* Footnote * Galatians 1 : 13
For you have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion: how that, beyond measure, I persecuted the church of God and wasted it.* Footnote * 1_Corinthians 15 : 8
And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due tine.* Footnote * 2_Corinthians 12 : 2
I know a man in Christ: above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not: God knoweth), such a one caught up to the third heaven.*H And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Ver. 4. Why dost thou persecute me? My disciples, my brothers, and my friends. The head speaks for the members, and by a figure of speech, calls them itself. S. Aug. in Ps. xxx. — Here Jesus Christ identifies himself with his Church, as on a former occasion, when he said: he that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me. Lu. x. 16.
*H Who said: Who art thou, Lord? And he: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad.
Ver. 5. To kick against the goad. Others translate against the pricks; others, against the sting. The metaphor is taken from oxen kicking, when pricked to go forward. Wi.
*H And the Lord said to him: Arise and go into the city; and there it shall be told thee what thou must do. Now the men who went in company with him stood amazed, hearing indeed a voice but seeing no man.
Ver. 7. There it shall be told thee, &c. The Almighty having established a Church, and ministry, the depositories of his doctrines, does not, even on this extraordinary occasion, transgress his own laws; but sends him to the ministers of religion, that instruction may be imparted through them, as through its proper channel. This observation is worthy the notice of the self-inspired of the present day, who pretend to receive their light direct from heaven. Nothing can be more opposite to the spirit of the gospel than such delusion. A. — Hear the great S. Augustin: "Paul, though with the divine and heavenly voice prostrated and instructed, yet was sent to a man to receive the sacraments, and to be joined to the Church." De Doct. Chris. l. i. in prœm. — Hearing, &c. This may be reconciled with what is said in the 22d chap. by supposing they heard only S. Paul speak, or heard only a confused noise, which they could not understand. Calmet.
*H And Saul arose from the ground: and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. But they, leading him by the hands, brought him to Damascus.
Ver. 8. And his eyes being open, either by himself, or by others, he saw nothing. See the circumstances related again, c. xxii. and xxvi. Wi.
*H And he was there three days without sight: and he did neither eat nor drink.
Ver. 9. Three days. During the time, he neither eat nor drank, to testify his sorrow for his past conduct. He likewise spent the time in prayer, to prepare himself for the reception of grace. S. Chrys. hom. xix.
*H (And he saw a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hands upon him, that he might receive his sight.)
Ver. 12. And he saw a man, &c. This verse, which is by way of a parenthesis, contains the words of the historian, S. Luke, telling us what S. Paul saw in a vision, and what the Spirit at the same time revealed to Ananias. Wi. — This verse is a parenthensis. It contains not the words of Christ to Ananias, but S. Luke here relates what was shewn to Paul, at the time Ananias entered. This vision was shewn to him, that he might know Ananias was sent by God. Menochius.
*H And the Lord said to him: Go thy way: for this man is to me a vessel of election, to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
Ver. 15. A vessel of election. A chosen elect vessel, and minister of the gospel. Wi. — Σκεους εκλογης , an organ, or instrument. Thus Polybius uses the word, speaking of Damocles, οδε ην υπηρετικον σκευος , he was an excellent and choice character.
*H And Ananias went his way and entered into the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest, that thou mayest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Ver. 17. Laying his hands on him. This imposition of hands, made use of on different occasions, was to pray that he might receive his sight, as well as the grace of the Holy Ghost, which God sometimes gave to persons not yet baptized, as to Cornelius. Acts x. 44. Wi. — This imposition of hands, was not the same as that, by which the faithful were confirmed, or ordained ministers, but a ceremony commonly used by the apostles to restore health to the sick. If Saul, in consequence, receives the Holy Ghost, it was an extraordinary miraculous event, which was not an unfrequent circumstance in the infancy of Christianity. The Almighty, who establishes the laws of grace, can dispense with them himself whenever he pleases. Calmet.
*H And when many days were passed, the Jews consulted together to kill him.
Ver. 23. When many days were passed. By the account S. Paul gives of himself, (Gal. c. i.) soon after his conversion he went into Arabia, and about three years after he might come to Damascus. Then it seems to have happened that they were for killing him, for becoming a Christian; and the brethren saved his life, by conveying him down the walls of the town in a basket. After this, he went to Jerusalem, where the disciples knew little of him, and were afraid of him, till S. Barnabas introduced him to the apostles, and gave an account of his conversion. Wi. — Many days. That is, three years. For Saul went for a time from Damascus to Arabia. Gal. i. 17. and 18. It was on his return from thence, that the Jews conspired against his life, as is here related. Tirinus.
* Footnote * 2_Corinthians 11 : 32
At Damascus, the governor of the nation under Aretas the king, guarded the city of the Damascenes, to apprehend me.*H But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and told them how he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him: and how in Damascus he had dealt confidently in the name of Jesus.
Ver. 27. Brought him to the apostles Peter and James. See Gal. i. 18. and 19.
*H He spoke also to the Gentiles and disputed with the Greeks. But they sought to kill him.
Ver. 29. He spoke also to the Gentiles, [1] and disputed with the Grecians, or Hellenists. See c. vi. v. 1. By the Gentiles, many understand those who had been Gentiles, and were become proselytes or converts to the Jewish religion, and not those who still remained Gentiles. And by the Greeks, or Hellenists, they understand Jews, who had lived in places where they spoke Greek, or Hellenists, they understand Jews, who had lived in places where they spoke Greek, not Syriac, whom S. Paul endeavoured to convert to the Christian faith. Wi.
*H Now, the church had peace throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria: and was edified, walking in the fear of the Lord: and was filled with the consolation of the Holy Ghost.
Ver. 31. The Church visibly proceedeth still with much comfort and patience; she is perfected by persecution, and by means of the promised infallible protection, she has ever proved herself invulnerable to all the envenomed shafts of her adversaries.
*H And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him: who were converted to the Lord.
Ver. 35. Saron, or Assaron, is a mountain and city mentioned by Josue, xii. 18. From it all the plain from Cæsarea of Palestine to Joppe, is called Saron. It is a rich fertile country. Tirinus.
*H And in Joppe there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
Ver. 36. Tabitha, in Syriac, means the same as Dorcas in Greek, that is, a wild goat. V. — See here the powerful effects of good works, and alms-deeds; they reach even to the next life. B. — Hence that of the wise man, alms free from death.
*H And it came to pass in those days that she was sick and died. Whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
Ver. 37. Washed. This custom of washing the dead was observed among the Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, and most other nations. It is still practised in monasteries, and formerly was observed with much ceremony. S. Chrysostom observes, that our Saviour's body was washed and embalmed. The same custom is mentioned in Homer and Virgil:
*H And Peter rising up went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber. And all the widows stood about him, weeping and shewing him the coats and garments which Dorcas made them.
Ver. 39. Χιτων was the under garment, Ιματιον the upper.
*H And they all being put forth, Peter, kneeling down, prayed. And turning to the body, he said: Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes and, seeing Peter, sat up.
Ver. 40. And having put them all out, not to disturb him while he prayed. — Sat up, raised herself a little: and Peter taking her by the hand, lifted her quite up, and calling in the company, presented her to them alive and well. Wi.
*H And giving her his hand, he lifted her up. And when he had called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.
Ver. 41. Raising the dead to life can only be the work of God. This woman was raised to life for the comfort of the faithful, and the conversion of others. She herself might likewise have an opportunity of acquiring greater merit, otherwise the repose of another life is preferable to a return to the miseries of this world. D. Dion. Carthus.
*H And it cane to pass that he abode many days in Joppe, with one Simon a tanner.
Ver. 43. In the Greek is added: instructing the new converts, and fortifying them in the faith they had just embraced.