9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into {i} the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
(i) Into Judas' house.
9:17 Ananias... putting his hands on him. Not to convey a gift, but as a friendly act, significant of God's blessing.
That thou mightest receive thy sight. His sight returned immediately after (Ac 9:18).
And be filled with the Holy Ghost. There is no proof whatever that any spiritual gifts were imparted, nor that any but apostles could confer these gifts (see PNT Ac 6:8 ), and Paul always asserted that he received his signs of apostleship, not of men, but of Christ. See Ga 1:1,11,12. The being filled with the Holy Spirit took place after the baptism at the hands of Ananias.
9:17 The Lord hath sent me - Ananias does not tell Saul all which Christ had said concerning him. It was not expedient that he should know yet to how great a dignity he was called.
9:10-22 A good work was begun in Saul, when he was brought to Christ's feet with those words, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And never did Christ leave any who were brought to that. Behold, the proud Pharisee, the unmerciful oppressor, the daring blasphemer, prayeth! And thus it is even now, and with the proud infidel, or the abandoned sinner. What happy tidings are these to all who understand the nature and power of prayer, of such prayer as the humbled sinner presents for the blessings of free salvation! Now he began to pray after another manner than he had done; before, he said his prayers, now, he prayed them. Regenerating grace sets people on praying; you may as well find a living man without breath, as a living Christian without prayer. Yet even eminent disciples, like Ananias, sometimes stagger at the commands of the Lord. But it is the Lord's glory to surpass our scanty expectations, and show that those are vessels of his mercy whom we are apt to consider as objects of his vengeance. The teaching of the Holy Spirit takes away the scales of ignorance and pride from the understanding; then the sinner becomes a new creature, and endeavours to recommend the anointed Saviour, the Son of God, to his former companions.
