Acts 22:6
About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
About noon
The phrase "about noon" indicates the time of day when the event occurred. In the Jewish context, noon was the sixth hour of the day, a time when the sun is at its zenith. This detail underscores the miraculous nature of the event, as the brightness of the light that Paul describes would have been even more striking against the backdrop of the midday sun. The Greek word used here is "mesēmbria," which emphasizes the specific time, highlighting the divine intervention in Paul's life at a moment when natural light was at its peak.

as I was approaching Damascus
This phrase situates the event geographically and contextually. Damascus was a significant city in ancient Syria, known for its trade and cultural influence. Paul, formerly Saul, was on his way to persecute Christians, as he had been given authority by the high priests. The journey to Damascus symbolizes Paul's misguided zeal and his intent to suppress the early Christian movement. The Greek word "eggizō" (approaching) suggests a sense of imminence and anticipation, setting the stage for the transformative encounter that was about to occur.

a bright light
The "bright light" is a central element of this verse, representing the divine presence and glory of God. In biblical literature, light often symbolizes purity, truth, and revelation. The Greek word "phōs" is used here, which is frequently associated with divine illumination and the presence of God. This light was not just a physical phenomenon but a spiritual revelation that would change the course of Paul's life and, subsequently, the history of Christianity.

from heaven
The origin of the light "from heaven" signifies its divine source. Heaven, in biblical terms, is the dwelling place of God, and anything emanating from it carries divine authority and purpose. The Greek word "ouranos" is used, which can refer to the sky or the abode of God. This heavenly light indicates that the message and the encounter were not of human origin but were orchestrated by God Himself, affirming the divine nature of Paul's calling.

suddenly
The word "suddenly" conveys the unexpected and immediate nature of the event. The Greek word "exaiphnēs" suggests an abruptness that leaves no room for preparation or anticipation. This suddenness highlights the sovereign initiative of God in intervening in Paul's life. It serves as a reminder that God's actions can be swift and transformative, often occurring when least expected, to fulfill His divine purposes.

flashed around me
The phrase "flashed around me" describes the encompassing and overwhelming nature of the light. The Greek word "periastraptō" indicates a light that surrounds and engulfs, leaving no part of Paul untouched. This imagery suggests a total and consuming encounter with the divine, one that envelops Paul entirely, signifying the comprehensive nature of God's call and the complete transformation that Paul would undergo as a result of this divine intervention.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul (formerly Saul)
The primary figure in this passage, Paul is recounting his conversion experience. He was a zealous Pharisee and persecutor of Christians before this transformative encounter with Christ.

2. Damascus
A significant city in ancient Syria, Damascus was where Paul was headed to arrest Christians. It becomes the backdrop for his dramatic conversion.

3. The Bright Light from Heaven
This supernatural event marks the divine intervention of Jesus Christ in Paul's life, symbolizing revelation and transformation.
Teaching Points
Divine Intervention
God can intervene in our lives in unexpected ways, often when we are on a path contrary to His will. We should remain open to His guidance and correction.

Transformation through Christ
Just as Paul's life was radically changed, our encounters with Christ should lead to transformation. We should seek to live out the new identity we have in Him.

The Power of Testimony
Sharing personal experiences of God's work in our lives can be a powerful witness to others. Like Paul, we should be ready to testify about how Christ has changed us.

God's Timing
The encounter happened "about noon," a time when the light would be most noticeable. God's timing is perfect, and His interventions are always purposeful.

Spiritual Blindness and Sight
The physical light that blinded Paul symbolizes the spiritual blindness he had. We must recognize areas of spiritual blindness in our lives and seek God's light for true sight.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Paul's encounter with the bright light on the road to Damascus challenge our understanding of divine intervention in our own lives?

2. In what ways can we relate Paul's transformation to our personal journey of faith and conversion?

3. How can we use our personal testimonies to effectively witness to others about the power of Christ?

4. Reflect on a time when God's timing was evident in your life. How did it impact your faith journey?

5. What areas of spiritual blindness might you need to address, and how can you seek God's light for clarity and understanding?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Acts 9:3-6
This passage provides the original account of Paul's conversion, offering more details about the encounter with Jesus and the instructions given to Paul.

1 Corinthians 15:8
Paul refers to himself as one "abnormally born," acknowledging his unique encounter with the risen Christ, which aligns with the transformative experience on the road to Damascus.

2 Corinthians 4:6
Paul speaks of God shining light into our hearts, drawing a parallel to the literal light that shone around him, symbolizing spiritual enlightenment and the knowledge of God's glory.
Paul on His Own ConversionAlexander MaclarenActs 22:6
Paul and the Bigoted JewsA. F. Muir, M. A.Acts 22:1-21
Paul's Address on the StairsD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 22:1-21
Paul's DefenceJ. Clark.Acts 22:1-21
Paul's DefenceS. TimesActs 22:1-21
Paul's Defense of Himself to the PeopleR.A. Redford Acts 22:1-21
Paul's Memorable Sermon At JerusalemK. Gerok.Acts 22:1-21
Paul's Self-Defense Before the JewsE. Johnson Acts 22:1-21
Paul's Sketch of His LifeK. Gerok.Acts 22:1-21
Personal ExperienceJ. Parker, D. D.Acts 22:1-21
The Apostle's AutobiographyA. F. Schauffler.Acts 22:1-21
The Defence and Weapons of a Man of God in Troublous TimesK. Gerok.Acts 22:1-21
The Legitimacy of Self DefenceH. C. Trumbull, D. D.Acts 22:1-21
Argument and PrejudiceW. Clarkson Acts 22:1-22
The Testimony of Religious ExperienceP.C. Barker Acts 22:1-22
A Significant Voice from HeavenHomilistActs 22:6-10
Christ and SaulW. Harris.Acts 22:6-10
ConversionG. S. Bowes, B. A.Acts 22:6-10
Conversion, a Total ChangeR. Alleine.Acts 22:6-10
Jesus of NazarethS. H. Tyng, D. D. , jun.Acts 22:6-10
Saul's ConversionD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 22:6-10
The Claims of a Personal Divine RevelationR. Tuck Acts 22:6-10
The Conversion of PaulGerlach.Acts 22:6-10
The Conversion of Paul: its GenuinenessApostolic PastorActs 22:6-10
The Conversion of SaulJ. Kirk Pike.Acts 22:6-10
The Heavenly Light At DamascusK. Gerok., Caleb Morris.Acts 22:6-10
The Matchless Work of God in ConversionC. H. Spurgeon.Acts 22:6-10
The Method of ConversionT. Guthrie, D. D.Acts 22:6-10
The Sights and Sounds of LifeD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 22:6-10
People
Ananias, Gamaliel, Paul, Saul, Stephen
Places
Cilicia, Damascus, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Tarsus
Topics
Approaching, Blaze, Bright, Close, Damascus, Drawing, Drew, Flashed, Heaven, Journey, Journeying, Mid-day, Middle, Nigh, Noon, Noontime, Pass, Passing, Round, Shining, Shone, Sky, Sudden, Suddenly
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Acts 22:6

     2024   Christ, glory of
     4834   light, natural
     4960   noon
     5505   roads

Acts 22:3-8

     8497   witnessing, approaches

Acts 22:3-16

     5108   Paul, life of

Acts 22:3-21

     5944   self-defence
     8820   self-confidence

Acts 22:6-8

     6756   union with Christ, significance
     9311   resurrection, of Christ

Acts 22:6-11

     6629   conversion, examples

Acts 22:6-16

     5109   Paul, apostle

Library
Rome Protects Paul
'And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the Temple, I was in a trance; 18. And saw Him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning Me. 19. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on Thee: 20. And when the blood of Thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Paul on his Own Conversion
'And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 7. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why perseoutest thou Me? 8. And I answered, Who art Thou, Lord? And He said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 9. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of Him that spake to me. 10. And I said,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Being Easily Entreated
Not long since I saw in the report of a meeting a statement something like this: "The brethren were easily entreated, and so all personal difficulties were easily settled." One of the greatest problems that ministers meet and one that requires the most patience and wisdom is the problem of settling personal difficulties. These difficulties are often found existing between those professing to be Christians. And sometimes they are very hard to get settled. There is just one reason for this: those involved
Charles Wesley Naylor—Heart Talks

Some Scriptures for Daily Practise.
If we seek God earnestly in the prayer of faith to help us in our daily practise of the following Scriptural texts and then put forth our best efforts, we shall find life daily growing more holy and beautiful. The beauty and enjoyment of a holy life is that it can always be improved upon. We can live in all the light that shines upon us from these texts today, but tomorrow we find them shining a little brighter and fuller light, so that we shall have to live a little more holy than we are living
C. E. Orr—How to Live a Holy Life

What is God's Will?
"The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know His will."--ACTS xxii. 14. WE resume to-day a subject, the thread of which has been broken by the interval of a few Sabbaths--the subject of the Will of God. Already we have tried to learn two lessons:-- (1) That the end of our life is to do the will of God. (2) That this was the end of Christ's life. It will help to recall what has gone before if we compare this with another definition of the end of life with which we are all familiar.
Henry Drummond—The Ideal Life

Beyond the Brightness of the Sun
T. P. Acts xxii. 11 I was journeying in the noontide, When His light shone o'er my road; And I saw Him in that glory-- Saw Him--Jesus, Son of God. All around, in noonday splendour, Earthly scenes lay fair and bright; But my eyes no more behold them For the glory of that light. Others in the summer sunshine Wearily may journey on, I have seen a light from heaven, Past the brightness of the sun-- Light that knows no cloud, no waning, Light wherein I see His Face, All His love's uncounted treasures,
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Early Life the Place of Paul +The Man
STUDY I EARLY LIFE THE PLACE OF PAUL +The Man, Paul,+ judged by the influence he has exerted in the world, is one of the greatest characters in all history. He is pre-eminent not only as a missionary, but as a marvelous thinker and writer. "He was a personality of vast power, force, and individuality." There are some men who seem to be born and prepared to do a large work for the world; Paul makes the impression upon those who carefully read the record of his life that he stands first in this class
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

Jerusalem to Rome
Acts 21:17-28:31 THIS JOURNEY Scripture, Acts 21:17-28:31 1. The speech before the Jewish mob in the temple (Acts 22:1-29) in which Paul tells the Jews how he was changed from a persecutor to a believer in Christ. He relates also the story of his conversion. 2. The speech before the Jewish council (Acts 22:30; 23:1-10) in which he creates confusion by raising the question of the resurrection. But the provocation was great for the high-priest had commanded that Paul be smitten
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

Jesus the Guest of Martha and Mary.
(Bethany, Near Jerusalem.) ^C Luke X. 38-42. ^c 38 Now as they went on their way [he was journeying through Judæa, attended by the twelve], he entered into a certain village [It was the village of Bethany (John xi. 1), which was on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, less than two miles from Jerusalem]: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at the Lord's feet, and heard his word. [Sitting at the feet was the ancient
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

From Antioch to the Destruction of Jerusalem.
Acts 13-28 and all the rest of the New Testament except the epistles of John and Revelation. The Changed Situation. We have now come to a turning point in the whole situation. The center of work has shifted from Jerusalem to Antioch, the capital of the Greek province of Syria, the residence of the Roman governor of the province. We change from the study of the struggles of Christianity in the Jewish world to those it made among heathen people. We no longer study many and various persons and their
Josiah Blake Tidwell—The Bible Period by Period

Divine Calls.
"And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel; Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for Thy servant heareth."--1 Samuel iii. 10. In the narrative of which these words form part, we have a remarkable instance of a Divine call, and the manner in which it is our duty to meet it. Samuel was from a child brought to the house of the Lord; and in due time he was called to a sacred office, and made a prophet. He was called, and he forthwith answered the call. God said, "Samuel,
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Baptism, a Divinely Appointed Means of Grace.
When we inquire into the benefits and blessings which the Word of God connects with baptism, we must be careful to obtain the true sense and necessary meaning of its declarations. It is not enough to pick out an isolated passage or two, give them a sense of our own, and forthwith build on them a theory or doctrine. In this way the Holy Scriptures have been made to teach and support the gravest errors and most dangerous heresies. In this way, many persons "wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction."
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church

Third Stage of the Roman Trial. Pilate Reluctantly Sentences Him to Crucifixion.
(Friday. Toward Sunrise.) ^A Matt. XXVII. 15-30; ^B Mark XV. 6-19; ^C Luke XXIII. 13-25; ^D John XVIII. 39-XIX 16. ^a 15 Now at the feast [the passover and unleavened bread] the governor was wont { ^b used to} release unto them ^a the multitude one prisoner, whom they would. { ^b whom they asked of him.} [No one knows when or by whom this custom was introduced, but similar customs were not unknown elsewhere, both the Greeks and Romans being wont to bestow special honor upon certain occasions by releasing
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Prodigal Son.
"And he said, A certain man had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord

Of the Prerogatives which the Elect Shall Enjoy in Heaven.
By reason of this communion with God, the elect in heaven shall have four superexcellent prerogatives:-- 1. They shall have the kingdom of heaven for their inheritance (Matt. xxv.; 1 Pet. i. 4), and they shall be free denizens of the heavenly Jerusalem (Eph. ii. 19; Heb. xii. 22.) St. Paul, by being a free citizen of Rome (Acts xxi. 26), escaped whipping; but they who are once free citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, shall ever be freed from the whips of eternal torments. For this freedom was bought
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

How to Make Use of Christ for Cleansing of us from Our Daily Spots.
Having spoken of the way of making use of Christ for removing the guilt of our daily transgressions, we come to speak of the way of making use of Christ, for taking away the guilt that cleaveth to the soul, through daily transgressions; "for every sin defileth the man," Matt. xv. 20; and the best are said to have their spots, and to need washing, which presupposeth filthiness and defilement, Eph. v. 27. John xiii. 8-10. Hence we are so oft called to this duty of washing and making us clean. Isa.
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

The Nature of Justification
Justification in the active sense (iustificatio, {GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA}) is defined by the Tridentine Council as "a translation from that state wherein man is born a child of the first Adam, to the state of grace and of the adoption of the sons of God through the second Adam,
Joseph Pohle—Grace, Actual and Habitual

The Birth of Jesus Proclaimed by Angels to the Shepherds.
(Near Bethlehem, b.c. 5.) ^C Luke II. 8-20. ^c 8 And there were shepherds in the same country [they were in the same fields from which David had been called to tend God's Israel, or flock] abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. [When the flock is too far from the village to lead it to the fold at night, these shepherds still so abide with it in the field, even in the dead of winter.] 9 And an angel of the Lord stood by them [He stood upon the earth at their side, and did
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Lord of Glory.
1 Cor. ii:8. OUR ever blessed Lord, who died for us, to whom we belong, with whom we shall be forever, is the Lord of Glory. Thus He is called in 1 Cor. ii:8, "for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory." Eternally He is this because He is "the express image of God, the brightness of His Glory" (Heb. i:3). He possessed Glory with the Father before the world was (John xvii:5). This Glory was beheld by the prophets, for we read that Isaiah "saw His Glory and spake of Him"
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

Of Baptism.
1. Baptism defined. Its primary object. This consists of three things. 1. To attest the forgiveness of sins. 2. Passages of Scripture proving the forgiveness of sins. 3. Forgiveness not only of past but also of future sins. This no encouragement to license in sin. 4 Refutation of those who share forgiveness between Baptism and Repentance. 5 Second thing in Baptism--viz. to teach that we are ingrafted into Christ for mortification and newness of life. 6. Third thing in Baptism--viz. to teach us that
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Jews Make all Ready for the War; and Simon, the Son of Gioras, Falls to Plundering.
1. And thus were the disturbances of Galilee quieted, when, upon their ceasing to prosecute their civil dissensions, they betook themselves to make preparations for the war with the Romans. Now in Jerusalem the high priest Artanus, and do as many of the men of power as were not in the interest of the Romans, both repaired the walls, and made a great many warlike instruments, insomuch that in all parts of the city darts and all sorts of armor were upon the anvil. Although the multitude of the young
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

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