Atos 9
Theophylact of Ohrid
Atos 9:1
Explaining the frenzy of Paul – Saul, the future great apostle Paul – against the faithful and against the Church, Luke shows that he was carried away by impure zeal, because in him was fulfilled what Christ said: "Everyone who kills you will think that he is thereby serving God" (Jn. 16:2). Because he did not do this the way the other Jews did. God forbid! That he did this out of zeal is evident from the fact that he went even to the outlying cities, whereas the Jews paid no attention even to those in Jerusalem. They cared about one thing only, that is, about enjoying honors. Saul goes to Damascus because it was a great and ruling city, and he feared that this city might be carried away by the Christian preaching. He does not go with a request to the praetor, but goes to the high priest, because he intended to do everything lawfully. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:2
"So that he might bring bound to Jerusalem any he found who were followers of this Way, both men and women." What does "followers of this Way" mean? Perhaps the believers called themselves this, since their faith alone was the one through which we ascend to heaven. Or perhaps Paul called them followers of this Way out of contempt and to mock them, because they commonly called a dishonorable person one who had "gone astray from the way." He sought authority not to punish the Christians on the spot, but to lead them to Jerusalem, because he wanted to act with greater authority. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:3
The vision occurred not in the city, but on the road and in stillness, because the crowd would not have believed, but would only have laughed, just as in the case of Jesus Christ, those who heard the voice from heaven "said that it thundered" (Jn. 12:29). And Saul was worthy of belief, because he was recounting what had happened to him. So then, not in Jerusalem and not in Damascus, but on the road "suddenly a light shone around him," so that what happened to him others would not explain differently, but so that he himself would explain it, since he was worthy of belief, since he both saw the vision and endured the affliction. Paul says this also when defending himself before Agrippa (see Acts 26:12–18). — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:4
"Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute Me?" Christ does not say to him: "Believe!", but reproaches him, saying: "Why do you persecute Me?" He is almost saying: "What small or great thing have you suffered from Me, that you do this to Me?" — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:5
"I am Jesus, whom you persecute." This is said instead of "do not think that you are warring against men, but against Me, your Lord." Why was this appearance and admonition to Saul not made at the beginning? In order to show that Christ truly rose from the dead. For how would the persecutor of Him, who did not believe in His resurrection and was furiously pursuing the believers, have come to faith if the power of His resurrection were not great? And why not immediately after the resurrection? So that the enmity against the teaching of the resurrection would be more clearly revealed, and the change in Paul's way of thinking would appear more Divine. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:7
"And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one." The light shines upon all who were with him, so that they might bear witness to this apparition, but it blinds not all of them, but only Paul alone, so that they would not think this was some common and seemingly accidental misfortune, but so that it would be revealed that this was entirely the work of Divine Providence. Why then did those who were with him not believe? So that they could be trustworthy witnesses of what happened to Paul. For if they had believed, it would have seemed that they were testifying out of partiality. And whose voice did those with Paul hear? The voice of Paul himself, when he was answering, while the heavenly voice was heard by him alone. This is why it says here: "The men… who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice," that is, the voice of Paul, "but seeing no one" to whom he was responding. Later, in Jerusalem, Paul recounted: Those who were "with me saw the light and were afraid; but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me" (Acts 22:9). — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:8
"Saul arose from the ground, and with his eyes open he saw no one." Paul's eyes suffered because an excess of light ordinarily acts painfully, since the eyes too have a limit. They also say that an excessive sound makes one deaf and insensible. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:9
"And for three days he did not see, and did not eat, and did not drink." Why did he do this? Because he greatly repented of having persecuted the Church, and he grieved, and prayed, and besought God that this might be forgiven him. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:10
Why did Ananias, not being among the most memorable and well-known disciples of the Savior, receive the authority to catechize and heal Paul, who was destined to become such a great preacher of the Gospel? Because Paul was to be instructed in the truths of the faith not by a man, but by Christ Himself. Therefore Ananias baptized and healed him, but did not teach him anything. And that he was not among the very well-known is evident from his apprehension and fear, which is revealed by his words. He was so afraid of persecution from Paul that he was struck with terror and filled with horror when he merely heard his name from the Lord. He did not even pay attention to what was said next: that Saul "is praying," that he saw a vision, that he is blind, and that Ananias is being sent to him in order to do him a kindness and save him. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:12
"He saw in a vision a man named Ananias," because he could not see in reality, since he was blind. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:14
"Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all." How was this known to them? It was natural for those living in fear to inquire and find out what was being plotted against them. See what fear is like, because it did not allow the name "Paul" to reach his hearing, and he already says: "I am afraid that somehow he might lead me away to Jerusalem." — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:15-16
"Go, for he is My chosen vessel." Not only, he says, will he become a believer, but also a teacher, and he will have great boldness, "before nations and kings" and will stand before the Jews. By this the Lord encourages Ananias, and at the same time puts him to shame, as if saying: "If he raged so on account of Me and killed, and yet will endure all things, will you not even baptize him? Therefore I command you to go to him, because 'he is My chosen vessel' and will carry My name." Ananias, hearing that Paul was blind, rejoiced, and the meaning of his words was this: "That is good, leave him blind; why do You command me to open his eyes? So that he may again start binding people? Or so that he may again start punishing us?" To this the Lord says: "Not only will he do nothing terrible, but he will also endure much for My sake." — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:17
Look how much obedience there was after the greatest fear. And so, these words of Ananias were spoken by him not out of unbelief, but out of fear and trembling. "Brother Saul! The Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were traveling, has sent me." He immediately acquaints him with the name of the Lord. And moreover, Christ did not say to Ananias, "I appeared to Saul," but said, "he has been instructed by the Spirit"; and indeed, Jesus Christ did not appear to him personally, but, of course, appeared through deeds and actions. He says "who appeared to you"; he did not say, "who blinded you and turned aside the reproach." He says, "has sent me." This is not my doing, he says. I am a servant of grace. Thus, they could not fabricate anything on their own. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:18
"And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes." The scales fall off and show that the inflammation was severe and that the healing is beyond doubt. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:19
"Having risen, he was baptized, and having taken food, he was strengthened," because his strength had weakened partly from the journey, partly from fear, partly from hunger, and partly from faintheartedness. Note that he did not venture to take food until he had received the great gifts. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:20
Paul does not say that Jesus is risen, that He is alive, but what? He immediately carefully proves that "He is the Son of God." He immediately became a teacher, because he was not ashamed that a change had occurred in him with regard to what had become clear to him. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:22
"Saul increased all the more in strength and confounded the Jews." The Jews were confounded because the things he had been taught from the Law of Moses, he questioned them about as well. They thought that by getting rid of Stephen, they had rid themselves of these arguments too, but instead they found another disputant, more powerful than Stephen. He, proving this, taught and explained from those Scriptures which were known to them. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:23
The Jews again return to their strongest resolve, but now they no longer seek slanderers and false witnesses, but themselves strive to commit murder. Since they saw that this matter had gained strength, they no longer even bring it to trial. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:25
"But the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a basket." Notice that Paul is saved not by grace, but by human wisdom, so that you may learn that the virtue of a man shines even without miracles. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:26
"Saul arrived in Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples." Having escaped the danger, he not only does not hide, but on the contrary goes where they were persecuted the most. And notice that he even seeks out the disciples of the Savior—so completely was he inflamed and overflowing with zeal for preaching, and the fact that he came to Christ later than the others made him even more zealous. A perplexity may justly arise as to how the Apostle Paul says in his epistle: "I did not go to Jerusalem… but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went to Jerusalem to see Peter… But of the other apostles I saw none, except James, the Lord's brother" (Gal. 1:17–19), while here it is said that he came to Jerusalem and Barnabas brought him to the apostles. So then, either in the Epistle to the Galatians the Apostle Paul said "I did not go" in the sense that he went not in order to submit his teaching for the apostles' approval, or else, if this is not the case, one must allow the supposition that the plot against him in Damascus was made not immediately after his conversion to the Christian faith, but after his return from Arabia, three years after his conversion. And thus his journey to Jerusalem took place. So then, he did not go to the apostles, but "tried to join the disciples." This he did, being at once both a teacher and a disciple. Or else Paul in the Epistle to the Galatians does not speak of this journey to Jerusalem, because his historian condenses much and combines events that occurred at different times. "He tried," says Luke, "to join the disciples." He went to them not boldly, but with timidity. "All were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple." The disciples were afraid, of course, while the apostles did not believe in his conversion, because for human understanding it is truly incredible that such a fervent persecutor would turn into a preacher. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:27
That Barnabas was a gentle and condescending man is evident both from this and from what was done by him after this. Perhaps he had known Paul even before, being his friend. To which apostles did he bring Paul? Perhaps to Peter and James, of whom Paul himself also speaks in the Epistle to the Galatians, saying that he knew them. Pay attention to Paul: he does not go to the apostles, as a man who thinks humbly of himself, but goes to the disciples, as if he too were only a disciple. But Barnabas leads him to the apostles as well and tells of what boldness Paul had. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:29
"He also spoke and disputed with the Hellenists," or with those Jews who spoke Greek. Because the other Hebrews, hardened, could not even look at him, or rather, they even resolved to kill him. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:30
"Brethren, having learned of this, sent him off to Caesarea." Frightened by what had happened to Stephen, they send him to Caesarea, and then also to Tarsus, so that he might both teach there and be safe, as in his own homeland, because the Jews did not rage against others as they did against him. For they already knew the other apostles, and the fury directed against them had already weakened over time; they also knew how they often found protection for themselves and what respect they enjoyed among the people. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:31
"The churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace." Luke wants to say that Peter came from there. So, lest you think that he did this out of fear, he first said that these churches had peace, because when there was the height of hostility in Jerusalem, the apostles remained in it, but when peace came there, they went out to preach in other places as well. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:34
Why did Peter not wait to discover the faith of this man and did not ask whether he wished to be healed? This miracle was performed, of course, especially for the edification of many. For Luke says: "And all that dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to the Lord." And on the other hand, the miracles here had not yet manifested their power. And therefore it would have been inappropriate here to demand faith in them. For this reason the apostles did not ask the lame man either. Just as Christ, when beginning His miracles, did not demand faith, so they too do not demand it. But in Jerusalem, faith in them had, of course, spread earlier: thus many desired "that at least the shadow of Peter passing by," says Luke, "might overshadow some of them" (Acts 5:15). For this reason many miracles were performed there, but here they were only just beginning. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:36
Luke mentions the name of the disciple "Tabitha, which means 'gazelle,'" showing that she corresponded to her name: she was as vigilant and alert as a gazelle. Because often many names are given by Divine providence. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:37
"It happened in those days that she fell ill and died. They washed her and laid her in an upper room." That is, they did everything that was proper to do for the deceased. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:38
The disciples who were in Joppa sent to Peter "asking him not to delay in coming to them." Notice the simplicity of the others and the complete absence of arrogance in Peter. They do not go themselves, but ask through two men for healing, and he comes. Why did they not call him while she was still alive? They considered it unworthy to trouble the disciples with this and to distract them and impose difficulties upon them in the work of preaching. This is precisely why Luke says that it was nearby. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:39
"Widows stood before him with tears, showing the tunics and garments that Gazelle had made while living with them." The expression "living with them" shows her great humility, because she was with them and lived with them and treated everyone as one of them, and not as we do now. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:40
"Peter sent them all out and, kneeling down, prayed." Why does he send them all out? So that he would not be moved by tears and lose his peace of spirit. "Kneeling down," he offers an earnest prayer. Then he supports the revived woman; then little by little her life and strength return. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:41
"Having called the saints and widows, he presented her before them alive" – to the former as a consolation, and to the latter as a protectress. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 9:43
Notice the complete absence of arrogance in Peter. Having performed such a great miracle, he seeks lodging not with her nor with any other notable person, but with Simon the tanner; he is not ashamed of lowly people and does not give the great occasion to boast. — Commentary on Acts