Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/813

 Ananias went,  and  entering  into  the  house  where  Saul  was, he laid  his  hands  upon  him,  and  said:  “Brother  Saul,  the  Lord Jesus hath  sent  me,  He  who  appeared  to  thee  in  the  way  as  thou earnest, that  thou  mayest  receive  thy  sight,  and  be  filled  with  the Holy Ghost.”  And  suddenly  there  fell  from  the  eyes  of  Saul,  as it  were,  scales,  and  he  received  his  sight,  and,  rising  up,  was baptized. Immediately he  began  to  preach  in  the  synagogues that Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God.

The Divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  story  of  Saul’s  conversion  bears testimony in  several  ways  to  the  divinity  of  our  Lord. i. Saul  himself saw our  Lord  Jesus  in  glory,  and  was  thus,  like  Stephen,  an  eye-witness of His  Godhead. 2. Saul  repeatedly  addressed  Jesus  as  “Lord”,  that is, God,  and  preached  in  Damascus  that  “Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God”. 3. The  marvellous  and  sudden  conversion  of  Saul  shows  the  omnipotence of Jesus,  for  only  God  can  turn  the  hearts  of  men. 4. Our  Lord  also appeared to  Ananias,  and  foretold  to  him  certain  things  which  afterwards came to  pass,  namely,  that  Saul  would  preach  the  Name  of  Jesus  before Jews and  Gentiles,  and  that  he  would  suffer  much  for  His  sake. 5. Ananias confessed Him  to  be  God,  addressing  Him  as  “Lord”,  and  saying  to Saul:  “The  Lord  Jesus  hath  sent  me.”  6. Ananias was  sent  by  Jesus, and in  His  Name  he  worked  a great  miracle,  for  by  the  touch  of  his hand Saul  recovered  his  sight. He who,  in  spite  of  all  these  proofs and testimonies,  does  not  believe  in  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  indeed inexcusable.

The Mercy  of  Jesus.  Our  Lord  loved  Saul,  who  hated  and  persecuted Him. He sought  him  out  and  enlightened  him  at  the  very moment when  he  was  most  thirsting  for  blood  and  was  least  deserving of grace. He did  not  speak  to  him  in  a terrifying  manner,  but  with