Chapter 12—From Persecutor to Disciple
This chapter is based on
Acts 9:1-18
.
Prominent among the Jewish leaders who became thoroughly
aroused by the success attending the proclamation of the gospel, was
Saul of Tarsus. A Roman citizen by birth, Saul was nevertheless a Jew
by descent and had been educated in Jerusalem by the most eminent of
the rabbis. “Of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,” Saul was
“a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning
zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in
the law, blameless.”
Philippians 3:5, 6
. He was regarded by the rab-
bis as a young man of great promise, and high hopes were cherished
concerning him as an able and zealous defender of the ancient faith.
His elevation to membership in the Sanhedrin council placed him in a
position of power.
Saul had taken a prominent part in the trial and conviction of
Stephen, and the striking evidences of God’s presence with the martyr
had led Saul to doubt the righteousness of the cause he had espoused
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against the followers of Jesus. His mind was deeply stirred. In his
perplexity he appealed to those in whose wisdom and judgment he
had full confidence. The arguments of the priests and rulers finally
convinced him that Stephen was a blasphemer, that the Christ whom
the martyred disciple had preached was an impostor, and that those
ministering in holy office must be right.
Not without severe trial did Saul come to this conclusion. But
in the end his education and prejudices, his respect for his former
teachers, and his pride of popularity braced him to rebel against the
voice of conscience and the grace of God. And having fully decided
that the priests and scribes were right, Saul became very bitter in his
opposition to the doctrines taught by the disciples of Jesus. His activity
in causing holy men and women to be dragged before tribunals, where
some were condemned to imprisonment and some even to death, solely
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