Expert: Scott Talbot - 8/9/2008

Question
We are studying the book of Acts in our Sunday school class.  When we came across Acts 9:5 and it said " it's hard to kick against the goads".  I would like to know what this was implying in reference to Saul.  I know a goad is a tool for prodding or urging an animal to move.  It can be someone goading another to take a certain kind of action.  When Jesus said "it is hard to kick against the goads", what was goading Saul?  I've heard it said that Saul was having thoughts against his persecuting Christians.  Where is the indication for this assumption?
Can you help me to clear this up in my mind?  I appreciate anything you can give me.
Thanks for your time.

Answer
Hi David,

When Jesus told Saul that he was "kicking against the goads" (Acts 26:14), He was indicating that there were forces at work motivating him to give in to God.

A goad is a sharp, pointed stick used to prod an animal to move forward. Sometimes an animal would kick the prod, causing pain and injury. The analogy is that, the longer Saul resisted God's prodding, the more Saul had to suffer.

So what was this force motivating Saul? Certainly it was God, in the person of the Holy Spirit. It could also have included Saul's conscience, as the Holy Spirit often works in conjunction with one's conscience.

Scott