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Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

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<strong>Word</strong> <strong>Pictures</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> NT [Acts: Chapter 9]<br />

proverb (P<strong>in</strong>dar) that Jesus quotes to Saul about kick<strong>in</strong>g aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />

<strong>the</strong> goad is genu<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> 26:14, but not here.<br />

9:5 {Lord} (\kurie\). It is open to question if \kurie\ should<br />

not here be translated "Sir" as <strong>in</strong> 16:30 and <strong>in</strong> Mt 21:29,30;<br />

Joh 5:7; 12:21; 20:15; and should be so <strong>in</strong> Joh 9:36. It is<br />

hardly likely that at this stage Saul recognized Jesus as Lord,<br />

though he does so greet him <strong>in</strong> 22:10 "What shall I do, Lord?"<br />

Saul may have recognized <strong>the</strong> vision as from God as Cornelius says<br />

"Lord" <strong>in</strong> 10:4. Saul surrendered <strong>in</strong>stantly as Thomas did (Joh<br />

20:28) and as little Samuel (1Sa 3:9). This surrender of <strong>the</strong><br />

will to Christ was <strong>the</strong> conversion of Saul. He saw a real Person,<br />

<strong>the</strong> Risen Christ, to whom he surrendered his life. On this po<strong>in</strong>t<br />

he never wavered for a moment to <strong>the</strong> end.<br />

9:6 The best MSS. do not have "trembl<strong>in</strong>g and astonished," and<br />

"What wilt thou have me to do, Lord?" The Textus Receptus put<br />

<strong>the</strong>se words <strong>in</strong> here without <strong>the</strong> authority of a Greek codex. See<br />

22:10 above for <strong>the</strong> genu<strong>in</strong>e text. {It shall be told <strong>the</strong>e}<br />

(\lal•th•setai\). Future passive <strong>in</strong>dicative of \lale•\. It is<br />

hardly likely that Luke records all that Jesus said to Saul, but<br />

more was to come on his arrival <strong>in</strong> Damascus. Saul had received<br />

all that he could bear just now (Joh 16:12). {What} (\hoti\).<br />

Rare <strong>in</strong> _Ko<strong>in</strong>•_ use of this <strong>in</strong>def<strong>in</strong>ite neuter relative <strong>in</strong> an<br />

<strong>in</strong>direct question, <strong>the</strong> only example <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> N.T. (Robertson,<br />

_Grammar_, p. 731). Human agents like Ananias can f<strong>in</strong>ish what<br />

Jesus by supernatural manifestation has here begun <strong>in</strong> Saul.<br />

9:7 {That journeyed with him} (\hoi sunodeuontes aut•i\). Not <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> older Greek, but <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> _Ko<strong>in</strong>•_, with <strong>the</strong> associative<br />

<strong>in</strong>strumental. {Speechless} (\eneoi\). Mute. Only here <strong>in</strong> N.T.,<br />

though old word. {Hear<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> voice, but behold<strong>in</strong>g no man}<br />

(\akouontes men t•s ph•n•s, m•dena de <strong>the</strong>•rountes\). Two present<br />

active participles <strong>in</strong> contrast (\men, de\). In 22:9 Paul says<br />

that <strong>the</strong> men "beheld <strong>the</strong> light" (\to men ph•s e<strong>the</strong>asanto\), but<br />

evidently did not discern <strong>the</strong> person. Paul also says <strong>the</strong>re, "but<br />

<strong>the</strong>y heard not <strong>the</strong> voice of him that spake to me" (\t•n de ph•n•n<br />

ouk •kousan tou lalountos moi\). Instead of this be<strong>in</strong>g a flat<br />

contradiction of what Luke says <strong>in</strong> 9:7 it is natural to take it<br />

as be<strong>in</strong>g likewise (as with <strong>the</strong> "light" and "no one") a<br />

dist<strong>in</strong>ction between <strong>the</strong> "sound" (orig<strong>in</strong>al sense of \ph•n•\ as <strong>in</strong><br />

Joh 3:8) and <strong>the</strong> separate words spoken. It so happens that<br />

\akou•\ is used ei<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong> accusative (<strong>the</strong> extent of <strong>the</strong><br />

hear<strong>in</strong>g) or <strong>the</strong> genitive (<strong>the</strong> specify<strong>in</strong>g). It is possible that<br />

http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC9.RWP.html (4 of 17) [28/08/2004 09:06:38 a.m.]

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