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Acts 9:26–30
“When [Saul] had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus” (vv. 26–27).
Thanks to the quick thinking of some of the disciples of Saul, he was able to escape from Damascus when many of the Jews there were trying to kill him (Acts 9:23–25). Since it was no longer safe for Saul to remain in Syria, he made his way to Judea and to the city of Jerusalem, where there was a strong Christian community that might be apt to receive him.
Yet as we see in today’s passage, the Christians in Jerusalem were wary of Saul at first, having difficulty believing that he had become a fellow disciple of Jesus Christ (v. 26). Apparently, these Christians knew only of Saul’s persecution of the church (see 8:1–3; 9:1–2), or they did not believe the stories of Saul’s conversion. They therefore feared him at first when he came to Jerusalem (9:26), and understandably so, for only about three years earlier he had been out to arrest and kill any Christian he could find (see Gal. 1:11–18).
As we see in Acts 9:27–28, however, the Christians in Jerusalem did come to trust Saul and to believe that God had truly converted him, and Barnabas played a part in bringing this about. We first read about Barnabas in 4:36–37, where we learned that he was from the tribe of Levi and that his real name was Joseph. The same passage tells us that the Apostles gave him the name Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.” Barnabas showed great encouragement by introducing Saul to the Apostles and testifying to his genuine faith. His words encouraged the church’s leaders to receive Saul, and they no doubt encouraged Saul as well to know that he had a friend in his corner. Matthew Henry sees in Barnabas an example that we all should follow. He writes, “The introducing of a young convert into the communion of the faithful is a very good work, and one which, as we have opportunity, we should be ready to do.”
That Saul could go “in and out among them at Jerusalem” (9:28)—move freely among them without any further suspicion—shows that they fully received him. He continued the work he had begun in Damascus, proclaiming Jesus boldly to the Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews). Moreover, just as in Damascus, Saul’s preaching enraged many people, and some Hellenist Jews sought to kill him. So the Christians sent him back to Tarsus, where he would be more warmly received because of the connections he had from his growing up and training there (vv. 29–30; see v. 11).
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
When people convert to Christianity, God does not typically sanctify them all at once. They bring with them many sinful habits and perhaps personality and behavioral quirks that might be off-putting. We cannot tolerate blatant sin, but we must also not demand complete holiness before we welcome new believers into the church. We should welcome new believers warmly and be patient with them.
For further study
- Proverbs 19:11
- Romans 15:7
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14
- 1 Peter 4:8
The bible in a year
- 1 Samuel 27–29
- Luke 17:1–19