Event 241: Saul Begins Persecuting Christians: Public Ministry of Jeus from the First Passover to the Second: Gospel Harmony [LivingWeb Library]

Event 241: Saul Begins Persecuting Christians

As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
- Acts 8:3

Book	Acts
Passage	8:1-3
Lectionary	Not used in Lectionary
Text	¹ And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. ² And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. ³ As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Time Frame	ca. AD 36

Quotes & Notes

John Wesley's Notes:
Saul made havoc of the Church-Like some furious beast of prey. So the Greek word properly signifies.

Men and women-Regarding neither age nor sex.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
Ac 7:58; 9:1-13; 22:3; 26:9-11; 1Co 15:9; Ga 1:13; Php 3:6 1Ti 1:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary:
The word elumaineto, from lumainw, to destroy, devastate, ravage, signifies the act of ferocious animals, such as bears, wolves, and the like, in seeking and devouring their prey. This shows with what persevering rancour this man pursued the harmless Christians; and thus we see in him what bigotry and false zeal are capable of performing.

Entering into every house] For, however it might be to others, a Christian man's house was not his castle.

Haling men and women] Neither sparing age nor sex in the professors of Christianity. The word surwn signifies dragging them before the magistrates, or dragging them to justice.

Committed them to prison.] For, as the Romans alone had the power of life and death, the Sanhedrin, by whom Saul was employed, Ac 26:10, could do no more than arrest and imprison, in order to inflict any punishment short of death. It is true, St. Paul himself says that some of them were put to death, see Ac 26:10; but this was either done by Roman authority, or by what was called the judgment of zeal, i.e. when the mob took the execution of the laws into their own hands, and massacred those whom they pretended to be blasphemers of God: for these sanctified their murderous outrage under the specious name of zeal for God's glory, and quoted the ensample of Phineas as a precedent. Such persons as these formed a sect among the Jews; and are known in ecclesiastical history by the appellation of Zealots or Sicarii.

Family Bible Notes:
Made havoc; furiously assaulted and laid waste. Hailing; or hauling, dragging by force.

People's New Testament Commentary:
As for Saul, he made havoc of the church. This mad violence he often recalled and mentioned while serving Christ. See Ac 22:4; 26:10; 1Co 15:9; Ga 1:13; Php 3:6; 1Ti 1:13.

Entering into every house. Where he supposed disciples could be found.

Haling. Hauling, dragging with violence. As we learn from Paul's statements elsewhere, the saints were not only committed to prison, but scourged in the synagogues and persecuted unto death.

Robertson's Word Pictures:
Laid waste (elumaineto). Imperfect middle of lumainomai, old verb (from lumê, injury), to dishonour, defile, devastate, ruin. Only here in the N.T. Like the laying waste of a vineyard by a wild boar (Ps 79:13). Picturesque description of the havoc carried on by Saul now the leader in the persecution. He is victor over Stephen now who had probably worsted him in debate in the Cilician synagogue in Jerusalem. Into every house (kata tous oikous). But Luke terms it "the church" (tên ekklêsian). Plainly not just an "assembly," but an organized body that was still "the church" when scattered in their own homes, "an unassembled assembly" according to the etymology. Words do not remain by the etymology, but travel on with usage. Haling (surôn). Literally, dragging forcibly (=hauling). Present active participle of surô, old verb. Men and women (andras kai gunaikas). A new feature of the persecution that includes the women. They met it bravely as through all the ages since (cf. Ac 9:2; 22:4). This fact will be a bitter memory for Paul always. Committed (paredidou). Imperfect active of paradidômi, old verb, kept on handing them over to prison.

Albert Barnes' Commentary:
As for Saul. But Saul. He had no concern in the pious attentions shown to Stephen, but engaged with zeal in the work of persecution.

He made havoc. elumaineto. This word is commonly applied to wild beasts, to lions, wolves, etc., and denotes the devastations which they commit. Saul raged against the church like a wild beast--a strong expression, denoting the zeal and fury with which he engaged in persecution.

Entering into every house. To search for those who were suspected of being Christians.

Haling. Dragging, or compelling them.

Committed them to prison. The sanhedrim had not power to put them to death, Joh 18:31, but they had power to imprison; and they resolved, it seems, to exercise this power to the utmost. Paul frequently refers to his zeal in persecuting the church, Ac 26:10,11; Ga 1:13. It may be remarked here, that there never was a persecution commenced with more flattering prospects to the persecutors. Saul, the principal agent, was young, zealous, learned, and clothed with power. He showed afterwards that he had talents fitted for any station; and zeal that tired with no exertion, and that was appalled by no obstacle. With this talent he entered on his work. Christians were few and feeble. They were scattered and unarmed. They were unprotected by any civil power, and exposed, therefore, to the full blaze and rage of persecution. That the church was not destroyed, was owing to the protection of God--a protection that not only secured its existence, but which extended its influence and power, by means of this very persecution, far abroad on the earth.

{a} "he made havoc" Ac 26:10,11; Ga 1:13
{*} "haling" "Dragging forth"

Jamieson-Faussett Brown:
3. Saul ... entering into every house--like as inquisitor [BENGEL].

haling men and women, &c.--See his own affecting confessions afterwards (Ac 22:4; 26:9,10; 1Co 15:9; Ga 1:13; Php 3:6; 1Ti 1:13).

1599 Geneva Bible Notes:
(3) As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

(3) The dispersion or scattering abroad of the faithful is the gathering together of churches.

Spurgeon Devotional Commentary:
None for Acts 8:3.

William Burkitt's Notes:
"Bloody Saul! was it not enough for thee to see a single saint destroyed, but wilt thou seek to destroy the whole fraternity and communion of saints?" Behold the fiery zeal of this furious persecutor: he spares neither age nor sex, neither men nor women, neither young nor old, but without respect he hales them to prison.

O fury! worse than inhuman, not only to drag men spitefully, but to hale women shamefully to prison. Women in all ages have been exempted from the insults of tyranny, but not always freed from the persecutor's fury. And blessed be God for that masculine courage and constancy which the feebler sex have shewn, when they have been called forth to bear their testimony for Christ; out of weakness they have been made strong. With what wisdom and courage have they answered their examiners, convicted their accusers, confuted their opposers, kissing the stake, hugging the faggots, embracing the flame! Thus can God help the weak things of the world to confound the strong: and teach the foolish to confute the wise.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:
None for Acts 8:3.

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