Notes and Jottings

Acts 9

(9:2). the way. Christians.

(9:3). Damascus. About 150 miles from Jerusalem.

(9:4). why dost thou persecute me? Saul was persecuting the assembly and thus persecuting Christ.

(9:7). Acts 22:9 & Acts 26:14 these three statements should be taken together. The men heard the “voice” as a sound, but not the actual words, “Saul, Saul,” etc.

(9:10). Ananias. A well-regarded Jewish Christian in Damascus who received a vision directing him to visit Judas’ house to locate Saul, after Saul’s encounter on the Damascus Road. He felt apprehensive due to Saul’s notoriety as a Christian persecutor, but he complied and placed his hands on Saul. Saul regained his sight and was filled with the Holy Spirit.

(9:13). saints. New Testament believers are first called saints here. A saint is a person who has been set apart. All believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are saints.

(9:17). laying his hands upon him. By this action Saul is now part of the assembly of believers.

(9:22). It appears likely that verses 22–25 pertain to Paul’s work in Damascus following his return from Arabia (Gal. 1:17). The phrase “many days” (v. 23) could signify the “three years” mentioned in Gal. 1:18 that elapsed between Paul’s return to Damascus and his meeting with Peter.

(9:23). Now when many days were fulfilled. Saul went to Arabia during this time, so 3 years had passed between his conversion and his visit to Jerusalem.

(9:26). arrived at Jerusalem. The Acts of the Apostles records four occasions when Paul visited Jerusalem following his conversion: (1) 9:23–30, which appears to be the same as the visit mentioned in Gal. 1:18–19. The apostles referenced in Acts 9:27 were Peter and James, who was the Lord’s half-brother. (2) 11:30. Paul might have been in Jerusalem during the events described in 12:1–24; see verse 25. (3) 15:1–30; Galatians 2:2–10. And (4) 21:17—23:35.

(9:30). Tarsus. The birthplace of Saul and the Capital of Cilicia. He was there for about 5 years before being called to the ministry work at Antioch with Barnabas (Acts 11:25-26).

(9:32). Lydda. 11 miles Southeast of Joppa.

(9:35). Saron. A flat area which stretches 50 miles to the south along the Mediterranean Sea from present-day Haifa, located on Mount Carmel.

(9:36). Dorcas. A female Christian from Joppa, located on the Mediterranean coast. She was also called Tabitha—’Dorcas’ means “gazelle” in Greek, while ‘Tabitha’ is its Aramaic equivalent. Dorcas was generous, creating clothing for those in need. Her story in Acts 9 stands out because Peter brought her back to life after she had died.

(9:43). Simon a tanner. A tanner was viewed as unclean on the account of his work with dead animal skins (Lev. 11:40).