At the gate of Damascus the vision of the Crucified One changed the whole current of his life. The persecutor became a disciple, the teacher a learner. The days of darkness spent in solitude at Damascus were as years in his experience. The Old Testament Scriptures stored in his memory were his study, and Christ his teacher. To him also nature's solitudes became a school. To the desert of Arabia he went, there to study the Scriptures and to learn of God. He emptied his soul of prejudices and traditions that had shaped his life, and received instruction from the Source of truth.

Ved porten ind til Damaskus forandrede synet af den korsfæstede hele hans livsbane. Forfølgeren blev til en discipel, læreren til en, der selv skulle lære. De dage, der blev tilbragt i mørke og ensomhed i Damaskus, var som år gennem de erfaringer, han fik. De gammeltestamentlige skrifter der lå gemt i hans erindring, blev gransket af ham, og Kristus var selv hans lærer. Også naturens ensomhed blev en skole for ham. Han drog ud i den arabiske ørken for dér at ransage skrifterne og for at lære af Gud. Han udtømte sin sjæl for de fordomme og overleveringer, der havde dannet grundlaget for hans liv, og modtog belæring fra sandhedens kilde.