Why is Acts chapter 9 a turning point in the book of Acts?
Acts chapter 9 marks a major change of direction. Up to this point, the narrative centers on Peter, the Eleven, and Israel. From Acts 9 onward, with only a brief exception in chapter 10, the rest of the book focuses on Saul of Tarsus, the great persecutor of Jewish believers, and Peter fades from the Acts account.
Les explains that Acts chapter 9 is where you have that tremendous change of direction in the book of Acts. Up until this chapter, the account is about Peter, the Eleven, and Israel. Then, all of a sudden—with only a brief exception in chapter 10, where Peter comes back on the scene momentarily—the rest of the book of Acts covers this one man, and Peter is completely forgotten so far as the Acts account is concerned. Acts 9:1 introduces Saul of Tarsus, that great persecutor of Jewish believers. At that point, he did not go after Gentiles, because there were none of them believing yet. This shift makes Acts 9 the turning point from the earlier focus on Peter and Israel to the subsequent focus on Saul of Tarsus.
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
More Questions
Did Jesus reveal that the new thing in Acts 9 would happen?
Jesus never revealed that this new thing in Acts 9 would happen.
Who had never imagined the new thing God would do in Acts 9?
The new thing God begins in Acts 9 had never been imagined by Peter or the eleven apostles.