Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 26:18

"to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me." — Acts 26:18 (ASV)

On the other hand, this third account leaves out certain features of the other two: (1) the heavenly speaker identifies himself only as Jesus (cf. 22:8); (2) there is no mention of Ananias (cf. 9:10–19; 22:12–16); (3) there is no mention of Paul’s blindness and subsequent healing (cf. 9:8–9; 18–19; 22:11, 13).

There was, however, no need here to refer to Jesus “of Nazareth” or to the devout Jew Ananias (cf. comment on 22:12–16). Nor was it necessary for Paul to refer to his blindness and healing, which might have been confusing to a pagan audience. Rather, in his address before Agrippa and the others, Paul merged the words of Christ as spoken on the road to Damascus (cf. 9:5–6; 22:8, 10), as given through Ananias of Damascus (cf. 22:14–15), and as received in a vision at Jerusalem (cf. 22:18–21). In other words, while not emphasizing details of time or human aid, Paul did emphasize the lordship of Christ and the divine commission Christ gave him. The words of the risen Jesus calling Paul to his mission (vv.16–17) recall the commissioning of the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah (Ezekiel 2:1, 3; Jeremiah 1:7–8), and the commission itself (v.18) echoes that of the Servant of the Lord in Isa 42:6b–7.

Indeed, Paul’s mission was a prophetic one that perpetuated the commission originally given to God’s Righteous Servant, Jesus Christ. And Christians today, as God’s servants and prophets, are called to the same kind of ministry.