Acts 9: 1-19

(Acts 9: 1-19)

 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,  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. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.  And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.  Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.  And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

 

Saul, who asked the high priest to let him catch those who follow The Way, received an official letter and went on the road. Saul's threat and living were not just personal. The atmosphere of persecuting those who followed 『The Tao』 was the prevailing atmosphere in Jewish society, and Saul's commitment to preserving and protecting Jewish society was also supported by the Jewish society. Therefore, the light and sound that lit up Saul on his way to Damascus and caused him to fall to the ground was embarrassing to Saul. The incident when he clearly heard the voice of Jesus, who he thought must have been killed, fell on the soul of Saul, who threw his entire life to persecute Jesus. Jesus stopped Saul, who was zealous, but whose direction was wrong.

The light suddenly shining from the sky blinded Saul. The values and direction of life that a person has formed throughout his life are as solid as those years. Saul, who was a Pharisee who was thoroughly educated and recognized in the law in Jewish society, had a solid value. Nevertheless, before the light of Jesus, he became blind to the things he had lived with as the goal of his life. Although Saul was blinded by the light and fell to the ground, the light of Jesus was illuminating Saul's entire life. Jesus is the light. Standing before Jesus is like standing before the light. The light that illuminates the darkness, the light that illuminates the stupidity, the light that corrects the life we lived by judging with shallow knowledge and short experiences, and when we face Jesus, the darkness and stupidity of humans disappear like fog and we see the true image of Jesus.

There comes a disciple named Ananias who has lived in the light of Jesus, illuminating herself. Jesus told Ananias to go to Saul. The disciple named Ananias is not afraid of how close he has been with Jesus or even the voices of Jesus heard during visions, but rather expresses his opinion about Jesus' command. When Ananias asked, Saul was a persecutor of the Lord, Jesus said, ``But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: .』

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