Acts 8:1 - Meaning and Application

In these verses, we see more about Stephen and his death, and how people reacted to it. Reactions differed, as they often do in such cases, according to how people felt about the matter. Christ had told his disciples, when he was about to leave them, “You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice” (John 16:20). That is exactly what happens here.

Stephen’s death was welcomed by one man in particular, though surely by many more. That man was Saul, who was later called Paul. He agreed to Stephen’s death with real approval, and the word suggests he was glad about it. He watched this bloody scene with satisfaction, hoping it would stop the spread of Christianity. It is likely that Paul later asked Luke to include this detail, to shame himself and to honor God’s free grace. By admitting this, he confesses his guilt in Stephen’s blood, and makes it worse by saying he did not act with regret, but with pleasure. He was like those who do such things and also approve of others who do them.

Stephen’s death was mourned by others, as Acts 8:2 says. These were devout men, which some take to mean converts, that is, Gentiles or non-Jews who had joined the Jewish faith. Stephen himself may have been one of them. Or the phrase may mean more generally that some in the church, who were more devout and zealous than others, came and gathered up his broken body. They gave him a proper burial, likely in the field that had been bought to bury strangers in. They buried him solemnly and made great lamentation over him. Even though his death helped him greatly and served the church, they still mourned it as a great loss, because he had been so gifted and so useful, both as a deacon and as a defender of the faith. It is a bad sign when the death of such people is not deeply felt.

These devout men showed Stephen this last honor for good reasons. First, they showed they were not ashamed of the cause for which he suffered, and not afraid of the anger of its enemies. Though the enemies were winning for the moment, the cause itself was righteous and would finally win. Second, they showed how much they valued this faithful servant of Jesus Christ, the first martyr for the gospel, whose memory would remain precious even though his death was meant to bring shame. They were honoring the one whom God had chosen to honor. Third, they showed their belief and hope in the resurrection of the dead, and in the life to come.

Now the persecution of the church begins in earnest after Stephen’s martyrdom. When Jewish rage rose so high against Stephen, it could not stop quickly or satisfy itself for long. Bloodthirsty people often want more blood once they have tasted it. One might have hoped that Stephen’s dying prayers and his comfort in death would soften them and give them a better view of Christians and Christianity. But they were only made more angry when they could not stop the movement. It was as if they thought they could outlast even God himself, so they resolved to keep pressing their attack. And perhaps, since none of them was struck dead when Stephen was stoned, their hearts were even more fixed on evil.

This persecution was directed against the church in Jerusalem. The church had hardly been planted before it was persecuted, just as Christ had often warned that trouble and persecution would come because of the word. He had especially foretold that Jerusalem would soon become dangerous for his followers, since that city had a long record of killing prophets and stoning those sent to it (Matthew 23:37). It seems many were put to death in this persecution, because Paul later said that he persecuted this way to the death (Acts 21:4), and that when believers were put to death, he cast his vote against them (Acts 26:10).

Saul was the main force behind this work. No one was more zealous or more active in it, and he was still a young Pharisee (Acts 8:3). As for Saul, who had already been mentioned before and is now shown as a notorious persecutor, he made havoc of the church. He did all he could to destroy it. He cared nothing for the harm he caused Christ’s disciples, and he never seemed to know when to stop. He aimed at nothing less than wiping out the gospel people of Israel, so that their name would no longer be remembered (Psalm 83:4). He was exactly the kind of agent the chief priests needed. He served as their chief informer against the disciples, and as a messenger from the great council, sent to search out their meetings and seize anyone suspected of favoring that way.

Saul had been educated as a scholar and gentleman, yet he did not think it beneath him to do this vile work. He entered into every house, not hesitating to break in day or night, with force likely behind him. He went into every house where Christians met, or any house thought to contain Christians. No one could feel safe even in his own home, though a house should be a place of protection. He dragged away both men and women with the greatest contempt and cruelty, showing no regard for the weakness of the women. He stooped so low as to target even the least and humblest who had been touched by the gospel, such was his bitterness. He committed them to prison so they could be tried and put to death unless they renounced Christ. Some, we are told, were even forced by him to blaspheme (Acts 26:11).

The effect of this persecution was that they were all scattered abroad (Acts 8:1). This does not mean all believers, but all the preachers, who were the main targets and against whom warrants had been issued. They remembered their Master’s rule, that when people persecute you in one city, flee to another, and so they spread out through the regions of Judea and Samaria. They did this not so much because they were afraid of suffering, for those regions were not far from Jerusalem, and if they appeared there openly, their enemies could still reach them. Rather, they understood this as a hint from Providence, meaning God’s guiding care, that they should scatter.

Their work had been largely done in Jerusalem, and now it was time to think about other places. Their Master had told them they must be his witnesses in Jerusalem first, then in all Judea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). They followed that order. Persecution may not drive us away from our duty, but it may send us, by God’s guidance, to serve in another place.

The preachers were all scattered except the apostles. They were likely guided by the Spirit to stay in Jerusalem a little longer. By God’s special care, they were protected from the storm, and by his special grace they were able to stand firm in it.

They stayed in Jerusalem so they could be ready to go wherever help was most needed. In that way, they could support the other preachers whom God sent out first to open the way. This was like when Christ told his disciples to go ahead to places where he himself planned to come later (Luke 10:1).

The apostles stayed together in Jerusalem longer than we might expect, given the command and commission to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. See Acts 15:6 and Galatians 1:17. Still, what was done by the evangelists they sent out was counted as if the apostles themselves had done it.