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- Acts Chapter 9 (part 3)
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME!
👇🏽 Important 👇🏽
👉🏽 Read Chapter before reading my notes. If you don’t, my notes won’t make sense.
We’re diving into part 3 of Chapter 9, so it's important to read it again to better understand it.
You can access previous notes on Acts and Luke by clicking this link:
Good morning, Saints! ☀️
Okay. This is the first time there will be a part 4. Sorry. I could have squeezed it all in but ran out of time.
When you read this, my wife and I will be on a flight to Cuba, where we’ll meet with nine pastors who are turning the world upside down. You could call it a revival, but I’m calling it a revolution.
If you want to read about our trip or get updates from our ministry, you can join here:
It’s a short set of notes today, but WE WILL finish Chapter 9 when I get back! Let’s go!
Look at the contrast between these two verses.
But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
In contrast to,
When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
The change in Saul’s life was D R A M A T I C. Just a short time before, he was a powerful Pharisee with authority and respect, hunting down Christians.
Now, he’s the one being hunted.
When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
Even though it seems immediate, there's actually a span of three years between Saul's conversion and his first visit to Jerusalem, which takes place between verses 22 and 23.
Turns out, “many days” was three years.
How do we know?
In his letter to the churches of Galatia, Paul describes his trip to Arabia and then a return to Damascus. After a total of three years—likely including time spent in both Arabia and Damascus—he went to Jerusalem.
"Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days."
We don’t know much about what Saul did in Arabia because Scripture doesn’t give many details. Paul never says exactly whether he was teaching, hiding, or doing something else.
Some scholars think Saul used this time to grow spiritually. After such a dramatic conversion, he probably needed time to fully understand his new faith, study the Scriptures, and prepare for his future ministry.
They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
It must have felt humiliating for someone who once had so much influence.
But I think that’s what makes it so impactful.
Saul didn’t care about his position or power—his entire world had been turned upside down but set straight. Now, he was focused on Jesus and spreading the gospel.
When I read this, I think of times when my back has been against the wall, facing seemingly impossible situations.
Is that how Saul felt?
What an opportunity for God to show up and strengthen our faith just as we’re about to fall off a cliff.
And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.
When you’re reading the Bible, slow down. Ask questions. Put yourself at the scene. What seems off?
A keyword in that verse is “attempted.” I’ve never really thought about it, but I’ve always imagined that right after his conversion, the other disciples might have said something like, “Saul! Welcome to the good side.” and then he was quickly accepted.
But three years later, they were still afraid of him.
Saul's reputation as a persecutor of Christians ran deep. He had been one of the fiercest opponents of the early church, so it makes sense that the disciples were hesitant.
They may have thought his conversion was a trick or that he was still a threat.
It wasn’t until Barnabas vouched for Paul that their fears were eased, and the apostles accepted him.
So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.
After Barnabas stood up for him and persuaded the apostles and believers that his conversion was genuine, Saul was finally accepted into their community. This gave him the freedom to move openly among them, boldly preaching and sharing the gospel in Jerusalem.
Hellenists were Jews who had adopted the Greek language and, to some extent, Greek culture. They were often Jews who lived outside of Palestine in Greek-speaking areas, and they tended to worship in synagogues where Greek was spoken, rather than Aramaic or Hebrew.
Saul was a Hellenistic Jew born in Tarsus, a city steeped in Greek culture and language. Though deeply committed to his Jewish faith, his exposure to Greek thought and culture placed him right in the middle of the Hellenistic Jewish world.
Despite this, Saul remained rooted in traditional Jewish practices, having studied under the renowned rabbi Gamaliel in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3).
The Hebraic Jews had fiercely opposed another Hellenistic Jew, Stephen (Acts 7), because he preached about the resurrection of the dead and seemed to disrespect their religious traditions, even in the pagan cities they lived in.
When they couldn't refute his arguments, they accused him of blasphemy and killed him, with a young man named Saul watching.
Later, Saul himself would receive the same hostile reception for preaching the gospel.
One Minute Inspiration
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
In the New Testament, "saint" refers to any Christian believer. It comes from the Greek word "hagios," meaning "holy" or "set apart." Paul often addresses believers in his letters as "saints."
George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
George and his family are expanding to Cuba in 2024.