Acts 22:19

One may well be much at a loss here to understand how it is that, whereas in the Epistle to the Galatians Paul says, “I went not to Jerusalem,” but “into Arabia” and “to Damascus,” and, “After three years I went up to Jerusalem,” and “to see Peter” ( Gal. i. 17 ), ( ἱστορἥσαι Cat.) here the writer says the contrary. (There, Paul says) “And none of the Apostles saw I; but here, it is said (Barnabas), brought him to the Apostles.”, Well, then, either (Paul) means, “I went not up with intent to refer or attach myself to them ( ἀναθέσθαι ), for what saith he? “I referred not myself, neither went I to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me:” or else, that the laying await for him in Damascus was after his return from Arabia; or else, again, that the visit to Jerusalem was after he came from Arabia. …

Acts XXII. 17-20 “And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.”

(Recapitulation.) ( b ) But let us review what has been said. ( a ) “And when I was came again to Jerusalem,” etc. ( v. 17 .) How was it, that being a Jew, and there brought up and taught, he did not stay there? Nor did he abide there, unless he had a mind to furnish numberless occasions against him: everywhere just like an exile, fleeing about from place to place. ( c ) “While I prayed in the temple,” he says, “it came to pass that I was in a trance.” (To show) that it was not simply a phantom of the imagination, therefore “while he prayed” (the Lord) stood by him. And he shows that it was not from fear of their dangers that he fled, but because they would “not receive” his “testimony.” ( v. 18 .) But why said he “They know I imprisoned?” ( v. 19 .) Not to gainsay Christ, but because he wished to learn this which was so contrary to all reasonable expectation. …

Why therefore, one might ask, as he was so learned in the law (for he was instructed in the law at the feet of Gamaliel, and had great zeal in the matter, and was especially able to confound them in this respect), why did not God send him to the Jews? Because on this very account they were more vehement in their enmity against him. “For they will not endure thee,” God says unto him; “But depart far hence to the Gentiles, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.” Whereupon he says, “Yea, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee; and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.”