“Who art thou, Lord?”
The full verse · Acts 9:5 · KJV
he , art , ? the , : it is for to the .
Asked by
Paul: Saul of Tarsus, later called Paul (Acts 13:9), lying on the ground near Damascus after a light from heaven shone around him (Acts 9:3-4)
The Scene
On the road to Damascus, Saul has fallen to the earth under a light from heaven and heard a voice ask, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:3-4).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionSaul did not know who was speaking to him. Barnes says the word "Lord" here "means no more than 'sir,'" a respectful address, and that "Saul did not as yet know that this was the Lord Jesus." Gill puts it a little differently: Saul "knew not whether it was God, or an angel, or who it was that spake to him." Either way, the voice had accused him of persecuting the speaker. Matthew Henry notes that Saul gives no direct answer to the charge. He does not defend himself. He asks only who is speaking, desiring, as Henry puts it, to know "who is his judge."
The Response
What Scripture recordsJesus answered plainly: "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks" (Acts 9:5). When Paul later told the story in Jerusalem, he recalled the words "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest" (Acts 22:8). The answer left Saul "trembling and astonished," and he asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6).
Historical Context
The world behind the words"Pricks" means goads. Barnes explains that the Greek word kentron means "any sharp point which will pierce or perforate," commonly "an ox-goad, a sharp piece of iron stuck into the end of a stick." Farmers used it to drive oxen, and the Old Testament mentions goads too (Judges 3:31; 1 Samuel 13:21). Barnes says the saying comes from "the action of a stubborn and unyielding ox kicking against the goad." The ox only hurts itself. Gill also calls it "a proverbial expression, taken from beasts that are goaded."
In the KJV, Saul's whole question and Jesus' answer appear again almost word for word when Paul retells his story (Acts 22:8; Acts 26:15).
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyEverything in Saul's life turned on this question and its answer. The One he thought he ought to oppose (Acts 26:9) was Jesus, alive and speaking from heaven. Within days Saul "preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God" (Acts 9:20).
Jesus' answer also shows His patience. He did not only name Himself; He told Saul that resisting Him was like an ox kicking against the goad. Barnes draws the lesson that, like the ox, those who resist God injure no one but themselves, and Matthew Henry says those kick at the goad "that stifle and smother the convictions of conscience." Jesus was not crushing Saul. He was calling him to stop hurting himself by fighting the truth.
Look Closer
Why did Saul need to ask who was speaking?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord Jesus, You answered Saul with Your own name; what do You want me to see about who You are that I have not yet understood?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- Saul's honest question led to an answer that overturned his life. What makes it hard to ask God questions when the answer might change you?
- Tell about a time you came to know Jesus differently than you once thought of Him.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
You can ask Jesus who He is. Saul's question was simple and honest, and Jesus answered it plainly. If you are unsure about Him, bring that to Him directly.
Be ready for the answer to change things. For Saul, knowing who Jesus is meant he could no longer keep fighting Him. Barnes puts it simply: "No man can resist God or his own conscience and be happy." If you sense you are pushing against what God has made clear, stopping is not defeat. It is relief.
This does not mean every hard thing in your life is God's goad. The point here is resisting Jesus Himself after He has made Himself known.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources