When I was come again to Jerusalem From Damascus; and prayed in the temple By this he shows that he still paid the temple its due honour, as the house of prayer; I was in a trance Or ecstasy. Perhaps he might continue standing all the while, with an intenseness of countenance which, if it were observed by any near him, might be imputed to the fixedness of his mind in his devotions; or, if he fell down, it might be looked upon as an epileptic fit. And saw him Jesus; saying to me, Get thee quickly out of Jerusalem Because of the snares that will be laid for thee, and in order to preach where people will hear: for they will not In Jerusalem; receive thy testimony But, on the contrary, will rather attempt thy destruction. And Presuming to expostulate with Christ himself on this occasion; I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned, &c. They know that I was once of their mind; that I was as bitter an enemy to thy disciples as any of them; that I excited the civil power against them; and imprisoned them And also raised the spiritual power against them; and beat them in every synagogue Particularly in Stephen's case, they know that, when he was stoned, I was standing by Was aiding and abetting; and consenting to his death and In token thereof, kept the raiment of them that slew him That is, Lord, my former zeal against those that believed in thee is so well known to them all, by so many remarkable instances shown among them, that sure they must be convinced it is upon some certain and irresistible grounds of persuasion that I am now become a preacher of that faith I formerly destroyed and persecuted with so great zeal. And he said Overruling my plea by a renewal of his charge; Depart Reason no further on this subject, but go thy way immediately, according to my direction; for I will send thee far hence Into distant countries; unto the Gentiles And thou shalt preach my gospel, and publish the glad tidings of salvation, with much greater encouragement and success among them. It is not easy for a servant of Christ, who is himself deeply impressed with divine truths, to imagine to what a degree men are capable of hardening their hearts against them. He is often ready to think, with Paul, it is impossible for any to resist such evidence. But experience makes him wiser, and shows that wilful unbelief is proof against all truth and reason.
Related Commentaries of Acts 22:17
Acts 22:17-21
17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18 And saw him saying unto me,Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21 And he said unto me,Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.