Acts 9:17 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ananias went his way, &c.— Had St. Paul been an impostor, he could not have acted his part but in confederacy. He was to be instructed by one at Damascus; Acts 9:6 that instructor therefore must have been his accomplice, though they appeared to be absolute strangers to each other, and though he was a man of an excellent character, and so was very unlikely to have engaged in such a business. Notwithstanding these improbabilities, this man must have been his confident and accomplice in carrying on this fraud, and the whole matter must havebeen previously agreed on between them. But here this objection occurs:—How could this man venture to act so dangerous a part, without the consent of the other disciples, especiallyof the apostles? Or by what means could he obtain their consent? And how absurdly did they contrive their business, to make the conversion of Saul the effect of a miracle, which all those who were with him must certify did never happen?—How much easier would it have been to have made him be present at some pretended miracle wrought by the disciples, or by Ananias himself, when none were able to discover the fraud, and then have imputed his conversion to that, or to the arguments used by some of his prisoners, whom he might have discoursed with and questioned about their faith, and the grounds of it, in order to colour his intended conversion? Besides, is it not strange, if the account had been an imposture, and Ananias had been joined with Saul in carrying it on, that, after their meeting at Damascus, we should never hear of their consorting together, or acting in concert, or that the former drew any benefit from the friendship of the latter, when he became so considerable among the Christians?—Did Ananias engage and continue in such a dangerous fraud without any hope or desire of private advantage? Or was it safe for Saul to shake him off, and risk his resentment?—We will suppose then, in order to account for this vision without a miracle, that, as Saul and his company were journeying to Damascus, an extraordinary meteor did really appear, which cast a great light, at which they being affrighted, fell to the ground; see ch. Acts 26:14. This might be possible, and fear, grounded on ignorance of such a phaenomenon, might make them imagine it to be a vision from God; nay, even the voice or sound which they heard in the air, might be an explosion attending this meteor;—or, at least, there are those who would rather recur to such a supposition as this, however incredible, than acknowledge the miracle; but how will this account for the distinct words heard by Saul, to which he made answer?—How will it account for what followed when he came to Damascus agreeably to the sense of those words which he heard? How came Ananias to go to him there, and say "He was chosen by God to know his will, &c." ch. Acts 22:14 Acts 26:16.? Or why did he propose to him to be baptized? what connection was there between the meteor which Saul had seen, and those words of Ananias? Will it be said, that Ananias was skilful enough to take advantage of the fright that he was in at the appearance, in order to make him a Christian? But could Ananias inspire him with the vision, in which he saw him before he came, Acts 9:12.? If that vision was the effect of imagination, how came it to be verified so exactly in fact?—But allowing that he dreamed by chance of Ananias's coming, and that came by chance too; or, if you please, that, having heard of his dream, he came to take advantage of that, as well as of the meteor which Saul had seen; will this get over the difficulty? Certainly, not: for there was more to be done. Saul was struck blind, and had been so, for three days. Now, had this blindness been natural, from the effects of the meteor or lightning upon him, it would not have been possible for Ananias to heal it, as we find that he did, merelyby putting his hands upon him, and speaking a few words.—This undoubtedly surpassed the power of nature; and if it was a miracle, it proves the other to have been a miracle too, and a miracle done by the same Jesus Christ.