Blinded by the Light?

What blinded Saul on the road to Damascus? For as long as I can remember, I have believed and taught that Saul, who later became known as Paul, was made blind by a bright light (Acts 9, 22, and 27). This week, I came to a better understanding.

We read of the events experienced by Saul and a “light” three times in the book of Acts: “a light” (9:3), “a great light” (22:6), and “a light from heaven, brighter than the sun” (26:13). While the light was bright enough to surround him even amid the noonday’s sun, it was not the light that blinded Saul.

Paul tells us in Acts 22:11, “since I could not see for the glory of that light.” Did you catch that? What was it that blinded him? What prevented him from seeing? Others witnessed the brightness of the light (Acts 22:9), but the “glory of that light” blinded only Saul. That “glory” was Christ and His divine nature (Rom. 1:23): His radiance, honor, magnificence and majesty, which not only appeared to Saul but blinded him. The indescribable glory of Christ is far brighter than any light could ever be.

Matt Langfield