Early Ministry of Paul
This chapter is based on Acts 9:23-31 and. 22:17-21.
Paul now returned to Damascus and preached boldly in the name of
Jesus. The Jews could not withstand the wisdom of his arguments, and
they therefore counseled together to silence his voice by force—the only
argument left to a sinking cause. They decided to assassinate him. The
apostle was made acquainted with their purpose. The gates of the city
were vigilantly guarded, day and night, to cut off his escape. The anxiety
of the disciples drew them to God in prayer; there was little sleeping
among them, as they were busy in devising ways and means for the escape
of the chosen apostle. Finally they conceived a plan by which he was let
down from a window and lowered over the wall in a basket at night. In
this humiliating manner Paul made his escape from Damascus.
He now proceeded to Jerusalem, wishing to become acquainted with
the apostles there, and especially with Peter. He was very anxious to meet
the Galilean fishermen who had lived, and prayed, and conversed with
Christ upon earth. It was with a yearning heart that he desired to meet the
chief of apostles. As Paul entered Jerusalem, he regarded with changed
views the city and the temple. He now knew that the retributive judgment
of God was hanging over them.
The grief and anger of the Jews because of the conversion
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of Paul knew no bounds. But he was firm as a rock, and flattered himself
that when he related his wonderful experience to his friends, they would
change their faith as he had done, and believe on Jesus. He had been
strictly conscientious in his opposition to Christ and His followers, and
when he was arrested and convicted of his sin, he immediately forsook
his evil ways and professed the faith of Jesus. He now fully believed
that when his friends and former associates heard the circumstances of
his marvelous conversion, and saw how changed he was from the proud
Pharisee who persecuted and delivered unto death those who believed in
Jesus as the Son of God, they would also become convicted of their error
and join the ranks of the believers.
He attempted to join himself to his brethren, the disciples; but great
was his grief and disappointment when he found that they would not
receive him as one of their number. They remembered his former
persecutions, and suspected him of acting a part to deceive and destroy
them. True, they had heard of his wonderful conversion, but as he had
immediately retired into Arabia, and they had heard nothing definite of
him further, they had not credited the rumor of his great change.
Meeting With Peter and James
Barnabas, who had liberally contributed his money to sustain the cause
of Christ and to relieve the necessities of the poor, had been acquainted
with Paul when he opposed the believers. He now came forward and
renewed that acquaintance, heard the testimony of Paul in regard to
his miraculous conversion and his experience from that time. He fully
believed and received Paul, took him by the hand and led him into
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the presence of the apostles. He related his experience which he had just
heard—that Jesus had personally appeared to Paul while on his way to
Damascus; that He had talked with him; that Paul had recovered his sight
in answer to the prayers of Ananias, and had afterward maintained that
Jesus was the Son of God in the synagogues of that city.
The apostles no longer hesitated; they could not withstand God. Peter
and James, who at that time were the only apostles in Jerusalem, gave the
right hand of fellowship to the once fierce persecutor of their faith; and he
was now as much beloved and respected as he had formerly been feared
and avoided. Here the two grand characters of the new faith met—Peter,
one of the chosen companions of Christ while He was upon earth, and
Paul, the Pharisee, who, since the ascension of Jesus, had met Him face
to face and had talked with Him, and had also seen Him in vision, and the
nature of His work in heaven.
This first interview was of great consequence to both these apostles,
but it was of short duration, for Paul was eager to get about his Master’s
business. Soon the voice which had so earnestly disputed with Stephen
was heard in the same synagogue fearlessly proclaiming that Jesus was
the Son of God—advocating the same cause that Stephen had died to
vindicate. He related his own wonderful experience, and with a heart
filled with yearning for his brethren and former associates, presented the
evidences from prophecy, as Stephen had done, that Jesus, who had been
crucified, was the Son of God.
But Paul had miscalculated the spirit of his Jewish brethren. The same
fury that had burst forth upon Stephen was visited upon himself. He saw
that he must separate from his brethren, and sorrow filled his heart.
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He would willingly have yielded up his life if by that means they might
have been brought to a knowledge of the truth. The Jews began to lay
plans to take his life, and the disciples urged him to leave Jerusalem; but he
lingered, unwilling to leave the place, and anxious to labor a little longer
for his Jewish brethren. He had taken so active a part in the martyrdom
of Stephen that he was deeply anxious to wipe out the stain by boldly
vindicating the truth which had cost Stephen his life. It looked to him like
cowardice to flee from Jerusalem.
Flight From Jerusalem
While Paul, braving all the consequences of such a step, was praying
earnestly to God in the temple, the Saviour appeared to him in vision,
saying, “Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will
not receive thy testimony concerning Me.” Paul even then hesitated to
leave Jerusalem without convincing the obstinate Jews of the truth of his
faith; he thought that, even if his life should be sacrificed for the truth,
it would not more than settle the fearful account which he held against
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himself for the death of Stephen. He answered, “Lord, they know that
I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on Thee:
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 that slew
him.” But the reply was more decided than before: “Depart: for I will
send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.”
When the brethren learned of the vision of Paul, and the care which
God had over him, their anxiety on his behalf was increased; for they
realized that he was indeed a chosen vessel of the Lord, to bear the truth
to the Gentiles. They hastened his secret esc
