Acts 9:1

Acts 9:1

And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

1.”And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord…”

a.    breathing [1709 * empneo] [Zodhiates: to blow in or upon, to breathe in, in the NT used to breathe…to be full of, ready to burst with…”]

b.    Sauls ability to threaten God’s people was as natural as breathing. He was full of hatred toward the Church and not knowing it, Jesus himself.

1). Acts of the Apostles, Robert E. Tourville. P174.  “The word “breathing” is used only here in the NT…In other words, threats and the murder of believers were Saul’s very life.”

c.     threatenings  [547 * apeile] [Zodhiates: A threat, menace, reproach.]

d.    slaughter [5408 * phonos] [Zodhiates: Murder, particularly slaughter, slaying or killing by the sword.]

2. “…went unto the high priest.”

a.    Paul was on a mission to destroy what he believed was a sect that was destructive of Judaism. He wanted to wipe out Christianity, because he truly believed he was doing the will of God.

1). Deuteronomy 17:2-7 “If there be found among you, within any of your gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD God, in transgressing his covenant,

And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;

And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel:

Then thou shalt bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil  away from among you.” 

1). Acts 26:9-11 “I verily thought within myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”

b. Paul was definitely trying to destroy Christianity, but during that same time period, God was dealing with him. This will be shown in what Jesus said to him at his conversion in later verses in this chapter.