But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, proving that this one is the very Christ.
Read Chapter 9
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Acts 9:22, i.e. put them to silence, left them nothing to say for themselves, proving, that this is very Christ. Teaching, it says: for this man was a teacher.
And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him.
As one learned in the Law, he stopped their mouths, and suffered them not to speak. They thought they were rid of disputation in such matters, in getting rid of Stephen, and they found another, more vehement than Stephen.
it says: i.e. with mildness teaching. And observe, they did not say to him, You are he that destroyed: why are you changed? For they were ashamed: but they said it to themselves. For he would have said to them, This very thing ought to teach you, as in fact he does thus plead in his speech before Agrippa. Let us imitate this, man: let us bear our souls in our hands ready to confront all dangers.— (That he fled from Damascus) this was no cowardice: he preserved himself for the preaching. Had he been a coward, he would not have gone to Jerusalem, would not immediately have commenced teaching: he would have abated somewhat of his vehemence: for he had been taught by the fate of Stephen. He was no coward, but he was also prudent (οἰκονομικός) (in husbanding himself). Wherefore he thought it no great thing to die for the Gospel's sake, unless he should do this to great advantage: willing not even to see Christ, Whom most of all he longed to see, while the work of his stewardship among men w...
