Paul’s Testimony Related to the Case (to Agrippa)
“I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.
One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’
‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.
And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. . . “
Acts 26:9-15
What is that could turn an ardent opponent into a believer? An encounter with the Messiah, the One you are hoping for yet opposing, who has risen from the dead. Paul links these two thoughts. The hope that every Jew has in the coming Messiah and the reason for his dramatic change of heart – his conversion to the very cause he had been opposing. The way Paul has framed and ordered his defence is brilliant. Add to that his oratory skills and his argument which is compelling; especially for a Jew (and for a Roman). That was why Paul was so pleased that he was speaking to Agrippa and not the Roman Procurator. He was presenting his defence before someone who could understand the background.
So Paul focuses on “the day” he met the Risen Messiah, the One who dwells in unapproachable light. It was a dramatic encounter and Paul tells it dramatically. Including the words spoken to him by the Messiah.
- Why is it that I, Paul, preach Jesus and that He is risen from the dead? Because he appeared to me and said the following things:
- “We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’
- ‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.”
Why was it that Paul dramatically turned from persecuting Christians and became Jesus most ardent supporter? Because He spoke to Paul personally and told him He was opposing and persecuting the very One Paul as a Jew had been waiting for and was hoping for. That’s why! Imagine how impactful that would have been. Sufficient to turn a persecutor into proponent.
Now let’s address the next reader’s question:
Why the “kicking against the pricks” comment? What does it mean?
- (ASV) Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.
- (BBE) Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me so cruelly? It is hard for you to go against the impulse which is driving you.
- (CEV) “Saul, Saul, why are you so cruel to me? It’s foolish to fight against me!”
- (CJB) ‘Sha’ul! Sha’ul! Why do you keep persecuting me? It’s hard on you to be kicking against the ox-goads!’
- (ERV) ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are only hurting yourself by fighting me.’
- (ESV) ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
- (ESV+) ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
- (GNB) ‘Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself by hitting back, like an ox kicking against its owner’s stick.’
- (GW) ‘Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It’s hard for a mortal like you to resist God.’
- (ISV) ! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It is hurting you to keep on kicking against the cattle prods.’
- (JUB) Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
- (KJV) Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
- (LITV) Saul, Saul why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the prods.
- (MKJV) Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.
- (MSG) ‘Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me? Why do you insist on going against the grain?’
- (Murdock) Saul, Saul! why persecutest thou me? It will be a hard thing for thee to kick against the goads.
- (NLT) ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’
- (RV) Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.
- (TLB) , ‘Paul, Paul, why are you persecuting me? You are only hurting yourself.’
- (TLV) ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against goads!’
- (TS2009) ‘Sha’ul, Sha’ul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the prods.’
I tell participants in Deeper Bible over and over if they don’t understand a verse in the Bible look at it in all the different versions you can and you will get a clearer understanding of the verse in question. That is what I have given you above. You can see for yourself what is behind this puzzling verse.
I will explain the Greek of the statement in the next Gem. In the meantime grapple with the meaning yourself.
It’s interesting isn’t it that persecuting Jesus’ followers is the equivalent of persecuting Jesus himself?
- Paul could have said, “But Jesus, when have I ever persecuted You?”
- Jesus could have answered biblically and said “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ from Matthew 25:40.
But of course at this stage Matthew hadn’t written that statement yet. Imagine the impact of that statement on Paul.
Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.
Anon
I tried to throw in the towel and God said, “Wipe your face, you’re almost there.”
Anon
You need faith to take risks with words of knowledge.
Ian Vail
When you get to the end of your rope look up.
Anon
It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.
Anon
If being hurt by the church causes you to lose faith in God then your faith was in people not God.
Ian Vail