How did the persecutor in Verse 10 feel about Jesus of Nazareth?
The persecutor in Verse 10, a raging religious zealot, hated the name of Jesus of Nazareth with a passion. His hostility was intense; he was not neutral. Yet by God's grace, instead of being zapped or sent to eternal doom, he was saved and mercy was poured out.
Les explains that the persecutor in Verse 10 was a raging religious zealot who hated the name of Jesus of Nazareth with a passion. Instead of zapping the man or sending him to eternal doom, God's grace permitted Him to save him and pour out mercy. Les also discusses the difference between grace and mercy: grace is that unmerited favor of God which makes the pouring out of His mercy possible. He illustrates this with Israel's golden calf incident, where God could have wiped them out but instead showed compassion and mercy because He is sovereign.