Acts 22:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Then comes a great prophecy. He said well, "of the fathers." By this he showed that they were not Jews, but estranged from the law, and that they acted from envy, not from zeal. "That you may know His will," he says, "and see the Righteous One." Therefore this was His will. See how instruction is contained in the narrative itself. "To see the Righteous One," he says. It is as though he said: if He is righteous, then they are guilty. "And to hear the voice from His mouth."

He said well, "the God of the fathers," in order to show that they were not Jews, but apostates from the law, and that they acted not from zeal for God. "And to see the Righteous One." He speaks directly and powerfully. For if Jesus is the Righteous One, then they are transgressors.

At the entrance to the fortress, on the stairs, the Apostle Paul asked the tribune for permission to speak to the people. He then addressed them and, in defense of himself, recounted the history of his wondrous conversion to Christ; see the interpretations on chapter 9.

At last the storm of his soul found relief in prayer. Then a Christian came to him, Ananias, a man respected by all, even by the Jews. The Lord had appeared to him in a vision and revealed that this merciless persecutor would be a chosen vessel. He would proclaim the name of Christ before the Gentiles, kings, and the sons of Israel. "And I will show him how much he must suffer for My name," the Lord said. Good Ananias had at first feared to go to the bloodthirsty persecutor known to all, but he delayed no longer. He entered the house of Judas and addressed the sufferer with the precious greeting of a brother. Laying his hands upon his darkened eyes, he commanded him to arise, see, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. "And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes. At once he received his sight, and rising, he was baptized. And taking food, he was strengthened."

"The God of our fathers" (cf. Acts 3:13 and parallels), the same God whom Jews and Christians alike honor and confess, "has chosen you beforehand" (cf. Rom 8:29 ff.), as He also chose the ancient prophets beforehand (Jer 1:5). He chose you so that you might know His will, revealed in His beloved Son, Christ Jesus, and might see this Righteous One (cf. Acts 3:14; Acts 7:52 and note), and so on. These and the following expressions of the speech are entirely natural on the lips of Ananias to Saul. They are also fully appropriate in Paul's speech to the Jews. They present Ananias as an ancient prophet, a herald of the will of God, approved by all the Jews of Damascus.

The instruction Ananias gave Saul before his baptism is full of bright hopes, indications, and prophecies. All this was meant to justify Paul as one appointed in his work by God the Father and strengthened in his calling by the appearance of Jesus Christ Himself, whom Ananias called the Righteous One. In the historian's narrative, what God said to Ananias about Paul is transmitted. Here Paul transmits what Ananias himself said to him. It is clear that there is a difference in the words. Yet the substance of what is said here is plainly an exact reproduction of God's revelation concerning Paul. It was natural for Paul, in his humility, to omit the words about him as a chosen vessel.