"ACTS OF THE APOSTLES"

Chapter Nine

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
  1. To study the conversion of Saul, comparing Luke's account in this chapter with Saul's own words recorded later on in chapters 22 and 26
  2. To note two miracles by Peter, and the affect they had on many people who heard about them
SUMMARY

Not content with persecuting Christians in Jerusalem, Saul received permission from the high priest to seek out those of the Way in Damascus and bring them bound to Jerusalem. It was near Damascus that Saul was blinded by a vision of the risen Jesus. Told to go into Damascus for further instructions, Saul was led blind into the city where he waited for three days, neither eating nor drinking (1-9).

The Lord then appeared to a disciple named Ananias and sent him to restore Saul's sight and tell him what he would do as a chosen vessel for Christ. With his sight restored, Saul was baptized and resumed eating. For some days Saul remained in Damascus and began immediately preaching in the synagogues that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, to the amazement of those who knew that he had come to the city to arrest Christians (10-19).

After many days had passed (during which Saul apparently spent about 3 years in Arabia, cf. Ga 1:17-18), Saul barely escaped a plot to kill him by the Jews in Damascus (cf. 2Co 11:32-33). He went to Jerusalem where after Barnabas spoke in his behalf he was accepted by the brethren. Another plot by the Jews to kill Saul prompted the brethren to bring him to Caesarea and send him on to Tarsus. The churches in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria then enjoyed peace and grew as they walked in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit (20-31).

Luke then records two miracles performed by Peter. The first in Lydda, where Peter healed Aeneas, a man paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. This led many in Lydda and Sharon to turn to the Lord. In nearby Joppa, a disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas) became sick and died. Having heard that Peter was in Lydda, the disciples sent for him to come without delay. Peter raised Tabitha from the dead, leading many people in Joppa to believe on the Lord. Peter then remained in Joppa for many days, staying with Simon, a tanner (32-43).

OUTLINE
  1. CONVERSION OF SAUL (1-31)
    1. THE APPEARANCE ON THE ROAD (1-9)
      1. Saul granted authority by the high priest
        1. While aggressive in persecuting disciples of the Lord
        2. With letters to the synagogues in Damascus
        3. To find those of "the Way" and bring them bound to Jerusalem
      2. The Lord's appearance on the road to Damascus
        1. Approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him
        2. Falling to the ground, he hears a voice: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
        3. When he asks, "Who are you, Lord?", he is told:
          1. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting."
          2. "It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
        4. When asked what to, he is told:
          1. "Arise, go into the city."
          2. "You will be told what you must do."
        5. His companions stand speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one
      3. Saul's arrival in Damascus
        1. Getting up, he sees no one
        2. His companions lead him by the hand into the city
        3. There he waits for three days, without sight, neither eating or drinking
    2. THE ARRIVAL OF ANANIAS (9-19)
      1. The Lord appears in a vision to Ananias, a disciple in Damascus
        1. Instructed to go to house of Judas on the street called Straight
          1. Where Saul is praying and has seen a vision in which Ananias restores his sight
          2. Ananias is reluctant, knowing of Saul's persecution of the saints
        2. Ananias is commanded to go, for Saul is a chosen vessel
          1. Who will bear the Lord's name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel
          2. Who will be shown how many things he must suffer for His name's sake
      2. Ananias goes to Saul
        1. Laying hands on Saul as he explains his purpose in coming
          1. That Saul might receive his sight
          2. And be filled with the Holy Spirit
        2. Saul's sight is immediately restored, and is baptized
        3. He resumes eating and spends some days with the disciples
    3. THE MINISTRY IN DAMASCUS (20-25)
      1. Saul immediately preaches Christ as the Son of God in the synagogues
        1. To the amazement of all who heard and knew his background
          1. How he destroyed those in Jerusalem who called on His name
          2. How he came to Damascus to bring them bound to the chief priests
        2. He increases in strength
          1. Confounding the Jews who dwelt in Damascus
          2. Proving that Jesus is the Christ
      2. Saul is forced to leave Damascus
        1. After many days, the Jews plot to kill him
        2. When the plot is revealed, they watch the gates day and night to kill him
        3. The disciples help Saul escape at night by letting him over a wall in a basket
    4. THE VISIT TO JERUSALEM (26-31)
      1. Saul joins himself to the disciples
        1. Though at first they were afraid and did not believe him
        2. Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them:
          1. How he had seen the Lord on the road, who spoke to him
          2. Of his bold preaching in Damascus
        3. Saul is accepted and circulates freely among the disciples in Jerusalem
      2. Saul is forced to leave Jerusalem
        1. He speaks boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus
          1. Disputing against the Hellenists
          2. Who attempt to kill him
        2. The brethren learn of the attempt to kill Saul
          1. They bring him down to Caesarea
          2. They send him to Tarsus
  2. MIRACLES OF PETER (32-43)
    1. THE HEALING OF AENEAS (32-35)
      1. Peter comes to the saints in Lydda
      2. He meets Aeneas, paralyzed and bedridden for eight years
      3. Peter tells him that Jesus Christ heals him, and he arose immediately
      4. All who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord
    2. THE RAISING OF DORCAS (36-43)
      1. At Joppa, a certain disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas) dies
        1. A woman full of good works and charitable deeds
        2. Her body was washed and laid in an upper room
        3. Two men were sent to Peter in nearby Lydda
      2. Peter raises Dorcas from the dead
        1. He is brought to the upper room, where weeping widows showed garments by Dorcas
        2. Sending the widows out, Peter kneels down and prays
        3. Telling her "Tabitha, arise", she opened her eyes and sat up
        4. Peter presents her alive to the saints and widows
        5. As it became known throughout Joppa, many believed on the Lord
      3. Peter remains in Joppa with Simon, a tanner
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
Show / Hide Answers
  1. What are the main points of this chapter?
    - Conversion of Saul (1-31)
    - Miracles of Peter (32-43)
  2. What was Saul doing when he went to the high priest? (1)
    - Breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord
  3. What did Saul get from the high priest? (2)
    - Letters to the synagogues of Damascus, authorizing him to arrest and bring those of "The Way" to Jerusalem
  4. As Saul came near Damascus, what happened? What did he hear? (3-4)
    - Suddenly a light shone around him from heaven
    - Falling down, he heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
  5. When he asked "Who are You, Lord?", what was he told? (5)
    - "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting."
  6. What did Jesus tell Saul to do? (6)
    - To go to the city, where he would be told what to do
  7. How did the men with him respond to what was happening? (7)
    - They stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one
  8. How was Saul led into the city? What did he do for three days? (8-9)
    - By the hand, for he was blind when he arose from the ground
    - He did not eat or drink, and remained without sight
  9. To whom did the Lord appear in a vision? (10)
    - A disciple at Damascus named Ananias
  10. What did Jesus tell him to do? (11)
    - To go to the street called Straight
    - To inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul
  11. What had Saul been doing during this time? What had he seen in a vision? (11-12)
    - Praying; a man named Ananias laying hands on him that he might receive his sight
  12. Why was Ananias hesitant to go? (13-14)
    - He had heard what Saul had done to the saints in Jerusalem, and why he had come to Damascus
  13. What did the Lord say about Saul to reassure Ananias to go to him? (15-16)
    - Saul is His chosen vessel to bear His name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel
    - He will be shown how many things he must suffer for the Lord's sake
  14. When Ananias laid his hands on Saul, what did he say as to why the Lord sent him? (17)
    - That Saul might receive his sight
    - That Saul might be filled with the Holy Spirit
  15. What happened immediately thereafter? (18)
    - Something like scales fell from his eyes and his sight returned
    - He arose and was baptized
    - He was strengthened when he ate
  16. What did Saul then do? (19-20)
    - He received food and was strengthened
    - He spent some days with the disciples at Damascus
    - He immediately began preaching in the synagogues Christ as the Son of God
  17. What was the reaction of those who heard him? (21)
    - They were amazed, for they knew what he had done in Jerusalem and why he came to Damascus
  18. As Saul increased in strength, what did he do? (22)
    - He confounded the Jews in Damascus, proving that Jesus was the Christ
  19. After many days had passed, who plotted to kill Saul? How did he escape? (23-25)
    - The Jews, who watched the gates day and night
    - The disciples let him down through the wall in a large basket
  20. When Saul came to Jerusalem, what did he try to do? What was the reaction? (26)
    - To join the disciples; they were afraid of him, for they did not believe he was a disciple
  21. Who brought him before the apostles? What did he tell them about Saul? (27)
    - Barnabas; how Saul had seen the Lord who spoke to him, and how Saul preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus
  22. What was Saul then permitted to do? (28)
    - To be with the disciples, coming in and going out
  23. What did Saul do while at Jerusalem? What then happened? (29-30)
    - He spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed with the Hellenists
    - An attempt was made to kill him, but the brethren took him to Caesarea and sent him on to Tarsus
  24. What was the condition of the churches in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria at that time? (31)
    - They had peace and were edified
    - Walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied
  25. Where did Peter go and what did he find there? (32-33)
    - He went to Lydda where he found Aeneas, paralyzed and bedridden for eight years
  26. What did Peter do and what was the result? (34-35)
    - He healed him in the name of Jesus, all in Lydda and Sharon turned to the Lord
  27. Who died at Joppa, and what did the disciples there do? (36-38)
    - A disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas), a woman full of good works and charitable deeds
    - They washed her body, laid her in an upper room, and sent two men for Peter
  28. When Peter arrived, what did he see and what did he do? (39-41)
    - Widows weeping in the upper room, showing the garments Dorcas made
    - He sent the widows out, knelt and prayed, and then said "Tabitha, arise"
    - After she opened her eyes and sat up, Peter called the saints and widows back into the room and presented her alive
  29. What happened when this became known throughout all Joppa? (42)
    - Many believed on the Lord
  30. What did Peter then do? (43)
    - Stayed in Joppa for many days with Simon, a tanner