Acts 9:4

Fell. The light from heaven so overwhelmed the travelers that all fell to the ground (ch. 26:14), although Luke here mentions only Saul. There is no evidence that any of them were on horseback.

Heard a voice. Comparison with chs. 9:7 and 22:9 suggests that Saul heard and understood the voice that spoke to him, whereas his companions heard the sound without understanding what was said (see on ch. 9:7).

Saul. Up to this point the narrative has given Saul’s name in its Greek form, Saulos.

Here, and in chs. 9:17; 22:7, 13; 26:14, however, the Hebrew form of the name, Saoul, is used. This probably reflects the actual words spoken: (1) by Jesus, who, according to ch. 26:14, spoke in the Hebrew (Aramaic) tongue (see Vol. I, p. 30); (2) by Ananias, who was probably a Jew and therefore spoke Hebrew (Aramaic). For the reiteration of a person’s name in divine communications, cf. Gen. 22:11; 1 Sam. 3:10; Matt. 23:37; Luke 10:41; 22:31.

Why persecutest thou me? It is a searching question that Christ asked of the persecutor; it challenged the basis of his conduct, and showed that he had not known the One whom he was so relentlessly persecuting. Note that Christ so identifies Himself with His disciples that their sufferings become His (AA 117). “In all their affliction he was afflicted” (Isa. 63:9), and “he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye” (Zech. 2:8). What was done to the disciples the Lord counted as done to Himself (Matt. 10:40).