The physician Luke wrote how, “Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people”, and after being interrogated by the people in the synagogue, “all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Then said the high priest, Are these things so?”, and Stephen defended his faith by referring to, “Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Moses”. He asked the Sanhedrin, “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers. Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep”, and in chapter eight and verse one of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “Saul was consenting unto his death” where we read:
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.
The verse begins, “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem;” Luke began with the words, “and Saul” which means “and Saul whose name means desired and was the Jewish name of the apostle Paul” “was consenting unto his death” or “was pleased with, applauded and approved of Stephen's destroying, killing and murder”. “And at that time” which means “and at that period of time” “there was a great persecution” or “there existed a massive, large and abundant ill-treatment and abuse” “against the church” which means “in opposition to the assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting” “which was at Jerusalem” or “that was located in the city of Jerusalem which means set you double peace and was the capital of Palestine”. Luke shared how “Saul” who eventually became “Paul the apostle” approved of “Stephen's” murder as “the church of Jesus” located in the city of Jerusalem was facing great “opposition” at that time.
The verse continues, “and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.” Luke added the words, “and they were all scattered abroad” which means “and the believers in Jesus within the church in Jerusalem were each, every, the whole and everyone distributed and dispersed into foreign places” “throughout the regions of Judaea” or “toward the spaces, country, towns and villages belonging to Judaea which means he shall be praised and was to the southern portion of Palestine lying on this side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Peraea and Idumaea” “and Samaria” which means “and Samaria which means guardianship and was a territory in Palestine which had Samaria as its capital”, “except the apostles” or “with the exception of the delegates, messengers and sent out ones of Jesus”. Luke shared how the believers in “Jerusalem” were dispersed to the other towns and villages of “Judaea” and “Samaria” because of the persecution they faced in “Jerusalem”.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Saul” was pleased with the death of Stephen while the church of Jesus not only began to suffer great opposition, but also began to spread throughout the areas of “Judaea” and “Samaria”. Jesus told His disciples they would be “witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” after the power of the Holy Spirit came upon them (See Acts 1:8), and now they were being dispersed from “Jerusalem” to “Judaea and Samaria”. God's plan to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the whole world was being implemented, and although the members of the church in “Jerusalem” were persecuted for their belief, the opposition was used to continue the spreading of the “good news”. God loves people, and His “good news” of salvation through His Son Jesus is for every person. Those who put their faith and trust in Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God. This is the desire of God, and let all who read these words become believers in Jesus who is the only One that is able to save them for all eternity.
Next time Luke shares how, “devout men carried Stephen to his burial”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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