Acts 8:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It became clear to all that those who feared and fled were men. But lest you later say that they did everything only by grace, even when persecuted, those others proved more timid, while the Apostles proved bolder. "And all," the writer says, "were scattered, except the Apostles." Therefore I did not say in vain that this persecution occurred according to God's ordering. If it had not happened, the disciples would not have been scattered. Those who had heard, "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles" (Mt 10:5), now enter into fellowship with Samaritans without fear. "Except the Apostles," he says, showing that they did not leave the city because they wished, even on this occasion, to convert the Jews. Or they wished to be examples of boldness for the others. And note this: the Apostles did not go out, but by God's ordering those who did not have this grace went out from Jerusalem. For they had not yet received the Holy Spirit. They received the power to work signs, but they did not receive the power to impart the Spirit to others. Therefore this belonged exclusively to the Apostles. Thus we see the chief Apostles doing this, and no one else. The persecution then especially increased, but God again delivered them, surrounding them with signs. Since Stephen's death did not tame the fury, but intensified it all the more, the teachers are scattered so that the teaching may spread still more. But see, their circumstances again become favorable, and they receive joy. The writer says, "There was great joy in that city" (Acts 8:8), though there had been great mourning. This is how God usually acts, joining joys to sorrows, so that He may be even more worthy of wonder.

3) it says that Saul, especially zealous in persecuting Christians, went from house to house in Jerusalem. He found many Christian men and women and dragged them to prison. This disturbance seems to have occurred on the very day, ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, of Saint Stephen's martyrdom. One may picture the matter this way. While certain devout men, themselves Jews, sympathized inwardly with Christianity and recognized Stephen's innocence, they took the martyr's body and buried it with honor (v. 2). Meanwhile, the whole crowd of the people, returning from the place where the Christian first martyr had been executed, went to the dwellings of Christians and began to pursue and persecute them. A certain Saul was especially distinguished in this case by strong fanaticism. He evidently acted by commission from the Sanhedrin, because he entered Christians' houses, dragged out men and women with dishonor, and committed them to prison.

In this terrible event, this fierce enemy of Christianity first felt in his heart the tormenting spark of self-accusation. Gradually kindling into an all-consuming flame, it finally led him to become the "chosen vessel" of the Christ he persecuted, the greatest apostle and spreader of Christianity. Meanwhile, the success of Christianity's enemies in killing Saint Stephen served as the signal for a general persecution of Christians. To save their lives, they had of necessity to scatter from Jerusalem. Yet this involuntary scattering served for the still greater spread of the Gospel, and precisely beyond the borders of Judea, since "those who were scattered went about preaching the word."

They stirred up persecution against them (cf. Acts 6:12), which occurred precisely in Jerusalem and not in its surroundings, which for the moment remained at peace. Church tradition has preserved the remembrance that on the very day of Stephen's murder, another deacon, Nicanor, was killed with 2,000 Christians. Therefore the persecution was exceedingly strong. "And all were scattered, except the Apostles." All means the believers, the members of the Church. The expression is intensified, or hyperbolic, to indicate the cruelty of this persecution. All stands for "the greater part," since immediately afterward it says that Saul cruelly persecuted both men and women. Therefore such persons probably remained in Jerusalem, though not in great number. "They were scattered." In accordance with the Lord's command or permission, they fled from the city where persecution was raised into another (Mt 10:23). "Except the Apostles." Despite evident danger, or precisely because evident danger threatened the believers in Jerusalem, they remained there. They regarded the holy city as the place that had to be the center of the new Kingdom of God on earth. They did not consider themselves entitled to leave it without a special indication from the Lord. Faith in the Lord and the courage of spirit born from it compelled them to disregard danger. They hoped in the almighty help of their heavenly Teacher, Who once promised them that even the gates of Hades would not prevail against the Church He had founded (Mt 16:18). Moreover, "where the attack is stronger, there the best fighters must be found and must be for others an example of courage and boldness" (Theophylact). The members of the Christian community who left Jerusalem first scattered through various places in Judea. There, in towns and villages, they could find a safe refuge, since the persecution was properly in Jerusalem. Then some of them crossed the border of Judea and scattered through Samaria, despite the Samaritans' hostility toward Jews. Perhaps chiefly the Hellenists went to Samaria, toward whom the Samaritans did not feel such hostility. At least Philip, whose preaching in Samaria is discussed further on, bears a Greek name.

All this happened so quickly that they had not yet managed to bury Saint Stephen. Christians had no opportunity to do this, while others were afraid. At last honorable Jews were found (see Mk 15:43; Acts 13:50). They buried Saint Stephen there, not far from the place of his murder, for beyond the Kidron, in the adjoining valley of Jehoshaphat, there was also a common cemetery. Christians could only mourn with bitter tears the first martyr, after whom a whole host of them later followed. "When they persecute you in one city, flee to another," Jesus Christ commanded His disciples (Mt 10:23). Thus many Christians left Jerusalem and were scattered throughout all Judea and Samaria. But the Apostles, as leaders, remained at the place of their fearsome yet great ministry, in Jerusalem. "They were not scattered," says Blessed Theophylact, "because where the attack is stronger, there the best fighters must be found and must be for others an example of courage and boldness."