{He proclaimed Jesus} (ek(8872)ussen ton I(8873)oun). Imperfect
indicative, inchoative, began to preach. Jesus, not Christ, is
the correct text here. He did this first preaching in the Jewish
synagogues, a habit of his life when possible, and following the
example of Jesus. {That he is the Son of God} (hoti houtos estin
ho huios tou theou). This is Paul's platform as a Christian
preacher, one that he always occupied to the very end. It was a
complete reversal of his previous position. Jesus had turned him
completely around. It is the conclusion that Saul now drew from
the vision of the Risen Christ and the message through Ananias.
By "the Son of God" Saul means the Messiah of promise and hope,
the Messianic sense of the Baptist ( Joh 1:34 ) and of Nathanael
( Joh 1:49 ) for Saul is now proclaiming his faith in Jesus in
the very synagogues where he had meant to arrest those who
professed their faith in him. Peter laid emphasis on the
Resurrection of Jesus as a glorious fact and proclaimed Jesus as
Lord and Christ. Paul boldly calls Jesus the Son of God with full
acknowledgment of his deity from the very start. Thomas had come
to this place slowly ( Joh 20:28 ). Saul begins with this truth
and never leaves it. With this faith he can shake the world.
There is no power in any other preaching.