Acts 8:1-8 And Saul was consenting to his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem… Here we have — I. A MAN WHO BECAME THE GREATEST APOSTLE OF CHRISTIANITY ACTING AS ITS MOST MILIGNANT FOE. 1. Saul was an accomplice in the martyrdom of Stephen, and rejoiced in it (Acts 7:58; Acts 22:20). 2. He was an infuriated leader in the general persecution. The word "made havoc" is commonly applied to wild beasts (Acts 21:10; Galatians 1:6). Now the fact that this man became the greatest apostle Demonstrates — (1) The greatness of his conversion. (2) The power of the gospel. (3) The infinitude of Divine mercy. II. MEN RISING ABOVE THE MOST POWERFULLY HOSTILE CIRCUMSTANCES. 1. The apostles stood calmly in the scene where their lives were in the most imminent danger, and when most of their fellow disciples had fled. 2. Devout men discharged a duty most exciting to the rage of their enemies. Away, then, with the dogma that man is the creature of circumstances. He is only so as he loses his manhood. III. THE MOST INTOLERANT PERSECUTION FURTHERING THE CAUSE OF TRUTH Persecution — 1. Throws the persecuted more and more on their God. 2. It enables them to furnish in their lives a nobler manifestation of Christianity to the world; more earnest, united, devout. 3. It awakens general sympathy among men on their behalf, and thus disposes them to attend to their teachings. (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. |
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