9 “Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ 11 And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.” (Acts 22:9–11)
Paul continued his personal testimony, and defense of the Gospel, before the Jews and the Romans as today’s text reveals. As he continued to share the events which occurred on the Damascus Road resulting in his conversion to Christianity (Acts 9), he stated that those who were him say the light of God’s glory, but did not understand what the Lord Jesus was saying to Paul. However, Paul (or Saul) certainly did.
Paul told the crowd his response to the Lord Jesus: “What shall I do, Lord?” Whereupon, Paul then recalled what Jesus answered and said to him: “Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.”
Paul then related that he had become blind in his encounter with the risen and glorious Christ. It was necessary, Paul stated, that he be led by the hand by those who were with him. As one pastor comments: “Jesus had radically altered the direction of Paul’s life.”
Much like the man born blind, and the religious leaders who doubted the miraculous event of Jesus giving him sight (John 9), prior to his conversion Paul thought he possessed spiritual sight, but in reality he was spiritually blind. Ironically, it was when he beheld the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and became physically blind, that at that moment he gained spiritual sight and was converted.
John Bunyan’s words ring true in the life of Paul the Apostle, Bunyan himself, along with a host of other believers in Christ.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 