Letters to the synagogues in Damascus

“Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest.” (1) Saul went to the high priest to expand the geographical scope of the persecution. The high priest at that time was Caiaphas. The word “still” connects Acts 8:3-4 with this passage. (2) Saul must have been aware of precedents in the Old Testament. (a) In Numbers 25:1-5, Moses commanded the killing of those who followed Baal of Peor. This divine punishment resulted in the death of 24,000 people. (b) In 1 Kings 18:40, Elijah commanded the killing of 450 prophets of Baal. “And asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem.” (1) Damascus is the oldest city in the world that has been continuously inhabited. In Old Testament times, Damascus (Aram) was sometimes an enemy and sometimes a friend of Israel. This city had a large Jewish community (numbering in the tens of thousands) and many synagogues. If the fugitives settled in this city, there was a risk of their negative influence spreading. Therefore, it was necessary to bind them, regardless of gender, upon discovery. Saul intended to bring them back to Jerusalem to stand trial. (2) At that time (about five years after the church was born), the term “Christian” did not exist yet, so “the Way” was used. (a) In Psalm 1:6, there is the phrase “the way of the righteous.” (b) In Isaiah 40:3 and Luke 3:4, there is “the way of the Lord.” (c) The Essenes also referred to themselves as “the Way.” (3) What were the “letters to the synagogues”? (a) During the intertestamental period, a treaty was established between Rome and the Jews, granting the high priest authority over Jewish communities within the Roman Empire. This included the authority to bring back those who had fled from Judea. The content of the letters to the synagogues was as follows: “Saul is an agent of the high priest. He intends to arrest members of ‘the Way’ and bring them back to Jerusalem. Each synagogue is requested to cooperate with Saul to ensure the success of his mission.” Paul was a Pharisee, and the high priest was a Sadducee. It was rare for these two groups to cooperate. In Genesis 49:27, the nature of the tribe of Benjamin is prophesied: “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he devours the prey, and in the evening he divides the spoils.” We can see the fulfillment of this prophecy in Saul. However, God used Saul’s fierce nature for the expansion of His kingdom. In God’s hands, even flaws can be turned into benefits.