Saul persecutes the Church
The
Passage: Acts 8:1-3
Structure:
a. 8:1a, SAUL approved the execution
b. 8:1b, great
persecution against the church,
c. 8:1c, and
they were all scattered, except apostles.
c’. 8:2a, devout
men buried Stephen
b’. 2, and
made great lamentation
a’. 8:3,
SAUL was ravaging the church
Historical
and geographical context:
Execution of
the faithful Stephen was not enough. The nameless and faceless crowd began a
GREAT persecution against the church in Jerusalem. This persecution triggered
the movement of the disciples from the capital to Judea and Samaria (prior to
this persecution faithful were in Jerusalem proper). As Jesus has told them,
they became His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria (1:8). The only
difference is they [probably] could’ve begun the outreach in a more peaceful
context.
Theology:
Role of
Saul. The previous
story [Stephen at the Council] identifies Saul as a young man (7:58). This
translation can be misleading. The word here is not necessarily refers to an
age (in our modern sense), but more to a status. Bauer’s Greek-English Lexicon
identifies a period of 24- to 40-year-old. Pairing this Greek word with the
usage in Judges 16:26, we learn that this word should mean “someone under
supervision authority” (cp. 1 Sam 2:17-18). That’s why his – Sauls’ approval
meant a lot, but to engage in persecution of the church in other cities and
town he had to be “commissioned” (cp. 9:1-2).
Identification
of “devout men”. The
term is used in various places in NT (Lk. 2:25; Acts 2:5; 22:12). It should be
distinguished from a similar term used to identify the Gentile God-fearers
(10:2). Regardless of the identity of the target group that was persecuted (the
whole church or Hellenistic part only), we know that the Apostles stayed in
Jerusalem. Therefore, most likely, forming the core group of those who buried
and lamented over the death of Stephen.
Great
lamentation over the buried Stephen. We do not know much about the burial rites and traditions
of the I century Judaism. Yet, two things are apparent: there was a proper
burial (to the ground or a tomb), and there was a lengthy process of
lamentation. Current practice of lamenting for the loss of a loved one includes
a year-long reading of KADDISH prayer. According to some historical sources
(Mishnah: Sanhedrin VI:6) a lamentation over an executed person was forbidden.
Apparently, “the devout men” held Stephen at such a high regard that their
disapproval of the outburst resulted in his murdering led them to open
resistance to the Council policies. There is another interpretation of this
Rabbinical law. Knowing that Mishnah was composed in II-III centuries AD, it is
possible that the restriction was a result of a lengthy lamentation followed
the burial of Stephen. The High Council wanted to secure the ruling for the
exclusion of Messianic believers from a regular mourning practices of
Post-Second Temple Judaism.
Future
rapid growth. This
passage raises an interesting question on the history of development of
Christian/Messianic Jerusalem community: if everyone but apostles left, how
come the church grew so fast? How do we know it grew fast – by St. Paul’s
return from his third mission trip Jerusalem congregation consisted at least
20,000 members (cp. 21:20). Therefore, under a considerable pressure Apostles,
preaching the Word and administering the Sacraments, were able to rebuild the
Jerusalem messianic community to the point of hosting the Jerusalem council
(Acts 15), and gaining tens of thousands new members.
Other
themes:
Stratification
of the church. Seeing
what Saul is doing to the church one should ask a question about the meaning of
the church. It is possible to think that Jerusalem Messianic community owned
real estate property (cp. 4:32-37). Yet, this is not what Saul goes after. He
chaises the believers from house to house, disrupting and destroying families.
This is an important example of the true meaning of the church – people in the
context of their family and neighboring network. As later St. Peter will say: “As you come to him, a living
stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like
living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy
priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ.” (1 Pet. 2:4-5).
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