Often the merciful Lord does not allow us to perpetrate evil deeds so that pricked by remorse we should prostrate ourselves for our sins, just as Saul was checked when he was sent by the priests to Damascus to ravage the church of Christ with the most savage persecution. He was not permitted to attain great success, for that could have been the cause of his receiving eternal punishment.

This is why the humble voice accompanied the intense light, so that from the combination of the humble and the sublime, our Lord might produce help for the persecutor, just as all his assistance is produced from a combination of the small and great. For the humility of our Lord prevailed from the womb to the tomb. . . . His nature is not simply humble, nor is it simply sublime; rather they are two natures, lofty and humble, one mixed in the other.

How can we show that he is there and that he is also here? Let Paul answer for us, who was previously Saul. . . . First of all, the Lord’s own voice from heaven shows this: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Had Paul climbed up to heaven then? Had Paul even thrown a stone at heaven? It was Christians he was persecuting, them he was tying up, them he was dragging off to be put to death, them he was everywhere hunting out of their hiding places and never sparing when he found them. To him the Lord said, Saul, Saul. Where is he crying out from? Heaven. So he’s up above. Why are you persecuting me? So he’s down below.

He did not say, Why do you persecute my members? but Why do you persecute me? Because he is still suffering from enemies in his body, which is the church. He declared that kindnesses bestowed upon his members are also done to him when he said, I was hungry and you gave me to eat,^[1] and he added in explanation, So long as you did it to one of the least of mine, you did it to me.^[2]

For it is written, And when all things are made subject to him, then the Son himself will also be made subject to him who subjected all things to him.^[1] Do you not fear, O man, the God who is called unsubjected? For he makes your subjection his own, and, because of your struggle against virtue, he calls himself unsubjected. Thus, he even said at one time that he himself was the one persecuted; for he says, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? when Saul was hastening to Damascus, desiring to put in bonds the disciples of Christ. Again, he calls himself naked, if anyone of his brothers is naked. I was naked, he says, and you covered me.^[2] And still again, when another was in prison, he said that he himself was the one imprisoned. For he himself took up our infirmities and bore the burden of our ills.^[3] And one of our infirmities is insubordination, and this he bore. Therefore, even the adversities that happen to us the Lord makes his own, taking upon himself our sufferings because of his fellowship with us.

The One who conquered persecutors [here] below and reigns over angels [in heaven] above spoke from above in a humble voice. The One who on earth pronounced ten woes^[1] against his crucifiers, above pronounced not a single woe against Saul, his persecutor. Our Lord pronounced woes against his crucifiers to teach his disciples not to flatter their killers. Our Lord spoke humbly from above so that the leaders of his church would speak humbly.

The eunuch was on the road and Paul was on the road, but the latter was drawn by no other than Christ himself, for this was too great a work for the apostles. It was great indeed that with the apostles at Jerusalem and no one of authority at Damascus, he returned from there converted. And those at Damascus knew that he had not come from Jerusalem converted, for he brought letters that he might place the believers in chains. Like a consummate physician, Christ brought help to him, once the fever reached its height. It was necessary that he should be quelled in the midst of his frenzy, for then especially he would fall and condemn himself as one guilty of dreadful audacity.

Jesus did not immediately show him what was to be done. Instead, he foretold that he was to hear about it afterwards in the city, so that later when he arose he would be more firmly established in the good, to the extent that he had first become radically changed and had fallen away from his former error.^[1]

Although Paul was struck and taken up and was terrified because blindness had befallen him, still he began to come near when he said, Lord, what will you have me do?^[1] For that reason he is called the youngest by Christ,^[2] so that he who was called to grace could be excused from the guilt of his hazardous years. Yes, Christ saw him when the light shone round him; because young people are recalled from sin more by fear than by reason, Christ applied the goad and mercifully admonished him not to kick against it.

By no means would he have been able to see well again unless he had first been fully blinded. Also, when he had rejected his own wisdom, which was confusing him, he could commit himself totally to faith.

[Saul’s] impairment did not [result] from our compassionate Lord, who spoke humbly there. Rather, [it was the result] of the intense light that shone intensely here. This light was not a punishment that befell Paul on account of the things he had done. It injured him with the intensity of its rays, as he himself said.

Although he saw nothing when his eyes were opened, still he saw Christ. And it was fitting that he saw Christ present and also heard him speaking. That overshadowing is not the overshadowing of blindness by grace. Indeed, it is said to Mary, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you.^[1]

And for three days neither did he eat nor drink, being blinded. What could equal this? To compensate the discouragement in the matter of Stephen, here is encouragement, in the bringing in of Paul. Though that sadness had its consolation in the fact of Stephen’s making such an end, yet it also received this further consolation. Moreover, the bringing in of the villages of the Samaritans afforded very great comfort. But why did this take place not at the very first but after these things? That it might be shown that Christ was indeed risen. This furious assailant of Christ, the man who would not believe in his death and resurrection, the persecutor of his disciples, how should this man have become a believer, had not the power of his resurrection been great indeed?

Since he had not believed that the Lord had conquered death by rising on the third day, he was now taught by his own experience of the replacement of three days of darkness by the return of the light.

Why was it that he did not draw upon one of the trustworthy and great, or cause one to be forthcoming for the purpose of instructing Paul? Because Paul was not to be brought in by a man but by Christ himself, as in fact this man taught him nothing but only baptized him. For once baptized, he was to draw upon himself the grace of the Spirit by his zeal and great eagerness. That Ananias was not among the very distinguished is clear.

Let no one imagine that Ananias speaks in disbelief of what was said or because he imagines that Christ was deceived. Far from it! Rather, afraid and trembling, he did not even pay attention to what was said, once he heard the name Paul. Moreover, the Lord did not say that he has blinded him. Fear had already taken hold of Ananias’s soul at the mention of Paul’s name. Look, he says, to whom you are betraying me. ‘Indeed he came here for this very purpose,’ to arrest all who invoke your name. I fear he shall take me to Jerusalem. Why do you cast me into the mouth of the lion? He is terrified even as he speaks these words, so that we may learn from all sides the excellence of the man. For it is not surprising that these things were said by Jews, but that these men should be so terrified shows very great proof of the power of God. Both the fear is shown and the obedience that is greater after the fear. For there was indeed need of strength.

Why is the apostle Paul called a chosen vessel? Assuredly because he is a repertory of the law and of the holy Scriptures.

[The Lord] said that he was not to be feared as a persecutor but rather embraced as a brother, for he was soon to suffer along with the saints the troubles that he had earlier inflicted on them.

When Paul was saved there where he had bound Christ by persecuting him, he would be afflicted with suffering for Christ, right up to his own death, but [he would] be glorified in the resurrection. So it is, because mercy and truth go always before the face of God;^[1] so that if a voluntary sacrifice of an afflicted spirit and a contrite heart is offered in time by the lamenting person, truth arises in mercy, and in the end mercy is exalted over judgment.

The Holy Spirit worked immediately and not only changed Paul’s blindness to sight but also imparted the seal to his soul, making him a vessel of election to carry the name of the Lord who had appeared to him before kings and the children of Israel; and he fashioned his former persecutor into a herald and a good servant who from Jerusalem round about as far as Illyricum completed the gospel of Christ.^[1]

It seems to me that both Paul and Cornelius, as soon as the words were spoken, received the Spirit. And yet he who gave it was not great. Thus there was nothing of man [humankind] in what was done, nor was anything done by man, but God was present, the worker of these things. At the same time [the Lord] both teaches him to think modestly of himself, in that he does not bring him to the apostles who were so admired, and shows that there is nothing of man here. He was not filled, however, with the Spirit that works signs, so that in this way as well his faith might be shown. For he worked no wonders. And immediately, it says, in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ Not that he is risen or that he lives, but immediately and precisely, he expounded the doctrine that he is the Son of God.

How much [this] darkness earns! After the loss of his eyesight he sees greater things; fostering faith gives a marvelous example to the ages. Ananias casts out his fury—O strange victory! He whom the Hebrew called Sheep [Ananias] subdues a rapacious wolf. God will be proclaimed to the world by this herald, and pulled from the shadows of the law, under which he was blind, he will bring light into all lands singing about the everlasting Sun. Do not cease, O Saul, to make this day known, in order that the night which is given to you may be filled with the light of many, and you carry your darkness here [in your body] in order that you may be able to purge [the darkness] of the world.

He sent him then to an old man and determined that he must be instructed by his teaching rather than by his own. Otherwise what might have been rightly done with regard to Paul would have given a bad example of presumption to those who came after him, since each individual would conclude that he too should be trained in similar fashion under the guidance and by the teaching of God alone rather than by the instruction of his elders.

And there something like scales fell from his eyes. Saying these words [Ananias] laid hands on him. Some say this was a sign of his blindness. Why did he not blind his eyes [entirely]? It was more paradoxical that when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing. This he suffered in respect to the law, until the name of Jesus was laid on him. And immediately, it says, he was baptized and took food and was strengthened. He was weakened then both from his journey and from his fear, both from hunger and from dejection. Wishing therefore to deepen his dejection, he made the man blind until the coming of Ananias; and to prevent him from thinking the blindness imaginary, the scales. Paul needed no other teaching; his experience was his instruction.

Every dragon’s body is said to be covered with scales. Therefore, because the Jews were called serpents and a brood of vipers,^[1] this man, who had been an eager follower of their lack of faith, covered over the eyes of his heart, so to speak, with a serpent’s skin. With the falling of the scales from his eyes under the hands of Ananias, however, his face showed that he had received the true light in his mind.

If anyone should call this the effect of compulsion, [let him note that] the same thing happened to Elymas. How was it then that he was not changed? What could be more compelling than the earthquake at the resurrection, the report of the soldiers, the other miracles and the sight of him risen? These things, however, do not compel belief but are apt to teach it.

And immediately, it says, in the synagogues he preached Jesus. Not that he is risen—not this. No, nor that he lives. What then? Immediately he strictly expounded the doctrine that this is the Son of God.

When they saw that it was spreading, they did not even use the form of a trial. But their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night, to kill him. For this, more than anything, was intolerable to them—more than the miracles that had already taken place, more than the five thousand, more than the three thousand, in short, more than everything.

Let us imitate this man. Let us take our souls in our hands, ready to confront all dangers. His flight was not an act of cowardice; he was saving himself for the preaching. Had he been a coward, he would not have gone to Jerusalem. He would not have immediately resumed teaching. He would have compromised his vehemence. He would have learned a lesson from Stephen’s suffering. No, on the contrary, he was being prudent. He considered it no great thing to die for the gospel, unless one could do this to great advantage. He was even willing not to see Christ, whom [more than anything] he was most eager to see, while the work of his stewardship among people was not yet complete.^[1] Such must be the soul of a Christian. From the beginning and at the very outset, the character of Paul declared itself. No, even before this, even in what he did not according to knowledge,^[2] it was not by human reasoning that he was moved to act as he did. For if after such a long time he was unwilling to weigh anchor, much more unwilling was he at the start of his trading voyage, when he had just left the harbor. Many things Christ leaves to be done by human wisdom, so that we may learn that his disciples were human beings and that it was not all [a direct act of divine intervention] at every turn, since otherwise they would have been merely motionless logs. But in fact they often managed matters themselves. It is not less than martyrdom to decline no suffering for the sake of the salvation of the many. Nothing so delights God.

But his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket. . . . For they sent him out alone, and no one was with him. This was fortunate, because it resulted in him showing himself to the apostles in Jerusalem. Now his disciples sent him out on the assumption that he ought to procure safety by flight, but he himself did just the opposite: he leaped into the midst of those raging against him. This is what it means to be on fire, to be fervent! From that day on he knew all the commands that the apostles had heard, Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me.^[1] The very fact that he had been slower to come than the rest made him more zealous (for to whom much is forgiven, he will show more love^[2]), so that the later he came, the more he loved. But an ambush [against Christians] he had made in his former life, and thinking he had done ten thousand wrongs, he believed he could never do enough to efface his previous deeds.

He would not have fled from the snares laid for him by the prince, his persecutor,^[1] except that he wished to save himself for others who needed him, and that is why he said, But I am pulled between the two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, a thing by far the better; but to abide still in the flesh is needful for you.^[2]

That is, Christ’s disciples, for in the Greek the his is not stated, but only disciples, so that we may understand it in general, as the disciples of Christ or of the church. For we do not read of Paul as having yet made disciples but only of having confounded the Jews who were living in Damascus.

Even today this sort of escape is preserved in the church whenever someone who has been enveloped in the snares of the ancient enemy or in the traps of this world is saved through the defenses of his hope and faith. For the wall of Damascus (which means drinking blood^[1]) is the adversity of the world. King Aretas (which means a descent^[2]) is understood to be the devil. The basket, which is usually constructed of rushes and palm leaves, designates the conjunction of faith and hope, for the rush signifies the freshness of faith, and the palm signifies the hope of eternal life. Therefore, anyone who sees himself encircled by a wall of adversity should be quick to climb into the basket of the virtues, in which he may make his escape.

Since he had risen above the wicked, he deserves to escape their ambush while the gates are closed. A basket, which is customarily woven with bulrushes and palms in turn, gives covering to Saul, in glory retaining an allegory of the church, for there is always contained in it the bulrush, by the waters [of baptism], and the palm, by the crowns [of martyrdom]. The wave of baptism and the blood of martyrdom promote the church. Not long since, the food produced beneath the tooth began to swell the insides of seven baskets while the multitude was feeding;^[1] Scripture truly proclaims that number of churches in the world,^[2] inasmuch as the Spirit is the working force thus present in them and virtue marks their names, although we, however, sing the praises of one church in them all. Therefore the visible form [the basket] protects the man; he himself serves it as a soldier [and] as a vessel [of election] remaining in the Vessel [Christ], and with him as General he escapes safely from the enemy, a commander who conquers for him in all battles.