Acts 22:9 - Exposition

Beheld for saw, A.V. Beheld indeed the light [and were afraid , A.V.]. This corresponds with the statement in Acts 9:7 , that the men who journeyed with Saul "stood speechless." They were dazzled and amazed at the sudden brightness. But they heard not the voice . This at first sight seems inconsistent with the statement in Acts 9:7 , "hearing the voice." But the apparent inconsistency disappears when we observe that here St. Paul wished to impress upon his hearers that, though his companions had seen the light, they had not heard the words which were addressed to him by the Lord Jesus (see Acts 9:14 ); whereas St. Luke, in the narrative in Acts 9:1-43 ., wished rather to insist upon the fact that though the men had seen the light and heard the sound of the voice, they had not seen Jesus. To see and hear the risen Christ was a privilege given to St. Paul alone.