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Verse Takeaways
1
An Official Persecution
Saul's mission wasn't a personal vendetta; it was officially sanctioned. Commentators explain he received 'letters' from the high priest and Sanhedrin, giving him legal authority to arrest Jews in a foreign city and bring them to Jerusalem for trial. Some scholars suggest Saul sincerely believed he was serving God by purifying Israel from what he saw as a dangerous heresy, expecting divine approval for his actions.
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Book Overview
Acts
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Commentaries
9
Albert Barnes
On Acts 9:2
18th Century
Theologian
And desired of him. This shows the intensity of his wish to persecute the Christians, that he was willing to ask for such an empl…
AT Robertson
On Acts 9:2
Asked (ηιτησατο). First aorist middle indicative, the indirect middle, asked for himself (as a favour to himself). Felten notes th…
Charles Ellicott
On Acts 9:2
19th Century
Bishop
And asked him for letters to Damascus.—We learn from 2 Corinthians 11:32–33 that Damascus was at this time under the g…
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Charles Spurgeon
On Acts 9:2
19th Century
Preacher
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…
Expositor's Bible Commentary
On Acts 9:2
The account of Saul’s conversion opens with the picture of him “still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples” (cf. 8:3). Even…
John Calvin
On Acts 9:2
16th Century
Theologian
And Luke also describes that Saul was equipped with weapons and power to do harm, for Luke says that Saul had obtained letters from the hi…
John Gill
On Acts 9:2
17th Century
Pastor
And desired of him letters to Damascus
Damascus was the head or metropolis of Syria, (Isaiah 7:8) And so Pliny
Matthew Henry
On Acts 9:1–9
17th Century
Minister
Saul was so misinformed that he thought he should do all he could against the name of Christ, believing he was serving God by doing so; he seemed t…