Acts Chapters 6 through 9:31

The Choosing of the Seven – Read Acts 6:1-7

In Acts 6 Luke describes one of the first difficulties experienced by the early church. As the believers grew in number and shared their possessions in common, some of the Grecian Jews felt that they were not being fairly treated in the distribution. Grecian Jews were culturally Greek by language and education, as distinguished from Hebraic Jews who were native to Palestine. The twelve disciples did not want to get caught up in the details of a cross-cultural controversy and so it was decided that seven of the Greeks would be chosen to represent the interests of the Grecian Jews. This is important in Luke's story because Stephen – the first Christian martyr - was one of the seven leaders chosen and Luke is writing for an audience that is culturally Greek.


The Martyrdom of Stephen - Read Acts 6:8 to 8:3

In addition to being selected as one of the leaders of the early church, Stephen was also highly visible in Jerusalem preaching the Word. This soon resulted in the opposition of conservative Jews who began to debate Stephen. When this fails because of Stephen’s wisdom and the Spirit, they begin to circulate false charges against him. Luke is clearly highlighting the superiority of Greek culture and the power of the Holy Spirit when engaging the opposition.

Because of his visibility and the charges of blasphemy made against him, Stephen is hauled up before the Sanhedrin just as Peter and John had been. Stephen is charged with speaking against the temple and the Law of Moses and when the priest asks if the charges are true, Stephen replies with a long speech on Hebrew history, beginning with Abraham and ending with Jesus. The entire speech is recorded in Luke and it fills up most of chapter 7 in Acts.

At the conclusion of the speech the priests are furious. It is just at this moment that Stephen sees “Jesus standing at the right hand of God” – another post-resurrection appearance recorded by Luke. Stephen is dragged out of the city and stoned to death. Stephen is killed and Luke records – with a certain amount of literary drama – that “the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.”

Saul is a Pharisee in training from Asia Minor who is pursuing a study of the Law in Jerusalem. The believer’s idea that the Law somehow no longer applies is a great heresy for Saul and he begins to persecute the church after the stoning of Stephen. Luke states in Acts 8:1 that “all except the apostles” were scattered out of Jerusalem to the surrounding countryside.

Early Conversions – Read Acts 8:4-40

The scattering of the early church did not stop their efforts at conversions. The early church requires no qualification to become a follower of Christ. Luke reports that Phillip traveled to Samaria and makes many converts there, including a sorcerer who is baptized. Peter and John are sent for and join Phillip in Samaria. Peter and John placed hands on the converts and the Holy Spirit came upon them The sorcerer sees there is real power in the Holy Spirit and offers to pay Peter money for it. Peter makes a suitably caustic reply, but softens it at the end. Peter and John then return to Jerusalem “preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages” (Acts 8:25).

Phillip, however, continues his travels after receiving direction from an angel to go south. Here he encounters an Ethiopian official who was returning home after a visit to Jerusalem. The Ethiopian is reading from Isaiah and Phillip explains how Isaiah 53:7-9 serve as a prophesy about Jesus. Convinced, the Ethiopian is baptized on the spot. Phillip continues traveling and preaching until he reaches Caesarea.


The Conversion of Saul – Read Acts 9:1-31

Luke now shifts his story back to Jerusalem and reports that the persecution of the church by Saul was in full force. As many in the early church had left town, Saul was determined to pursue them and he applies for letters of authorization from the synagogues in Damascus that will allow him to continue to hunt down the believers there. His plan was to root out the Christians in Damascus and bring them back as captives to Jerusalem for punishment.

As Saul was approaching Damascus, however, everything changes. A bright light from heaven surrounds Saul and a voice says to him: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” The voice identifies itself as Jesus and Saul is told to go into the city where he will be told what to do. Saul was blinded by the incident and for the first three days in Damascus did not eat or drink. Also in Damascus is a believer named Ananias who receives instructions from the Lord to seek out Saul of Tarsus. Ananias obeys and upon finding Saul he lays hands on him curing his blindness. Saul is baptized immediately as a believer.

Saul stays in Damascus and preaches in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. This amazes and confuses the local believers and they are naturally reluctant to accept Saul. Saul continued to preach for “many days” and was effective enough to attract the unwanted attention of the orthodox Jews, who conspire to kill him. Saul escapes Damascus by being lowered on a rope over the city wall, the gates being watched by his enemies.

Saul returns to Jerusalem, but he was still regarded with suspicion by the apostles. Barnabas, however, takes Saul in, describes the events in Damascus and convinces the apostles that Saul has become a true believer. This has the desired effect and Saul begins to preach with the believers in Jerusalem. But again he attracts unwanted attention, this time by Grecian Jews, who conspire to kill him. The disciples decide that Saul would be safer elsewhere and he is escorted out of town to Caesarea where he sails for Tarsus.

Luke reports that the early church “throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria” enjoyed a time of freedom prom persecution. The church “encouraged by the Holy Spirit” grew in numbers, “living in fear of the Lord.”


Links of Interest

A scholarly study of Paul’s social position by Jerome Neyrey of Notre Dame Univ is here: http://www.nd.edu/~jneyrey1/location.html

An useful outline of Acts is given here: http://home.hiwaay.net/~wgann/walk/acts.htm

Commentary on Acts Chap 6 is here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/mcgarvey/acts.ch6.html

Commentary on Acts Chap 7 is here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/mcgarvey/acts.ch7.html

Commentary on Acts Chap 8 is here http://www.ccel.org/ccel/mcgarvey/acts.ch8.html

Commentary on Acts Chap 9 is here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/mcgarvey/acts.ch9.htmlo


Study/Discussion Questions

1. What does the dispute in Acts 6:1-7 tell you about the tensions within the early church?

2. In Acts 6:7 Luke reports that “the church grew rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.” Why should priests become believers?

3. What would you estimate the number of believers to be just prior to the stoning of Stephen? How is the church growing so quickly?

4. Most scholars believe Luke was not an eyewitness to the stoning of Stephen. How do you think Luke was able to accurately quote Stephen’s entire speech before the Sanhedrin?

5. Why doesn’t Stephen reply to the charges against him in his speech?

6. Why do you think Stephen was summarily stoned to death after appearing before the Sanhedrin while Jesus had to be formally tried by the Romans prior to the crucifixion? Why would this be important to Luke?

7. What did Jews think of Samaritans? Why did Phillip baptize the Ethiopian and make converts in Samaria? What does this say about inclusiveness in the early church?

8. Read Acts 26:9-11. How would you describe the persecution that Saul conducted against the early church?

9. Why would those in the early church distrust Saul after his conversion experience?

10. Why do you think the preaching of Saul inspires such anger in the Jews?