Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 9:15

"But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel:" — Acts 9:15 (ASV)

Go thy way. This is often the only answer that we obtain to the suggestion of our doubts and hesitations about duty. God tells us still to do what he requires, with an assurance only that his commands are just, and that there are good reasons for them.

A chosen vessel. The usual meaning of the word vessel is well known. It usually denotes a cup or basin, such as is used in a house. It then denotes any instrument which may be used to accomplish a purpose, perhaps particularly with the notion of conveying or communicating.

In the Scriptures, it is used to denote the instrument or agent which God employs to convey his favors to mankind, and is thus employed to represent the ministers of the gospel, or the body of the minister (2 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:4). Paul is called chosen because Christ had selected him, as he did his other apostles, for this service .

To bear my name. To communicate the knowledge of me.

Before the Gentiles. The nations; all who were not Jews. This was the principal employment of Paul. He spent his life in this, and regarded himself as peculiarly called to be the apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13; Romans 15:16; Galatians 2:7–8; Ephesians 3:7–8).

And kings. This was fulfilled (Acts 25:23; Acts 26:1–32; Acts 27:24).

And the children of Israel. The Jews. This was done. He immediately began to preach to them (Acts 9:20–22; Acts 20:23).

Wherever he went, he preached the gospel first to them, and then to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46; Acts 28:17).