Kicking Against the Goads

I read the book of Acts just over a year and a half ago, but recently I started a more in-depth study of Acts. One of my favorite parts is Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus.

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

This story is told 3 times in Acts. Once here in Acts 9:3-6, again before the mob trying to kill Paul in Acts 22:6-11, and lastly before the Roman governor Felix and King Agrippa in Acts 26:12-16. In this last version Paul adds a line that is not in the other versions. It says:

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

Now I had read about goads in the Old Testament but forgot what they were, so I had to go look it up again. They could be used as weapons but most often were used to drive oxen.

1. (n.) A pointed instrument used to urge on a beast; hence, any necessity that urges or stimulates.
2. (v. t.) To prick; to drive with a goad; hence, to urge forward, or to rouse by anything pungent, severe, irritating, or inflaming; to stimulate.

I found this to be an interesting comment that Jesus made to Saul but the more I researched it the more it made sense, both in relationship to Saul and Jesus and myself also. Here is some interesting commentary from Barnes’ Notes on that line of scripture.

“The expression ‘to kick against the prick’ is derived from the action of a stubborn and unyielding ox kicking against the goad. And as the ox would injure no one by it but himself; as he would gain nothing, it comes to denote ‘an obstinate and refractory disposition and course of conduct, resisting the authority of him who has a right to command, and opposing the leadings of Providence, to the injury of him who makes the resistance.’ It denotes ‘rebellion against lawful authority, and thus getting into greater difficulty by attempting to oppose the commands to duty.’ This is the condition of every sinner. If people wish to be happy, they should cheerfully submit to the authority of God. They should not rebel against his dealings. They should not complain against their Creator. They should not resist the claims of their consciences. By all this they only injure themselves. No man can resist God or his own conscience and be happy.” Those words, which are omitted here but which were obviously spoken, give us to believe that Paul knew in his heart that Jesus was the Messiah and that the report of His resurrection from the dead was true.

This now makes perfect sense why Jesus said this to Saul. By resisting the Lord he was injuring no one but himself. As I look back over my life I can see many times that I have exhibited this same problem. On many occasions I resisted my parents. I resisted law enforcement on one occasion. I resisted management at work and loved ones in my relationship. Like the ox against the goad, I ended up hurting myself on most occasions. But none of this hurt me as bad as resisting the Lord for most of my life. Like Saul, I finally stopped resisting and realized there is only one way of living and that is through the light of Jesus Christ. Now, whenever I’m having a bad day or I’m frustrated that things might not be going the way I think they should, I stop and make sure I’m not “kicking against the goads” again. Invariably, I find that is my problem and by putting our Lord and Savior in control, all things come into focus again.

If your struggling at times, stop and make sure you are not kicking against the goads!

February 21 2010 08:36 pm | Bible Thoughts

19 Responses to “Kicking Against the Goads”

  1. Tim Graf on 22 Feb 2010 at 10:06 am #

    Thanks Kansas. I realy appreciate the work you do with the Vikes and this is excellent! Mans wisdom always gets in trouble! If we (even if we do not like it) would just follow God’s wisdom and leave our pride and self at the door, our life would be used so much better. We just need to know God more so we can follow His wisdom. Thanks again “Keep the Faith” and pray the Lord will heal favre’s leg and change his heart to love the Lord!

  2. Craig on 22 Feb 2010 at 10:07 am #

    I very much identify with this, Mike. Stopping the kicking can be unbelievably difficult. Sometimes it’s because I don’t even know that I’m kicking against the goads. Just being aware of it takes God’s direction, let alone doing something about it.

  3. kansasvike on 22 Feb 2010 at 5:45 pm #

    Glad you like the site Tim. I have found over the last year and a half that every time I try to take control, things don’t work out too well. But like you said, if I put my pride away and turn things over to Him in His time, I have a lot less frustration in my life.

    Thanks for taking the time to comment and God Bless.
    -
    Mike

    “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;
    I was found by those who did not seek me.
    To a nation that did not call on my name,
    I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’
    Isaiah 65:1

  4. kansasvike on 22 Feb 2010 at 5:49 pm #

    I know exactly what you are saying Craig. Sometimes my biggest problem is just realizing that I am kicking. It’s not always a problem to stop, but just to identify that I am doing it. Then there is the realization that once you recognize it, you have already done the damage. ;-) We just keep praying that we get better at living according to His way.

    Good to hear from you my friend.
    -
    Mike

    The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is
    the distance between your knees and the floor.

  5. jim on 22 Feb 2010 at 8:47 pm #

    Have you ever thought of this. Paul was a pharisee and pride himself on his good works and keeping of the law. Jesus being true god and true man is the only one who did good works (perfection in thought,word, and deed) and kept the law perfectly. Could it be the goad being talked about here is what Paul thought of himself and the work he was doing instead of relying on Jesus, our Savoir, to do it all for us.

  6. kansasvike on 22 Feb 2010 at 10:33 pm #

    Interesting thought Jim. I haven’t looked at it in that light. Everything I have read points to Paul’s resistance, but I might dig a little deeper and see what I find in my study of Acts.

    Thanks for commenting. It gives my something else to look at.
    -
    Mike

  7. LARRY COCHRAN on 23 Feb 2010 at 8:02 pm #

    keep up the good work and words. I really enjoy your website. 1st because you know my God 2nd you’re a Vike

    Grace to you

  8. kansasvike on 25 Feb 2010 at 6:12 am #

    Thanks Larry. Good to hear from you again. Hope the Lord is smiling on you and your family.’
    -
    Mike

  9. Faith Blog » Resurrection on 29 Mar 2010 at 6:32 pm #

    [...] suggested I made a mistake. I dug in my heals and tried not to see the signs. You might say I was “Kicking Against the Goads.” That came to a head [...]

  10. Living in the Light « Meditations from Zion on 11 Nov 2010 at 12:27 pm #

    [...] November 11, 2010 by irmbrown God is Light by Max AshGod is light [I John 1:5]; God is love [I John 4:8]. And I am offered a chance to live my life in the circle of both: light and love. I ask for God’s indwelling and both are available to me. So, why do I continue to shutter the light and edit the love? Why do I “kick against the goads?” [...]

  11. Rick on 08 Dec 2010 at 9:40 pm #

    Thanks for this useful post. It has aided in my understanding of “goads” in Acts 26. Previously I just superficially thought it to only mean the pricking of conscience. The information you provided will be very helpful in a current discussion I’m involved with.

  12. kansasvike on 09 Dec 2010 at 5:49 am #

    Glad you liked it Rick and I hope it helps you out.

    Have a Merry Christmas.
    -
    Mike

  13. Nate Norman on 02 Jul 2011 at 2:04 pm #

    Hi Folks. I’m reading through the Bible this year, along with a few other believers, and came across this section in Acts about ‘kicking against the goads’(We’re reading the MacArthur Daily Bible-and this section of Scripture lands on June 29th). I wasn’t sure what it meant, so I googled it, and this website came up. Thanks, Mike, for your insight into this scripture. Seems to line up with other ‘commentary’ I have read on it. I thought it funny that this site would come up, as I’m from Duluth, Minnesota, and am, of course, a big Vikings fan. Keep up the great work, and thanks again.

  14. kansasvike on 02 Jul 2011 at 4:56 pm #

    Hello Nate. I am constantly amazed at how the Lord leads people to this site. Glad you found the article and it spoke to you. I have always enjoyed John MacArthur and listen to his podcasts quite a bit when I can’t get him on the radio. It’s also wild that you are a Vikings fan from Duluth. I have some very good friends and tailgate buddies from there.
    Have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend and thanks for taking the time to comment.
    -
    Mike

    Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men
    must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.

  15. Kicking Against the Goads « JohnPalmieri.com on 19 Oct 2011 at 3:00 pm #

    [...] I cannot resist the providence of God…by his grace I have no desire to do so. (Note: Paul saw and heard the visible resurrected Christ – ( a vision I imagine difficult to sideline and thus disobey).  I don’t need a visible appearance and audible voice from God to motivate me to obey – however, affirmations and confirmations from his written word, circumstances and people, whom I respect, help me to be more content that I am indeed following God’s specific directive for me (us). Check out this link to bring some more clarity to the “Goad” sentence. FAITH BLOG [...]

  16. kansasvike on 20 Oct 2011 at 10:31 am #

    Thank you for the insight John. Nice blog you have also. I have bookmarked it.
    -
    Mike

  17. kansasvike on 04 Jan 2012 at 8:18 am #

    Hello and thanks for taking the time to comment. I really believe Jesus’ comment is directly addressing Paul’s resistance to Him and is trying to tell Paul that he is going about this the hard way. One of my favorite commentaries about this comes from John MacArthur and I’m including it below for reference.

    “Saul, Saul, why are you continuing to persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” What it really was like saying Saul, give up, you can’t win. Why are you continuing to do this against such odds? The implication here is that Paul was terribly unsuccessful, that he had a miserable time trying to get Christians to recant and blaspheme. Unsuccessful! He was fighting something that he was supposed to be submitting to. It was a losing battle. He was smashing his head against a stone wall. He was trying to kick against the goads. Goads were little sharp things. Let me give you a little idea of what they were. When a young ox was first being trained to be tied up to a yoke to pull a single plow, one ox on a single plow, the ox upon being tied would kick naturally trying to throw off the yoke. And so the farmer would have a long stick and the end would be sharpened down, very hard wood, to a point like a pume, like a spear. And when the ox began to kick he merely took the stick and held it behind the heels of the ox in the yoke. And as the ox kicked it just rammed its heel right up the spear. And after a while the ox would stop doing that. It wasn’t a dumb ox.
    And then there were occasions when a team of oxen would be attached to a wagon or a multiple plow. And they would hand on the front of the plow a long board stretching all the way across running right behind the heels of the oxen. It would be filled with spikes. And as they would kick they would just puncture their heels and soon they would cease kicking. This is how a young ox learned submission, the hard way.
    Paul was a young ox. He was learning the hard way that you can’t keep kicking against Jesus Christ without getting stuck.

    I think Jesus was trying to tell Paul that there is a much easier way than to continue resisting Him. I like to refer to Matthew 11:29 which is another oxen metaphor. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

    Once that yoke is accepted, then the goad is laid aside and the healing of the wounds can begin.

    Thanks again for commenting and may God bless you also.

  18. Michael G on 23 Jun 2012 at 3:42 am #

    Hello, fellow Viking. Not a Vikings fan, but a prophet prayed over me one day and described me as “a viking with a big axe”.

    I wanted to thank you for your post. I like how you said it’s ‘funny how God directs people to your site!’ It is that you have chosen to obey Him and spread the Good News of His freedom in Christ in an easily accessible manner. And for that, I humbly thank you.

    The Gospel is simple. It is people like me who try to make it difficult to the point that I miss Jesus and His saving grace. I have suffered with depression and anxiety for years now. I am awake at this time because the Lord woke me up and wanted to teach me some things. He reminded me of a previous study of Paul’s conversion and the link between my depression and unyielding spirit.

    Now to figure out exactly HOW to yield my spirit to Him …
    Prayer and supplication.
    Prayer and supplication.

  19. Ruairi on 27 Mar 2013 at 11:54 am #

    Hi
    It’s an interesting point here that the reference to “Kicking against the goads” exists in Acts 9:5 in some but not all translations.
    The Vulgate, and Neo Vulgate include this. so do the KJV the DRC, Knox, Websters and Youngs translations.

    I find the variation between translations very interesting here.

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