Acts 22:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here he expressed something great. He did not say, Be baptized in His name, but, "calling on the name of the Lord Jesus." By this he showed that Christ is God, for no one should be called upon except God.

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."

"Be baptized and wash away," and so forth: see the notes on Acts 2:38, Acts 2:21, and Acts 4:12.

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.