Whilst originally used in a spiritual context, the phrase also refers to other types of sudden conversion. Theologian Donald Hagner explains this experience as, “The greatest impact on this remarkable man… was an encounter with the risen Christ that took place as Paul was on his way to persecute the Jewish Christians in Damascus. 1:11–16) making this hardly an obscure event. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Road to Damascus refers to a sudden turning point in one’s life. Conversion of Paul the Apostle - Wikipedia 180 views Conversion is the heart of the Christian experience. road to Damascus. But the Lord assured him that Paul was selected to proclaim the truth to the Gentiles and that he will suffer much for God (Acts 9:15, 16). Get our latest answers straight to your inbox when you subscribe here. The way of Paulus is a parable. The conversion of Paul has been depicted by many artists, including Albrecht Dürer, Francisco Camilo, Giovanni Bellini, Fra Angelico, Fra Bartolomeo, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, William Blake, Luca Giordano, Sante Peranda, and Juan Antonio de Frías y Escalante. road to Damascus (plural roads to Damascus) ( idiomatic , often attributive ) An important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal , of ideas or beliefs occurs. And He also prepared Saul for a visit from Ananias (Acts 9: 12). Prior to that moment, he had been called Saul, and was a Pharisee who persecuted followers of Jesus. The term refers to the biblical story of Paul, who converted from Judaism to Christianity while traveling the road to Damascus (Book of Acts, chapter 9). The letters authorized Saul, if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, to bring them bound to Jerusalem.” (Acts 9:1-2). Editorial Note: From the biblical story of St. Paul, who converted from Judaism to Christianity while travelling on the road to Damascus. He considered what was done to His children as done to Himself (Matt. Jesus himself appears to Rabbi Saul and confronts him with the truth of … Home » Sabbath » What is the Damascus Road experience? Paul originally had believed that Jesus of Nazareth had disregarded the law of God and had taught His disciples that it was of no effect. Posted by Smokey Stover on January 06, 2009 at 15:53. Real Questions. ( Log Out /  But the Lord interfered with his plans. The Damascus Road experience is arguably the most important event in the life of the Apostle Paul. James obtained his BTh with cum laude, and is currently pursuing his postgraduate in Religious Studies. Conversion is best described in the New Testament in the Letters of St. Paul, and with good reason - no one experienced a more dramatic conversion than St. Paul on the road to Damascus! Second, Paul tells people that this is possibly a vision. —The route by which the persecutor and his companions travelled was probably that taken by the Roman road, which extended from Jerusalem to Neapolis (Sychar, or Shechem), thence to Scythopolis, and so by the shores of the Sea of Galilee and Cæsarea Philippi, and thence under the slopes of Hermon, to Damascus. That's where we … First, most believe that Paul was speaking of himself and his Damascus road experience, in which case this was not an out of body experience. Although he claims to have had other revelatory experiences (2 Cor. One explanation is that he was plagued with guilt, doubt, and frustration making him psychologically fit for such a conversion experience [3]. CONVERSION. And Jesus spoke to Saul, asking him, “Why do you persecute me?” (Acts 22:70). He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus. He revealed his secret of enduring a … But such an objection faces insurmountable difficulties in light of the testimony and what we know of Paul. Aspirations to teach Religion Studies, World Religion, Philosophy of Religion. “In all their affliction he was afflicted” (Isa. On the other hand, Paul himself tells the Galatians that after that vocational vision, "I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus" (Galatians 1:11-17). The phrase “Damascus Road experience” is used to describe a conversion which is dramatic and startling. He is a graduate in Creative Brand Communication and Marketing (CBC), and in Theology (majoring in psychology). 1. an experience that completely changes the way that you think about something. The Spirit of God illuminated his mind and he was able to recall the Messianic prophecies that applied to Jesus of Nazareth. James Bishop, South Africa, graduate Multimedia, Brand Marketing (CBC), Theology, Psychology, TESOL. Saul was doing that when he came to his relationship with Christ and it turned his whole life around, this experience on the road to Damascus. Then Paul asked,  “Who are you, Lord?” And Jesus answered “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” (Acts 9:5). […] important of these is his conversion experience on the way to Damascus to persecute Christians. Summers and the Road to Damascus By Servaas Storm. Paul's vision, in the city of Damascus is much more likely as venue than on the road to Damascus. It has long been used figuratively, sometimes put … The phrase “Damascus Road experience” is a phrase used to describe a dramatic conversion like the one Paul had (Acts 9:1–9; Acts 22:6–11 and Acts 26:9–20). 2:8). 1. road to Damascus - a sudden turning point in a person's life (similar to the sudden conversion of the Apostle Paul on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus of arrest Christians) Also road to Damascus experience. There’s an old saying that goes something like this… God takes care of fools and babies. Road To Damascus experiences are those in which a person has a sudden insight that radically changes their beliefs. 9 Then () Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked () letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Michelangelo's The Conversion of Saul is housed in the Cappella Paolina of the Vatican Palace. Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus has inspired some to explain it away on naturalistic grounds. Your Question (required) Would you like this question answered on our show? The Damascus Road experience is arguably the most important event in the life of the Apostle Paul. And the Lord answered, get up … ‘and go into Damascus. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around … A Damascene moment means therefore a sudden change of heart, or revelation. Paul's life-changing experience on the Damascus Road led to his baptism and instruction in the Christian faith. Real Answers. English, Arabic (العربية), French (Français), Hindi (हिन्दी), Table of Contents CreationTen CommandmentsDefinitionMeaning This page is also available in: हिन्दी (Hindi)Creation We first read that God rested the Seventh Day of the week, when He created our 7-day…, This page is also available in: हिन्दी (Hindi)Second century Changing the Sabbath observance from Saturday to Sunday was a slow process that began before A.D. 150 and continued for three…, Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus. The Greek word for “hear” in both Acts 9:7 and 22:9 is akouo. road to Damascus n. a religious conversion; a revelation, especially about one’s self; in other figurative uses, denoting a change in attitude, perspective, or belief. “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: This encounter also greatly influenced Paul’s theology and Christology. Bishop's Encyclopedia of Religion, Society and Philosophy, Apostle Paul’s Reception of Revelation and Tradition  – Bishop's Encyclopedia of Religion, Society and Philosophy, Follow Bishop's Encyclopedia of Religion, Society and Philosophy on WordPress.com. A closer look at the words. It is hardly possible… What’s the history behind changing the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary) Moreover, although there is a discrepancy between Acts 9:7 and Acts 22:9 about what those accompanying Paul experienced (9:7 says that others heard a voice whereas 22:9 says that they did not, but saw a light), the testimony does seem to imply some objective experience involved suggesting it was not a subjective vision or hallucination on Paul’s part. road to Damascus meaning: 1. ( Log Out /  You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard” (Acts 9:14,15; Acts 26). God prepared Ananias by a vision to visit Saul. It goes on … It’s in reference to the conversion to Christianity of the apostle Paul while literally on the road to Damascus from Jerusalem. That should end the matter. And the men that were with him “saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking” (Acts 22:9). Ananias laid hands on Paul and the latter was healed from blindness, filled by the Holy Spirit, and got baptized (Acts 9:15–16, 19; 22:12–16). The phrase “ Damascus Road experience” is a phrase used to describe a dramatic conversion like the one Paul had (Acts 9:1–9; Acts 22:6–11 and Acts 26:9–20). Some people receive Christ in an instant dramatic way, while others experience a gradual quiet transformation like Nicodemus. Hagner articulates. Many apologists appeal to Paul’s experience as one strand in a cumulative case for affirming the historicity of the resurrection. He was convinced he was in the right and this motivated him to stamp out early Christianity from the historical record. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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