NOTES for Act 9:1-20

The Lord has prepared a surprise for Ananias. Ananias was apparently quite ready for God to speak to him. But even he did not expect this: to go to Saul of Tarsus, whom everyone knows to be a persecutor of Christians and who has come to Damascus with the sole purpose of eradicating Christianity. Ananias is shocked. Yet he does not reject the vision (although he could easily have said, “Going to Saul is madness, so this is not a vision but a delusion”). On the other hand, he does not argue with God or say, “No, Lord, I am not going anywhere.” He asks for clarification: “Lord, I have heard from many people how much harm this man has done to Your saints, and that here in Damascus he also intends to persecute Your Church...” In reply, the Lord does not say whether this is true or not (apparently because it is already known to be true); He says, “Go, because I have chosen him.” And Ananias makes the only right decision: he simply goes and does what the Lord has told him.