The goads

[fire walker]

In Acts 9:5 and again in 26:14 we see where
the Lord asks Saul why he persucutes him Jesus Christ and also tells Saul that it is hard to kick against the pricks in some bible translations and in other bible translations the word goads is used.

My question is what constitutes the goads,
what are the goads? and how does one kick against them? By complaining, by boasting, by self righteousness, by hypocricy
or by what way does anyone conciously chose to kick against the goads?

From what I see in these scriptures is that before the Damascus road experience Paul wasn't made aware of the truth that he was kicking against anything that didn't deserve to be kicked against in his own legalist Pharisiac religious minded walk until the Lord himself revealed it to Paul.

Fire Walker

[Doc]

In Acts 9:5 and again in 26:14 we see where
the Lord asks Saul why he persucutes him Jesus Christ and also tells Saul that it is hard to kick against the pricks in some bible translations and in other bible translations the word goads is used.

My question is what constitutes the goads,
what are the goads? and how does one kick against them? By complaining, by boasting, by self righteousness, by hypocricy
or by what way does anyone conciously chose to kick against the goads?

From what I see in these scriptures is that before the Damascus road experience Paul wasn't made aware of the truth that he was kicking against anything that didn't deserve to be kicked against in his own legalist Pharisiac religious minded walk until the Lord himself revealed it to Paul.

Fire Walker

I copied and pasted this out of my Vincent's word studies plugin for e-sword. Hope it helps.

Act 26:14 
It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks
Or, goads. The sharp goad carried in the ploughman's hand, against which the oxen kick on being pricked. The metaphor, though not found in Jewish writings, was common in Greek and Roman writings. Thus, Euripides ("Bacchae," 791): "Being enraged, I would kick against the goads, a mortal against a god." Plautus ("Truculentus, 4, 2, 55): "If you strike the goads with your fists, you hurt your hands more than the goads." "Who knows whether at that moment the operation of ploughing might not be going on within sight of the road along which the persecutor was travelling? (Howson, "Metaphors of St. Paul").

[reFORMer]

Saul, as a rich young ruler (a "Nico-demas") aspiring to a seat on the Sanhedrin, would have been there to hear the things brought up by Stephen that led to his becoming the first martyr for Jesus when he was brought before the Sanhedrin, or so it seems reasonable to assume, given the sweep of action as recorded in Acts.  This has been picked apart by commentators to illustrate what sort of goads Saul suffered in his conscience to press him into the kingdom of God.  I pick it up immediately following one of the great sermons in the Bible.

ACTS
Chapter 8
54 Now, hearing these things, they were harrowed in their hearts, and gnashed their teeth at him.
55 Now possessing the fullness of faith and holy spirit, looking intently into heaven, he perceived the glory of God, and Jesus, standing at the right hand of God,
56 and said, "Lo! I am beholding the heavens opened up, and the Son of Mankind standing at the right hand of God."
57 Now, crying with a loud voice, they pressed their ears and rush on him with one accord.
58 And, casting him out, outside of the city, they pelted him with stones. And the witnesses put off their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul.
59 And they pelted Stephen with stones, while he is invoking and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"
60 Now, kneeling, he cries with a loud voice, "Lord, Thou shouldst not stand against them this sin!" And saying this, he was put to repose.

Chapter 8
1 Yet Saul was endorsing his assassination. Now in that day there came to be a great persecution of the ecclesia which is in Jerusalem, and they were all dispersed among the districts of Judea and Samaria, save the apostles.
2 Yet pious men are Stephen's pallbearers, and they make a great grieving over him.
3 Now Saul devastated the ecclesia; going into the homes, dragging out both men and women, he gave them over to jail.