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Sketches from the Life of Paul
when he related his wonderful experience to his friends, they would
change their faith as he had done, and believe on Jesus. He had been
strictly conscientious in his opposition to Christ and his followers, and
when he was arrested and convicted of his sin, he immediately forsook
his evil ways, and professed the faith of Jesus. He now fully believed
that when his friends and former associates heard the circumstances
of his marvelous conversion, and saw how changed he was from the
proud Pharisee who persecuted and delivered unto death those who
believed in Jesus as the Son of God, they would also become convicted
of their error, and join the ranks of the believers.
He attempted to join himself to his brethren, the disciples; but
great was his grief and disappointment when he found that they would
not receive him as one of their number. They remembered his former
persecutions, and suspected him of acting a part to deceive and destroy
them. True, they had heard of his wonderful conversion, but as he had
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immediately retired into Arabia, and they had heard nothing definite
of him farther, they had not credited the rumor of his great change.
Barnabas, who had liberally contributed of his means to sustain
the cause of Christ, and to relieve the necessities of the poor, had been
acquainted with Paul when he opposed the believers. He now came
forward and renewed that acquaintance, heard the testimony of Paul
in regard to his miraculous conversion, and his experience from that
time. He fully believed and received Paul, took him by the hand, and
led him into the presence of the apostles. He related his experience
which he had just heard,—that Jesus had personally appeared to Paul
while on his way to Damascus; that he had talked with him; that Paul
had recovered his sight in answer to the prayers of Ananias, and had
afterward maintained in the synagogues of the city, that Jesus was the
Son of God.
The apostles no longer hesitated; they could not withstand God.
Peter and James, who at that time were the only apostles in Jerusalem,
gave the right hand of fellowship to the once fierce persecutor of
their faith; and he was now as much beloved and respected as he had
formerly been feared and avoided. Here the two grand characters of the
new faith met—Peter, one of the chosen companions of Christ while
he was upon earth, and Paul, a Pharisee, who, since the ascension of
Jesus, had met him face to face, and had talked with him, and had also
seen him in vision, and the nature of his work in Heaven.