Scene two, the risen Lord's encounter with Paul on the Damascus Road, places under judgment his life of persecuting believers out of zeal for God. Luke highlights the overpowering nature of the divine encounter by noting that in the brightness of the midday sun a divine light flashed around Paul. Blinding at noontime and being cast to the ground picture the spiritual judgment under which Paul found himself (Is 25:12; 26:5; 29:4). Jesus' haunting question Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me? reveals that Jesus of Nazareth, in his resurrection power, is the key for distinguishing between proper and misguided zeal for God. And it is the same today for Jew and Gentile alike. Jesus is the litmus test. Any zeal for God that turns a person against the followers of Jesus is misguided.

Paul makes sure that this supernatural event can serve as a sign and undeniable proof in his probatio by describing the experience of corroborating witnesses, his companions. Paul's encounter with Christ was objective yet personal. His companions saw the light surrounding Paul but not the risen Lord who appeared to him (Acts 22:9, 14; 9:7). They heard a voice addressing Paul but were not privy to its message (9:7; 22:9).

Paul's enlightenment concerning his guilt led to enlistment in Christ's cause. Neither as a good Jew responding to divine revelation (contra Longenecker 1981:525) nor as one simply stupefied, realizing he must change (contra Marshall 1980:355), but like the Pentecost crowd, realizing it was under judgment, Paul asked, What shall I do, Lord? (2:37). The Lord did not answer directly but called for trust and allegiance as he directed Paul to the city. Paul's blindness was another sign that something supernatural had indeed happened to him on the Damascus Road. Luke's phrasing, brilliance of the light (doxa tou photos, "glory of the light") leaves little doubt in the reader's mind that this is the splendor of the exalted Lord Jesus appearing from heaven (Lk 24:26; 21:27; also see 9:26, 31-32; 2:9; Acts 7:2, 55).