From Persecutor to Disciple
75
because of their faith in Jesus, brought sadness and gloom to the newly
organized church, and caused many to seek safety in flight.
Those who were driven from Jerusalem by this persecution “went
everywhere preaching the word.”
Acts 8:4
. Among the cities to which
they went was Damascus, where the new faith gained many converts.
The priests and rulers had hoped that by vigilant effort and stern
persecution the heresy might be suppressed. Now they felt that they
must carry forward in other places the decided measures taken in
Jerusalem against the new teaching. For the special work that they
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desired to have done at Damascus, Saul offered his services. “Breath-
ing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,”
he “went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damas-
cus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they
were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”
Thus “with authority and commission from the chief priests” (
Acts
26:12
), Saul of Tarsus, in the strength and vigor of manhood, and fired
with mistaken zeal, set out on that memorable journey, the strange
occurrences of which were to change the whole current of his life.
On the last day of the journey, “at midday,” as the weary travelers
neared Damascus, they came within full view of broad stretches of
fertile lands, beautiful gardens, and fruitful orchards, watered by cool
streams from the surrounding mountains. After the long journey over
desolate wastes such scenes were refreshing indeed. While Saul, with
his companions, gazed with admiration on the fruitful plain and the fair
city below, “suddenly,” as he afterward declared, there shone “round
about me and them which journeyed with me” “a light from heaven,
above the brightness of the sun” (
Acts 26:13
), too glorious for mortal
eyes to bear. Blinded and bewildered, Saul fell prostrate to the ground.
While the light continued to shine round about them, Saul heard,
“a voice speaking ... in the Hebrew tongue” (
Acts 26:14
), “saying
unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And he said, Who art
Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it
is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”
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Filled with fear, and almost blinded by the intensity of the light,
the companions of Saul heard a voice, but saw no man. But Saul
understood the words that were spoken, and to him was clearly revealed
the One who spoke—even the Son of God. In the glorious Being who
stood before him he saw the Crucified One. Upon the soul of the