Ananias And Saul
ANANIAS AND SAUL
ACTS 9:10-19a
Ananias is naturally fearful, but he so trusts the Lord that he can lovingly address his enemy as a Christian brother.
Everything we learn about Ananias, the Jewish-Christian disciple (22:12), is commendable and edifying. He is human enough to express incredulity that such a notorious arch-enemy as Saul should have been converted (9:13-14), but believing enough to go without hesitation and fear (9:17) upon the Lord’s errand, and charitable enough to greet his former persecutor as “Brother Saul,” a word which would have stuck in the throat of any lesser man than Ananias. Ananias goes down in history as the first Christian influence on a newly awakened Saul by what he said (9:17) and what he did (9:12,18; 22:14-16)—the first-in-line of men and women to whom Paul later paid tribute as his predecessors in the faith (Romans 16:7). The formative influences we receive in the first days of our Christian life greatly influence our subsequent future. Hence the exacting rôle of Ananias which he performed admirably. Two visions, one conveying instructions to Ananias of what he was to do, and the other making known to the blinded Saul the person he was to expect, brought the two men together. Moreover, Saul would be recognized by what he was doing in Judas’ house. Note what it was (9:11).
Saul’s future destiny is carefully described in 9:15, which strikes the notes which the later record will amplify: he will fulfill a ministry, like that of Isaiah’s elect Servant, and bring the news of salvation to the Gentiles (13:47, quoting Isaiah 49:6), but the price to be paid will be costly (9:16). Colossians 1:24 and his ultimate martyrdom (2 Timothy 4:6 looks forward to this) tell us something of that cost.
Note 9:12: the “laying on of hands” was a Jewish rite with many meanings. Here the sense is one of solemn ordination or setting apart for God’s service (as Jewish rabbis were ordained). The gift of the Holy Spirit (9:17) is associated with this commissioning, but the Head of the Church alone can impart this, as 26:16 and Ephesians 4:7 make clear. In any case Ananias was no priest! He seems to have administered the baptism (22:16).