Acts 9:7
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.
The men traveling with Saul
This phrase introduces the companions of Saul during his journey to Damascus. Historically, Saul, later known as Paul, was a Pharisee and a zealous persecutor of Christians. His companions were likely fellow Jews or temple guards tasked with assisting him in arresting followers of "The Way." The presence of these men underscores the communal and public nature of Saul's mission, highlighting the dramatic nature of his conversion experience. In a broader scriptural context, their presence serves as witnesses to the supernatural event, adding credibility to Saul's testimony.

stood there speechless
The Greek word for "speechless" is "ἐννεοί" (enneoi), which conveys a sense of being struck dumb or astonished. This reaction is significant as it reflects the overwhelming nature of the divine encounter. The men were rendered silent, unable to comprehend or articulate the magnitude of what they were experiencing. This moment of speechlessness can be seen as a metaphor for the human response to divine revelation, where words often fail to capture the fullness of God's presence and power.

They heard the voice
The Greek term for "voice" is "φωνή" (phōnē), which can mean sound or voice. The men heard the voice of Jesus speaking to Saul, yet they did not understand the message. This detail is crucial as it distinguishes Saul's personal encounter with Christ from the experience of his companions. It emphasizes the personal nature of God's call to Saul, marking the beginning of his transformation. Theologically, this highlights the idea that while God's call is universal, it is also deeply personal and specific to each individual's journey.

but did not see anyone
The inability to see anyone, despite hearing the voice, underscores the supernatural aspect of the encounter. This aligns with other biblical instances where God's presence is heard but not seen, such as Moses at the burning bush. Theologically, this suggests that faith often requires belief in the unseen, a theme echoed throughout Scripture. The contrast between hearing and not seeing also serves to highlight Saul's unique experience, as he alone is granted the vision of the risen Christ, setting the stage for his conversion and future ministry.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Saul (Paul)
A zealous Pharisee who persecuted Christians. His encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus marks a pivotal moment in his life, leading to his conversion and eventual role as a key apostle in the early church.

2. The Men Traveling with Saul
These companions were likely fellow travelers or guards accompanying Saul to Damascus to arrest Christians. They experienced the supernatural event but did not see the risen Christ.

3. The Road to Damascus
The location of Saul's dramatic encounter with Jesus. This road symbolizes a journey of transformation and divine intervention.

4. The Voice
The voice of Jesus speaking to Saul. While Saul understood the message, his companions only heard the sound, highlighting the personal nature of Saul's call.

5. Damascus
A city in Syria where Saul intended to persecute Christians. It becomes the place of his physical and spiritual transformation.
Teaching Points
Divine Encounters are Personal
Saul's companions heard the voice but did not see Jesus, highlighting that God's call is often personal and specific. We should be attentive to how God might be speaking to us individually.

God's Sovereignty in Conversion
Saul's conversion was initiated by God, demonstrating that salvation is a work of divine grace. We should trust in God's power to transform even the hardest hearts.

The Role of Witnesses
The men with Saul were witnesses to the event, even if they did not fully understand it. Our lives can be a testimony to others, even when they do not fully grasp our experiences with God.

Spiritual Blindness and Sight
Saul's physical blindness after the encounter symbolizes spiritual blindness. It reminds us of the need for spiritual sight, which only God can provide.

The Importance of Obedience
Saul's response to the voice was one of obedience, leading to his transformation. We should be willing to respond obediently to God's call in our lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Saul's experience on the road to Damascus challenge our understanding of how God can intervene in a person's life?

2. In what ways can we be attentive to God's personal call in our own lives, similar to how Saul was called?

3. How can we be witnesses to God's work in our lives, even if others do not fully understand our experiences?

4. What does Saul's transformation teach us about the power of God's grace to change even the most unlikely individuals?

5. How can we cultivate a heart of obedience to God's voice, as demonstrated by Saul's response to Jesus?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Acts 22:9
Provides additional details about the event, noting that Saul's companions saw the light but did not understand the voice speaking to him, emphasizing the personal nature of Saul's encounter with Jesus.

John 12:29
Describes a similar event where a voice from heaven is heard, but the crowd perceives it as thunder, illustrating how divine communication can be perceived differently by different people.

1 Corinthians 15:8
Paul refers to himself as one "abnormally born" in his encounter with the risen Christ, connecting his experience on the road to Damascus with his apostolic authority.
The Sights and Sounds of LifeD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 9:7
Saul on His Way to DamascusE. Johnson Acts 9:1-8
ConversionW. Clarkson Acts 9:1-9
The Sign from HeavenR.A. Redford Acts 9:1-9
A Sudden ConversionActs 9:3-19
An Inspired VisionS. Chapman.Acts 9:3-19
ConversionE. B. Pusey.Acts 9:3-19
Conversion by the Vision of ChristActs 9:3-19
Conversion of St. PaulW. H. Hutchings, M. A.Acts 9:3-19
Conversions May be Quite Sudden in Their BeginningsH. W. Beecher.Acts 9:3-19
God's Method of Converting MenActs 9:3-19
Paul's Conversion a Type of the ReformationK. Gerok.Acts 9:3-19
Saul Meets with JesusH. R. Haweis, M. A.Acts 9:3-19
Saul of Tarsus ConvertedD. J. Burrell, D. D.Acts 9:3-19
Saul's ConversionC. S. Robinson, D. D.Acts 9:3-19
Saul's ConversionR. Watson.Acts 9:3-19
Saul's Conversion God's GlorificationM. Luther.Acts 9:3-19
The Battle of DamascusK. Gerok.Acts 9:3-19
The Completeness of St. Paul's ConversionC. H. Spurgeon.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of PaulC. Hodge, D. D.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of SaulH. J. Van Dyke.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of SaulD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of SaulD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of SaulJ. Parker, D. D.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of SaulJ. Parker, D. D.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of SaulJ. Parker, D. D.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of SaulM. G. Pearse.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of St. PaulJ. O. Dykes, D. D.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of St. PaulJ. Wolff, LL. D.Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of St. PaulC. Hodge, D. D.Acts 9:3-19
The Difficulties in the NarrativeT. Binney.Acts 9:3-19
The Great Day of DamascusK. Gerok.Acts 9:3-19
The Heavenly LightWeekly PulpitActs 9:3-19
The Progress of St. Paul's ConversionJaspis.Acts 9:3-19
The Proud Rider UnhorsedT. De Witt Talmage.Acts 9:3-19
When Need is Greatest God is NearestK. Gerok.Acts 9:3-19
People
Aeneas, Ananias, Barnabas, Dorcas, Grecians, Judas, Lud, Peter, Saul, Simon, Tabitha
Places
Azotus, Caesarea, Damascus, Galilee, Jerusalem, Joppa, Judea, Lydda, Samaria, Sharon, Straight Street, Tarsus
Topics
Able, Amazement, Anyone, Anything, Beholding, Dumb, Hearing, Indeed, Journeyed, Journeying, Meanwhile, Saul, Seeing, Speechless, Standing, Stood, Traveled, Traveling, Travelled, Travelling, Voice
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Acts 9:1-19

     8131   guidance, results

Acts 9:1-30

     5108   Paul, life of

Acts 9:3-7

     5548   speech, divine

Acts 9:3-9

     5505   roads

Acts 9:3-18

     6629   conversion, examples

Acts 9:3-19

     5109   Paul, apostle

Acts 9:4-7

     5196   voice

Library
'This Way'
'Any of this way.'--ACTS ix. 2 The name of 'Christian' was not applied to themselves by the followers of Jesus before the completion of the New Testament. There were other names in currency before that designation--which owed its origin to the scoffing wits of Antioch--was accepted by the Church. They called themselves 'disciples,' 'believers, 'saints,' 'brethren,' as if feeling about for a title. Here is a name that had obtained currency for a while, and was afterwards disused. We find it five times
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

A Bird's-Eye view of the Early Church
'So the Church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, was multiplied.'--ACTS ix. 31 (R.V.). A man climbing a hill stops every now and then to take breath and look about him; and in the earlier part of this Book of the Acts of the Apostles there are a number of such landing-places where the writer suspends the course of his narrative, in order to give a general notion of the condition of the
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Grace Triumphant
'And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2. 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 hound unto Jerusalem. 3. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? 5.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Copies of Christ's Manner
'And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed.... 40. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down and prayed; and, turning him to the body, said, Tabitha, arise.--ACTS ix. 34, 40. I have put these two miracles together, not only because they were closely connected in time and place, but because they have a very remarkable and instructive feature in common. They are both evidently moulded upon Christ's miracles; are distinct imitations of what Peter had
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Directions to Awakened Sinners.
Acts ix. 6. Acts ix. 6. And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do. THESE are the words of Saul, who also is called Paul, (Acts xiii. 9,) when he was stricken to the ground as he was going to Damascus; and any one who had looked upon him in his present circumstances and knew nothing more of him than that view, in comparison with his past life, could have given, would have imagined him one of the most miserable creatures that ever lived upon earth, and would have expected
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

Paul's First Prayer
First, our text was an announcement; "Behold, he prayeth." Secondly, it was an argument; "For, behold, he prayeth." Then, to conclude, we will try to make an application of our text to your hearts. Though application is the work of God alone, we will trust that he will be pleased to make that application while the word is preached this morning. I. First, here was AN ANNOUNCEMENT; "Go to the house of Saul of Tarsus; for behold, he prayeth." Without any preface, let me say, that this was the announcement
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

Paul a Pattern of Prayer
"Go and inquire for one called Saul of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth."--ACTS ix. 11. "For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting."--1 TIM. i. 16. God took His own Son, and made Him our Example and our Pattern. It sometimes is as if the power of Christ's example is lost in the thought that He, in whom is no sin, is not man as we are. Our Lord took Paul, a man
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Prov. 22:06 the Duties of Parents
"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."--Prov. 22:6. I SUPPOSE that most professing Christians are acquainted with the text at the head of this page. The sound of it is probably familiar to your ears, like an old tune. It is likely you have heard it, or read it, talked of it, or quoted it, many a time. Is it not so? But, after all, how little is the substance of this text regarded! The doctrine it contains appears scarcely known, the duty it puts
John Charles Ryle—The Upper Room: Being a Few Truths for the Times

"To Me to Live is Christ"
PHILIPPIANS i. 21. In connection with ACTS ix. 1--18. THERE is no more significant sign of the days in which we live than the interest society seems to be taking in the biographies of great men. Almost all the more popular recent books, for instance--the books which every one is reading and has to read--come under the category of biography; and, to meet the demand, two or three times in each season the market has to be supplied with the lives, in minute detail, of men who but for this would perhaps
Henry Drummond—The Ideal Life

The Future of Christ's Kingdom First Group of Epistles the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians Introduction to the Epistles of Paul +Epistolary Writings. + --The
STUDY VII THE FUTURE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM FIRST GROUP OF EPISTLES THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLES OF PAUL +Epistolary Writings.+--The New Testament is composed of twenty-seven books, twenty-one of which are Epistles. Of this latter number thirteen are ascribed to Paul. It is thus seen how largely the New Testament is made up of Epistles and how many of these are attributed to the Great Apostle. In the letters of men of great prominence and power of any
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

The New Testament Text and Its History.
The history of the New Testament text naturally falls into two main divisions, that of the manuscript text, and that of the printed text. A few remarks will be added on the principles of textual criticism. See PLATES at the beginning of this book. [Transcriber's Note: Transcriptions of the Plates are at the end of this e-book.] I. THE MANUSCRIPT TEXT. 1. The preservation of the primitive text of the gospels from all essential corruptions, additions, and mutilations has already been shown
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Sharon. Caphar Lodim. The Village of those of Lydda.
Between Lydda and the sea, a spacious valley runs out, here and there widely spreading itself, and sprinkled with villages. The holy page of the New Testament [Acts 9:35] calls it Saron: and that of the Old calls the whole, perhaps, or some part of it, 'the plain of Ono,' Nehemiah 6:2, 11:35; 1 Chronicles 8:12... The wine of Sharon is of great fame, with which they mixed two parts water: and remarkable is that they say concerning the houses of Sharon. R. Lazar saith, "He that builds a brick house
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Caphar Tebi.
And this village neighboured upon Lydda, situate on the east of it. "R. Eleazar had a vineyard of four years' growth; on the east of Lydda, near Caphar Tebi." Of it there is this mention also:-- "They sometime brought a chest full of bones from Caphar Tebi, and they placed it openly in the entrance to Lydda. Tudrus the physician and the rest of the physicians go forth"--(namely, that they might judge, whether they were the bones of men or no; and thereby, whether they were to be esteemed clean or
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Sources and Literature on St. Paul and his Work.
I. Sources. 1. The authentic sources: The Epistles of Paul, and the Acts of the Apostles 9:1-30 and 13 to 28. Of the Epistles of Paul the four most important Galatians, Romans, two Corinthians--are universally acknowledged as genuine even by the most exacting critics; the Philippians, Philemon, Colossians, and Ephesians are admitted by nearly all critics; the Pastoral Epistles, especially First Timothy, and Titus, are more or less disputed, but even they bear the stamp of Paul's genius. On the coincidences
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

The Knight of God
Heinrich Suso Acts ix. 16 As the song of him who singeth, Playing on a harp of gold, So to me was Christ's evangel In the days of old. Thus across the lake of Constance Went I forth to preach His Word, And beside me sat the squire Of a noble Lord. None in all the ship so knightly, None so bravely dight as he-- "Tell me," I besought, "thine errand Yonder o'er the sea." "I go forth," he said, "to gather Many a knight and noble bold; They shall tilt at joust and tourney, Whilst fair eyes behold.
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Such, we May Believe, was that John the Monk...
21. Such, we may believe, was that John the Monk, whom the elder Theodosius, the Emperor, consulted concerning the issue of the civil war: seeing he had also the gift of prophecy. For that not each several person has a several one of those gifts, but that one man may have more gifts than one, I make no question. This John, then, when once a certain most religious woman desired to see him, and to obtain this did through her husband make vehement entreaty, refused indeed this request because he had
St. Augustine—On Care to Be Had for the Dead.

Whether any Preparation and Disposition for Grace is Required on Man's Part?
Objection 1: It would seem that no preparation or disposition for grace is required on man's part, since, as the Apostle says (Rom. 4:4), "To him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt." Now a man's preparation by free-will can only be through some operation. Hence it would do away with the notion of grace. Objection 2: Further, whoever is going on sinning, is not preparing himself to have grace. But to some who are going on sinning grace is given, as is
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether the Form of this Sacrament Is: "I Absolve Thee"?
Objection 1: It would seem that the form of this sacrament is not: "I absolve thee." Because the forms of the sacraments are received from Christ's institution and the Church's custom. But we do not read that Christ instituted this form. Nor is it in common use; in fact in certain absolutions which are given publicly in church (e.g. at Prime and Compline and on Maundy Thursday), absolution is given not in the indicative form by saying: "I absolve thee," but In the deprecatory form, by saying: "May
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether one Ought to Dispute with Unbelievers in Public?
Objection 1: It would seem that one ought not to dispute with unbelievers in public. For the Apostle says (2 Tim. 2:14): "Contend not in words, for it is to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers." But it is impossible to dispute with unbelievers publicly without contending in words. Therefore one ought not to dispute publicly with unbelievers. Objection 2: Further, the law of Martianus Augustus confirmed by the canons [*De Sum. Trin. Cod. lib. i, leg. Nemo] expresses itself thus: "It is
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Beginning of the New Testament
[Illustration: (drop cap T) Coin of Thessalonica] Turn to the list of books given in the beginning of your New Testament. You will see that first come the four Gospels, or glimpses of the Saviour's life given by four different writers. Then follows the Acts of the Apostles, and, lastly, after the twenty-one epistles, the volume ends with the Revelation. Now this is not the order in which the books were written--they are only arranged like this for our convenience. The first words of the New Testament
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

The Doctrine of the Church i. Definition; Distinctions.
1. OLD TESTAMENT. 2. NEW TESTAMENT. 3. THE CHURCH; CHRISTENDOM; KINGDOM. II. THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH. 1. IN PROPHECY AND PROMISE. 2. HISTORICALLY FOUNDED. III. MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHURCH. Conditions of Entrance; Characteristics. 1. REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM. 2. FAITH IN THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST. 3. REGENERATION. 4. PUBLIC CONFESSION OF CHRIST--BAPTISM. 5. ADHERENCE TO THE APOSTLES' DOCTRINE. 6. CHARACTERISTICS. IV. FIGURES UNDER WHICH THE CHURCH IS PRESENTED. 1. THE BODY OF CHRIST. 2. THE TEMPLE OF
Rev. William Evans—The Great Doctrines of the Bible

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