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” Acts 9:1-19a (NRSVUE)
We humans can be so certain when we should not be. A wise man once said to me, “If you are right, then we both are wrong.” There’s only one reality and truth we should trust, and that’s not ours. So that’s the short devotion. If you want more about Paul’s differing story then continue reading after the prayer.
Prayer:
“Almighty and Gracious God, keep us humble and attentive to your direction. Change what I think I know to be certain into a certainty that I could be wrong and that you have us anyway. Amen.”
For further information:
Compare Acts 22:9 “Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me” to 9:7 “The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one.”
If we didn’t have the stories in Acts but only what Paul wrote about it we’d have a whole different story. In Galatians chapter 1 Paul mentions that by the grace of God Jesus is revealed to him so that Jesus would be proclaimed to the Gentiles. First, technically Paul does not convert from Judaism to Christianity but from a legalistic understanding of Torah into a grace filled path for Gentiles to find trust in God. Christianity didn’t exist then but more of a school of thought of Judaism. (Paul says he and Peter are not gentile sinners in Galatians 2:15.) Paul also talks about the faith of Abraham. Abraham trusted God and was considered righteous well before the Torah (the Law) was given. It’s God’s grace that saves. Besides Jews had a way to atone for sins through the Temple and Law, but the Gentiles didn’t. That’s why Paul says the non-Jews need Christ.
Secondly, Paul never mentions being blinded, you’d think that’s a significant omission. Neither does Paul mention Ananias but quite the opposite. Paul says in Galatians 1, “he conferred with no human” but traveled to Arabia and after three years travels back to Damascus and then visits with Peter and James in Jerusalem. Paul’s claim is that his understanding comes directly from the resurrected Jesus. Despite the differences the message is clear--God’s grace alone.
I assume I know things until someone challenges me to dig a little deeper. Then guess what. What I thought I knew is true is not exactly correct. This is why grace is so important. No matter what differences we have or positions we take--we can always be wrong, misinformed, make assumptions, or over simplify reality. No matter how you take it, at least one point is always the same. Don’t fully trust anyone’s opinion, don’t even trust your own judgments. Trust God’s grace and be open to appreciating the beautiful complexities in the life God gives! Amen.
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