Question: During Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus while the light was shinning round about him he believed the being speaking to him was Jesus the Messiah because the voice said; “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” I get that Paul’s testimony is that the experience was with Jesus himself. But what does “it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” actually mean? What was the “Everybody knows” 1st century understanding of the expression?
For reference:
Acts 9:3-5
3. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5. And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And…
Acts 26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
So Robert, thank you very much for your response. Let me see if I understand this..you are saying the phrase “it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” is a metaphor for a mortal standing in opposition to a divine being? that is definitely a stronger sense than “spitting into the wind” or “cutting your nose off to spite your face”. So when the voice pierces through the light and identifies as Jesus of Nazareth he also indicates his presence as a divine being? Is there any information that indicates whether this experience was during the day or night?
“It is hard for you to kick against the pricks” was a Greek proverb, but it was also familiar to the Jews and anyone who made a living in agriculture. An ox goad was a stick with a pointed piece of iron on its tip used to prod the oxen when plowing. The farmer would prick the animal to steer it in the right direction. Sometimes the animal would rebel by kicking out at the prick, and this would result in the prick being driven even further into its flesh. In essence, the more an ox rebelled, the more it suffered. Thus, Jesus’ words to Saul on the road to Damascus: “It is hard for you to kick against the pricks.” ** you do not have permission to see this link **
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