“And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”
King James Version (KJV)
Chris's comment on 2020-10-21 00:15:40:
When Jesus spoke these words to Saul, Jesus saw a man who was a leader in the Jewish hierarchy, well-versed in the Scriptures & zealous for the things of God. But Jesus, whom Saul persecuted by hunting down & murdering Christians, was telling him that even with all his knowledge & zeal, he was fighting against God & His Holy Commands. "You think you are for God but actually you are against Him".
So Jesus uses a term that Saul would be familiar with, as when an ox herder would use a goad (long stick with a sharp point) to keep his oxen in check. If the ox wanted to disobey its master, he would then feel the piercing & pain of the goad. The "prick" that Jesus spoke of, was this truth: that Saul was trying all his life to kick (or, forcing his own ways/beliefs) against the "real" Truths from God, but now Saul was being confronted by the resurrected Christ & all Saul's obstinacy & rebellion would no longer work because God's "pricks" were now before Him & they can't be avoided. The time had come for him to realize this & truly submit to God: which he did in all his trembling & brokenness.
Caetano Barreto's comment on 2020-10-20 05:26:30:
Acts 9:5 (KJV)
What does "it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks" mean ?
john madden's comment on 2015-09-05 18:38:48:
Gods sovereignty is reveled in pauls conversion paul could have ran away but he was predestened to be used by christ to preach the gospel to gentiles. he was the smoking gun of bringing the message of salvation to the gentiles
Anonymous's comment on 2014-01-18 00:48:48:
anyone who fights God's people will surely encounter God's wrath I mean God's people I believe Lord Jesus could have dealt with him beyond how he suffer for the same Gospel he oppose but being the merciful Lord he permitted him to change just as he expects you and I to still change our ways or perfect it
Rev. Spyridon's comment on 2012-02-06 14:53:17:
Acts 9:5 considered a strong message to all who think that, they can deal against the divine will, to all who they deal against the divine truth, a strong message to all who feel weakness, to all who are hesitant.
to Hypocrites, to the blind leaders, to all who trade in the soul and the humanity under the name of the church or through pretense by false faith.