Did Saul actually fall off his horse on the road to Damascus?

He more than likely did not. It is commonly assumed that Rabbi Saul was thrown from his horse on the road to Damascus. This assumption has been reinforced by several artistic depictions, most famously in Caravaggio’s “Conversion on the Way to Damascus”.  However, nowhere does the New Testament make mention of Saul being thrown from his horse. In fact, it doesn’t even make mention of Saul traveling by horse!

Each of the three accounts of Saul’s miraculous conversion (Acts 9:3-4, 22:6-7, 26:12-14) asserts that Saul, upon seeing the light from heaven, fell to the ground. Most people assume that because Saul was en route to Damascus, he must have been traveling by horse at the very moment when the heavenly light appeared. This blinding light caused him and those accompanying him to fall from their horses to the ground. This is highly improbable. The reason being that St. Luke, the author of Acts, in two of his three accounts of the conversion of Saul, furnishes us with a clue that sheds light on what Saul was more than likely doing when he fell to the ground. See if you can pick it out.

“As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’” (Acts 22:6-7)

“Thus I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’” (Acts 26:12-14)

Each of these passages establishes the exact time of day when the heavenly light appeared that caused him to fall to the ground. It was midday. An important detail to be sure. We know that Saul was more than likely not riding his horse at noon because that was an established time of prayer. We know that Pharisees prayed regularly through the course of the day in imitation of King David, who wrote:

“But I call upon God, and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon.” (Psalm 55:16-17)

Every day at noon, pious Jewish men recited these prayers while standing on their feet and facing toward Jerusalem. It is extremely likely that Saul, the zealous Pharisee that he was, observed middday prayer on that day as he traveled along the road to Damascus. He was likely standing erect and facing south to Jerusalem when he was blinded by the light of Christ and fell to the ground. Quite an appropriate time to have an encounter with God, wouldn’t you say?

Avatar photo

By

Catholic Answers is an apostolate dedicated to serving Christ by bringing the fullness of Catholic truth to the world. They help good Catholics become better Catholics, bring former Catholics “home,” and lead non-Catholics into the fullness of the faith. Visit them online at www.Catholic.com.

Subscribe to CE
(It's free)

Go to Catholic Exchange homepage

MENU