The Damascus Road Christophany

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The apostle Paul's vision of Christ on the Damascus road has similarities to visions of God that people had in the Old Testament.

II. The Damascus Road Christophany Is the End Times Center of Paul’s Thought.

III. The Use of the OT in Acts 26

A. Luke wants to portray Christ as speaking as the Lord of the OT who gave prophets their vocations.

B. Jesus is the divine commissioner of the OT.

C. Paul’s prophetic function was to preach salvation and judgment.

IV. The Reflection of the OT Theophanic Visions in the Three Damascus Reports.

A. The use of the double vocative i.e. Moses Moses, Abraham Abraham etc.

B. The question or response of the man who says “here I am.”

C. The self-presentation of the one appearing, who was God.

D. The mission given to the person from God.

E. This pattern may be observed in Genesis 31, 46:2; Exodus 3; 1 Samuel 3.

V. The Significance of Heaven in the Damascus Narratives

A. The “cloud of heaven” in Acts 1:9 is an allusion back to Daniel 7:13.

B. The resurrection of Christ and pouring out of the Holy Spirit is an allusion back to Joel 2:28.

C. The church is associated with Christ in his reign from Heaven.

VI. Paul at the Damascus Road Was Made an End-Time Prophet.

A. Paul was an apocalyptist—one who has experienced the open heaven and is writing about the unveiled heaven.

The Damascus Road Christophany and Paul’s Conversion/Call

I. The Vision of the Risen Christ as the Only Explanation for Paul’s Conversion

A. There is debate as to whether this is a “conversion” or a “call.”