Acts 9:11

9:10-22 A good work was begun in Saul, when he was brought to Christ's feet with those words, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And never did Christ leave any who were brought to that. Behold, the proud Pharisee, the unmerciful oppressor, the daring blasphemer, prayeth! And thus it is even now, and with the proud infidel, or the abandoned sinner. What happy tidings are these to all who understand the nature and power of prayer, of such prayer as the humbled sinner presents for the blessings of free salvation! Now he began to pray after another manner than he had done; before, he said his prayers, now, he prayed them. Regenerating grace sets people on praying; you may as well find a living man without breath, as a living Christian without prayer. Yet even eminent disciples, like Ananias, sometimes stagger at the commands of the Lord. But it is the Lord's glory to surpass our scanty expectations, and show that those are vessels of his mercy whom we are apt to consider as objects of his vengeance. The teaching of the Holy Spirit takes away the scales of ignorance and pride from the understanding; then the sinner becomes a new creature, and endeavours to recommend the anointed Saviour, the Son of God, to his former companions.

Inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul: God telleth our wanderings, and knoweth our abode, and mindeth his, especially in their sorrows, which was Saul’s case. For, behold, he prayeth; he spent those three days, spoken of Acts 9:9 , in acts of great humiliation, in which he would also not taste any food; this is revealed to Ananias, that he might not fear to go unto him. A great change! Is Saul also amongst them that pray? A greater wonder than that the other Saul was formerly amongst the prophets.

Acts 9:11 . Πορεύθητι , go ) So to Saul, ch. Acts 22:10 ; and so again, Acts 9:15 , to Ananias, πορεύου , go .— ἰδοὺ , behold ) Saul was shown to Ananias, praying. Jesus sees those who are praying.— γὰρ , for ) The force of the Ætiology (assigning of the reason) appertains to the words, He hath seen—Ananias .— προσεύχεται , he prayeth ) All spiritual motions flow together, and are exercised, in the act of praying.

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 {f} Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, (f) Tarsus was a city of Cilicia near to Anchiala. It is said that Sardanapalus built these two cities in one day.

11. go into the street … called Straight—There is still a street of this name in Damascus, about half a mile in length, running from east to west through the city [Maundrell]. and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus—There is something touching in the minuteness of these directions. Tarsus was the capital of the province of Cilicia, lying along the northeast coast of the Mediterranean. It was situated on the river Cydnus, was a "large and populous city" (says Xenophon, and see Ac 21:39), and under the Romans had the privilege of self-government. behold, he prayeth—"breathing out" no longer "threatenings and slaughter," but struggling desires after light and life in the Persecuted One. Beautiful note of encouragement as to the frame in which Ananias would find the persecutor.

Verse 11. - To for into , A.V. , named for called , A.V.; a man of Tarsus for of Tarsus , A.V. The street ; ῤύμη , usually the narrower lanes in a town as distinguished from the πλατεῖαι , or wide streets. So Luke 14:21 , "The streets and lanes of the city," and the LXX. in Isaiah 15:3 , couple πλατεῖαι and ρύμαι . Here, however, the term applies to the principal street of the city, which runs quite straight from the east to the west gate, and is a mile long. It still exists, and is called the Sultany Street; but instead of being the wide and splendid street it was in the apostolic age, a hundred feet wide, with colonnades separating the two footways on the side from the central read, and adorned with a triumphal arch, it is contracted into a narrow mean passage (see Lewin, vol. 1. p. 69). Acts 9:11

Acts 9:11-12 . There is a “ straight street ,” according to Wilson, still in Damascus.[241] Comp. Hackett in loc. , and Petermann, Reisen im Orient , I. p. 98. Σαῦλον ὀνόματι ] Saul by name , Saul, as he is called . Comp. Xen. Anab. i. 4. 11 : πόλις … ΘΆΨΑΚΟς ὈΝΌΜΑΤΙ . Tob 6:10 ; 4Ma 5:3. ἸΔΟῪ ΓᾺΡ … ἈΝΑΒΛΈΨῌ ] contains the reason of the intimation given: for, behold, he prays , is now therefore in the spiritual frame which is requisite for what thou art to do to him, and —he is prepared for thy very arrival to help him— he has seen in a vision a man, who came in and , etc. Imposition of hands (comp. on Acts 8:15 ) is here also the medium of communication of divine grace. ἄνδρα ὀνόμ . ʼΑνανίαν ] This is put, and not the simple ΣΈ , to indicate that the person who appeared to Saul had been previously entirely unknown to him, and that only on occasion of this vision had he learned his name, Ananias. [241] The house in which Paul is said to have dwelt is still pointed out. See also the Ausland , 1866, No. 24, p. 564.

(11) The street which is called Straight. —A street answering to this description still runs from the Eastern Gate to the palace of the Pacha, and is known locally as the “Street of Bazaars.” Somewhat curiously, the house shown by guides as that of Judas is not in it. A piece of ground surrounded by trees, and used as a Christian burial-place, is pointed out as the scene of the Conversion; but this is on the east side of the city, and St. Paul must have approached from the south or south-west. Saul, of Tarsus.—The passage is memorable as the first mention of the Apostle’s birth-place. For an account of the city, see Notes on Acts 7:58 and Acts 9:30. Behold, he prayeth.—The thoughts which the words suggest belong to the preacher rather than the commentator. We can but think of the contrast between the present and the recent past—between the threatening and slaughter which the persecutor breathed out as he drew near to Damascus, and the prayer of humble penitence in which he was now living. Estimating that prayer by that which came as the answer to it, we may think of it as including pardon for the past, light and wisdom for the future, strength to do the work to which he was now called, intercession for those whom he had before persecuted unto the death.

Into the street which is called Straight - This street extends now from the eastern to the western gate, about three miles, crossing the whole city and suburbs in a direct line. Near the eastern gate is a house, said to be that of Judah, in which Paul lodged. There is in it a very small closet, where tradition reports that the apostle passed three days without food, until Ananias restored him to sight. Tradition also says that he had here the vision recorded in 2 Corinthians 12:2 . There is also in this street a fountain whose water is drunk by Christians, in remembrance of what, they suppose, the same fountain produced for the baptism of Paul (Robinson, Calmet). Of Tarsus - This city was the capital of Cilicia, a province of Asia Minor. It was situated on the hanks of the Cydnus River. It was distinguished for the culture of Greek philosophy and literature, so that at one time in its schools, and in the number of its learned men, it was the rival of Athens and Alexandria. In allusion to this, perhaps, Paul says that he was "born in Tarsus, a citizen of no mean city," Acts 21:39. In reward for its exertions and sacrifices during the civil wars of Rome, Tarsus was made a free city by Augustus. See notes on Acts 16:37; Acts 21:39; Acts 22:28. It still exists as "Tersous," with a population of about 20,000, but is described as "filthy and ruinous." Behold, he prayeth - This gives us a full indication of the manner in which Saul passed the three days mentioned in Acts 9:9.

It is plain, from what follows, that Ananias regarded Saul as an enemy to Christianity, and that he would have been apprehensive of danger if he were with him, Acts 9:13-14. This remark, "Behold, he prayeth," is made to him to silence his fears, and to indicate the change in the feelings and views of Saul. Before, he was a persecutor; now, his change is indicated by his giving himself to prayer. That Saul did not pray before is not implied by this; for he fully accorded with the customs of the Jews, Philippians 3:4-6. But his prayers were not the prayers of a saint. They were the prayers of a Pharisee (compare Luke 18:10, etc.), now they were the prayers of a broken-hearted sinner; then he prayed depending on his own righteousness, now depending on the mercy of God in the Messiah. We may learn here: (1) That one indication of conversion to God is real prayer. A Christian may as well be characterized by that as by any single appellation - "a man of prayer." (2) it is always the attendant of true conviction for sin that we pray. The convicted Sinner feels his danger, and his need of forgiveness. Conscious that he has no righteousness himself, he now seeks that of another, and depends on the mercy of God. Before, he was too proud to pray; now, he is willing to humble himself and to ask for mercy. (3) it is a sufficient indication of the character of any man to say, "Behold, he prays." It at once tells us, better than volumes would without this, what is his real character.