SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:1
¶ Y Saulo consentía en su muerte. Y en aquel día se hizo una gran persecucin en la Iglesia que estaba en Jerusaln; y todos fueron esparcidos por las tierras de Judea y de Samaria, salvo los apstoles.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 8:1
Verse 1. Saul was consenting unto his death.] So inveterate was the hatred that this man bore to Christ and his followers that he delighted in their destruction. So blind was his heart with superstitious zeal that he thought he did God service by offering him the blood of a fellow creature, whose creed he supposed to be erroneous. The word suneudokwn signifies gladly consenting, being pleased with his murderous work! How dangerous is a party spirit; and how destructive may zeal even for the true worship of God prove, if not inspired and regulated by the spirit of Christ! It has already been remarked that this clause belongs to the conclusion of the preceding chapter; so it stands in the Vulgate, and so it should stand in every version. There was a great persecution] The Jews could not bear the doctrine of Christ's resurrection; for this point being proved demonstrated his innocence and their enormous guilt in his crucifixion; as therefore the apostles continued to insist strongly on the resurrection of Christ, the persecution against them became hot and general.
They were all scattered abroad-except the apostles.] Their Lord had commanded them, when persecuted in one city, to flee to another: this they did, but, wherever they went, they proclaimed the same doctrines, though at the risk and hazard of their lives. It is evident, therefore, that they did not flee from persecution, or the death it threatened; but merely in obedience to their Lord's command. Had they fled through the fear of death, they would have taken care not to provoke persecution to follow them, by continuing to proclaim the same truths that provoked it in the first instance.
That the apostles were not also exiled is a very remarkable fact: they continued in Jerusalem, to found and organize the infant Church; and it is marvellous that the hand of persecution was not permitted to touch them.
Why this should be we cannot tell; but so it pleased the great Head of the Church. Bp. Pearce justly suspects those accounts, in Eusebius and others, that state that the apostles went very shortly after Christ's ascension into different countries, preaching and founding Churches. He thinks this is inconsistent with the various intimations we have of the continuance of the apostles in Jerusalem; and refers particularly to the following texts: ver. 1, 14, 25; chap. ix. 26, 27; xi. 1, 2; chap. xii. 1-4; xv. 2, 4, 6, 22, 23; chap. xxi. 17, 18; Gal. i. 17-19; ii. 1, 9. The Church at Jerusalem was the first CHRISTIAN Church; and consequently, the boast of the Church of Rome is vain and unfounded. From this time a new aera of the Church arose.
Hitherto the apostles and disciples confined their labours among their countrymen in Jerusalem. Now persecution drove the latter into different parts of Judea, and through Samaria; and those who had received the doctrine of Christ at the pentecost, who had come up to Jerusalem from different countries to be present at the feast, would naturally return, especially at the commencement of the persecution, to their respective countries, and proclaim to their countrymen the Gospel of the grace of God. To effect this grand purpose, the Spirit was poured out at the day of pentecost; that the multitudes from different quarters, partaking of the word of life, might carry it back to the different nations among whom they had their residence. One of the fathers has well observed, that "these holy fugitives were like so many lamps, lighted by the fire of the Holy Spirit, spreading every where the sacred flame by which they themselves had been illuminated."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. And Saul was consenting unto his death , etc.] This clause, in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic and Ethiopic versions, stands at the close of the preceding chapter, and which seems to be its proper place; and so it does in the Alexandrian copy: that Saul consented to the death of Stephen, and approved of that barbarous action, is evident from his taking care of the clothes of the witnesses that stoned him; but the word here used signifies not a bare consent only, but a consent with pleasure and delight; he was well pleased with it, it rejoiced his very heart; he joined with others in it, with the utmost pleasure and satisfaction; this, and what is before said concerning his having the clothes of the witnesses laid at his feet, as well as what follows, about his persecuting the saints, are, the rather mentioned, because this violent persecutor was afterwards converted, and became an eminent preacher of the Gospel; and these accounts serve to set off and illustrate the grace of God, which was abundant towards him. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem : it began on that day, as the words may be rendered, on which Stephen was stoned. As soon as they had put him to death, these bloodthirsty wretches were the more greedy after the blood of others; and being now in great numbers, and filled with rage and fury, fell upon the members of the church wherever they met them, and killed them; for that more, besides Stephen, were put to death, seems plain from ( Acts 26:10) and, according to some accounts, though they cannot be depended on, two thousand persons suffered at this time: and if this was the case, it might be called a great persecution: and they were all scattered abroad ; not all the members of the church, nor perhaps any of the private ones; for we afterwards read of devout then that carried Stephen to his grave; and of the church being made havoc of by Saul; and of men and women being haled out of their houses, and committed to prison by him; but all the preachers of the word, except the apostles; for they that were scattered, went about preaching the word, ( Acts 8:4, 11:19) They seem to be the seventy disciples, and other ministers of the word, on whom the Holy Ghost fell at the day of Pentecost, or was since bestowed; among who were Philip, who went to Samaria; and Ananias, who was at Damascus; and others that went as far as Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch: and particularly they are said to be dispersed throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria ; where their ministry was so greatly blessed, to the conversion of souls, that there were quickly many churches planted and formed in these parts, as appears from ( Acts 9:31) so that this persecution was for the furtherance and spread of the Gospel: that upon this dispersion any of them came into France and England, or into any other parts of Europe, is not probable; since the particular places they went to are mentioned; and since they preached to Jew only: and this scattering by reason of the persecution, was of all the preachers, except the apostles ; the twelve apostles, who stayed at Jerusalem to take care of the church; to encourage the members of it to suffer cheerfully for the sake of Christ and his Gospel; and to animate them to abide by him: and this was not only an instance of courage and constancy in them, and of the divine protection and preservation of them, in the midst of their enemies; but also of the timidity of their adversaries, who might be afraid to meddle with them; remembering what miraculous works were performed by them, and how they had been delivered out of prison, and especially the case of Ananias and Sapphira, who were struck dead by Peter. Bezas ancient copy adds, who remained in Jerusalem.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - Though persecution must not drive us from our work, yet it may send u to work elsewhere. Wherever the established believer is driven, he carries the knowledge of the gospel, and makes known the preciousnes of Christ in every place. Where a simple desire of doing goo influences the heart, it will be found impossible to shut a man ou from all opportunities of usefulness.
Greek Textus Receptus
σαυλος 4569 N-NSM δε 1161 CONJ ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S συνευδοκων 4909 5723 V-PAP-NSM τη 3588 T-DSF αναιρεσει 336 N-DSF αυτου 846 P-GSM εγενετο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3S δε 1161 CONJ εν 1722 PREP εκεινη 1565 D-DSF τη 3588 T-DSF ημερα 2250 N-DSF διωγμος 1375 N-NSM μεγας 3173 A-NSM επι 1909 PREP την 3588 T-ASF εκκλησιαν 1577 N-ASF την 3588 T-ASF εν 1722 PREP ιεροσολυμοις 2414 N-DPN παντες 3956 A-NPM τε 5037 PRT διεσπαρησαν 1289 5681 V-API-3P κατα 2596 PREP τας 3588 T-APF χωρας 5561 N-APF της 3588 T-GSF ιουδαιας 2449 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ σαμαρειας 4540 N-GSF πλην 4133 ADV των 3588 T-GPM αποστολων 652 N-GPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. Death (anairesei). Lit., taking off. See on Luke xxiii. 32.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
8:1 {Was consenting} (en suneudokwn). Periphrastic imperfect of suneudokew, a late double compound (sun, eu, dokew) that well describes Saul's pleasure in the death (anairesis, taking off, only here in the N.T., though old word) of Stephen. For the verb see on Lu 23:32. Paul himself will later confess that he felt so (#Ac 22:20), coolly applauding the murder of Stephen, a heinous Sin (#Ro 1:32). It is a gruesome picture. Chapter 7 should have ended here. {On that day} (en ekeinei tei hemerai). On that definite day, that same day as in #2:41. {A great persecution} (diwgmos megas). It was at first persecution from the Sadducees, but this attack on Stephen was from the Pharisees so that both parties are now united in a general persecution that deserves the adjective "great." See on Mt 13:21 for the old word diwgmos from diwkw, to chase, hunt, pursue, persecute. {Were all scattered abroad} (pantes diesparesan). Second aorist passive indicative of diaspeirw, to scatter like grain, to disperse, old word, in the N.T. only in #Ac 8:1,4; 11:19. {Except the apostles} (plen twn apostolwn). Preposition plen (adverb from pleon, more) with the ablative often in Luke. It remains a bit of a puzzle why the Pharisees spared the apostles. Was it due to the advice of Gamaliel in #Ac 5:34-40? Or was it the courage of the apostles? Or was it a combination of both with the popularity of the apostles in addition?
