{vi 27213-27231}Acts 8:36-9:14
36-38. “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? . . . And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.”
If baptism were necessary for salvation—if it were commanded of a saved soul—the eunuch would never have said, “What doth hinder me?” A person under a command does not use such language. The only command given in this Gentile believer’s baptism is his own command to stop the chariot (see JND translation).
(Verse 37 is not in the most reliable manuscripts.)
39-40. “And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.”
The channel God uses for a soul’s blessing is not necessary for the soul’s rejoicing. Believers are to rejoice in the Lord ({vi 29423;29447}Phil. 3:1; 4:4). Thus, once Philip has been used to bring the eunuch to Christ, he—not the eunuch’s rejoicing—is caught away.
God directed his servant to a new field of service—evangelizing cities—even as He had previously directed Philip to the wilderness to evangelize one soul. His ways are past finding out (Rom. 11:33)!
Chapter 9
12. “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.”
In Saul’s conversion, we see a striking picture of that which marks true salvation.
First, we see that Saul was an enemy of God, and he proved to be so by his wicked thoughts and works (Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:21).
Second, for all his religious zeal, Saul lacked love and compassion towards others, whether they were men or women (Rom. 1:31; 2 Tim. 3:3).
Third, Saul—bound by a religion of “do”—actively sought to keep others from being made free by the Son of God (John 8:36).
3. “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.”
Fourth, though acting in good conscience, thinking he was doing God service (Acts 23:1; John 16:2), the darkness of unbelief blinded Saul to the truth. True light must come from God (Gen. 1:3; Eph. 5:8).
4. “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?”
Fifth, man—at enmity with God—must fall, humble and repentant, before the One with whom he has to do (Heb. 4:13), realizing that it is against God, “against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned” (Psa. 51:4). Though our sin may often hurt or offend another person, it is first and foremost against God that we have sinned.
5. “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.”
Sixth, Saul owns that there is One to whom he is responsible—who has rights over him. Thus he realizes that in persecuting Christians, it is Jesus Himself he has opposed. Repentance is a vitally important part of salvation (Acts 20:21).
6. “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.”
Seventh, unlike Judaism in which man spends his life doing in order to gain favor with God, Saul, now having divine life, learns what he is to do to please the One who has become his Saviour God.
7. “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.”
God’s testimony—the gospel of His grace through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ at the cross—is going out in this world. Men may hear it, but apart from a work of the Spirit of God, they do not really see. Faith is necessary to see Jesus (John 12:21; Heb. 2:9).
8-9. “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.”
Christ now becomes the sole object of Saul’s heart. He, like the disciples of an earlier day, saw no man, save Jesus only (Matt. 17:8).
The work of conversion deepens. We have no divine record of what transpired in the soul of the beloved Apostle, but we may say that he reflected upon the sufferings of Christ during those three days of darkness in a most solemn, real and deep way.
10. “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.”
The meaning of Ananias’s name is connected with grace. Earlier, in chapter 5, a believer named Ananias and his wife failed of the grace of God (Heb. 12:15) and were removed under God’s governmental ways. Now the Lord calls another Ananias to a service—one which will both show and require much grace.
How lovely to see the immediate and willing response from this Ananias. “Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth” (1 Sam. 3:9) is ever the spirit that those redeemed by His precious blood ought to display.
11. “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.”
The path of service for the Lord Jesus may be difficult—one with trials and testings—but never does He send His servants on a confusing path. Ananias is to follow a straight path to find Saul. May God grant each believer (for each has some service to do for the Lord) to follow the path of His will.
Christian service includes obedience (“arise, and go” ), direction (“a street . . . called Straight”), and dependence (“he prayeth” ).
12. “And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.”
Though the servant of the Lord may not always know why he or she is sent on a service, the Lord who sends His vessel in service is perfect in wisdom and love. At times the servant may ask as Peter did, “I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?” (Acts 10:29), while at other times, as here, the servant has a sense of the reason for his service.
But, whether fully understood or not, may the result of each believer’s service today be that of bringing spiritual sight to one abiding in darkness.
13-14. “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.”
Ananias’s spirit is beautiful in its innocent concern. No unbelief is expressed as we see with Zacharias ({vi 24912-24914}Luke 1:18-20). Ananias’s expression is one of loving concern for God’s people. Though ignorant of the exceeding abundant grace and ways of the Lord, this dear servant beautifully displays divine, loving concern for God’s dear people. May it ever be so displayed in our service!
Ed.