From Saul to Paul

“Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, came to me [Saul]; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him. Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’” [1]

Saul, like us all, needed someone to be the hands and voice of Jesus to him. The Lord sent to him Ananias.

Ananias was devout. The word devout in the original Greek New Testament is εὐλαβής which literally means to “take hold well,” primarily, “cautious,” “careful as to the realization of the presence and claims of God, reverencing God.” [2]

Ananias had a good reputation in the eyes of God’s people.

The Lord used Ananias to pronounce the word of restoration of vision to Saul’s blind eyes. The Lord Jesus did the miracle. Ananias just announced it. Ananias stood next to Saul. He called the Pharisee who once persecuted Christians “brother.”

Acts 22:14-15 is a four-point summary of the duty of everyone before God:

1) To know His will (led and empowered by the Holy Spirit),
2) To see the Just One (Jesus), and,
3) To hear the voice of His mouth (His Word).
4) To be His (Christ’s) witness of what you have seen and heard.

Basically, a Bible preacher or teacher goes to the Lord via the Bible to see what is there and reports back to people what the Lord has shown him or her from God’s Word.

In Acts 22:16 Ananias gives Saul five action steps:

1) Arise (Get up – do)
2) Why wait (Seize the moment)
3) Be baptized (Surrender your life to Jesus)
4) Wash away your sins (Turn from doubt to faith in Jesus)
5) Call on the Name of the Lord! (Start praying in Jesus’ Name)

Saul obeyed. The Lord used him to plant churches and to author more books of the New Testament than any other writer. The Lord gave him a new name... Paul.

[1] Acts 22:12-16
[2] Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words