Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 59:234 (Apr 1902)
Article: Jehovah-Jesus-Messiah
Author: Anonymous

BSac 59:234 (April 1902) p. 267

Jehovah-Jesus-Messiah

The conversion of Saul of Tarsus was the most important event which occurred in the history of the early Christian church. It is described three times in Acts, and is given a prominence quite above that of any other incident mentioned in that book. Moreover, that conversion was a kind of event in the life of a human soul so extraordinary and striking, was such a violent and extreme soul-change, and produced such wide and deep results upon mankind, that it deserves to be studied with all care, to discover, if possible, the secret of the sudden and tremendous transformation which took place in the soul attitude of this wonderful genius. From all the narratives it is evident that the cause of the change was in the noonday vision which appeared to Saul on the way to Damascus. Hence, if we can only find out just what he did see then, and all that he saw, we can penetrate to the innermost secret of that great change which took place in him. The following is offered as an attempt toward that finding out.

I. Saul saw and heard Jesus of Nazareth in the Shechinah in heaven. All three accounts give the same words as spoken from the sky, — “I am Jesus whom thou perse-cutest”; Paul himself adding “of Nazareth” in his address from the stairs. And Ananias, plainly referring to Jesus, said to Saul at the healing in Damascus, “that thou shouldest … see the Righteous One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.” Moreover, “the glory of that light” was doubtless the same as the Shechinah of the Old

BSac 59:234 (April 1902) p. 268

Testament, and as the “bright cloud” which rolled down upon the group on the mountain of transfiguration; and was also the same “glory of God,” with Jesus standing in it, which Stephen saw at his martyrdom.

II. Saul also saw Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah whom the prophets of old foretold. This is evident from what he heralded right after in the synagogues of the Jews, as we are told in Acts 9:20, 22, as follows: “And straightway in the synagogues he heralded Jesus, that he is the Son of God.” “And Saul grew strong more and more, confounding the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, demonstrating that this one [Jesus] is the Messiah.” The Greek has ho Christos, which the Authorized Version renders, “very Christ.” But Saul and the Jews, speaking Hebrew, as they did, must have used the word “Messiah,” of which Christos is the Greek equivalent; and only as we use the very word which they used can we get the full historic flavor of their speech. Therefore I say, “the Messiah.”

3: But the chief matter is now to be stated. Along with seeing Jesus...