Saul's Scales Info PLEASE!

[Archangel]

Acts 9:17-19


"17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord–Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here–has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. "


I am studying through the Book of Acts with a group, and we are about to study this chapter. I am meant to be leading the discussion, and I was wondering, does anyone know any medicial explaination, or any explaination to why there were scales in his eyes? Perhaps a form of blindness the body produces scales to protect the eyes or something. Please provide any info you can, it would be a great help.

PS If you want to write about how the scales may symbolise Saul's spiritual blindness, go ahead, that would also be appreciated!

Thank You!


[I have stuck this is General Theology as well as Im not sure what forum it comes under]

 

[pimorton]

Perhaps it would be useful to remember that Luke, a first century physician, was the writer of Acts, and included this detail to demonstrate it was not just a spiritual blindness that fell off of Saul at that instance.
Remembering how Saul was blinded - a bright light on the road to Damascus - it is not at all unreasonable to think Saul's eyeballs, and specifically the corneas, were fried by that bright light, making them opaque and useless to let light into the eye, causing his blindness. I can easily imagine when Annanias prayed, the LORD created new corneas for Saul and let the old ones simply fall off, like scales or flakes. Actually, an opaque cornea would likely have an appearance roughly similar to a fish scale in size, shape, and color.

 

[shernren]

Some scholars believe that his eyesight was permanently damaged as a result of this event. It might partially explain two minor details:

1. His vehement words against the High Priest at his trial before the Sanhedrin (Acts 23); some suppose that he really couldn't make out who was the high priest and who wasn't.

2. The "large letters!" of his handwriting (Galatians 6:22, I think), which could again have resulted from poor eyesight.

Hope that interesting morsel helps.