Acts 9:26

“And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, etc.] After he had escaped out of Damascus, in the manner before related, and which was three years after his conversion: he assayed to join himself to the disciples; not to the private members of the church, or ordinary disciples, as distinct from the apostles, but to the whole society, as consisting of apostles and private Christians; for his chief view in going to Jerusalem was to see Peter; and the Ethiopic version reads, “to the apostles”: the sense is, that he tried either to get into a free and familiar conversation with them, or to become one of their body, and a member of the church. He did not return to the high priest from whom he had received…”

“SAUL'S FIRST VISIT TO JERUSALEM AFTER HIS CONVERSION. (Act 9:26-31) And when Saul was come to Jerusalem--"three years after" his conversion, and particularly "to see Peter" (Gal 1:18); no doubt because he was the leading apostle, and to communicate to him the prescribed sphere of his labors, specially to "the Gentiles." he assayed to join himself to the disciples--simply as one of them, leaving his apostolic commission to manifest itself. they were all afraid of him, &c.--knowing him only as a persecutor of the faith; the rumor of his conversion, if it ever was cordially believed, passing away during his long absence in Arabia, and the news of his subsequent labors in Damascus perhaps not…”

“Was come to Jerusalem - He did not go to Jerusalem immediately after he escaped from Damascus. He first went into Arabia, where he spent a considerable part, or the whole of three years. For the reasons why he went there, and why this fact is omitted by Luke in the Acts , see the notes on Galatians 1:18. He assayed - He attempted; he endeavored. To join himself - To become connected with them as a fellow-Christian. But they were all afraid of him - Their fear, or suspicion, was excited probably on these grounds: (1) They remembered his former violence against Christians. They had an instinctive shrinking from him, and suspicion of the man that had been so violent a persecutor. (2) He had…”

“And coming to Jerusalem - Three years after, Gal 1:18. These three years St. Paul passes over, Act 22:17, likewise. Acts 9:27”

“9:26-28 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, the Christian community understandably did not immediately trust him, given his recent history of violently persecuting Christians (8:3; 9:1, 13; 22:3, 4; 26:9-11). Fortunately, Barnabas, the “Son of Encouragement” (4:36), introduced the changed man to the apostles and explained his encounter with the Lord at Damascus, his sense of calling, and his subsequent boldness in preaching in the name of Jesus in Damascus. Barnabas was able to convince the apostles that Saul’s conversion was genuine, so Saul remained with the apostles in Jerusalem, where he preached boldly for his Lord. Paul recalls this visit in Gal 1:18-19.”

“when: Act 22:17, Act 26:20; Gal 1:17-19 he assayed: Act 9:19, Act 4:23 but: Mat 10:17-19, Mat 24:10; Gal 2:4 Acts 9:27”