---
title: "Abbott"
description: "Verse 2 Damascus; a city of great power and splendor, more than a hundred miles from Jerusalem, and in another province. Saul"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/abbotts-illustrated-new-testament/acts/9"
---

**Verse 2**
*Damascus;* a city of great power and splendor, more than a hundred miles from Jerusalem, and in another province. Saul's design of pursuing the Christians who had fled from Jerusalem, to such a distance, and into another jurisdiction, in order to strike a decisive blow against them in this great city, evinces the boldness and energy of his character.--*To the synagogues;* that is, to the Jewish authorities in Damascus, the *officers* of the synagogues.

**Verse 5**
*Kick against the pricks;* an image taken from the case of the ox, kicking against the goad by which he is driven.

**Verse 7**
*Hearing, a voice.* In some cases, where God is said to have spoken to men, the communication appears to have been made, not by audible words, but by inward suggestion; and hence it has sometimes been supposed that the dialogue here recorded represents the train of reflection which was awakened in Saul's mind by this event, and that the *voice* here spoken of was some sound, not articulate, which accompanied the light. The language, however, which Paul uses in [Acts 22:9](../../../kjv/acts/22/9) where he says that his companions did not hear--that is, did not understand--the voice *of him* which spake to him, and in [Acts 26:14](../../../kjv/acts/26/14), where he says that the words which he heard were *in the Hebrew tongue,* seems to be utterly inconsistent with this interpretation. The accounts are plainly intended to convey the idea that this was actually a personal interview between the determined persecutor and the Lord Jesus Christ.

**Verse 11**
*Tarsus;* a large city of Cilicia, in Asia Minor, the birthplace of Saul.

**Verse 17**
This and many other cases show that the ceremony of laying on of hands was not a distinctive ceremony, exclusively peculiar to ordination. It would seem not to have been considered essential as a mode of induction to the ministerial office, as is evident from the cases of Matthias, Paul, and Apollos, who do not appear to have been thus ordained; and it was often used on other occasions.

**Verse 22**
*In strength;* in confidence and ability.

**Verse 26**
*To Jerusalem.* This was a long time afterwards; for it must have been during this interval that, Paul, went to Arabia, as he states in [Galatians 1:17](../../../kjv/galatians/1/17).

**Verse 29**
*Grecians;* Grecian Jews, that is, Jews from foreign cities, who spoke the Greek language, and who were, perhaps, more intellectual and more highly educated than the Hebrew Jews.

**Verse 30**
*To Cesarea;* in order that he might embark at that place, it being a noted seaport.

**Verse 32**
*Lydda;* a large village, between Jerusalem and Cesarea.

**Verse 34**
It is worthy of notice that, in this and in all similar cases, the power by which the miracle was performed, is ascribed directly to the Lord Jesus Christ.

**Verse 35**
*Saron;* a fertile and populous tract of country near to Lydda.

**Verse 36**
*Joppa;* a large seaport, south of Cesarea, and nearly opposite to Jerusalem. On account of this its situation in respect to Jerusalem, and other circumstances, the place has been much celebrated, in modern times, under the name of *Jaffa.* The name *Tabitha* is of Hebrew origin; *Dorcas* is Greek.--*Alms-deeds;* deeds of kindness to the poor.

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