Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/100

94 the blind, Luke 4. 18. Christ's commission is to open the blind eyes, and to bring out the prisoners from the prison. Saul is delivered from the spirit of bondage, by his receiving sight, (v. 18.) which was signified by the falling of scales from his eyes; and this immediately, and forthwith: the cure was sudden, to shew that it was miraculous. This signified the recovering of him, [1.] From the darkness of his unconverted state: when he persecuted the church of God, and walked in the spirit and way of the Pharisees, he was blind, he saw not the meaning either of the law, or of the gospel, Rom. 7. 9. Christ often told the Pharisees that they were blind, and could not make them sensible of it; they said, We see, John 9. 41. Saul is saved from his Pharisaical blindness, by being made sensible of it. Note, Converting grace opens the eyes of the soul, and makes the scales to fall from them, (ch. 26. 18.) to open men's eyes, and turn them from darkness to light: this was it that Saul was sent among the Gentiles to do, by the preaching of the gospel, and therefore must first experience it in himself. [2.] From the darkness of his present terrors, under the apprehension of guilt upon his conscience, and the wrath of God against him; this filled him with confusion, during those three days he sat in darkness, like Jonah for three days in the belly of hell; but now the scales fell from his eyes, the cloud was scattered, and the Sun of righteousness rose upon his soul, with healing under his wings.

(2.) In Saul's subjection to Christ; he was baptized, and thereby submitted himself to the government of Christ, and cast himself upon the grace of Christ. Thus he was entered into Christ's school, hired into his family, listed under his banner, and joined himself to him for better for worse. The point was gained, it is settled; Saul is now a disciple of Christ, not only ceases to oppose him, but devotes himself entirely to his service and honour.

IV. The good work that was begun in Saul, is carried on wonderfully; this new-born christian, though he seemed as one born out of due time, yet presently comes to maturity.

1. He received his bodily strength, v. 19. He had continued three days fasting, which with the mighty weight that was all that time upon his spirits, had made him very weak; but when he had received meat, he was strengthened, v. 19. The Lord is for the body, and therefore care must be taken of that, to keep it in good plight, that it may be fit to serve the soul in God's service, and that Christ may be magnified in it, Phil. 1. 20.

2. He associated with the disciples that were at Damascus, fell in with them, conversed with them, went to their meetings, and joined in communion with them. He had lately breathed out threatenings and slaughter against them, but now breathes love and affection to them. Now the wolf dwells with the lamb, and the leopard lies down with the kid, Isa. 11. 6. Note, Those that take God for their God, take his people for their people. Saul associated with the disciples, because now he saw an amiableness and excellency in them, because he loved them, and found that he improved in knowledge and grace by conversing with them; and thus he made profession of his christian faith, and openly declared himself a disciple of Christ, by herding with those that were his disciples.

3. He preached Christ in the synagogues, v. 20. To this he had an extraordinary call, and for it an extraordinary qualification, God having immediately revealed his Son to him and in him, that he might preach him, Gal. 1. 15, 16. He was so full of Christ himself, that the Spirit within him constrained him to preach him to others, and, like Elihu, to speak that he might be refreshed, Job 32. 20. Observe, (1.) Where he preached; in the synagogues of the Jews; for they were to have the first offer made them; the synagogues were their places of concourse, there he met with them together, and there they used to preach against Christ, and to punish his disciples; by the same token that Paul himself had punished them oft in every synagogue, (ch. 26. 11.) and therefore there he would face the enemies of Christ, where they were most daring; and openly profess Christianity there, where he had most opposed it. (2.) What he preached; He preached Christ. When he began to be a preacher, he fixed that for his principle, which he stuck to ever after; We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus our Lord; nothing but Christ, and him crucified. He preached concerning Christ, that he is the Son of God, his beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased, and with us in him, and not otherwise. (3.) How people were affected with it; (v. 21.) All that heard him were amazed, and said, "Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and now does he call on this name himself, and persuade others to call upon it, and strengthen the hands of those that do!" ''Quantum mutatus ab illo—Oh how changed! "Is Saul also among the prophets? Nay, did he not come hither for that intent, to seize all the christians he could find, and bring them bound to the chief priests?'' Yes, he did. Who would have thought then, that he should preach Christ as he does?" Doubtless, this was looked upon by many as a great confirmation of the truth of Christianity, that one who had been such a notorious persecutor of it, came, on a sudden, to be such an intelligent, strenuous, and capacious preacher of it. This miracle upon the mind of such a man, outshone the miracles upon men's bodies; and giving a man such another heart was more than giving men to speak with other tongues.

4. He confuted and confounded those that opposed the doctrine of Christ, v. 22. He signalized himself, not only in the pulpit, but in the schools, and shewed himself supernaturally enabled, not only to preach the truth, but to maintain and defend it when he had preached it. (1.) He increased in strength; he became more intimately acquainted with the gospel of Christ, and his pious affections grew more strong; he grew more bold and daring and resolute in the defence of the gospel; he increased the more, for the reflections that were cast upon him, (v. 21.) in which his new friends upbraided him as having been a persecutor, and his old friends upbraided him as being now a turncoat; but Saul, instead of being discouraged by the various remarks made upon his conversion, was thereby so much the more imboldened, finding he had enough at hand wherewith to answer the worst they could say of him. (2.) He ran down his antagonists, and confounded the Jews which dwelt in Damascus; he silenced them, and shamed them; answered their objections to the satisfaction of all indifferent persons, and pressed them with arguments which they could make no reply to. In all his discourses with the Jews, he was still proving that this Jesus is very Christ, is the Christ, the Anointed of God, the true Messiah promised to the fathers. He was proving it, —affirming it and confirming it; teaching with persuasion. And we have reason to think he was instrumental to convert many to the faith of Christ, and to build up the church at Damascus, which he came thither to make havoc of. Thus, out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness.

23. And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: 24. But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day