When did Paul go to Arabia?

A section devoted to expounding difficult, obscure or misunder¬stood passages of Scripture. and answering readers' queries. Questions are invited. Opportunity is also provided for discussion on readers' points of view. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Editorial Committee.

Question:

At what point of time was Saul’s solitude in Arabia – was it before or after he first preached in Damascus that Jesus was the son of God? How do you harmonize Acts 9:19-22 with Galatians 1:15- 19?

Answer:

This is a difficult task so I will give two propositions, and leave it to the reader to judge which, if either one, fits the facts recorded.

Proposition No. 1:

This suggestion restricts the record in Acts to the occurrences in Damascus only, and omits Paul’s visit to Arabia. Verse 19 allows an interval of time in which he visited Arabia between the partaking of food following Saul’s three-day fast and his period of abode with the Damascene disciples. Though these two occurrences are recorded consecutively, they need not be consecutive events. The conjunc­tion then is translated from “egeneto de”, meaning “and it came to pass”. The Greek term does not define the time of the occurrence. but merely introduces the next event of impor­tance in Damascus. This would therefore allow Saul’s absence from Damascus for an undefined period of time, wherein he could visit Arabia and return. Then his sojourn in that city would commence with his witness in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

This would explain Galatians 1:16-17: “Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood, neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were before me, but I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus”. But it still leaves us seeking an explanation of Acts 9:20, “And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues”. The original from which “straightway” is translated is the same term for “immediately” in Galatians 1:16. “Immediately he conferred not with flesh and blood”: yet he preached straightway in the synagogues. So we must fix the point of time he commenced preaching with his re-arrival in Damascus. We must also divorce it completely from its con­nection in the narrative with his conversion and baptism, if this view is correct. We might feel we succeed by explaining that the term “with” included in the phrase “Then was Saul certain days with the disciples” — emphasises the fact that he had taken sides with the disciples; that he became at one with them in addition to merely residing with them. This would remove our concentration from the fact of his conver­sion and focus it on the effect such an unex­pected turn of events had on the disciples. This view of “with” binds the narrative toge­ther, ignoring his absence in Arabia to give a series of effects in Damascus following his conversion.

In this case though, I feel we would need to concede a short absence only in Arabia. A great lapse of time approaching three years or even one year would have resulted in a differ­ent reaction from that given by the recorder of the Acts. “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?” A few days’ lapse of time would produce a very strong response like this; even a few weeks;, maybe a few months, but once the interval stretched from days to a year or years, such reaction would be weakened. So we consult Galatians Chapter one again. Upon examina­tion we might consider the possibility that the three-year span starts with his return to Damas­cus after his visit to Arabia, but not with his conversion. This would leave his period of absence from Damascus undefined, and pos­sibly short enough to produce the amazement recorded.

Proposition No. 2:

Does not concede a short absence in Arabia sufficient for the purpose described in Gala­tians 1. For Paul emphasises his personal in­struction by the revelation of Jesus Christ. It also views the three years of Galatians 1 as more pertinently describing the interval of time between his decision not to confer with flesh and blood and his eventual arrival in Jerusa­lem three years later. This requires a second visit to Damascus after he escaped in a basket. It also” allows for the events in Acts 9 to be understood consecutively with no intermission in Arabia at all, and thus preserves the full force of the amazement expressed at the change in Saul, when the Damascene Jews were expecting violence and not capitulation.

We note also that Saul addressed Jews in the Synagogues in Acts 9: but Gentiles are the subject of discussion in Galatians 1. We also note that this chapter does not appear to con­cern itself so much with Saul’s conversion itself, as with the connection his conversion had with his call to the Gentiles. “But when it pleased God . . . to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh ,and blood” (15-16). Although Acts 26:16 reveals that this com­mission was made known to Saul whilst still en route to Damascus, Jesus also then intimated the need for future appearances in preparation for this huge task. So Galatians 1:16 would then refer to appearances beyond Saul’s first experience. It also shows development from Christ’s appearance unto him into a fuller experience; i.e., a revelation of Christ in him. Although the two are connected, it is the ulti­mate that is stressed in Galatians. To reveal is to apocalypse or unveil God’s son in Paul. This fact in itself presupposes a period of develop­ment until the time chosen for such revelations arrived. In chapter 3 verse 1 Paul enlarges upon his meaning by looking backwards upon his missionary journeys and explaining that Christ had been evidently set forth among the Galatians. (That is placarded for all to see). That they saw Christ in Paul is obvious, for he was crucified with him and bore in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus. (2:20, 6:17). So the early revelations were, to prepare him for this manifestation of the Son of God: an un­veiling from within the very character and disposition of his transparent ambassador.

If this view is correct, Galatians 1:16 refers to an experience occurring after Christ’s first appearance to Saul, it is reasonable that Jesus would reappear when Paul developed a stronger awareness of a growing identity with that of his Lord. Christ would wait until his growth was sufficient to see the need for immediate retire­ment to solitude so that his Lord could without interruption complete his instruction and de­velopment. No wonder he is later known as the great Apostle to the Gentiles.

Perhaps readers could indicate which of these two suggestions is preferable to them. Is there an alternative solution? Let us keep in mind the need to preserve the truth in God’s word and approach these difficulties with a meek inquiring spirit, waiting upon God for the increase.