Acts Chapter 26 · Verse 15
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Original Language Analysis
Τίς
Who
G5101
Τίς
Who
Strong's:
G5101
Word #:
4 of 15
an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)
κύριε
Lord
G2962
κύριε
Lord
Strong's:
G2962
Word #:
6 of 15
supreme in authority, i.e., (as noun) controller; by implication, master (as a respectful title)
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 15
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἰησοῦς
Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦς
Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
12 of 15
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
Historical Context
This occurred on the Damascus Road around AD 34-35 when Saul (later Paul) traveled with letters authorizing him to arrest Christians. Paul recounts this third time in Acts (also 9:5, 22:8), here before King Agrippa II, emphasizing Jesus' self-identification. This conversion transformed Christianity's greatest persecutor into its foremost apostle.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus' identification with persecuted believers challenge your view of how Christ relates to his church today?
- What theological convictions might God need to overturn in your life, as he did with Saul's misguided zeal?
Analysis & Commentary
Who art thou, Lord? (Τίς εἶ, κύριε;)—Saul's question reveals profound theological tension: he addressed Jesus as 'Lord' (κύριε, kurie) even before recognizing his identity, acknowledging divine authority in the heavenly voice. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest (Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις)—Christ's response uses the divine 'I AM' (Ἐγώ εἰμι, ego eimi), echoing Exodus 3:14's revelation to Moses.
Jesus identifies himself with his persecuted church: 'whom thou persecutest'—to touch believers is to touch Christ himself (Matthew 25:40). This mystical union between Christ and his body demolishes Saul's theological framework: the crucified Nazarene was indeed the risen Lord, and persecuting Christians meant fighting God. The risen Jesus was not a theological abstraction but the living, glorified Messiah who directly confronted his chief enemy.