The words of Zechariah now become an explanation for the sheep of the shepherd[1] being scattered. It truly reminds me of the epic cinematic event that is Avengers: Infinity War. G. W. H. Lampe argues that in Luke's theology, as ministers of the new covenant the apostles ought to remain in the capital of Israel: Luke simply believes that the apostles must stay in Jerusalem, for now that the Jewish In Luke, Jesus met the disciples in a room in Jerusalem on the evening of his resurrection, instructing them to stay in Jerusalem until they received power from on high (Luke 24:49). Phillip J. I am not so much interested in traditions that give reason for their staying in Jerusalem. It does appear that the persecution is directly aimed at the Hellenistic Christians. Since Stephen and Philip are examples in Luke of Hellenistic Jews who have accepted the apostolic message, it also seems likely that this persecution targeted Hellenistic Jewish believers. For. Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular. I believe the Bible teaches that God always answers our prayers. What denominations practice "laying on of hands" so that new converts may receive the Holy Ghost, and what manifestations are usually expected? It was because the Church had forgotten the primary purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spiritdeclared to them by the Lord just before he was taken up to heaven before their very eyes. Wherefore, undoubtedly, they are purposed to do their duty; and especially, whereas they stand to it when all the rest fly, that is an evident testimony of valiant constancy. Many reached out to neighbors. 7:4). Jesus asked [his disciples], "Do you finally believe? When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. Reflections on The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West, Reflections After a Journey Through 1 Kings. "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.". Also resonant here is Ezekiel 34, where Israel has been cared for by unfaithful shepherds (leaders) and so God takes on the role of the true shepherd to seek out the scattered sheep. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. (Garland 2001, 255). Then said Jesus to them, All you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. Every day the believers met in the temple courts to be blessed and built up by the ministry of Peter and the other apostles. John 21:14 says This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. He told them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. Psalm 38:11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off. In Jesus' name, I pray. Diastrophism - Wikipedia Receiving the Holy Spirit after conversion Acts 8:1417, Zechariah 14 and Acts 1 according to those who reject the deity of Christ. People were getting tortured and killed because of their beliefs and for being a Christian, but they still stayed because they took Jesus final commission very seriously. Post-crucifixion, did the disciples flee to Galilee? | BeliefMap.org Stephen is speaking with boldness and the truth hurts sometimes. The, the definite article. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. Stephen lay dead. Part of the reason why I believe the disciples scattered and were so afraid was to complete scripture. rev2023.6.27.43513. As Judas has succumbed to the lure of wealth like the seed choked by thorns (13:22), the other disciples will wilt at the first sign of persecution like the seed that landed in rocky soil. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. Even Peter, for all his bold declarations, will continue to be a little faith one who doubts, denies, and is unable to bear even the burden of staying awake with Jesus while he prays. It seems odd from a modern, western perspective to employ violence to suppress sub-group within a religion, although there are plenty of examples of violent clashes between various Christian groups over the centuries. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural. New King James Version From skandalon; to entrap, i.e. Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Do all believers receive the Holy Spirit at conversion but only a few are filled with the Holy Spirit post conversion? Crossref reports the following articles citing this article: Nathan D. Hooven, Matthew T. Springer, Clayton K. Nielsen, Eric M. Schauber Influence of natal habitat preference on habitat selection during extrahome range movements in a large ungulate, Ecology and Evolution 13, no.2 2 (Feb 2023). Are Prophet's "uncertainty intervals" confidence intervals or prediction intervals. His mind may have been set on the lie that Stephen was speaking horrible nonsense and that he deserved to die, so people just like him should die as well. Since Saul led the group which killed Stephen, it seems as though conservative Hellenistic Jews are continuing the persecution. He describes himself in Phil 3:6 this way, " as to zeal, a persecutor of the church". Why is only one rudder deflected on this Su 35? They begin to do great things by healing and sharing with everyone the good news of Jesus Christ. The good guys are losing. God has been doing it in an organized way through the sending of missionaries for a very long time. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Looking back through history, one can see examples of how an ideology can become so distorted to the point where violence becomes the way to silence the opposers. Contact Us. Therefore, his motive to persecute Hellenistic Christians could have been because they were completely turning their faith around and believing in Jesus when he thought this was incorrect. Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular. While the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) are not clear as to whether the fragments were of bread alone (they only mention 12 baskets of leftovers), the gospel of John indicates that the fragments were indeed of bread.. The Power of the Scattered People of God - Discipleship.org Like all the other scatterings of the past, time will tell what kind of impact this latest scatteringwhich was more like a stayingand growth will have on the cultural and religious landscape in the United States and beyond. Diastrophism covers movement of solid (plastic) crust material, as opposed to movement of molten material which is covered by volcanism. Answers Why were Jesus' disciples so frightened after He was arrested and crucified? "Although this message was sent to the south, and referred to the seed of Israel, it may profitably be a summons to ourselves. Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural. You will be taken to a secure site where you can enter your credit card information and donation amount. They were ethnic Jews born into the Mosaic Covenant. Matthew 24:9,10 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. Offended and Scattered - Marty Griffith The courage shown by Stephen, the persecution of the church all, led to gospel of the church. Why do microcontrollers always need external CAN tranceiver? He uses terrible people to accomplish his great plan. 8:28-30), we know that no person with true faith can be cut off finally from salvation. But Saul began to destroy the church. This is not to say that some might abandon the traditional model, but that it would be complemented with a partnership with more organic approaches. It is known that Saul himself was a Hellenistic Jew because by tradition the Greeks gave their children their names associated with their place of birth thus Saul of Tarsus (Barnes, n.d.). An example of this might be if a fellow Christian says they are Christian but they are a hypocrite, not following the commandments or not really doing anything pertaining to Christianity (1 John 4:20, Matthew 7:5, James 1:26). David Garland catches the language of this passage, and its connection with previous imagery in the gospel, well when he states: They will all be scandalized and scattered when their shepherd is struck. Maybe he was jealous or afraid of what the witnesses might tell people. See: I think you misunderstood the question. Annoyed at the cold reception his wife Sarah Bixby Smith's realistic still lifes had received from an art exhibition jury, Jordan-Smith sought revenge by styling himself as "Pavel Jerdanowitch" (Cyrillic: a), a variation on his own name. (2008). Clarifying the question According to reports, just before Jesus was arrested in Jerusalem and crucified there, he told his 12 apostles that they will scatter like sheep. Rather, are there any scriptures that would explain this unexpected behavior? From dia and skorpizo; to dissipate, i.e. It is interesting to me however, that the apostles appear to remain neutral from this persecution. To smite, strike (as with a sword), smite to death, afflict. NASB 1977 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me." John 16:31-32 NLT Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. You would need to provide scriptures stating or at least supporting your answer for it to solidly answer the question. When the Kingdom comes and a faithful remnant of Israel does receive her King, then the role for Israel will be fulfilled and the Apostles will judge Israel and there will be those sent to the whole world. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. to Samaria (Acts 8:14) and Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 11:22), and when the apostles tell Paul that he should go to the Gentiles and they to the Jews (Galatians 2:9). We know from Acts 1:8 that the gospel will go out to the ends of the earth and Saul was a big help in scattering the Jews allowing for the gospel to spread farther and farther. Instead of going forth to witness for Jesus in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth, they remained in Jerusalem to enjoy life there now that they had been wonderfully baptized by the Holy Spirit. When it came down to it, Saul sought to kill Christians to feed his selfish desire of the flesh, he was intimated by challengers and had to have his way. They have already saw Jesus twice and they are still sitting in a fishing boat. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Required fields are marked *. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. Though fascinating, much of it seems to be speculation and personal viewpoints, which isn't what this site is about. He that believeth and is Even here the prediction of the disciples scandalization because of Jesus apprehension, trial, and crucifixion is the promise of his being raised up and going ahead of them to Galilee. All, the whole, every kind of. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take They knew that Jesus was more powerful than any High Priest which is why they continued their stay. Is a naval blockade considered a de-jure or a de-facto declaration of war? To flee, escape, shun. A daily devotional about God's power for our battles. If God pours out his Spirit on them (gentiles) when they hear the word preached to them about Jesus, then God is accepting them without having to first be circumcised. God did this in the Exile, scattering many of his people to other lands, where they developed synagogues and outposts of Gods people far and wide. - John 16:32. So, well, if God is accepting them, how can we keep them out? Except where noted, scripture quotations are taken from the Easy-to-Read Version 2001 by Bible League International. for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Many times however, during His earthly ministry, Jesus would say that it wasn't yet His time to die for our sin. Then, at that time. Matthew 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, "This very night you will all I do not think there is enough reason to factually state that Saul was only ravaging Hellenistic Jewish believers because it would seem as if he would ravage anyone who stood in his way especially when you are so mad you gnash your teeth. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. By Billy Graham Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. We will find out later that these Hellenistic Jews went as far as Antioch and Damascus as well. Topics: Crucifixion. Why are missions today so very different from what is recorded in Acts? However, what did the scattered Christians do? Jesus said they would all be scattered, but John waited at the foot of the cross with Mary until the end. Local: 704-401-2432 They were still sharing the gospel and preaching the name of Jesus, but they were not associated with Saul in any way shape or form and Stephen was, just by being a Hellenistic Jew. Keener recognizes the Hellenists were the special targets of persecution, although Luke says Saul was attaching all the church. Keener sees this as another example of Lukes hyperbolic use of all in both the Gospel and the book of Acts (2:1468). The Acts of the Apostles. Cherie Mitchell. "Wednesday night was tremendous. As never before it now dawned upon them that Jesus was more than just a prophet, a healer, a miracle worker or a teacher. Stephen knew where he was going in the end along with the other Hellenistic Jews that continued their spreading of the Word. A shift happened. Although I do not think an individual can say for certain whether Saul was only targeting Hellenistic Christians, like Stephen and Phillip, and not any other type of Christians, such as Peter and John who were Jewish Christians, I do see the points one can make in favor of Saul only persecuting Hellenistic Christians. They had hoped He would overcome the power of the Roman government and establish a new kingdom, and now their hopes of this vanished. Our 2023 summer donation drive was a success because of YOU! appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my We inspire. But here, Matthew, like Mark, quotes Zechariah 13:7: Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me! declares the LORD Almighty. Yet, for Matthew, the events that surround the life of Jesus are illustrated in the scriptures of Israel in predictive ways. It appears that Saul was just leading a crusade against the Christians. Of uncertain affinity; a shepherd. Sure enough, as Jesus is arrested, Mk writes, "And they all left Him and fled." When the apostles "fled", did they in fact all flee, and flee all the way back to Galilee? Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural. Even the apostles, such as Peter and John, would have to fear for their lives when they stayed in Jerusalem (Acts 8:2). Mark 14:50 Then everyone deserted Him and fled. - Bible Hub Many Disciples Leave Jesus | NeverThirsty Expensive perfume is poured on his head by a woman. Will the ship sink? Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. I think partly the Apostles, through the Holy Spirit, knew they needed to stay in Jerusalem for a bit longer to continue witnessing. I answer, that seeing Christ had commanded them to begin at Jerusalem, they employed themselves there until such time as being brought into some other place by his hand, they might know, for a surety, that he was their guide. In, on, among. How often do we see this today? Retrieved from http://thirdmill.org/answers/answer.asp/file/39791. Jesus himself foretells how he will be betrayed by one of his disciples; after the passover prepared, and eaten, institutes his last supper; declares beforehand the flight of all his disciples, and Peter's denial. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. Stephen was speaking truth and the Pharisees did not like to be wrong. He explained Exaltation as a symbol of "breaking the shackles of womanhood". Or they felt their duty was to stay in Jerusalem and keep evangelizing because it is where it was needed most at that time. He has Masters degrees in Biblical Exposition and Old Testament from Talbot School of Theology (BIOLA) and a PhD in New Testament from Andrews University. Show me the scripture in the 1611 AV. [3], Last edited on 22 November 2022, at 22:16, Pictures Painted to "Show Up" the Critics Bring Fame to Mythical Modernistic Artist, INTERNATIONAL ART HOAX BARED BY LOS ANGELES AUTHOR, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Disumbrationism&oldid=1123283882, This page was last edited on 22 November 2022, at 22:16. The rest likely stayed in hiding or maintained a low profile until the heat was off. Lead us to redemptively love others who do not know this grace as their own. The Early Church - Bible Study the important thing in my experience is that we pick ourselves back up and know that Christ is with us to the very end. He told them, The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. Welcome to Christianity.SE. Why did Jesus tell the Apostles to "go not the way of the - eBible When I talk to leaders about personally investing in people, I often get a bit of push back. It was only after they were scattered from the comfortable confines of Jerusalem did they began to obey the Lords command. One reason is because they didnt understand what He was sayingbut didnt want to embarrass themselves by admitting it. The truth is that Jesus was betrayed by two of His disciples: Judas and Peter. them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. However, I do think that in Acts 8, the apostles stayed in the city of Jerusalem to allow people to see how God protected them during this awfully violent time after the death of Stephen the first martyr. Quoting John 6:13 from NASB translation:. I would say that Peter referred to the Christians to whom his epistle was directed as strangers who were scattered for two reasons. Multiple Causes of Dispersal | The American Naturalist: Vol 126, No 6 Amen. Mark 16:15-18 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and God has long history of using scattered people, and using people to grow the kingdom. Now onto Acts 8 and your actual question. In Acts 8:2 we see that Saul dragged off men and women and was ravaging the church. Here is what Luke tells us. Now let's fast forward ~1200 years. How does "safely" function in this sentence? Even though the disciples might seem like seeds that spring up quickly and wilt at the first sign of persecution, they are caught up in a story that is larger than themselves. History tells us the rest. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. Why did God scatter the wonderful Spirit-filled Church in Acts 8? Berean Literal Bible And all this is come to pass, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then the disciples all, having forsaken Him, fled. A shepherd; hence met: of the feeder, protector, and ruler of a flock of men. Can I use Sparkfun Schematic/Layout in my design? ", Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Acts 4:33 With great power the apostles continued to testifyto the resurrectionof the Lord Jesus. Using the phrase belonging to the way shows he did not agree with what his fellow Hellenistic Jews were starting to convert to because he gave them a new name to call them by. Thousands fled the city. Alternative to 'stuff' in "with regard to administrative or financial _______.". The question is this: Will this continue and last or is it more of a passing moment? As practicing Christians, we would not want non-believers to associate ALL Christians with this person, thinking that we are all hypocrites. Saul is the ringleader of this persecution he begins to ravaging the church (ESV). But there are significant differences between how Peter and Judas betrayed Jesus. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. Since Stephens sermon was a statement of judgment against the leadership of Israel for their resistance to the Holy Spirit. Why was James not replaced? There is a progression of resistance in Acts 1-8. This persecution is directly related to the death of Stephen in chapter 7. While it is true that a modern, western perspective cannot fathom using violence to encourage others to remain true to their faith, clearly this is not always the case. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost, the Church was born. BUT Jesus! Job 6:15-22 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away; , Job 19:13-16 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Hadn't He told them He was going to be put to death and come back to life? It shows that God is constantly with us protecting His children if we allow Him. For the Scriptures say, 'God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' English Standard Version Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular. 5 . Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. We are better together than we are apart! Saul was stirring up persecution. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. Matthew 27:27 states that Jesus was forsaken by the disciples when the Roman soldiers arrested Jesus after Judas betrayed Him. He did it to save the lost world. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen. It was just so that Stephen was a man that was one of few faces that was leading in a powerful way for the Christ followers. Home In Acts 8:1-8 the church underwent tremendous persecution. When the Holy Spirit arrives we start to see another level of confidence from the apostles. Their scandalization and scattering are not final and their inability to maintain the level of steadfastness they expect of themselves is not a disqualification from being a part of what God is doing in this scene. Jesus promises that after little while - Bible Gateway Hadn't He told them that He'd come back to life again? The apostles (presumably) could remain due to their being pure Israelites (even with this Messianic belief -- which wasn't the real issue -- other sects of Judaism which had messianic beliefs were tolerated within Judaism [in some cases not tolerated by Rome as we hear Gamaliel tell us in Acts 5, but this is likely because they were trying to reproduce the exploits of the Maccabeans and throw off the yoke of Rome]). Jesus tells them to stay and they do. But Saul began to destroy the church. God did miraculous things, and the result was a great job and kingdom growth. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.". Used by permission. Then all the disciples deserted Jesus and ran away. But the time is coming indeed it's here now when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. The disciples think they believe. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. The people of God throughout the scriptures have struggled to live as a community faithful to the covenant that they have been invited into. The disciples ran! Its easy to condemn those disciplesbut how often does this happen to us? A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason. Luke 22:29-30 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath The Bible never shows the twelve going around the world any more than it shows Peter going to Rome. The question is this: Is God doing this in our day? What Are Your Priorities? I noticed that the Apostles stayed in Jerusalem for a long time while others sort of acted like missionaries as a result of being scattered except the Apostles. I want to think that at the end of it all, God was in control of the events that were all meant to spread the gospel. Acts 8:1 On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Examining the Causes of the Deep Division Between Americans and While there may not be concrete evidence to prove Saul was only targeting the Hellenistic Christians, this sudden shift to extreme persecution does lend to that theory. Whoever says, I know him, but does not, Let Jesus Be the Center of Your Priorities, The Purpose of Imitating and Obeying Jesus as His Disciple. 3 I noticed that the Apostles stayed in Jerusalem for a long time while others sort of acted like missionaries as a result of being scattered. Polhill states that the apostles retained their authority over the entire church (2097). Yes, on several occasions Jesus taught His disciples what would happen to Him as His ministry drew to its close. In 2019 he published a commentary. [2] He will face the horrors of the cross by himself. We have seen growth, and we have been encouraged by the sheer number of people who are wanting to start something new! In the face of complacency, we try harder. In Acts 22:3 while giving his testimony he says he was educated according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers (ESV). Strengths and Weaknesses of the 12 Disciples.