Acts 8:1

General Persecution of the Church by Saul, 1-4.

Acts 8:1. And Saul was consenting unto his death. These words were no doubt often heard by Luke from the Paul of later days, for we find them repeated by the missionary apostle himself years after (Acts 22:20). They serve here to introduce the narrative of the persecution of the Christians which arose after the death of Stephen.

At that time. The literal translation of the Greek words is the best: ‘On that day,' for it sets before us a clearer picture of what then took place. Returning from the scene of blood, Saul, armed with the authority of the jealous Sanhedrim, at once commenced his savage work, and in a very short time the little flourishing Church of Jerusalem was dispersed.

They were all scattered abroad. This expression should not be understood literally; but as many of the great body of Christians, amounting at this time to some thousands, obliged by the violence of the persecution to leave the city, betook themselves to a distance, we can well imagine that the various congregations for a time were dispersed, and also that the elaborate organization of charity alluded to in chap. Acts 2:44-45; Acts 2:34-35, and especially in Acts 6:1-3, was broken up. This partial dispersion of the new sect, this breaking up of their organization, is roughly designated by the words, ‘they were all scattered abroad.'

Except the apostles. But while many left the city, the apostles remained: it is not impossible that the veneration with which the people had now long regarded these teachers, who had worked so many and such beneficent works in their midst, preserved them from violence. But whether or no they were exposed to danger, they felt they had no right to quit the holy city, which they regarded as their post of duty. There is an old tradition contained in the apocryphal ‘Preaching of Peter,' that our Lord once said to the apostles, ‘If any one of Israel wishes to repent, and through My name to believe in God, his sins shall be forgiven him. After twelve years, go ye forth into the world, lest any one say, We have not heard.' See also Eusebius, H. E. v. 18.