“Something like scales fell from his eyes” (v. 18). That’s how the Bible describes Saul regaining his sight after being struck blind on the road to Damascus (v. 8). But it wasn’t just Saul’s physical vision that was restored – all the events of this passage opened his spiritual eyes as well.

In fact, when combined with his encyclopedic knowledge of the Old Testament, we might say that Paul learned everything he needed to know about Jesus in these few verses. The fact that Jesus spoke to him in verse 5 proved that Jesus had risen from the dead. The fact that the voice accompanied a light from heaven revealed that to be the place to which Jesus had ascended (v. 3). These two incontrovertible facts overturned Saul’s worldview completely, demonstrating that what Jesus had claimed about Himself was true – that He was not only in fact the Messiah all the prophets had predicted would come, but also the Son of Man Who would be “seated at the right hand of the power of God” (Luke 22:69).

But when Jesus said He was the one Saul was persecuting, well, that was perhaps most confusing of all. For how could Saul have been persecuting Jesus if He was already in heaven? No, Jesus’ words could only make sense if the Christians Saul was throwing into prison were somehow intimately connected to Jesus, like a body is joined to a head (Ephesians 1:22-23). Indeed, the doctrine of a Christian’s union with Christ is a key element of Paul’s theology, and it is a logical outgrowth of his Damascus Road experience.

But in this passage Paul didn’t just learn that all Christians are somehow connected to Christ – he also experienced the love, the acceptance, indeed the unity of all believers. For Ananias had every reason to be afraid of Paul – in fact, he expressed misgivings about him in his own vision of Jesus (vv. 13-14). But Ananias was nevertheless willing to go to Paul, to confess his own faith in the Lord Jesus, and to lay his hands on Paul that he might be healed. Ananias was even willing to call this man who had demonstrated nothing but violent hatred for the Church his “Brother” (v. 17).

No, it’s no wonder that the scales fell from Paul’s eyes only after Ananias reached out to him in such a loving way. For Ananias’ obedient, risk-taking love for Paul completed the picture of Christ, Who showed the same kind of self-denying grace to sinners like us on the cross. Today, may we see Christ just as clearly and show Him just as plainly, as we search the Scriptures, and as we share unconditional love and grace – even to the worst of our enemies.

Acts 9:1-19 (ESV)

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.
4 And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,
12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.
14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;
19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.