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May
18

Acts of the Apostles 8:1-3 Persecution of the Church

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Day 112, Acts 8

Good day everyone!  Today is the memorial of John I — the Pope and Martyr- he became Pope in 523 –

Amazing that Blessed Pope John Paul II was born on this day May 18–   and most likely he was named John because he was born on the memorial of Pope John I!  So today is a day of many blessings and graces and I pray that you receive them all!

This is the shortest reading for this blog thus far!  Mainly because I really want us to focus in on exactly where Paul was — I think we get caught up in his great conversion — and all the power of his preaching and sufferings!!!

But I think we forget where he came from — and as a good friend of mine (Howard Wildey) always says… don’t ever forget where you came from!!!

So amazing that Chapter 8 — and the number 8 means “new beginnings” to the Hebrews –

in three verses sums up where Paul –then named Saul — was at!

First though… back up to the end of Chapter 7 to verse 58 — where we see that when they all went to stone Stephen they laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul!

So you see here that it is very important in the scriptures that they mention that Saul was present and had a part to play in the stoning of Stephen — even though he was indirectly involved!

Isn’t this how sin starts out quite often — we are indirectly involved — then we grow deeper in committing the sin –

Well here we see in Chapter 8 verse 1 — right away… “Now Saul was consenting to his execution”

Then right away we read… “ON THAT DAY, there broke out a severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

So we see almost exactly what we say when Jesus was crucified!  WE see the horrible crime – we see the scattering of people -  major persecution break out –

but this time we see the Apostles remain in Jerusalem!!!  That’s different!

Now this ends the section II which was the Mission of the Church in Jerusalem — in verse 4 we will begin the III The Mission in Judea and Samaria!

We see the first memorial for the first martyr and the lament — LOUD!

And then we see Saul — MEANWHILE – trying to destroy the Church!

I mean really let this words sink in!!!  Saul was trying to destroy the Church!  He was intent on doing so –

He entered HOUSE AFTER HOUSE and DRAGGING out men and woman –

now please share if your bible has different words I would love to hear what word variations the bibles might have —

But no matter what we know that Saul who becomes Saint Paul — is methodically going house to house — not leaving one stone unturned seeking out every Christian and….

HANDING THEM OVER — for imprisonment –

now there is that word phrase again “Handing over”  this is what Jesus went through!

This is when it really gets ugly — Saul searching houses — you know we never get any insight as to what Saul’s childhood or family life was like!

We do know that he was very learned and raised as a very good Hebrew boy — now we see that Saul was a young man –

I can’t help but read this about the cloaks and think of Jesus on Palm Sunday — the way that the people laid their cloaks down so that the Lord could ride over them as he entered the city and that they threw a cloak over the donkey for Jesus to sit on —

This was a tradition for the anointed king — now I’ve always read these verses and thought that he was holding their cloaks for them so that they would not get dirty —

but as I continue to study this — it would seem that there was a significance — even if it be hidden that the cloaks would go to Saul’s feet!

Saul soon after gained all the power necessary to persecute the church — so he must have had some kind of power before as well!

And he handed the Christians – men and women over to imprisonment –

When I read this I cannot help but think of the world and how it is in PRISON — how locked in chains so many people are –

and so this says it all — Someone sharp — polished and well read — has come into power by the people’s standards and has taken over and throwing people in prison –

I just pray that we get this in our spirits — that Paul was Saul — with intention to do evil to God’s faithful ones –

Remember this the next time you are speaking with someone who you think will never change –

someone who is laughing at you because of your belief!

Remember that they could be the next Paul!

Please share!

Tomorrow we read 8:4-25!!!

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  • Anonymous

    My Bible says that Saul was making “estragos” to the Church. To make “estragos” is translated as “making havoc,” but I don’t know what “havoc” means. “Estragos” means ravaging, destruction, devastation. So Saul was out to destroy the Church; it was a war against the Church. I find this was really serious.

    And Saul’s war was very serious When the Isralites were in Egypt, they stayed in their house and were safe from the plagues. When Jesus was being persecuted, he was never searched for in a house, he was arrested in the Mount of Olives. When Jesus died, the apostles kept in hiding in their houses and in a common place where they received the Holy Spirit. But know Saul is going into the homes and dragging men and women out to encarcerate them – not arrest them and take them to a court, like had happened before with Jesus, Peter, the apostles, even Stephan. This time they were taken straight to jail.

    I guess the power of the Holy Spirit was too much for the jewish priests and elders, so the had to declare war. That is why the Christians were dispersed in Judea and Samaria. And as devastating as this was, I have to find the good that the Lord always turns our bad things into. The Good News of Jesus spread faster and farther because of this war on the church. Not only that. This dispertion made the apostles travel out of Jerusalem to visit the different communities and write to them, so we have the beautiful epistles today! Sometimes we go through hard times and we cry and look down and stay in our misery. But we have to look up, even if we cry, and try to see the good that will come of ANYTHING that happens to us, no matter how devastating! The footnotes in my Bible say that because of this dispertion, the first missionaries of the Church appeared.

    We see here a very strong, determined and we could even say fanatic Saul. If we see someone like that today, we would think he would never change and if he did, it would take many years of prayers. We will see what happens next. Stay tuned . . . . PTL!!!

  • Anonymous

    “Remember this the next time you are speaking with someone who you think will never change –

    someone who is laughing at you because of your belief!

    Remember that they could be the next Paul!’

    this is the “precious pearl” in today’s bible study. Lord, let me not dismiss people – i was one of them.

    thank you, marie, for this insight – it opened my eyes.

  • cuquilavergne

    My Bible says that Saul was making “estragos” to the Church. To make “estragos” is translated as “making havoc,” but I don’t know what “havoc” means. “Estragos” means ravaging, destruction, devastation. So Saul was out to destroy the Church; it was a war against the Church. I find this was really serious.

    And Saul’s war was very serious When the Isralites were in Egypt, they stayed in their house and were safe from the plagues. When Jesus was being persecuted, he was never searched for in a house, he was arrested in the Mount of Olives. When Jesus died, the apostles kept in hiding in their houses and in a common place where they received the Holy Spirit. But know Saul is going into the homes and dragging men and women out to encarcerate them – not arrest them and take them to a court, like had happened before with Jesus, Peter, the apostles, even Stephan. This time they were taken straight to jail.

    I guess the power of the Holy Spirit was too much for the jewish priests and elders, so the had to declare war. That is why the Christians were dispersed in Judea and Samaria. And as devastating as this was, I have to find the good that the Lord always turns our bad things into. The Good News of Jesus spread faster and farther because of this war on the church. Not only that. This dispertion made the apostles travel out of Jerusalem to visit the different communities and write to them, so we have the beautiful epistles today! Sometimes we go through hard times and we cry and look down and stay in our misery. But we have to look up, even if we cry, and try to see the good that will come of ANYTHING that happens to us, no matter how devastating! The footnotes in my Bible say that because of this dispertion, the first missionaries of the Church appeared.

    We see here a very strong, determined and we could even say fanatic Saul. If we see someone like that today, we would think he would never change and if he did, it would take many years of prayers. We will see what happens next. Stay tuned . . . . PTL!!!

  • marionraffa

    “Remember this the next time you are speaking with someone who you think will never change –

    someone who is laughing at you because of your belief!

    Remember that they could be the next Paul!'

    this is the “precious pearl” in today's bible study. Lord, let me not dismiss people – i was one of them.

    thank you, marie, for this insight – it opened my eyes.

  • http://FiredUpCatholics.com/ Marie Joseph

    YOU GOT IT!!! That is awesome — I’m with you in that prayer!!! whoooo hooooo! You go girl!

  • http://FiredUpCatholics.com/ Marie Joseph

    You are so right — and if it were not for Paul we would not have all the writings — or most of them after acts of the apostles!!!!!!!!! We learn all about the church through Paul — the LIFE of the church — it is truly amazing that God can do so much through one person when they surrender to His will — and people it is never too late!!! God has a plan — he can accomplish that plan in a very short time — so no one can say I am too young or too old — God has a plan for each and everyone of us and it is perfect!

  • http://FiredUpCatholics.com/ Marie Joseph

    YOU GOT IT!!! That is awesome — I'm with you in that prayer!!! whoooo hooooo! You go girl!

  • http://FiredUpCatholics.com/ Marie Joseph

    You are so right — and if it were not for Paul we would not have all the writings — or most of them after acts of the apostles!!!!!!!!! We learn all about the church through Paul — the LIFE of the church — it is truly amazing that God can do so much through one person when they surrender to His will — and people it is never too late!!! God has a plan — he can accomplish that plan in a very short time — so no one can say I am too young or too old — God has a plan for each and everyone of us and it is perfect!