Ananias the Law-keeper has ushered his new spiritual brother–Saul of Tarsus–into the Christian community in Damascus. From this point on the ministry of the church will change dramatically for the better as God unleashes him on the Jewish nation.

Verses twenty through thirty-one: “And immediately Saul preached Christ in the synagogues, proclaiming that He is the Son of God.” This was in fulfillment of His Words to Ananias as recorded in verse 15: “… for he (Saul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” See White Fields. Saul was prolific in his ministry to the Jews of Damascus. Like any true spokesman for the Lord, he had been given a commission and was determined to fulfilled with his whole being. His faith in the Lord Jesus amazed and infuriated the Jews who could not believe that the man who was so intent on destroying the new cult was now preaching about its Leader, and in the synagogues no less. The Jews Saul’s denunciation of their Talmudic customs and beliefs until they had could tolerate it no longer. It was time for him to die. Hearing of their plans, the disciples helped him to escape from Damascus.

We next hear of Saul in Jerusalem where he is not welcomed by the disciples there because of their fear of him. But Barnabus upheld him before the other believers, telling them how he had conducted himself in Damascus. Over time the believers in Jerusalem accepted him. With Saul the scourge having been replaced by Saul the saint, there was a level of peace in the Israelite capital–temporarily. One cannot help but notice that wherever Saul appeared, trouble quickly followed. Soon the Jews of Jerusalem were making plans to kill him. Why? “And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed with the Grecians (Helenistic Jews)” (vs 29). When God’s man is in an area, trouble always arises. In today’s more civilized areas of the world trouble does not result in the death of the troublemaker. Reaction to him will normally come in the form of attitudes, words and physical separation. This is part of the pre-conversion “cost-counting” the Lord warns about.

Once again Saul is forced to escape the death squads. Eventually he finds himself in Tarsus, his home town. We hear no more about him until 11:30 where he reappears with Barnabus some 8 years after his conversion. Acts 9:31 tells us: “Then the churches throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria were edified as they walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. From this point we begin to read about the ministry of the Apostle Peter whose work will dominate the narrative until 12:25 with only an occasional mention of Saul. L.J.