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The objection of Ananias answered:
v. 13. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done to Thy saints at Jerusalem;
v. 14. and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on Thy name.
v. 15. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way; for he is a chosen vessel unto Me to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel;
v. 16. for I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake.
The obedience of Ananias was put to a severe test by the Lord's commission, when he heard the name Saul of Tarsus. He had heard from many people concerning this man, what and how many and how various evil things he had done to the Lord's saints in Jerusalem. Note the honoring name "saints," which is here given to the Christians for the first time, as such that have been cleansed and sanctified by the blood of Jesus. They are His saints, purchased and won by Him for His own; He is their Redeemer and their God. Ananias also had the definite knowledge that Saul here in Damascus had authority and power from the high priest at Jerusalem to bind and thus to arrest all those that called upon the name of Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Here is another honoring description of the believers which also characterizes them exactly. They place their full and complete trust in their Savior, a fact which they show by their calling upon Him. But the Lord quickly silenced the objection of His servant by repeating His command: Go! And He took away all the apprehensive fears of Ananias by telling him that Saul was to be a vessel of His choosing, a vessel in which, as it were, the riches of God's mercy would be preserved for the use of many. For in this chosen vessel, Saul of Tarsus, God had determined that His name should be carried before Gentiles and before kings and before the children of Israel. The name of the Lord Jesus Christ is like a precious jewel, for whose bearing He had selected and prepared a fitting casket. The special mission of the man who became the Lord's apostle afterwards was here already indicated. His chief work was to be among the Gentiles, to those not belonging to the children of Abraham according to the flesh. But he was to testify also before kings and rulers, as the governors of Cyprus, of Achaia, of Judea. And lastly, his work was to include his brethren according to the flesh. The Lord here opened the door of the future wide before the eyes of Ananias, in order to work in him the proper willingness to execute the commission. But not only in witnessing for the Lord would this man Saul be found a fitting, choice vessel of the Lord, but Jesus intended also to let him experience suffering for His name's sake. These sufferings would come upon him as a part of the obligation of the Lord's vessel. No longer will he bring sufferings to others, but he would bend his back willingly to the load which the Lord knew to be the measure of his strength. That is the privilege of believers to this day, both to confess the name of the Lord and to endure the reproach of Christ.