And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Saul approved of his execution - "Concerning Saul the Lord said to Ananias, 'I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake' (Acts 4:16). What was done unto Stephen was done unto Saul. The Jews and Saul with them, as we believe, disputed and resisted Stephen in the synagogue. The Jews disputed with Paul, resisted him, and rejected his testimony. Stephen was accused of blasphemy; so was Paul (Acts 14:37). Stephen was accused of speaking against Moses, the holy place and the customs; so was Paul (Acts 21:28; 24:6;25:8; 28:17). They rushed upon Stephen with one accord and seized him. The same happened to Paul (Acts 14:29). Stephen was dragged out of the city. So was Paul (Acts 14:19). Stephen was tried before the Sanhedrim; so did Paul appear before the Sanhedrim. Stephen was stoned and Paul was stoned at Lystra. Stephen suffered martyrdom; so did Paul in Rome. And yet, with all the sufferings that Paul had to undergo, he rejoiced. His eyes rested constantly upon that glorious one, whom Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, beheld in Glory. Later we hear him crying out from the prison in Rome, 'That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made comformable unto His death' (Phil. 3:10)." (Gaebelein)
"We read that Saul was 'consenting' unto Stephen's death. Does this mean that he was a member of the Sanhedrin? He was a 'young man' (Acts 7:58) as we have said, and it was a great exception for a young man to be made a member of the Sanhedrin. Yet in Gal. 1:14 he later testified: '[I] profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.' If not already a member of the Sanhedrin, he must have been promoted to that position soon after the slaying of Stephen, for both Acts 23:6 and Phil. 3:5 make it clear that he was a Pharisee, and testifying before Agrippa concerning his persecution of the saints at Jerusalem, he says that when they were put to death he cast his vote against them (Acts 26:10). (This probably means that he was married and had children at that time, for evidently only fathers were admitted to Israel's supreme court, on the ground that parents were apt to be more humane in their judgment of others. His wife could not have lived very long after this, however. - See 1 Cor. 7:7,8.)" (Stam)
they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria - "Now in the opening verses of Acts 8 we find the Jewish believers going from Jerusalem to Judaea and Samaria. This has led some to conclude that this passage records progress in the carrying out of the 'great commission.' The very opposite, however, is the case. These disciples did not leave Jerusalem in response to any command of our Lord. They were scattered and fled for their lives. And the twelve apostles, the very ones our Lord had commanded to go from Jerusalem to all the world, stayed at Jerusalem!" (Stam)
except the apostles - "The reason the twelve stayed at Jerusalem is that they had been sent to proclaim, not the gospel of the grace of God, but the kingdom rights of Christ. These twelve had been promised thrones to be established at Jerusalem and could not be established until Jerusalem had accepted Messiah. Had not God promised Abraham that in his multiplied seed all nations should be blessed? (Gen 22:17-18). How then could the nations be blessed through Israel when Israel herself would not receive the blessing? Is it not clear from all Old Testament prophecy that Christ was to reign in Jerusalem on David's throne? Had not our Lord Himself made it clear that He would not return until Jerusalem should say: 'Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord'? (Matt. 23:37-39). How could the apostles complete their commission by going on from Jerusalem now? How could the kingdom be established on earth if Jerusalem and the nation Israel did not turn to Christ? Where would Christ reign beside Jerusalem; in Washington, Moscow, London, Rome? ... Which took the greater courage, to flee from Jerusalem now or to remain there in the raging persecution, in daily peril of death? Would not unfaithful men have fled at such a time as this? It was rare courage and fidelity to their 'great commission,' then, and not cowardice or unfaithfulness, that caused these twelve apostles to remain at Jerusalem while the rest fled. Thus the continuance of the apostles at Jerusalem and the flight of the believing multitude indicated the same thing: that Israel was not turning to Christ." (Stam)
"In this passage, then, rather than seeing the Great Commission (which would have brought in the kingdom) further carried out, we find that program stalled. True, God permitted the twelve to continue their labors at Jerusalem for some time after that, but this was because He would leave Israel without excuse. After this the kingdom right of Christ still continue to be proclaimed for some time; the apostles—even Paul—continue to remind Israel of His qualifications and credentials, but there is no record of another offer of the kingdom. Already God is preparing to usher in a new dispensation while the establishment of Messiah's kingdom on earth is held in abeyance." (Stam)
ravaging - A word meaning 'ravaging like a wild beast,' describing the intensity of Saul's hatred of believers.
"There has been some discussion as to whether or not Paul was the chief of sinners. The answer to this question is simply that the Scripture say he was, and sets forth this fact to demonstrate the truth 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save SINNERS.' 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for the cause I obtained mercy, that in me first [chiefly] Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting' (1 Tim. 1:15,16). The question has probably arisen through a misunderstanding of terms. When Paul is spoken of as the chief of sinners, some suppose that it is meant that he was the worst of sinners. Of course he was not. Even in his unsaved state he 'lived in all good conscience' (Acts 23:1) and later testified; 'I verily thought with myself, that ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth' (Acts 26:9). This could hardly have been said of Judas or of the chief priests, for example, and in this sense they were worse sinners than Paul. But the word chief does not mean worst; it means foremost. It denotes rank. The original word is translated 'chief' at least six other times in our Authorized Version, giving us an insight into the usage of the word: Matt. 20:27, 'chief among you,' Luke 19:47, 'chief of the people,' Acts 16:12, 'chief city,' Acts 17:4, 'chief women,' Acts 25:2 and 2817, 'chief of the Jews.' In none of these instances could the word chief be rendered worst. Now, Saul was the chief, the foremost, of sinners. He was their leader at this time when sin abounded. Remember, the Gentiles had long ago rebelled against God at Babel. Three times in Romans 1 we read that 'God ... gave them up,' 'God gave them up,' 'God gave them over' (Rom. 1:24,26,28). Then, choosing Abraham's seed, He proposed to restore and bless the world through them. But here Abraham's seed join the Gentiles in their rebellion against God, and Saul of Tarsus leads them. Thus Saul was the chief of sinners; he led Israel, yea the world, in rebellion against God and His Christ. He was the personification of the world's real attitude toward God and His Christ (Psa. 2:1-3)." (Stam)
Saul approved of his execution - "Concerning Saul the Lord said to Ananias, 'I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake' (Acts 4:16). What was done unto Stephen was done unto Saul. The Jews and Saul with them, as we believe, disputed and resisted Stephen in the synagogue. The Jews disputed with Paul, resisted him, and rejected his testimony. Stephen was accused of blasphemy; so was Paul (Acts 14:37). Stephen was accused of speaking against Moses, the holy place and the customs; so was Paul (Acts 21:28; 24:6;25:8; 28:17). They rushed upon Stephen with one accord and seized him. The same happened to Paul (Acts 14:29). Stephen was dragged out of the city. So was Paul (Acts 14:19). Stephen was tried before the Sanhedrim; so did Paul appear before the Sanhedrim. Stephen was stoned and Paul was stoned at Lystra. Stephen suffered martyrdom; so did Paul in Rome. And yet, with all the sufferings that Paul had to undergo, he rejoiced. His eyes rested constantly upon that glorious one, whom Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, beheld in Glory. Later we hear him crying out from the prison in Rome, 'That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made comformable unto His death' (Phil. 3:10)." (Gaebelein)
"We read that Saul was 'consenting' unto Stephen's death. Does this mean that he was a member of the Sanhedrin? He was a 'young man' (Acts 7:58) as we have said, and it was a great exception for a young man to be made a member of the Sanhedrin. Yet in Gal. 1:14 he later testified: '[I] profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.' If not already a member of the Sanhedrin, he must have been promoted to that position soon after the slaying of Stephen, for both Acts 23:6 and Phil. 3:5 make it clear that he was a Pharisee, and testifying before Agrippa concerning his persecution of the saints at Jerusalem, he says that when they were put to death he cast his vote against them (Acts 26:10). (This probably means that he was married and had children at that time, for evidently only fathers were admitted to Israel's supreme court, on the ground that parents were apt to be more humane in their judgment of others. His wife could not have lived very long after this, however. - See 1 Cor. 7:7,8.)" (Stam)
they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria - "Now in the opening verses of Acts 8 we find the Jewish believers going from Jerusalem to Judaea and Samaria. This has led some to conclude that this passage records progress in the carrying out of the 'great commission.' The very opposite, however, is the case. These disciples did not leave Jerusalem in response to any command of our Lord. They were scattered and fled for their lives. And the twelve apostles, the very ones our Lord had commanded to go from Jerusalem to all the world, stayed at Jerusalem!" (Stam)
except the apostles - "The reason the twelve stayed at Jerusalem is that they had been sent to proclaim, not the gospel of the grace of God, but the kingdom rights of Christ. These twelve had been promised thrones to be established at Jerusalem and could not be established until Jerusalem had accepted Messiah. Had not God promised Abraham that in his multiplied seed all nations should be blessed? (Gen 22:17-18). How then could the nations be blessed through Israel when Israel herself would not receive the blessing? Is it not clear from all Old Testament prophecy that Christ was to reign in Jerusalem on David's throne? Had not our Lord Himself made it clear that He would not return until Jerusalem should say: 'Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord'? (Matt. 23:37-39). How could the apostles complete their commission by going on from Jerusalem now? How could the kingdom be established on earth if Jerusalem and the nation Israel did not turn to Christ? Where would Christ reign beside Jerusalem; in Washington, Moscow, London, Rome? ... Which took the greater courage, to flee from Jerusalem now or to remain there in the raging persecution, in daily peril of death? Would not unfaithful men have fled at such a time as this? It was rare courage and fidelity to their 'great commission,' then, and not cowardice or unfaithfulness, that caused these twelve apostles to remain at Jerusalem while the rest fled. Thus the continuance of the apostles at Jerusalem and the flight of the believing multitude indicated the same thing: that Israel was not turning to Christ." (Stam)
"In this passage, then, rather than seeing the Great Commission (which would have brought in the kingdom) further carried out, we find that program stalled. True, God permitted the twelve to continue their labors at Jerusalem for some time after that, but this was because He would leave Israel without excuse. After this the kingdom right of Christ still continue to be proclaimed for some time; the apostles—even Paul—continue to remind Israel of His qualifications and credentials, but there is no record of another offer of the kingdom. Already God is preparing to usher in a new dispensation while the establishment of Messiah's kingdom on earth is held in abeyance." (Stam)
ravaging - A word meaning 'ravaging like a wild beast,' describing the intensity of Saul's hatred of believers.
"There has been some discussion as to whether or not Paul was the chief of sinners. The answer to this question is simply that the Scripture say he was, and sets forth this fact to demonstrate the truth 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save SINNERS.' 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for the cause I obtained mercy, that in me first [chiefly] Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting' (1 Tim. 1:15,16). The question has probably arisen through a misunderstanding of terms. When Paul is spoken of as the chief of sinners, some suppose that it is meant that he was the worst of sinners. Of course he was not. Even in his unsaved state he 'lived in all good conscience' (Acts 23:1) and later testified; 'I verily thought with myself, that ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth' (Acts 26:9). This could hardly have been said of Judas or of the chief priests, for example, and in this sense they were worse sinners than Paul. But the word chief does not mean worst; it means foremost. It denotes rank. The original word is translated 'chief' at least six other times in our Authorized Version, giving us an insight into the usage of the word: Matt. 20:27, 'chief among you,' Luke 19:47, 'chief of the people,' Acts 16:12, 'chief city,' Acts 17:4, 'chief women,' Acts 25:2 and 2817, 'chief of the Jews.' In none of these instances could the word chief be rendered worst. Now, Saul was the chief, the foremost, of sinners. He was their leader at this time when sin abounded. Remember, the Gentiles had long ago rebelled against God at Babel. Three times in Romans 1 we read that 'God ... gave them up,' 'God gave them up,' 'God gave them over' (Rom. 1:24,26,28). Then, choosing Abraham's seed, He proposed to restore and bless the world through them. But here Abraham's seed join the Gentiles in their rebellion against God, and Saul of Tarsus leads them. Thus Saul was the chief of sinners; he led Israel, yea the world, in rebellion against God and His Christ. He was the personification of the world's real attitude toward God and His Christ (Psa. 2:1-3)." (Stam)
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