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Ananias of Damascus
A disciple at Damascus sent by God to restore the sight of the newly-converted Saul.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 2
Origin & birthplace
Life, role & deeds
ScholarlyThere is no contemporary inscription or non-biblical writer attesting Ananias of Damascus; the surviving external material is later Christian tradition. Eastern Orthodox and some Western traditions count him among the Seventy, make him an early bishop of Damascus, and report his martyrdom, while a traditional "House of Ananias" (an underground chapel near Bab Touma in Damascus) is shown to pilgrims. These are pious traditions of uncertain antiquity, not archaeological proof of the individual.
Later ecclesiastical tradition (e.g. lists of the Seventy Disciples; Byzantine synaxaria); the Damascus "House of Ananias" is a venerated pilgrimage site, not a dated attestation of the person.
Name & titles
ScholarlyLike the other New Testament figures of this name, "Ananias" renders the Hebrew Hananiah, "Yahweh has been gracious," a fitting name for the disciple sent to restore Saul's sight.
Onomastic: Hebrew חֲנַנְיָה, ḥanan "to be gracious" + Yah; standard lexical derivation.
Where in scripture
ActsIn their own words — 7 recorded sayings
“Then sending for Peter and John, they said, By what power and in whose name have you done this?” — Acts 4:7
“Saying, What are we to do with these men? for certainly it is clear to all who are living in Jerusalem that a most important sign has been done by them, and it is not possible to say that it is not so. But so that it may not go farther among the people, let us put them in fear of punishment if they say anything in future in this name.” — Acts 4:16-17
“We gave you very clear orders not to give teaching in this name: and now Jerusalem is full of your teaching, and you are attempting to make us responsible for this man's death.” — Acts 5:28
“Then the high priest said, Are these things true?” — Acts 7:1
“Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias! and he said, Here I am, Lord.” — Acts 9:10
“But Ananias said, Lord, I have had accounts of this man from a number of people, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem: And here he has authority from the chief priests to make prisoners all who give worship to your name.” — Acts 9:13-14
“And Ananias went out and came to the house, and putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, whom you saw when you were on your journey, has sent me, so that you may be able to see, and be full of the Holy Spirit.” — Acts 9:17
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
Places in their life
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg — CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)