Acts 26:12-18 – Paul recounts his conversion & commission

This is the third time that Acts narrated Paul’s conversion. Of the three accounts on his conversion, this one gives the least details. The part about his blindness and Ananias praying for him were not included. Here the emphasis is on his commission. Paul’s intention was to highlight the significance of his conversion which is his commission to reach the Gentiles with the Gospel.

At this juncture, Paul was on the road to Damascus with the authorization letter from the chief priests to hunt down, persecute and punish Christians. Everything changed for him while he was on that journey. A heavenly light described as one that outshone the brightness of the sun flashed around him and his companions, while they were on that stretch of road. It’s only in this account that Paul also shared about those who travelled with him, and how they also fell to the ground at the appearance of that great light.

 

Fallen to the ground, Paul said he heard a voice in Hebrew dialect, saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”  The implication here is that in persecuting the Christians, Paul was persecuting the Lord Himself. This final account of his conversion also included the part that said, “It is hard to kick against the goads.” This was in fact a common proverb known to Paul’s audience. In Greek writings this proverb had been used to mean resisting one’s destiny or fighting against the will of gods. Paul borrowed this proverb to fit his experience. In persecuting Christ and the church, Paul was in effect resisting the One who had set him apart at birth.  Like a mule or a donkey that kicks against its master’s goads, he would find the blow more severe with each kick. The Lord was telling him that it’s senseless to fight His will.
 

The emphasis on Paul’s commission is found in verses 16-18. It was given by the risen Lord Jesus, and it’s the core and climax of Paul’s entire presentation. Like the prophets Ezekiel or Jeremiah, Paul was asked to stand up to receive his commission.  He was called to be a minister as well as a witness. The word minister emphasizes his relationship with the master, he was to be faithful to the assigned tasks. And as a witness he was to bear testimony of all that he had seen and heard concerning Christ’s appearance to him. His mission included opening the eyes of those blind to God so that they could see His light. He was to deliver those under the dominion of Satan so that they may receive the forgiveness of God and be freed from their sin, and to receive an eternal inheritance among the saints who trust in Christ.  
 

In his summary, Paul stated two clear outcomes for one who responds by faith to Christ. First is the guarantee of having the forgiveness of sin, and the barrier that separates one from God removed. Second is the assurance of an inheritance among the saints in God’s eternal kingdom. In relating his commission, Paul seized the opportunity also to share the Gospel with Agrippa and the Gentiles assembled there.
 

Bear in mind that we are also all called to be a witness for Christ. We have experienced the great light of God and been delivered from darkness and brought into light. The question facing us as witnesses today is, “What ought we to do with what we have experienced?”