Acts 9:3-17 | The Gospel and the Religious Mind

Do not judge (κρίνετε, a form of κρίνω) so that you will not be judged (κριθῆτε, another form of κρίνω),¹ Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. Coupled with the next statement—For by the standard (κρίματι, a form of κρίμα) you judge (κρίνετε, a form of κρίνω) you will be judged (κριθήσεσθε, another form of κρίνω), and the measure (μέτρῳ, a form of μέτρον) you use (μετρεῖτε, a form of μετρέω) will be the measure (μετρηθήσεται, another form of μετρέω) you receive²—I thought of this as an example of Jesus’ pragmatism when dealing with others. The footnote in the NET indicates that it is God (rather than others) who will do the judging and measuring according to my judgments and measurements of others.

Here in this context of the Gospel and the mind of Christ, it seems more like an ultimate challenge to my religious mind, any religious mind. For what is religion without judgment? How can I tell who is on the bus if I don’t judge them? In the book of Acts a young man named Saul is introduced as one who though he did not participate directly agreed completely with the stoning of Stephen, a follower of Jesus.

Saul was trying to destroy the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.³ Saul had not set out to be evil and a persecutor of the innocent. He thought he was serving God, arresting the guilty, judging and condemning them, according to his conscience and his understanding of his religion. Saul, still breathing out threats to murder the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.⁴ But as it happened, Saul was arrested instead (Acts 9:3-17 NET).

As he was going along, approaching Damascus, suddenly⁵ a light from⁶ heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied,⁷ “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting!⁸ But⁹ stand up and enter the city and you will be told what you must do.” (Now the men who were traveling with him stood there speechless,¹⁰ because they heard the voice but saw no one.) So Saul¹¹ got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, he could see nothing.¹² Leading him by the hand, his companions brought him into Damascus. For three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything.

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias,” and he replied, “Here I am, Lord.” Then the Lord told him, “Get up and go to the street called ‘Straight,’ and at Judas’ house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying, and he has seen in a vision¹³ a man named Ananias come in and place his hands¹⁴ on him so that he may see again.” But Ananias¹⁵ replied, “Lord, I have heard¹⁶ from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call on your name!” But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and¹⁷ kings and the people of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Eventually Saul became known as Paul the Apostle. His journey from the violent judgment of his religious mind to perhaps the chief explicator of the Gospel and the mind of Christ in the New Testament is where I will turn my attention next.

Addendum: February 8, 2019
Tables comparing Matthew 7:2; Acts 9:3; 9:5-8; 9:12, 13 and 9:15 in the NET and KJV follow.

Matthew 7:2 (NET)	Matthew 7:2 (KJV)
For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive.	For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίματι κρίνετε κριθήσεσθε, καὶ ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν	εν ω γαρ κριματι κρινετε κριθησεσθε και εν ω μετρω μετρειτε αντιμετρηθησεται υμιν	εν ω γαρ κριματι κρινετε κριθησεσθε και εν ω μετρω μετρειτε μετρηθησεται υμιν

Acts 9:3 (NET)	Acts 9:3 (KJV)
As he was going along, approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.	And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι ἐγένετο αὐτὸν ἐγγίζειν τῇ Δαμασκῷ, ἐξαίφνης τε αὐτὸν περιήστραψεν φῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ	εν δε τω πορευεσθαι εγενετο αυτον εγγιζειν τη δαμασκω και εξαιφνης περιηστραψεν αυτον φως απο του ουρανου	εν δε τω πορευεσθαι εγενετο αυτον εγγιζειν τη δαμασκω και εξαιφνης περιηστραψεν αυτον φως απο του ουρανου

Acts 9:5-8 (NET)	Acts 9:5-8 (KJV)
So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting!	And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἶπεν δέ· τίς εἶ, κύριε; ὁ δέ· ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις	ειπεν δε τις ει κυριε ο δε κυριος ειπεν εγω ειμι ιησους ον συ διωκεις σκληρον σοι προς κεντρα λακτιζειν	ειπεν δε τις ει κυριε ο δε κυριος ειπεν εγω ειμι ιησους ον συ διωκεις

But stand up and enter the city and you will be told what you must do.”

And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι καὶ εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ λαληθήσεται σοι ὅ τί σε δεῖ ποιεῖν	τρεμων τε και θαμβων ειπεν κυριε τι με θελεις ποιησαι και ο κυριος προς αυτον αναστηθι και εισελθε εις την πολιν και λαληθησεται σοι τι σε δει ποιειν	αλλα αναστηθι και εισελθε εις την πολιν και λαληθησεται σοι τι σε δει ποιειν

(Now the men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, because they heard the voice but saw no one.)

And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες οἱ συνοδεύοντες αὐτῷ εἱστήκεισαν ἐνεοί, ἀκούοντες μὲν τῆς φωνῆς μηδένα δὲ θεωροῦντες	οι δε ανδρες οι συνοδευοντες αυτω ειστηκεισαν εννεοι ακουοντες μεν της φωνης μηδενα δε θεωρουντες	οι δε ανδρες οι συνοδευοντες αυτω ειστηκεισαν ενεοι ακουοντες μεν της φωνης μηδενα δε θεωρουντες

So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, he could see nothing. Leading him by the hand, his companions brought him into Damascus.

And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἠγέρθη δὲ Σαῦλος ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἀνεῳγμένων δὲ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν ἔβλεπεν· χειραγωγοῦντες δὲ αὐτὸν εἰσήγαγον εἰς Δαμασκόν	ηγερθη δε ο σαυλος απο της γης ανεωγμενων δε των οφθαλμων αυτου ουδενα εβλεπεν χειραγωγουντες δε αυτον εισηγαγον εις δαμασκον	ηγερθη δε ο σαυλος απο της γης ανεωγμενων τε των οφθαλμων αυτου ουδενα εβλεπεν χειραγωγουντες δε αυτον εισηγαγον εις δαμασκον

Acts 9:12, 13 (NET)	Acts 9:12, 13 (KJV)
and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he may see again.”	And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ εἶδεν ἄνδρα Ἁνανίαν ὀνόματι εἰσελθόντα καὶ ἐπιθέντα αὐτῷ [τὰς] χεῖρας ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃ	και ειδεν εν οραματι ανδρα ονοματι ανανιαν εισελθοντα και επιθεντα αυτω χειρα οπως αναβλεψη	και ειδεν εν οραματι ανδρα ονοματι ανανιαν εισελθοντα και επιθεντα αυτω χειρα οπως αναβλεψη

But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem,

Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀπεκρίθη δὲ Ἁνανίας· κύριε, ἤκουσα ἀπὸ πολλῶν περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου ὅσα κακὰ τοῖς ἁγίοις σου ἐποίησεν ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ	απεκριθη δε ο ανανιας κυριε ακηκοα απο πολλων περι του ανδρος τουτου οσα κακα εποιησεν τοις αγιοις σου εν ιερουσαλημ	απεκριθη δε ανανιας κυριε ακηκοα απο πολλων περι του ανδρος τουτου οσα κακα εποιησεν τοις αγιοις σου εν ιερουσαλημ

Acts 9:15 (NET)	Acts 9:15 (KJV)
But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.	But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος· πορεύου, ὅτι σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς ἐστίν μοι οὗτος τοῦ βαστάσαι τὸ ὄνομα μου ἐνώπιον ἐθνῶν τε καὶ βασιλέων υἱῶν τε Ἰσραήλ	ειπεν δε προς αυτον ο κυριος πορευου οτι σκευος εκλογης μοι εστιν ουτος του βαστασαι το ονομα μου ενωπιον εθνων και βασιλεων υιων τε ισραηλ	ειπεν δε προς αυτον ο κυριος πορευου οτι σκευος εκλογης μοι εστιν ουτος του βαστασαι το ονομα μου ενωπιον εθνων και βασιλεων υιων τε ισραηλ

Paul’s Religious Mind

Back to Saul and Barnabas, Part 1

Back to Antichrist, Part 2

Back to Apostles and Prophets, Part 1

Back to Son of God – John, Part 2

Back to Romans, Part 66

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Hypocrisy

Back to Romans, Part 39

Back to The Will of God – Jesus, Part 1

Back to Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 3

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 3

¹ Matthew 7:1 (NET)

² Matthew 7:2 (NET) The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had μετρηθήσεται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had αντιμετρηθησεται (KJV: it shall be measured…again).

³ Acts 8:3 (NET)

⁴ Acts 9:1, 2 (NET)

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τε following suddenly. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: and) preceding suddenly.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐκ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απο.

⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κυριος ειπεν (KJV: the Lord said) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had σκληρον σοι προς κεντρα λακτιζειν (KJV: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀλλὰ here, where NA²⁸ had ἀλλ’ and the Stephanus Textus Receptus had τρεμων τε και θαμβων ειπεν κυριε τι με θελεις ποιησαι και ο κυριος προς αυτον (KJV: And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him).

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἐνεοί here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had εννεοι.

¹¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο preceding Saul. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὐδὲν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουδενα (KJV: no man).

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had ἐν ὁράματι (KJV: in a vision) here. The NET parallel Greek text did not.

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had χεῖρας here preceded by the article τὰς, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had simply χειρα (KJV: hand).

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article ο preceding Ananias. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἤκουσα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ακηκοα.

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the particle τε preceding and. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.