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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 8:1-3

In these verses we have, I. Something more concerning Stephen and his death; how people stood affected to it?variously, as generally in such cases, according to men's different sentiments of things. Christ had said to his disciples, when he was parting with them (John 16:20), You shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. Accordingly here is, 1. Stephen's death rejoiced in by one?by many, no doubt, but by one in particular, and that was Saul, who was afterwards called Paul; he was... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 8:4-13

Samson's riddle is here again unriddled: Out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness. The persecution that was designed to extirpate the church was by the overruling providence of God made an occasion of the enlargement of it. Christ had said, I am come to send fire on the earth; and they thought, by scattering those who were kindled with that fire, to have put it out, but instead of this they did but help to spread it. I. Here is a general account of what was done by... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 8:1-4

Acts 8:1-40 is an important chapter in the history of the Church. The Church began by being a purely Jewish institution. Acts 6:1-15 shows the first murmurings of the great debate about the acceptance of the Gentiles. Stephen had had a mind far above national delimitations. Acts 8:1-40 shows the Church reaching out. Persecution scattered the Church abroad and where they went they took their gospel. Into Acts 8:1-40 comes Philip who, like Stephen, was one of the Seven and who is to be... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 8:1-4

8:1-4 At that time a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem. They were all scattered abroad throughout the districts of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. Pious men carried Stephen away to bury him, and they mourned greatly over him. As for Saul, he ravaged the church. He went into house after house and dragged out both men and women and put them under arrest. The death of Stephen was the signal for an outbreak of persecution which compelled the Christians to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:1

And Saul was consenting unto his death ,.... 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:2

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial ,.... These men were not Jewish proselytes, but members of the Christian church; who were eminent for their religion and piety, and who had courage enough, amidst this persecution, to show a respect to the dead body of this holy martyr; which they took from under the stones, washed it, and wound it up in linen clothes, and put it into a coffin, or on a bier: they did everything preparatory to the funeral, which, is chiefly designed by the word... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:3

As for Saul, he made havoc of the church ,.... Did evil to the saints, destroyed them that called upon the name of Christ, Acts 9:13 and persecuted and wasted the church of God, as he himself says, Galatians 1:13 and now did Benjamin, of which tribe Saul was, ravine as a wolf, Genesis 49:27 Entering into every house ; where the saints dwelt: and haling men and women : in a violent manner, without any regard to age or sex: committed them to prison ; delivered them up into... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:4

Therefore they that were scattered abroad ,.... By reason of the persecution in Jerusalem: the seventy disciples, and other ministers of the word; or the hundred and twenty, excepting the apostles, went every where ; or went through the countries of Judea and Samaria, as far as Phenice, Cyrus, and Antioch: preaching the word ; the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions add, "of God", and so some copies; the Gospel, which is the word of God, and not man; which was not of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:1

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 συνευδοκων signifies gladly consenting, being pleased with his murderous work! How dangerous is a party spirit; and how destructive may zeal even for the true... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:2

Devout men carried Stephen to his burial - The Greek word, συνεκομισαν , signifies not only to carry, or rather to gather up, but also to do every thing necessary for the interment of the dead. Among the Jews, and indeed among most nations of the earth, it was esteemed a work of piety, charity, and mercy, to bury the dead. The Jews did not bury those who were condemned by the Sanhedrin in the burying place of the fathers, as they would not bury the guilty with the innocent; and they had a... read more

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