ACC ~ Acts 22 v9

WHAT PAUL’S COMPANIONS HEARD. BEDE: The earlier story of this vision relates that his companions stood “stunned, hearing indeed the voice but seeing no one.”Hence it can be inferred that they heard the sound of a garbled voice, but they did not hear the distinct words. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 22.9.

HEARING THEY DID NOT HEAR. ARATOR: Paul, speaking of his deeds, says that his companions saw the light there some time ago, yet that they did not drink in the voice with their ears; but then, at the time when he fell blind, his companions are said also to have heard the voice. Thus the work of the narrator varies. But there is no doubt that it is necessary for both [passages] to harmonize; for then [according to Luke] they are said to have heard, to have received the sound, now [in Paul’s own words] undoubtedly not to have heard. This will be a simple way of explanation: the voice is justly denied to have spoken since it was indistinct, nor is a thing believed to be given by speech when a person receiving it does not store it up in his understanding. He is stimulated so little on account of his doubting ear, and ambiguous noise strikes only the air. They are said at the same time thus to have heard, thus not to have heard. The one standpoint is of noise, the other standpoint is of true speech, and a single circumstance bears and bears again a twofold meaning. ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2.

Acts