Charles Ellicott Commentary Acts 9:2

"and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem." — Acts 9:2 (ASV)

And asked him for letters to Damascus.—We learn from 2 Corinthians 11:32–33 that Damascus was at this time under the government of Aretas, the king of Arabia Petraea. How it came to be so, having been previously under Vitellius, the Roman president of Syria (Josephus, Antiquities 14.4.5), is not clear.

It is probable, however, that in the war which Aretas had declared against Herod Antipas (as a consequence of the Tetrarch divorcing Aretas's daughter to marry Herodias; see Notes on Matthew 14:3; Luke 3:14), he was led, after defeating the Tetrarch (Josephus, Antiquities 18.5.1), to push his victories further; and, taking advantage of the absence of Vitellius—who had hurried to Rome upon hearing of the death of Tiberius (A.D. 37)—Aretas then seized Damascus.

During this suspension of Roman control, Aretas may have wanted to appease the priestly party in Jerusalem by facilitating their actions against the sect. They would naturally have portrayed this sect as aligned with the Galileans, against whom Aretas had been waging war.

The Jewish population in Damascus was very large at this time. Josephus relates that no fewer than 10,000 were killed in a disturbance under Nero (Josephus, Wars 2.25), and the narrative of Acts (Acts 9:14) implies that there were many “disciples of the Lord” among them.

Many of these were probably refugees from Jerusalem. The local synagogues were called upon to enforce the decrees of the Sanhedrin of the Holy City against them. On the position and history of Damascus, see the Note on the next verse.

If he found any of this way.—Literally, of the way. Here we have the first occurrence of a term that seems to have been used familiarly as a synonym for the disciples of Christ (Acts 19:9; Acts 19:23; Acts 22:4; Acts 24:14; Acts 24:22).

The term may have originated in Christ's words when He claimed to be Himself the Way, as well as the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). It might also stem from His language about the strait way that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:13). Another possible origin is the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3), cited by the Baptist (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3), about preparing the way of the Lord.

Before the general acceptance of the term “Christian” (Acts 11:26), it served as a convenient, neutral designation by which the disciples could describe themselves. Others who wished to speak respectfully, or at least neutrally, could also use it, instead of the derogatory term “Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). The history of the term “Methodists”—those that follow a distinct “method” or “way” of life—offers a partial but interesting analogy.

Whether they were men or women.—The mention of women here is of special interest. They too were prominent enough to be objects of the persecution. It is probable that those most exposed to it would have fled from Jerusalem. Among these, we may think of those women who had been foremost in their ministry during our Lord’s life on earth (Luke 8:2) and who were with the Apostles at their first meeting after His Ascension (Acts 1:14).

Might bring them bound to Jerusalem.—The mission implied that the offence was beyond the jurisdiction of subordinate tribunals and had to be reserved for the Council. This was because it was an offence against the Holy Place and the Law, involving what would, in modern language, be called sacrilege and heresy. (See Notes on Matthew 5:22; Matthew 10:17.)