Acts 9:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

NIV: Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

NASB: But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

CSB: But Saul grew stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

NLT: Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

KJV: But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

NKJV: But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Saul had been trained by a well-respected rabbi of his time (Acts 22:3). He intimately knew every detail of the Hebrew Scriptures—what we now call the Old Testament. As a student of the Pharisees, he believed the Messiah was coming and that the faithful dead would be resurrected.

Many Jewish men had the same education, however, and never came to the realization that Jesus is the Messiah. Saul had the advantage of having listened to Stephen's testimony. Stephen took his listeners on a trip through Jewish history, showing them that their forefathers had been saved by God before the nation of Israel, the occupation of Jerusalem, the construction of the temple, or the establishment of the sacrifices. And yet, the Israelites constantly rebelled against God, including killing His prophets. In the same way, they killed the prophet Moses had promised would follow him: Jesus (Acts 7).

At the time, Saul was happy to see Stephen murdered by the mob (Acts 7:58). He was incensed that anyone could preach against the temple and the Law and made it his mission to hunt Jesus-followers to extinction (Acts 26:9–11).

All the extensive training and background information made him a formidable evangelist when Saul began preaching that Jesus is the Messiah, but that same education had not initially convinced him of the truth of Jesus. Saul came to Jesus because Jesus chose him (Philippians 3:12). Saul's conversion shows that God doesn't let us reason our way to Him (Matthew 13:14–15; 1 Corinthians 1:18–25). Stephen spoke so convincingly, his audience was unable to refute his arguments, so they lied about him and killed him (Acts 6:10–14; 7:54–60). God calls us and rescues us, by grace, through faith, not by our own efforts, whether mental or physical (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Acts 9:20–25 describes what happens right after Saul, the mortal enemy of the young church, becomes a follower of Jesus Christ. He had come to Damascus to arrest Christians; now he is a Christian. Immediately upon his conversion, he goes to the synagogues and explains how Jesus of Nazareth fits the prophecies of the Jewish Messiah. At some point, he will spend time in Arabia, then return to Damascus (Galatians 1:17–18). Finally, he will return to Jerusalem and attempt to introduce himself to a very wary church. Fortunately, although the apostles will be skeptical, Barnabas will take him under his wing (Acts 9:26–27).

Acts 9 sets the stage for the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles. Saul continues the persecution of the church by traveling to Damascus to arrest Jesus-followers. Before he reaches the city, Jesus confronts him. Saul realizes Jesus is the Messiah and immediately starts spreading the news, first in Damascus and later in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Peter travels to modern-day Tel Aviv to heal a paralyzed man and bring a dead woman back to life. The miracles aren't unusual, but the story leaves him in Joppa, poised to take the next step in Jesus' mandate to be His witness (Acts 1:8).

The murder of the Jesus-follower Stephen has ignited a fierce persecution against the church, led by a young Pharisee-trained man named Saul (Acts 7:54—8:3; 9:1–2). When he realizes Jesus truly is the Messiah, that fervor fuels his own evangelism (Acts 9:3–30). Meanwhile, Peter travels to the coast of Judea. Soon, he will teach a prominent Gentile household about Jesus and discover that Gentiles can be saved (Acts 10). The stage will be set for Saul to spread the saving news of Jesus to ''the end of the earth'' (Acts 1:8) under the Greek version of his name: Paul.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.