Act 9:23-29 | RWP | e4.org | When many days were fulfilled ( Hως επληρουντο ημερα ικανα ). Imperfect passive indicative of πληροω , old and common verb, were in process of being fulfilled. How "many" (considerable, ικανα , common word for a long period) Luke does not say nor does he say that Saul spent all of this period in Damascus, as we know from was not the case. Paul there states definitely that he went away from Damascus to Arabia and returned there before going back to Jerusalem and that the whole period was about "three years" which need not mean three full years, but at least portions of three. Most of the three years was probably spent in Arabia because of the two explosions in Damascus (before his departure and on his return) and because he was unknown in Jerusalem as a Christian on his arrival there. It cannot be argued from the frequent lacunae in the Acts that Luke tells all that was true or that he knew. He had his own methods and aims as every historian has. We are at perfect liberty to supplement the narrative in the Acts with items from Paul's Epistles. So we must assume the return of Saul from Arabia at this juncture, between verses , , when Saul resumed his preaching in the Jewish synagogues with renewed energy and grasp after the period of mature reflection and readjustment in Arabia. Took counsel together ( συνεβουλευσαντο ). First aorist (effective) middle indicative of συνβουλευω , old and common verb for counselling ( βουλευω ) together ( συν ). Things had reached a climax. It was worse than before he left for Arabia. Paul was now seeing the fulfilment of the prophecy of Jesus about him ( ). To kill him ( ανελειν αυτον ). Second aorist (effective) active infinitive of αναιρεω , to take up, to make away with, to kill ( ; , etc.). The infinitive expresses purpose here as is done in verse by οπως and the aorist active subjunctive of the same verb ( ανελωσιν ). Saul now knew what Stephen had suffered at his hands as his own life was in peril in the Jewish quarter of Damascus. It was a picture of his old self. He may even have been scourged here ( ).

‏ Acts 9:23-29

When many days were fulfilled ( Hως επληρουντο ημερα ικανα ). Imperfect passive indicative of πληροω, old and common verb, were in process of being fulfilled. How "many" (considerable, ικανα, common word for a long period) Luke does not say nor does he say that Saul spent all of this period in Damascus, as we know from Ga 1:16-18 was not the case. Paul there states definitely that he went away from Damascus to Arabia and returned there before going back to Jerusalem and that the whole period was about "three years" which need not mean three full years, but at least portions of three. Most of the three years was probably spent in Arabia because of the two explosions in Damascus (before his departure and on his return) and because he was unknown in Jerusalem as a Christian on his arrival there. It cannot be argued from the frequent lacunae in the Acts that Luke tells all that was true or that he knew. He had his own methods and aims as every historian has. We are at perfect liberty to supplement the narrative in the Acts with items from Paul's Epistles. So we must assume the return of Saul from Arabia at this juncture, between verses 22, 23, when Saul resumed his preaching in the Jewish synagogues with renewed energy and grasp after the period of mature reflection and readjustment in Arabia.

Took counsel together ( συνεβουλευσαντο ). First aorist (effective) middle indicative of συνβουλευω, old and common verb for counselling ( βουλευω ) together ( συν ). Things had reached a climax. It was worse than before he left for Arabia. Paul was now seeing the fulfilment of the prophecy of Jesus about him (9:16).

To kill him ( ανελειν αυτον ). Second aorist (effective) active infinitive of αναιρεω, to take up, to make away with, to kill (Lu 23:32; Ac 12:1, etc.). The infinitive expresses purpose here as is done in verse 24 by οπως and the aorist active subjunctive of the same verb ( ανελωσιν ). Saul now knew what Stephen had suffered at his hands as his own life was in peril in the Jewish quarter of Damascus. It was a picture of his old self. He may even have been scourged here (2Co 11:24).

Plot ( επιβουλη ). Old word for a plan ( βουλη ) against ( επ ) one. In the N.T. only in Acts (9:24; 20:3, 19; 23:30).

They watched ( παρετηρουντο ). Imperfect middle indicative of παρατηρεω, common verb in late Greek for watching beside ( παρα ) or insidiously or on the sly as in Lu 6:7, they kept on watching by day and night to kill him. In 2Co 11:32 Paul says that the Ethnarch of Aretas "kept guard" ( εφρουρε, imperfect active of φρουρεω ) to seize him. Probably the Jews obtained the consent of the Ethnarch and had him appoint some of them as guards or watchers at the gate of the city.

Through the wall ( δια του τειχους ). Paul in 2Co 11:33 explains δια του τειχους as being δια θυριδος (through a window) which opened into the house on the inside of the wall as is true today in Damascus as Hackett saw there. See Jos 2:15f. (cf. 1Sa 19:12) for the way that Rahab let out the spies "by a cord through the window."

Lowering him ( αυτον χαλασαντες ). First aorist active participle of χαλαω, old and common verb in a nautical sense (Ac 27:17, 30) as well as otherwise as here. Same verb used by Paul of this experience (2Co 11:33).

In a basket ( εν σφυριδ ). The word used when the four thousand were fed (Mr 8:8; Mt 15:37). A large basket plaited of reeds and distinguished in Mr 8:19f. (Mt 16:9f.) from the smaller κοφινος. Paul uses σαργανη, a basket made of ropes. This escape by night by the help of the men whom he had come to destroy was a shameful memory to Paul (2Co 11:33). Wendt thinks that the coincidences in language here prove that Luke had read II Corinthians. That, of course, is quite possible.

He assayed ( επειραζεν ). Imperfect active of conative action.

To join himself ( κολλασθα ). Present middle (direct) infinitive of conative action again. Same word κολλαω in Lu 15:15; Ac 10:28. See on Mt 19:5 for discussion.

Were all afraid of him ( παντες εφοβουντο αυτον ). They were fearing him. Imperfect middle picturing the state of mind of the disciples who had vivid recollections of his conduct when last here. What memories Saul had on this return journey to Jerusalem after three years. He had left a conquering hero of Pharisaism. He returns distrusted by the disciples and regarded by the Pharisees as a renegade and a turncoat. He made no effort to get in touch with the Sanhedrin who had sent him to Damascus. He had escaped the plots of the Jews in Damascus only to find himself the object of suspicion by the disciples in Jerusalem who had no proof of his sincerity in his alleged conversion.

Not believing ( μη πιστευοντες ). They had probably heard of his conversion, but they frankly disbelieved the reports and regarded him as a hypocrite or a spy in a new role to ruin them.

Was ( εστιν ). The present tense is here retained in indirect discourse according to the common Greek idiom.

Took him ( επιλαβομενος ). Second aorist middle (indirect) participle of επιλαμβανω, common verb to lay hold of. Barnabas saw the situation and took Saul to himself and listened to his story and believed it. It is to the credit of Barnabas that he had the insight and the courage to stand by Saul at the crucial moment in his life when the evidence seemed to be against him. It is a pleasing hypothesis that this influential disciple from Cyprus had gone to the University of Tarsus where he met Saul. If so, he would know more of him than those who only knew his record as a persecutor of Christians. That fact Barnabas knew also, but he was convinced that Jesus had changed the heart of Saul and he used his great influence (Ac 4:36; 11:22) to win the favour of the apostles, Peter in particular (Ga 1:19) and James the half-brother of Jesus. The other apostles were probably out of the city as Paul says that he did not see them.

To the apostles ( προς τους αποστολους ). Both Barnabas and James are termed apostles in the general sense, though not belonging to the twelve, as Paul did not, though himself later a real apostle. So Barnabas introduced Saul to Peter and vouched for his story, declared it fully ( διηγησατο, in detail) including Saul's vision of Jesus ( ειδεν τον κυριον ) as the vital thing and Christ's message to Saul ( ελαλησεν αυτω ) and Saul's bold preaching ( ηπαρρησιασατο, first aorist middle indicative of παρρησιαζω from παν--ρησια telling it all as in Ac 2:29). Peter was convinced and Saul was his guest for two weeks (Ga 1:18) with delightful fellowship ( ιστορησα ). He had really come to Jerusalem mainly "to visit" (to see) Peter, but not to receive a commission from him. He had that from the Lord (Ga 1:1f.). Both Peter and James could tell Saul of their special experiences with the Risen Christ. Furneaux thinks that Peter was himself staying at the home of Mary the mother of John Mark (Ac 12:12) who was a cousin of Barnabas (Col 4:10). This is quite possible. At any rate Saul is now taken into the inner circle of the disciples in Jerusalem.

Going in and going out ( εισπορευμενος κα εκπορευομενος ). Barnabas and Peter and James opened all the doors for Saul and the fear of the disciples vanished.

Preaching boldly ( παρρησιαζομενος ). For a while. Evidently Saul did not extend his preaching outside of Jerusalem (Ga 1:22) and in the city preached mainly in the synagogues of the Hellenists ( προς τους Hελλενιστας ) as Stephen had done (Ac 8:9). As a Cilician Jew he knew how to speak to the Hellenists.

Disputed ( συνεζητε ). Imperfect active of συνζητεω, the very verb used in 6:9 of the disputes with Stephen in these very synagogues in one of which (Cilicia) Saul had probably joined issue with Stephen to his own discomfort. It was intolerable to these Hellenistic Jews now to hear Saul taking the place of Stephen and using the very arguments that Stephen had employed.

But they went about to kill him ( Hο δε επεχειρουν ανελειν αυτον ). Demonstrative ο with δε and the conative imperfect of επιχειρεω, to put the hand to, to try, an old verb used in the N.T. only three times (Lu 1:1; Ac 9:29; 19:3). They offer to Saul the same conclusive answer that he gave to Stephen, death. Paul tells how the Lord Jesus appeared to him at this juncture in a vision in the temple (Ac 22:17-21) with the distinct command to leave Jerusalem and how Paul protested that he was willing to meet the fate of Stephen in whose death he had a shameful part. That is to Saul's credit, but the Lord did not want Saul to be put to death yet. His crown of martyrdom will come later.