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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_22:12-16
12"A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13came to me, and standing near said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very time I looked up at him. 14And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. 15'For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.'"
Act_22:12 This is a much fuller description of Ananias than Act_9:10. He was a lay person who apparently, like Paul, was devout by the standard of the Mosaic Law. This may imply he was also a Pharisee.
1. Luke similarly describes Simeon, the one who saw Jesus in the temple as a child (cf. Luk_2:25).
2. Luke also uses it of Jews of the diaspora who came to Jerusalem on Pentecost when the Spirit came with power (cf. Act_2:5).
3. Luke uses it a third time of the men who buried Stephen after his stoning (cf. Act_8:2).
Therefore, this term does not relate to a believer in Christ as much as a sincere follower of Judaism. He is called a "disciple" in Act_9:10; therefore, he had become a believer. Yet, even though he was a Christian, he still had the respect of the Jewish community in Damascus.
Act_22:13 Ananias' ministry to Paul shows us that there is no clear division of believers in the NT between clergy (special ordained group) and laity. Jesus' words were his authority to:
1. lay hands (cf. Act_9:12; Act_9:17) on Paul and command healing (aorist active imperative, Act_22:13, See Special Topic at Act_6:6)
2. reveal Jesus' will for Paul's ministry (Act_22:15)
3. tell Paul to be baptized (Paul may have baptized himself as Jews required of proselytes, Aorist middle imperative, Act_22:16)
4. be the instrument of Paul being filled with the Spirit (cf. Act_9:17)
You can see Ananias' heart when he calls this vicious persecutor and murder (cf. Act_9:13-14) "Brother Saul."
Act_22:14 "The God of our fathers" This phrase was used to describe the Deity of Jewish worship. Paul wants to make clear that it was YHWH (see Special Topic at Acts 1:68) who contacted him and commissioned him through His Son, Jesus. Paul was not called by any other god than Judaism's God!
▣ "to know His will" YHWH's primary will is for humans is to know Jesus (cf. Joh_6:29; Joh_6:40). God's further will for Paul was to be the missionary Apostle to the Gentiles (cf. Act_9:15; Act_22:15; Act_26:16).
▣ "to see the Righteous One" This is a Messianic title (cf. Psalms 45; Psalms 72; Act_3:14; Act_7:52; 1Jn_2:1). Paul would have the privilege of a personal revelation of the glorified Jesus (as did Stephen, cf. Act_7:55-56). See hyperlink at Act_3:14.
▣ "and to hear an utterance from His mouth" This seems to refer to the voice from heaven in Act_22:7-8 (i.e., Bat Kol, cf. Deu_4:12; 1Ki_19:12-13; Job_4:16; Jer_25:30; Eze_1:25; Eze_1:28; Joe_3:16; Amo_1:2; Luk_3:22; Luk_9:35; Act_10:13; Act_10:15), but it could just as much refer to Act_22:17-21. It is also possible that it refers to several special visions which Paul had throughout his ministry. See list at Act_22:17-21.
Act_22:15 "a witness. . .to all men" This is the marvelous truth that the gospel of Jesus Christ is for all men (cf. Joh_3:16; Joh_4:42; 1Ti_2:4; 1Ti_4:10; Tit_2:11; 2Pe_3:9; 1Jn_2:1; 1Jn_4:14). Not all will receive, not all may clearly hear, but all are included in God's love and Jesus' sacrifice and Paul's preaching! This is the very truth that this mob rejected (cf. Act_22:22).
Paul purposefully does not use the word "Gentile" that Ananias passed on to him from Jesus (cf. Act_9:15). Paul knew how explosive this derogatory term go'im (the nations or Gentiles) was to these ultra-conservative Jews. Their biases and racial arrogance had even robbed the OT prophets of their inclusive prophecies!
▣ "what you have seen and heard" This first verb is a perfect active indicative; the second is an aorist active indicative. Why they are different tenses is uncertain. They seem to be parallel. Paul will carry the memory of this personal encounter with the risen Christ throughout his life. He mentions it three times in Acts. He probably gave his personal testimony in every synagogue.
Act_22:16 "be baptized and wash away your sins" These are both aorist middle imperatives. This is an OT allusion to the ceremonial ablutions (cf. Lev_11:25; Lev_11:28; Lev_11:40; Lev_13:6; Lev_13:34; Lev_13:56; Lev_14:8-9; Lev_15:5-13; Lev_15:21-22; Lev_15:27; Lev_16:26; Lev_16:28; Lev_17:15-16; Num_8:7; Num_8:21; Num_19:19; Deu_23:11). It is used here as a symbol of our spiritual cleansing in Christ (cf. 1Co_6:11; Eph_5:26; Tit_3:5; Heb_10:22). Baptism was the early Church's public profession of faith. See notes and Special Topic at Act_2:38 for a fuller theological discussion.
Notice that the middle voice refers to both baptism (aorist middle imperative) and cleansing (aorist middle imperative). Paul could not wash away his sins, but he could baptize himself (Jewish practice for proselytes). Often it is said that immersion is the only NT pattern (cf. Romans 6 and Colossians 2), but here baptism is linked to the metaphor of washing (cf. Act_2:38; 1Co_6:11; Eph_5:26; Tit_3:5; Heb_10:22). Theologically 1Pe_3:21 shows that it is a symbol, not a sacrament!
Modern interpreters must be careful of basing too much on the middle or passive voice because these were merging into the passive form in Koine Greek. Paul is said to have been baptized (PASSIVE) in Act_9:18. The mode of Paul's baptism is not the issue, but his baptism itself is!
▣ "calling on His name" The "name" is not a magical formula, but a public acknowledgment of Jesus' ownership and the beginning of a personal relationship with Him (aorist middle participle used as an imperative), which issues in a Christlike attitude and lifestyle. The early Church's baptismal formula as stated orally by the candidate was "Jesus is Lord" (cf. Rom_10:9-13; 1Co_1:2; 2Ti_2:22). The exact words or formula is not the key (sacramentalism), but the heart of the candidate (believe, receive). See note at Act_2:38 and Special Topic at Act_2:21.