Tuesday 6th May
Acts 13:6-12
“They travelled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 ‘You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.’ Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.” (NIVUK)
Paul’s first mission journey took him to Cyprus and an encounter with Bar-Jesus. Paul’s encounter with Jesus, blinding and humbling, was lifted when the Spirit filled him at the touch of Ananias. His sight was restored by the Spirit. He now sees truly. He is undeceived (cf Acts 9). This is why Luke notes the piercing ‘look’ Paul gave Elymas the deceptive sorcerer (v9). Paul can see right through him, to his heart and the injustice and deception that lies there – to its devilish origin. God’s judgment, like all biblical judgment, fits the crime perfectly. The one who leads others into darkness, away from the light, will grope like one blind. Luke, and Paul, were likely reflecting on Isaiah’s words.
“So justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;
for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like the blind we grope along the wall,
feeling our way like people without eyes.
At midday we stumble as if it were twilight;
among the strong, we are like the dead.
11 We all growl like bears;
we moan mournfully like doves.
We look for justice, but find none;
for deliverance, but it is far away.” (Isaiah 59:9-11) (NIVUK)
Of the two men before Paul, the Jew would have been considered closer to righteousness and salvation. Yet it was the Roman, the one with ‘ears to hear’ (v7c), the one who in theory was further away, who ‘saw’ and believed (v12). The midday darkness of the cross (Luke 23:44-45) has flipped the world on its head indeed!
