Chapter 3—Paul Enters Upon His Ministry
Paul was baptized by Ananias in the river of Damascus. He was
then strengthened by food, and immediately began to preach Jesus
to the believers in the city, the very ones whom he had set out from
Jerusalem with the purpose of destroying. He also taught in the syna-
gogues that Jesus who had been put to death was indeed the Son of
God. His arguments from prophecy were so conclusive, and his efforts
were so attended by the power of God, that the opposing Jews were
confounded and unable to answer him. Paul’s rabbinical and Pharisaic
education was now to be used to good account in preaching the gospel,
and in sustaining the cause he had once used every effort to destroy.
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The Jews were thoroughly surprised and confounded by the conver-
sion of Paul. They were aware of his position at Jerusalem, and knew
what was his principal errand to Damascus, and that he was armed
with a commission from the high priest, that authorized him to take the
believers in Jesus, and to send them as prisoners to Jerusalem; yet now
they beheld him preaching the gospel of Jesus, strengthening those
who were already its disciples, and continually making new converts
to the faith he had once so zealously opposed. Paul demonstrated to
all who heard him that his change of faith was not from impulse nor
fanaticism, but was brought about by overwhelming evidence.
As he labored in the synagogues, his faith grew stronger; his zeal
in maintaining that Jesus was the Son of God increased, in the face
of the fierce opposition of the Jews. He could not remain long in
Damascus, for after the Jews had recovered from their surprise at his
wonderful conversion and subsequent labors, they turned resolutely
from the overwhelming evidence thus brought to bear in favor of the
doctrine of Christ. Their astonishment at the conversion of Paul was
changed into an intense hatred of him, like unto that which they had
manifested against Jesus.
Paul’s life was in peril, and he received a commission from God
to leave Damascus for a time. He went into Arabia; and there, in
comparative solitude, he had ample opportunity for communion with
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