Acts 8:1b-8
Chapter 8
1
Saul was there, approving the murder.
Persecution and Preaching in Samaria
This marked the beginning of intense persecution against the Church in Jerusalem. Everyone except the apostles was scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.2
Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.
3
Meanwhile, Saul was trying to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragged off men and women, and had them thrown into jail.
4
At the same time, those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
5
Philip
Philip traveled to a town in Samaria and preached about Christ there.
6
All the people paid close attention to what Philip said as they listened to him and observed the miraculous signs he performed.
7
For example, in cases of possession, unclean spirits came out shouting loudly. Many people who were paralyzed or crippled were healed.
8
There was great joy in that town.
Commentaries
Death of Stephen.
The listeners’ emotional reactions show that they understand the speech and have shifted from accusers to the accused. The climax occurs when Stephen, in a moment of divine inspiration, declares that he sees the glory of God and Jesus at God’s right hand. This is difficult for his accusers to hear. From this point on, everything unfolds quickly: they take him outside, and overwhelmed with hatred, they stone him to death. In his final words, Stephen imitates his Master and dies forgiving (cf. Lk 23:34): “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (60). With two brief strokes, Luke introduces a secondary character who will soon become one of the leading figures. For now, his name is Saul.
Persecution and Preaching in Samaria.
Following Stephen’s prophetic denunciation, a new wave of persecution begins. Luke indicates that this is a “selective” persecution. Only the Hellenistic Christians had to flee Jerusalem in a rush. What humans see as flight and dispersion, the narrator sees as the spreading of the Gospel. Luke offers important insights about Philip’s missionary work. First, he establishes that Philip’s mission was a complete success. He describes it in terms of the basic outline of all evangelization: proclaiming the Good News, liberation, and transformation, all expressed through everyone’s joy. The second message emphasizes his ongoing focus on showing us the “unity of the Church.” Philip and his companions did not let success go to their heads. They immediately shared what was happening with the Church in Jerusalem, prompting the apostles to go to Samaria.