The Persecution of the Christians: Increase of the Church
“And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a grea persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.” — Acts vni. 1-4.
ON that day a great persecution sprang up. The translators have taken the definite term in a general sense — “at that time” — which it may sometimes bear; but l62 there seems no necessity here for avoiding the more specific meaning. It is natural that when the flood of rage had been permitted once to break out, it should flow on and cover all the neighbourhood. It broke out like a flame, and instantlyseized and licked up all that could be converted into fuel. The leaders of such a movement found it their interest that the passions of the multitude, once excited, should have no time to cool. The tiger had tasted blood, and now the creature thirsts more fiercely for another victim. On that day a great persecution broke out.
The favour of the people had gained for the Christians a brief breathing-time, and they had occupied it well. In the interval several thousands had become obedient to the faith. Of these, a large proportion were priests, who might be expected to be of special service afterwards to the cause. When they had learned that the Scriptures testify of Christ, they would be better fitted by their previous training than disciples of another class for the work of convincing gainsayers and edifying the Church.
But the popular favour soon failed the Christians. That protection seems to have sprung up as quickly as Jonah’s gourd, and withered as soon. Already the defenceless heads of the witnesses were exposed to the full fury of the persecution. They were scattered abroad, — the assemblies broken up, and the individual disciples compelled to flee. They betook themselves to the country around Jerusalem, and some penetrated northward into Samaria. Thus, although their steps were directed by events beyond their control, they were exactly fulfilling the Master’s commission, — first in Jerusalem, next in Judaea, then in Samaria, and thence to the uttermost parts of the earth. The six surviving deacons, and other prominent members of the Church, sought refuge in flight; but the apostles remained still in Jerusalem.
As for Saul, he pursued his vocation. “He made havoc of the Church;” but he was employed as an instrument in promoting the Divine plan. The havoc made by Saul scattered the Christians; the scattered Christians were like sparks, kindling a great flame wherever they fell: “They that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.”
At this point the historian, according to his custom, abandons the method of general description, and exhibits, by way of example, the details of a particular case. The portion of Christian history selected in this section is the ministry of Philip the deacon. Two specimens of his preaching are given in this chapter; and I think these two have been chosen as a sign for all places and all times. The gospel first reaches Samaria, and then the ends of the earth. The first example of Philip’s ministry is among the nearest neighbours of the Jews; and the next is addressed to an Ethiopian, representative of the distant Gentiles. The first is a ministry in a city to a multitude; the next is a ministry in a desert to a single man. These two are types of alL And in both, the preacher’s theme was one: — when he went to a city of Samaria, “he preached Christ unto them:” when he met the Ethiopian in the desert, he “preached unto him Jesus.”
In the gallery of missionary portraits which this book displays, although some are larger, none are more distinctly traced than that of the evangelist Philip. The sketches given of his life and labours are very short, but very clear. He comes suddenly upon the stage, marches quickly across it, and disappears on the other side when his part is played. Very little time is allowed to examine him, and yet we do not forget him when he is gone. All his movements are remarkable for directness and precision; there is no ambiguous haze hanging over the horizon of his life. This is not the man who at first possesses ten talents; but this is the man who lays out his five with such a will, that they soon become ten in his hands. His movements remind you of Ezekiel’s wheels. Like them, he goes straight forward, without turning to the right hand or to the left — whether in going forward or in coming back — whether on his way from the city to the wilderness, or on his way from the wilderness to the city. Like them, too, he moves with the Spirit, and by the Spirit: he goes not unbidden, and goes not alone. Where the Spirit leads, he follows.
Philip was driven into Samaria by the violence of the persecution at Jerusalem. This is the way by which the gospel was propagated in those days. The blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church. In this matter the plan of Providence has been to a great extent changed in our time. It is not by the persecution of Christians in one place that Christianity is carried into another now. In the cognate kingdom of nature vegetation is spread, not always and everywhere by one and the same agency. A part of the work is done by the wind bearing the winged seeds over mountains and moors, a part by birds carrying heavier fruits for objects of their own, and a part by the progressive outspread of the roots under the ground. There is a similar diversity in the methods employed by the Omniscient Husbandman to scatter the seed of the Word over the world. Missionaries are now for the most part sent out, not driven out. This method, though more gentle, is not less effectual. It is the spontaneousness of the scattering that constitutes its glory. “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.” On the part of the Church, it is eminently a reasonable service; and yet men are drawn into it by the loving-kindness of the Lord.
Two methods are in operation among civilised nations for filling up their armies: one is a forced conscription from the inhabitants, the other a voluntary enlistment. Both methods have in practice made good soldiers; but in its nature the voluntary service is the nobler of the two, and in its operation the sweeter. In this manner the missionary army of the present day is recruited. It is not that the disciples of Christ preach to the heathen because they are driven from home; it is that they go from home that they may preach to the heathen.
Nor is there any room for self-complacency on our part, when the two periods and the two processes are compared. It is not that we adopt the gentler method because our love is stronger: I rather think the Lord spares us the sterner method because our faith is weaker. If we were persecuted as the early Christians were, I fear, instead of imparting our religion to our neighbours, we should let go our own. Let us appreciate our privileges and thank the Giver. Let us not be high-minded, but fear.
Further: seeing we enjoy abundant peace, we ought to be abundant in our mission labour. The early Christians did much mission work because they were persecuted; we ought to do more because we are not. Peace has multiplied our resources; if our efforts were proportioned to our resources, we might occupy a continent as easily as the hundred and twenty from the upper room occupied Samaria and Galilee. Our lives and our strength are not consumed by the fires of persecution; we should therefore devote more energy and effort to the service of the Lord.