Saul’s Preaching In Damascus and His Visit To Jerusalem (Acts 9:19b-31)

He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, 20 and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 21 All who heard him were astounded and said, “Is not this the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who call upon this name, and came here expressly to take them back in chains to the chief priests?” 22 But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah.

23 After a long time had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. Now they were keeping watch on the gates day and night so as to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him one night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

26 When he arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

31 The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

Paul remained in Damascus for a while in fellowship with other disciples and then, filled with the Holy Spirit, began to proclaim in the Synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God.  Saul had previously been known for persecuting Christians so when the people heard him preaching the Gospel they were astonished and skeptical at his sudden proclamation of Jesus as the Son of God.  As he grew bolder in the faith, his preaching became more powerful, and he confounded the Jews in Damascus with compelling arguments and evidence that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.  

Eventually, the Jews conspired to kill Paul because many were being converted and the Jews were threatened by his teachings, the same reasons Paul had previously arrested Christians.  Paul became aware of their plot and since guards were stationed at the city gates day and night, his disciples lowered him in a basket through an opening in the city wall.  Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, was historically surrounded by walls.  

When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, the disciples were leery of him.  They found it difficult to believe that the man who had previously persecuted Christians was now claiming to be a follower of Christ.  Barnabas intervened and vouched for Paul to the Apostles in Jerusalem.  He explained how Paul had encountered Christ on the road to Damascus and his subsequent preaching in the Synagogues in Damascus.  The Apostles accepted Paul and he was able to move freely among the disciples in Jerusalem.  He continued to preach boldly in the name of the Lord and even debated with the Hellenists, the Greek-speaking Jews, who became enraged by his teaching and tried to kill him.  The brothers in Jerusalem became concerned for his safety and took him to Caesarea in the Roman province of Judea where there was a strong Roman presence.  Paul was a Roman citizen so he would be relatively safe there.  From there they sent him to Tarsus, his hometown.  Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church experienced peace and growth.  

Almighty God, shower us with the transforming power of your grace and strengthen us so that we may boldly proclaim your truth even in the face of opposition.  Protect and guide us so that we may spread your Word to others.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

                Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.