Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
CHAPTER IX.
SAUL’S CONVERSION.
1-15. As the Romans looked upon the Nazarenes as an insignificant faction of Judaism, in some
way to them utterly mysterious, out of harmony with their own church, they acquiesced in the
purchase of Jewish favor with Nazarene blood. The miraculous appearing of the glorified Jesus to
Saul was adumbratory of His glorious appearing at His second coming, just as His miraculous
appearing to Abraham at Mamre in the humiliation of human flesh was a prelude of His incarnation
in His first advent. It is also confirmatory of His revelation to the soul of every sinner in his
conversion, since Christ is now glorified. He always appears in His glory when revealed by the Holy
Ghost to the soul. The Holy Spirit is not only the personal Successor of Jesus on the earth, but His
personal Revelator. Saul’s comrades saw the light, but no person; and heard the sound, but no
utterance. Hence there is no disharmony with chapter 22. Saul was an indefatigable student, having
graduated in the Greek colleges of Tarsus, and in the Hebrew schools of Jerusalem. Hence his eyes
were feeble and much worn, so that they went into total eclipse under the supernatural effulgence
of the glorified Savior, simultaneously symbolizing the significant fact that the great light of his
wonderful unsanctified learning must go into total eclipse before the unspeakable glory destined to
pour on him the Sun of Righteousness. So must every man become utterly blind to human learning
and wisdom before he can receive the supernatural illuminations of God and His truth. Many great
theologians are never struck blind like Saul. Therefore they never receive the preternatural light of
Paul. Oh, how we all need to be made blind that we may receive our spiritual sight. That good old
evangelist, Ananias, falters till he hears that Saul is praying, then all his fears depart. You need not
fear the most bloodthirsty desperado if he is praying.
14. “. . . to bind all those who call on the name of the Lord.” This is the universal designation of
God’s people, i.e., calling on the name of the Lord. Prayer moves the arm that moves the world, and
turns the key that unlocks heaven.
15. “The Lord said to him, Go, for he is a vessel of election unto me.” “Election,” eklogee, is
from ek, “out,” and legoo, “choose.” Hence it means out from the chosen, i.e., chosen from the
chosen. You are chosen out of this wicked world in regeneration. In sanctification, you are chosen
from the regenerated. Christ does not take a bride from the devil’s people, which would follow if
there was but one work in salvation. But He takes a wife from God’s people. While Saul was leading
Satan’s host, he was elect in the mind of God. Hence He sends Ananias to call him. In Saul’s
conversion, we see the double miracle often repeated in our day, i.e., bodily healing and salvation.
His sight was miraculously restored and his soul converted, i.e., filled with the Holy Ghost to the full
capacity of spiritual infancy, not his sanctification, as some think. I have seen many converted after
the Sauline manner, i.e., filled with the Holy Ghost so they shouted all over the community like Saul
throughout Damascus.