Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Friday, August 23, 2013 Read – Acts 26:12-18 Paul now turns to his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road. This is the third time Luke has told us about this encounter which highlights its importance in the story. We have noticed how the story has gone through a progression. Here the story is considerably shorter than the previous two versions. There is no mention of whether or not Paul’s companions saw anything or heard anything. There is no mention of Paul being blinded by the experience. There is no mention of Ananias. The call of Jesus comes directly to Paul – something that matches much more closely with Paul’s own view of his call by Jesus. Jesus is fully in control of this encounter. And in the encounter Paul is given the purpose for which Jesus has appeared to him. Paul is appointed to testify to the things in which he has seen Jesus. God has promised to rescue Paul from Jews and Gentiles who will oppose him, and Paul is the vehicle through whom God intends to “open the eyes of many so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus” (Acts 26:18). The word that Luke uses to refer to the “forgiveness of sins” is better translated “release from sins” – it is to be set free. The very Jesus that Paul once sought to destroy is now at the center of Paul’s understanding of what it means to be a Jew. This does not mean however that Paul was now abandoning Judaism. Jesus was a Jew – he was the Jewish Messiah. And now Paul would testify that to follow Jesus was the proper expression of Judaism. This is the hope for which Paul had always longed. This was the hope of Israel! There was a change of mind and heart for Paul but not a change of religion. That will become clear as we continue to hear his witness.