Saul immediately submitted to Jesus as Lord, with no argument or debate.
When the voice from heaven identified himself as Jesus, Saul realized that the one he had been persecuting was the Jehovah he thought he was serving. He was converted on the spot and responded, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' He was blinded physically in order to see spiritually who Jesus really was.
Acts 9:5-6 — This passage records Saul's direct exchange with the Lord and his immediate, submissive reaction.
In the book of Acts, while Saul was still breathing out threatenings against the disciples of the Lord, a light from heaven suddenly shone around him and he fell to the earth. He heard a voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?' Saul asked, 'Who art thou, Lord?' The Lord answered, 'I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.' Then Saul, trembling and astonished, said, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' The Lord told him to arise and go into the city, where it would be told him what he must do.
Les explains that Saul, a religious fanatic, had been thinking he was doing the work of Jehovah by stamping out the name of Jesus. When he saw the light from heaven and heard the voice, he naturally assumed it was Jehovah — the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Saul's question 'Who art thou, Lord?' was his way of asking 'Who art thou, Jehovah?' When the answer came back 'I am Jesus,' it blew his mind. He suddenly realized that the Jesus he detested and thought was an imposter and blasphemer was actually the Jehovah he claimed to worship. Les says Saul melded like wax, had no argument, and was converted on the spot. His immediate response was, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' He was blinded physically in order to see spiritually who Jesus really was.
Les teaches that for a religious Jew of that day, the only Lord was Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When Saul saw the intense light from heaven and heard the voice, he immediately assumed it was Jehovah. In his mind, if not in exact words, he was crying out, 'Who art thou, Jehovah?' He knew the voice was coming from the presence of God.
When Jehovah answered 'I am Jesus,' Saul recognized that the one he hated and was trying to stamp out was the very God he thought he was worshiping. He had no argument or debate. He immediately said, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' Les emphasizes that Saul was converted on the spot and blinded physically so that he could see spiritually who Jesus really was.
Saul never had second thoughts on his own. God's grace stopped him while he was still determined to drag believing Jews from Damascus. He had to bring together the Jesus he was trying to stamp out with the God he thought he was serving. As Les points out, Saul had to recognize that the one he was hating was the God he thought he was worshiping. Later, Paul himself wrote, 'I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.'
Grace Stops Saul Without Second Thoughts
God's grace intervened while Saul was still intent on seizing believers; Saul never paused to question his own zeal.
Saul Melds When Jesus Identifies Himself
When Jehovah said 'I am Jesus,' Saul realized that the one he thought was a blasphemer was actually the Jehovah of the Old Testament, and he was converted instantly.
Mind-Blowing Realization of Jesus as Jehovah
Saul addressed the voice as Jehovah, and when the answer was 'I am Jesus,' he understood that his supposed enemy was the God of Abraham; he immediately asked what he should do.
Saul Knew the Voice Was from God
Les explains that Saul knew the voice was coming from the presence of God, so he would have said 'Who art thou, Jehovah?' had his awe for the name not restrained him.
Saul Naturally Thought It Was Jehovah
As a religious fanatic, Saul immediately thought the light and voice from heaven were from Jehovah, the God he thought he was serving.
Saul Melded Like Wax
When Jehovah claimed to be Jesus of Nazareth, Saul was so overcome that he melded like wax and was blinded physically to see spiritually who Jesus really was.
No Argument, Immediate Submission
Saul saw that Jehovah and Christ are the same person, and his immediate response was 'Lord, what would you have me to do?'
Saul Had to Bring Two Together
Saul had to recognize that the Jesus he hated and tried to stamp out was the very God he thought he was worshiping; he had to bring the two together.
Acts 9:4: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Saul's initial encounter with the Lord from heaven, which caused him to fall to the ground.
Acts 9:5: And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
This is the moment Saul learns that the Lord speaking from heaven is Jesus, whom he was persecuting.
Acts 9:6: And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Saul's immediate and submissive reaction to learning that Jesus is Lord.
Acts 26:9: I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Paul later explained that he had thought Jesus was an imposter, which underscores his dramatic change when he realized Jesus is Lord.
No. Saul thought Jesus of Nazareth was an imposter and a blasphemer, and he was persecuting His followers. When he heard the voice from heaven, he assumed it was Jehovah, but he did not expect the answer 'I am Jesus.'
Saul knew the voice was coming from heaven, and as a religious Jew he naturally thought it was Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His use of 'Lord' was his way of addressing the God he thought he was serving.
He said, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' He had no argument or debate. He was converted on the spot and submitted completely to Jesus as his Lord.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Was Never One of the Twelve — Acts 9 Explained