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Sketches from the Life of Paul
that he was indeed the long-looked-for Messiah, the Consolation and
Redeemer of Israel. And now this Jesus, who had, while teaching
upon earth, spoken in parables to his hearers, using familiar objects
to illustrate his meaning, likened the work of Saul, in persecuting the
followers of Christ, to kicking against the pricks. Those forcible words
illustrated the fact that it would be impossible for any man to stay the
onward progress of the truth of Christ. It would march on to triumph
and victory, while every effort to stay it would result in injury to the
opposer. The persecutor, in the end, would suffer a thousand-fold more
than those whom he had persecuted. Sooner or later his own heart
would condemn him; he would find that he had, indeed, been kicking
against the pricks.
The Saviour had spoken to Saul through Stephen, whose clear
reasoning from the Scriptures could not be controverted. The learned
Jew had seen the face of the martyr reflecting the light of Christ’s
glory, and looking like the face of an angel. He had witnessed his
forbearance toward his enemies, and his forgiveness of them. He
had further witnessed the fortitude and cheerful resignation of other
believers in Jesus while tormented and afflicted, some of whom had
yielded up their lives with rejoicing for their faith’s sake.
All this testimony had appealed loudly to Saul, and thrust con-
viction upon his mind; but his education and prejudices, his respect
for priests and rulers, and his pride of popularity, braced him to rebel
against the voice of conscience and the grace of God. He had struggled
entire nights against conviction, and had always ended the matter by
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avowing his belief that Jesus was not the Messiah, that he was an
impostor, and that his followers were deluded fanatics.
Now Christ had spoken to Saul with his own voice: “Saul, Saul,
why persecutest thou me?” And the question, “Who art thou, Lord?”
was answered by the same voice, “I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.”
Here Christ identifies himself with his suffering people. Saul, in
persecuting the followers of Jesus, had struck directly against the Lord
of Heaven. Jesus declares that in afflicting his brethren upon earth,
Saul had struck against their Head and Representative in Heaven. In
falsely accusing and testifying against them, he had falsely accused
and testified against the Saviour of the world. Here it is plainly seen
that Christ suffers in the person of his saints.