Can you imagine how this proud Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus! felt, when He realised that this Jesus, whom he thought was dead, whom he hated so, and abused His disciplesseeking their distraction, was actually alive, what an experience that must have been? As to the band that was ‘en route’ with him to help him apprehend as many as they could, suddenly: ‘Stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing. So, they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat nor drink anything!’ (Acts 9: 7-9) I have a feeling that whilst his eyes were blinded those of his inner soul were wide open to the glorious truth, that this man whom he hated so, was indeed the ‘Lord’ Jesus Christ. (Jehovah – Yahve) Yes, this Jesus, that suddenly chose to pull the veil from his darkened soul, was alive and glorified in heaven, sitting in the throne room, where God made the decision that the time had come to change this hardened Pharisee into a humble disciple! For Saul was a chosen vessel to be what God purposed for him for the rest of his life! His sudden conversion was a miracle of grace, he got up from the ground a different man. 

This despised Galilean, was the same person who in the time of his flesh, upset greatly some Pharisees who as always tried to trip Him up and find something so they could condemn Him and get rid of Him. It is possible that Saul of Tarsus became aware of the campaign organised against a Galilean carpenter, a man who was drawing great crowds, boasting to be the Son of God. The constant efforts of the Jewish Authorities to apprehend Jesus, was known of the people, for on one occasion, it was in the midst of the feast of Tabernacles, they heard Jesus preaching and teaching openly in the Temple court, and were amazed: for, ‘Some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask:Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Here He is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to Him. Have the authorities really concluded that He is the Christ?On another occasion they heard Jesus say: ‘I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one that seeks it, and He is the judge! I tell you the truth, if any one keeps my word, he will not see death. At this the Jews exclaimed: Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, and you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died and so did the prophets: Who do you think you are’? (John 8: 50-53)

I don’t know how much of these encounters of Jesus with the various religious sects, Pharisees and Sadducees, scribes, elders and their leaders, were known by this Saul of Tarsus, but what is obvious to me is that he knew an awful lot about Jesus before he was ever known by the people, for he first appeared on the scene, at the stoning of a well-loved deacon of the church in Jerusalem, called Stephen. As for Jesus what He was going to say to answer the question they asked Him: ‘Who do you think you are?’ Jesus replied: ‘My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know Him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad. You are not yet fifty years old, the Jews (being the religious or political authorities that were listening) said to Him, and you have seen Abraham!’ (John 8: 54-57) 

The discourse Jesus started in verse thirty-one, of the eighth chapter of John’s gospel,was brought to its conclusion with what is one of the greatest statements that Jesus ever made concerning His divinity, for he said in public that He never said so clearly before: ‘I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, before Abraham was: ‘I am’, at this they picked up stones to stone Him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.’ (John 8: 58) What He just said, according to their law was a grievous sin, for He declared openly that He was actually ‘Jehovah –Yahve!’ He said, previously, that God was His Father, somehow that was acceptable to that crowd and to the Jews in the midst of them, but saying that He was actually God, that was too serious, too much to ignore and so they picked up stones and tried to stone Him there and then; but it was not his hour, so he disappeared from their midst and left the temple grounds!