Charles Spurgeon Commentary Acts 9

And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

His very breath was hot with malice against the saints; he could not live without venting his spite upon the disciples of Christ. He showed this by the fact that he not only sought to arrest men, but was equally cruel towards women, who, from their weakness, one might have thought would have been left alone, but he expressly desired it to be written in the letters that, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

When speaking before Agrippa, Paul said that it was a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun. Was it not that very Shekinah which in ancient times had shone forth between the cherubim over the mercy-seat?

And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

Notice that little word "yet." Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord; but there was to be a point beyond which he could not go. I pray God that there may be such a "yet" as that put into the histories of any here who are opposing God and his Christ. Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter, – as if they were his very breath, as if he only lived to blaspheme the name of Christ, and to persecute his followers, – went to the high priest,.

And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

He wanted his hunting-ground enlarged; he had not enough to gratify his malice among the thousands of believers in Jerusalem, so he must go to Damascus to hunt out the Christians there. Paul was always very thorough in all that he did; so, when he was a persecutor, he was a very bitter one.

It did not matter to him whether the saints were men or women. In ordinary warfare it is the custom to spare the women. A brave man is satisfied to fight with men like himself; but a bigot's zeal knows no bounds, and so Saul asked for letters, so that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus:

The lion is about to leap upon his prey. The sheepfold lies in the valley, and the wolf surveys it from the hillside. "Alas for the Church of God at Damascus!" you and I would have said if we had been there.

And suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

A supernatural blaze, as though heaven's gate had been thrown open, and the glory had come streaming down upon this rebellious man.