Paul realized that Jesus of Nazareth is Jehovah — the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
When a light from heaven shone around Saul and a voice called to him, he asked, 'Who art thou, Lord?' The voice answered, 'I am Jesus.' Les Feldick teaches that Saul, as a religious Jew, understood that the voice belonged to Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The shock came when that same voice identified Himself as Jesus — the very man Saul had considered a blasphemer and an impostor.
Acts 9:5 — This verse records the voice from heaven identifying itself to Saul as 'I am Jesus' — the moment that prompted Saul's realization of who Jesus is.
Acts 9:1 says, "And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest." He was on his way to Damascus with letters to the synagogues, intending to bring any followers of "this way" bound to Jerusalem (Acts 9:2). As he journeyed, "suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:3-4). Saul answered, "Who art thou, Lord?" and the voice replied, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks" (Acts 9:5). Trembling and astonished, Saul asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6). The passage itself records that the speaker identified Himself as Jesus. It does not use the name "Jehovah" in this exchange, but it preserves Saul's address to the speaker as "Lord."
Les Feldick explains that Saul, a religious Jew and a fanatical Pharisee, would have immediately connected the brilliant light from heaven and the voice from above with the God he knew — Jehovah. In Les's teaching, for a religious Jew of Christ's day, "Lord" was the spoken substitute for the sacred name "Jehovah," the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When Saul cried out "Who art thou, Lord?" he was mentally asking "Who art thou, Jehovah?" The overwhelming moment came when Jehovah answered, "I am Jesus." Saul had regarded Jesus of Nazareth as a blasphemer and an impostor. Now the very God he thought he was serving told him that the One he was persecuting was the God of Abraham. Les says this realization "blew his mind" and broke Saul instantly. He stopped arguing and immediately responded, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Les also teaches that Jehovah — God the Son in the Old Testament — is the same Person as Christ in the New Testament. There is no difference in their personality; the only difference is that He has now become flesh as the image of the invisible God. On the road to Damascus, Saul saw this identity and had no argument.
Les Feldick points out that Saul saw a light from heaven and heard a voice from above, and as a religious man he would naturally think of the abode of his God — heaven. Les says Saul's second nature told him that his God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, was dealing with him. He therefore cried out "Who art thou, Lord?" — mentally saying, "Who art thou, Jehovah?"
Les teaches that for a religious Jew of Christ's day, there was only one "Lord" and that was Jehovah. Good Jews would not even pronounce the name Jehovah; they used the word "Lord" instead. So when Saul said "Who art thou, Lord?" the name Jehovah was on his mind.
The Lord answered, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." Les says this broke Saul completely. The man he had hated as a blasphemer and an impostor was actually the Jehovah of the Old Testament — the God of Abraham. Saul realized that what he thought was his enemy was in reality the God of Abraham, and he immediately responded, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"
Les teaches that Jehovah — God the Son in the Old Testament — is Christ in the New Testament. He says there is no difference in their personality; the only difference is that He has become flesh as the image of the invisible God. It is the same person, and Saul saw this identity on the Damascus road.
Saul the Persecutor
Les sets the stage by showing Saul as a fanatical religious Jew breathing out threatenings and slaughter against Jewish believers, on his way to Damascus with letters to arrest followers of Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus Is Jehovah
Les explains that when Saul heard the heavenly voice answer "I am Jesus," he suddenly realized the One he thought was a blasphemer was actually the Jehovah of the Old Testament.
Saul's Instinct: Jehovah
Les teaches that Saul, seeing the light from heaven and hearing the voice, naturally thought he was dealing with Jehovah, the God he knew intricately — so Les imagines Saul mentally crying out, "Who art thou, Jehovah?"
Lord Means Jehovah
Les explains that for a religious Jew, "Lord" was the spoken substitute for "Jehovah," the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — so Saul was mentally asking whether the speaker was Jehovah.
Light from Heaven, God from Above
Les shows Saul looking up from the ground knowing the light came from heaven, and second nature telling him that his God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, was dealing with him.
Jehovah Answers 'I Am Jesus'
Les emphasizes the mind-blowing realization: Saul thought he was doing the work of Jehovah by stamping out the name of Jesus, but Jehovah answered "I am Jesus" — revealing that his enemy was in reality the God of Abraham.
Jehovah Is Christ
Les teaches the continuity of the Person: Jehovah, God the Son in the Old Testament, is Christ in the New Testament — the same Person who has now become flesh — and Saul saw this without argument.
The Damascus Road Encounter
Les walked through the narrative: Saul nearing Damascus, the light shining round about him, his fall to the earth, and his question "Who art thou, Lord?"
Acts 9:1-2: And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Shows Saul's intent to bring Jewish followers of Jesus of Nazareth bound to Jerusalem — the mission he was on when the encounter occurred.
Acts 9:3-4: And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
The supernatural encounter that Saul recognized as coming from God in heaven.
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.
The direct moment when the heavenly voice identifies itself as Jesus, prompting Saul's realization of who Jesus is.
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 surrendered response after realizing he is speaking to the Lord Jehovah.
Acts 9:10-11: And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
After the encounter, the Lord directs Ananias to Saul, confirming Saul's new relationship to the Lord.
Les Feldick explains that for a religious Jew of Christ's day, 'Lord' was the term used for Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Saul recognized the light from heaven and the voice as coming from his God, so he cried out 'Who art thou, Lord?' — thinking 'Who art thou, Jehovah?'
Les says Saul melted and was converted on the spot. He stopped arguing and responded, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' (Acts 9:6).
No, the Acts 9 text records Saul's words as 'Who art thou, Lord?' and the reply 'I am Jesus.' Les Feldick's teaching is that for a Jew, 'Lord' mentally meant Jehovah, and that realization is what broke Saul.
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