Acts 9

Saul is the Helenistic form of Paul. Why does Paul want to go to Damascus to arrest the saints? Damascus is 150 miles from Jerusalem and is one of the ten cities of the Decapolis. It is an important crossroads and if Christianity takes hold there, it will spread more rapidly. Plus the Christians are teaching in the synagogues. The Savior tells Paul that it is hard to kick against the pricks. A prick was a short stick with a sharp point used to prod animals. The more you fought against it, the more it hurt. Maybe Paul was feeling promptings by the Holy Ghost and was ignoring them and feeling strong moments of guilt for what he was doing.

There are three accounts of Paul's vision in the scriptures. Each one is different from the other and critics have pointed this out. It reminds me of Joseph Smith. Each account of his first vision is a little different. I think this is because when we tell an experience to someone, it will differ a little each time depending on who are are telling it to. The JST corrects one thing in this chapter. It says the men with Paul saw the light but did not hear the voice. This agrees more with the account in Acts 22.

Ananias, who Paul is sent to, is the local leader of the church in Damascus. Undoubtedly, Paul would have had him imprisoned. It's interesting that Ananias, the one Paul would have persecuted, is the one who heals Paul's blindness, teaches him and baptizes him. Now Paul proclaims that Jesus is the Christ. You have to wonder how the Christians accepted him after what he had done to them, and how his friends reacted when he preached to them. Evidently not well because Peter sends him 350 miles away to Tarsus.

Paul is now persecuted and suffers because of his preaching. He had a vision, but now he has to struggle each day like everyone through trials and obstacles. We all have to do this. I like this quote from President Kimball:

"Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we were to close the doors upon sorrow and distress, we might be excluding our greatest friends and benefactors. Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience, longsuffering, and self-mastery.

Peter is touring the branches of the church on the coastal plain and performing great miracles like Jesus did. He raises Dorcus from the dead. He also calls her Tabitha. Dorcus is the Greek form of the Tabitha. Tabitha is the Aramaic form.

One thoughts about Paul's preaching of his revelation of Christ and the church's claim to being led by revelation from Christ. The Jews vehemently denied revelation. All that was need to be known was in the Torah and the traditions. It much like today with Christian churches saying that all that is needed is in the Bible while we profess revelation. The Jews would deny the miracles just as Christians do today