The vision that changed the future

The vision that changed the future

by Aboo Mohammad Jamal Dookhy.

December 2004

It has been centuries  since he journeyed to Damascus, according to his account, according to his gospel. Yet Saul of Tarsus claims he saw Jesus in a vision on that route. The vision that changed the future of Christianity today. The basis of Christianity today (unfortunately) does not revolve around the teachings  of Jesus but that of  (Paul) Saul of Tarsus

Introduction

Let us first see who was Saul of Tarsus AKA saint Paul in order to be able to better assess the situation.

Saul of Tarsus  was born to  Jewish parents, in Tarsus ,Cilicia, a region in southeastern Asia Minor (present day Turkey),he was not  a Palestinian Jew Like Jesus and his disciples and since his father had obtained Roman citizenship, he inherited it from his father,

Acts 22:28 And Paul said, But I was free born (KJV).

But there is no evidence too prove that since in those days, Citizenship was a priviledge given to the wealthy or influencial.

Saul was a Jew, a Pharisee:

Philipians3:

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee (KJV)]

Saul was a tent maker and his actual date of birth was unknown in Acts 7 he is referred to only as a Young man.

58“and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul”. (KJV)

He was practically unknown to the people of the Churches i.e. the followers of Christ as mentioned in Galatians 1:

22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ (KJV)

It can also be noted form Acts 4 that Paul suffered from Ophtalmia an eye disease which is a recurring infection of the eye causing reduced vision and at times periodic blindness.

13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.(KJV)

and although  he claimed to have studied under Gamaliel of Jerusalem, there is no evidence can be presented to confirm this.

Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, (KJV)

Gamaliel

(Greek form of the Hebrew name meaning "reward of God").

The name designates in the New Testament a Pharisee and celebrated doctor of the Law. Gamaliel is represented in Acts, v, 34 sqq., as advising his fellow-members of the Sanhedrin not to put to death St. Peter and the Apostles, who, notwithstanding the prohibition of the Jewish authorities, had continued to preach to the people. His advice, however unwelcome, was acted upon, so great was his authority with his contemporaries. We learn from Acts, xxii, 3, that he was the teacher of St. Paul; but we are not told either the nature or the extent of the influence which he exercised upon the future apostle of the Gentiles. Gamaliel is rightly identified with an illustrious Jewish doctor of the Law, who bore the same name and died eighteen years before the destruction of Jerusalem. In the Talmud, this Gamaliel bears, like his grandfather Hillel, the surname of "the Elder", and is the first to whom the title "Rabban", "our master", was given. He appears therein, as in the book of the Acts, as a prominent member of the highest tribunal of the Jews. He is also treated as the originator of many legal ordinances; (New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia)

One should also note that Saint Paul as he is known was not  among the Disciples of Jesus

Ac 9:26  And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

Paul the Persecutor

In the book of acts we see that Paul had a record of  persecuting those who were followers of the teachings of Christ:

Acts 9:

1    But, Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, going unto the High-priest,

2 asked from him letters for Damascus, unto the synagogues; to the end that, if he should find, any, who were of The Way, whether men or women, he might bring them, bound, unto Jerusalem.

Acts 26:

10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

12   Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests.(KJV)

Acts 8:

1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.(KJV)

Acts 22:

4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women

5  as, even the High-priest, beareth me witness, and all the Eldership,—from whom, letters also, accepting to the brethren, unto Damascus, was I journeying, to bring them who were there bound unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished. (KJV)

1Timothy:

13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

Galatians 1:

23  But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.(KJV)

And in Galatians 1 too he confesses to have persecuted the church

13    For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure persecuted the church of God, and wasted it(KJV)

1 Cor 15:

9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Stephen was probably the most talented of the Hellenistic teachers. Though Stephen repudiated the old Israel, he did not reject the Law itself, which Paul did many years later. (The Interpreter's Bible; Volume7: Page 182) Paul stood there and watched Stephen being stoned to death

Acts 7:

58"Then they cast him out of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul." (KJV)

Luke only tells us that Paul gave his consent by holding the coats of those physically involved. Theologians read far more into Luke's statement. (The Interpreter's Bible; Volume 9: Page 106)

Paul invited trouble in the temple.

The founder of Christianity was the one who brought men to cause trouble  in the Temple, it was he who brought the Greeks into the temple, which eventually brought about the destruction of the Temple.

Ac 21:

26  Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

Ac 21:27  And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

Ac 21:28  Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

Ac 21:29  (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

Ac 21:30  And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.

Paul sitting on the Fence

Paul , sat on the fence, when it  suited him to be Gentile he was gentile and when he was in presence of Jews he was a Jew he says it himself:

2 Corinthians:

20 (AV) And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21 (AV) To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,)that I might gain them that are without law.

22 (AV) To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.(KJV)

So when he is with the Jews he would speak and act like a Jew and when with the gentiles he would act like a gentile.

Even when he gives account of His Vision on his way to Damascus with the Jews he only mentions that he saw Jesus in the Vision and he was only told to go to Damascus where his mission will be appointed to him and does not go into detail:

Paul’s  conflicting accounts of the Vision

Acts 22:

6-10

And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 

And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

And I said, What shall I do, LORD? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.(KJV)

The next account is actually a third party account written by Luke who we know was a friend of Paul’s, it must have been narrated to him by his friend Paul of course since Luke does not claim to be one of the unnamed  witnesses. ACTS 9:

3-7 

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?

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. 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. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. (KJV)

In this case here he is talking to  a gentile, King Agrippa, so he adds the bit that Jesus tells him to go to the gentiles and appoints him his mission. He gives a different account to the Police and a different account when stands up in court.

Acts26:

12-20

Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 

But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 

But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.(KJV)

Conclusion

If you look carefully at all 3 accounts you will see that he saw a light then fell on his face so how did he know that it was Jesus(how could he be sure) it was only when he fell on his face then he said my lord so he saw the light and Assumed it was Christ in all 3 accounts. In the 3rd account he does not mention the unnamed witnesses here, as in the other accounts he is told to go in the city he will be told what to do, but to king Agrippa he spills all of what he was told. In all 3 accounts he wasn't even sure who it was he had to ask "who art thou my lord".  We must bear in mind also that apart from being blinded by the vision he, as mentioned above, suffered from Ophtalmia an infection of the eye causing reduced vision and at times periodic blindness. He was thus unable to see who it was who appeared in the vision. So he did not know who it was but called him "my lord". He never knew Jesus and could not have known his voice. he had never met Jesus. Earliest writings are Paul's letters written A.D. 50-60 the Gospels were written about A.D.70 to 110.

Now just look at this verse carefully and you will understand who it could have been but he wants to make out It was Jesus, it could have been:

2 corinthians

11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (KJV)

Most of the Scholars who have written about Paul, even Encyclopedias, have stated that he created his own Religion. It wasn't the message of Jesus he came to preach but his own.

Paul constantly uses his 'imprisonment' to draw sympathy and attention to himself, but we shall see, at the proper time, that Paul was absolutely overjoyed at the circumstances he himself had created. Now he was free to preach to the soldiers and spread his gospel among them, something that might never have happened otherwise.

Romans 2:

16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Ro 16:

25  Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

2Ti 2:

8    Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel

Acts 9

20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

Think about it.

1Co 14

33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 

Allah warns us clearly in the Quran:

Who can be more wicked than one who inventeth a lie against Allah, or saith, "I have received inspiration," when he hath received none, or (again) who saith, "I can reveal the like of what Allah hath revealed"? If thou couldst but see how the wicked (do fare) in the flood of confusion at death! - the angels stretch forth their hands, (saying),"Yield up your souls: this day shall ye receive your reward,- a penalty of shame, for that ye used to tell lies against God, and scornfully to reject of His signs!"

Al -An'am 6.93

Peace be with you 

Jamal Dookhy