John Calvin Commentary Acts 8:1

"And Saul was consenting unto his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles." — Acts 8:1 (ASV)

At that day. The persecution began with Stephen. After that, when their madness was ignited by this, it grew intense against everyone. For the wicked are like brute beasts; once they have tasted blood, they are more desirous of it and become more cruel by committing murder.

For Satan, who is the father of all cruelty, first takes from them all feeling of humanity once they are stained with innocent blood. After that, he stirs up in them an unquenchable thirst for blood, from which these violent assaults to commit murder come. Consequently, once they have begun, they will never willingly stop.

Moreover, when power is once granted to them to do harm, their boldness increases over time, so that they are carried headlong with less restraint. Luke also notes this when he says, The persecution was great. Undoubtedly, the Church had little rest before, nor was it free from the vexation of the wicked. But the Lord spared His people for a time, so that they might have some liberty, and now they began to be more severely attacked.

These things must also be applied to our time. If the fury of our enemies seems at any time to be, as it were, asleep, so that it does not send out flames far, let us know that the Lord provides for our weakness. Yet, let us not in the meantime imagine that we will have continual truce, but let us be ready to suffer harsher attacks whenever they break out suddenly.

Let us also remember that if at any time the constancy of one man has whetted the cruelty of our enemies, the blame for the evil is unjustly ascribed to him. For Luke does not defame Stephen when he says that because of him the Church was more severely troubled than before; rather, he turns this to Stephen's praise, because he valiantly, as the standard-bearer, encouraged others by his example to fight courageously.

When he calls it the Church which was at Jerusalem, his meaning is not that there were Churches elsewhere, but he moves on to these things which followed as a result. For since there was only this one body of the godly in all the world, it was torn apart by flight. Yet, more Churches soon sprang up from those lame members who were dispersed here and there, and so the body of Christ was spread far and wide, whereas before it was confined within the walls of Jerusalem.

They were all scattered abroad. It is certain that not all of them were scattered abroad, but Scripture uses a universal term for what we mean by 'everywhere' or 'abroad.' The point is this: not only a few were in danger, because the cruelty of the enemies raged throughout the whole Church.

Many often flee due to faintheartedness, even when they hear any slight rumor, but these believers were in a different situation. They did not flee rashly out of discouragement, but because they saw no other means to appease the fury of their adversaries. And he says that they were scattered not only throughout various places of Judea, but that they even came to Samaria.

Thus, the middle wall that made a division between the Jews and the Gentiles began to be pulled down (Ephesians 2:14). For the conversion of Samaria was, as it were, the first fruits of the calling of the Gentiles. Although the Samaritans had circumcision, as did the people of God, we know that there was great dissension, and not without significant cause, since they had in Samaria only a false worship of God, as Christ affirms, because it was merely a distasteful imitation.

Therefore, God then opened the gate for the gospel, so that the scepter of Christ, sent out from Jerusalem, might come to the Gentiles. He exempts the apostles from this number, not because they were free from the common danger, but because it is the duty of a good pastor to set himself against the invasions of wolves for the safety of his flock.

But here a question may be asked: since they were commanded to preach the gospel throughout the whole world (Mark 16:16), why did they stay at Jerusalem, even when they were expelled from there by force? I answer that since Christ had commanded them to begin at Jerusalem, they occupied themselves there until, being brought into some other place by His hand, they might know for certain that He was their guide.

And we see how cautiously they proceeded to preach the gospel; not that they shunned the function that was entrusted to them, but because they were amazed at a new and unfamiliar thing. Therefore, seeing the gospel so mightily resisted at Jerusalem, they dared not go to any other place until they had overcome that first immense set of difficulties.

Assuredly, by staying at Jerusalem, they were not seeking their own ease or personal advantage, nor were they free from care. For they had a difficult responsibility; they were continually amidst various dangers and encountered great troubles. Therefore, undoubtedly, they were determined to do their duty. Especially since they stood firm when all the rest fled, this is clear evidence of valiant constancy.

If anyone objects that they might have divided the provinces among themselves, so that they might not all have been engaged in one place, I answer that Jerusalem alone had enough work for all of them.

In sum, Luke regards this as a thing worthy of praise: that they did not follow the rest into voluntary exile to avoid persecution. Yet he does not condemn the flight of those whose situation was more free. For the apostles considered the particular nature of their calling; namely, that they should maintain their position, since the wolves were invading the sheepfold. The rigor of Tertullian and others like him was too great, as they indiscriminately denied that it is lawful to flee from persecution. Augustine says it better, giving permission to flee provided that the churches, deprived of their pastors, are not betrayed into the hands of the enemies. This is surely the best moderation, which neither indulges the flesh too much nor drives those headlong to death who may lawfully save their lives. Whoever is inclined may read the 180th Epistle to Honoratus.

To return to the apostles, if they had been scattered here and there by fear of persecution, even at the beginning, everyone might have rightly called them hirelings. How hurtful and shameful would abandoning their post have been at that time? How greatly would it have discouraged the minds of everyone? What great harm would their example have caused for posterity?

It may sometimes happen, indeed, that the pastor may also flee; that is, if they attack him alone, and if the destruction of the Church is not feared if he is absent. But if both his flock and he must encounter the adversary, he is a treacherous forsaker of his office if he does not steadfastly maintain it even until the end. Private individuals have greater liberty.