Tuesday | 15 October 2019
The ‘scales’ that fell from the eyes of Paul symbolised an impediment to Paul’s spiritual sight. We can liken them to a veil over the eyes of his heart, which inhibited his ability to receive the light of life that was shining upon him from the face of Christ through the ministry of a messenger. Paul was turning from his theological training, cultural heritage and religious zeal, which not only caused him to walk in darkness, but also made him an enemy of the cross and of God.
As this veil was removed from the eyes of his heart, he was able to receive the Light of life into his heart. Christ, the Seed of the Father, entered his heart, birthing him as a son of God. 1Pe 1:23. He was then baptised with the Holy Spirit, and joined to the fellowship of Christ’s offering and sufferings through baptism. Act 9:17-18. This is what it meant for Paul to ‘receive his sight’.
He had received illumination, and this illumination transformed his life! The illumination that he had received became a light that was in him, and in which he would now walk. For Paul, illumination was more than receiving true knowledge and understanding; it was a fellowship in the light. Paul called this light ‘knowing Christ’, ‘the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death’, through which the light of life, exanastasis, was becoming his. Php 3:10-11.
The conversion of Paul highlights that fellowship with a messenger is necessary for the veil to be removed from our eyes. In a similar way, the veil was not removed from the eyes of the two disciples who were travelling to Emmaus, until they invited Christ to stay with them for further fellowship. Even though their hearts had burned within them as Christ explained the Scriptures to them, it was only when He broke bread with them that their eyes were opened. Luk 24:16,28-32.
Further Study:
Luke 24
Daily Proverb:
References:
1Pe 1:22-23
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.
Act 9:17-18
And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
Php 3:10-11
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Luk 24:16
But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
Luk 24:28-32
Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, ‘Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.’ And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?’