Acts 9:25

The disciples. Textual evidence attests (cf. p. 10) the reading “his disciples.” This well-supported reading is in agreement with the implications of the phrase “many days” in v. 23. On his second visit to Damascus Saul remained long enough to gather around him a group of followers who accepted him as their teacher, and were now willing to risk their lives for his safety.

Basket. Gr. spuris, “basket,” probably a hand basket, as in Matt. 15:37. But in 2 Cor. 11:33 Paul describes it by another word, sargane, “a wicker or ropework hamper,” which would be large enough to hold a man. This experience is mentioned by Paul in connection with his “infirmities” (in which he may have included his traditional smallness of stature) of which he was content to boast (2 Cor. 11:30). The escape was made through an opening or “window” in the town wall (2 Cor. 11:33; cf. the escape of the spies from Rahab’s house, Joshua 2:15, and of David from his own house, 1 Sam. 19:12). Saul seems to have been conscious of the incongruity of the situation: he was being saved, in a rather ignominious manner, by the very people whom he had come to extirpate!