Blinded by light on the Damascus road: the conversion of Saul

The phrase “a Damascus road experience” is used today for any sudden change of mind. It comes from one of the most dramatic conversions in history, when the church’s chief persecutor became its greatest missionary.

The persecutor

Saul was a Pharisee from Tarsus, trained in the Jewish law. He had approved of the stoning of Stephen, and afterwards he “made havock of the church”, dragging men and women to prison. In Acts 9, Saul, “yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples”, asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues of Damascus, so that he could arrest any followers of “the Way” and bring them to Jerusalem.

The light

As he approached Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” He asked, “Who art thou, Lord?” The answer came: “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” Saul was told to go into the city. When he got up, he could not see. His companions led him by the hand into Damascus, where for three days he neither ate nor drank.

Ananias

God spoke in a vision to a disciple in Damascus named Ananias and told him to go to Saul. Ananias objected: he had heard how much evil Saul had done. God replied, “Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles.” Ananias went, laid his hands on Saul and called him “Brother Saul”. Something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see. He was baptised.

Preaching and courage

Saul immediately began preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. People were amazed, knowing who he had been. Soon, his former allies plotted to kill him, and disciples lowered him over the city wall in a basket. Saul, later known as Paul, travelled across the Roman world, founding churches and writing letters that make up a large part of the New Testament.

The story is usually told as Saul’s. But it also belongs to Ananias, who was asked to visit the man who had come to arrest people like him. He went, and his first word was “Brother”. Paul’s ministry began with that act of trust.