The Book of Acts
Saul – Persecutor of the Church
Text:
Acts 8:1-3
Introduction:
After the death of Stephen, a severe persecution
arose against the Lord’s church.
Verse 1
Acts 8:1
“Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great
persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and
they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria,
except the apostles.” NKJV Christians, with the exception of
the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. A young
man by the name of Saul was instrumental in this persecution.
Verses 2-3
Acts 8:2-3
“And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great
lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church,
entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing
them to prison.” NKJV But who was this Saul and why was he so
zealous in persecuting followers of Christ?
Body:
I.
Who Was Saul?
A.
His Birthplace
Saul was probably born in the first years of the
Christian era making him a little younger than Jesus. He was born
in Tarsus, the principal city of Cilicia in Southeast Asia Minor
[modern Turkey]. (Acts
21:39)
“But Paul said, ‘I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no
mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.’ ”
NKJV It was a very important city, being a large trade center
on the Mediterranean coast. Tarsus had become quite rich due to the
trade of the city’s merchants and its population had swelled to over
a quarter of a million people. One product Tarsus was known for was
the high quality of its tents made from the black hair of the goats
which lived in the nearby Tarsus mountains. Tarsus was also
known as a university town with educators from all over the world
coming there to teach. The university there had leanings toward
stoicism which no doubt Saul was exposed to while growing up. Saul,
Paul, encountered stoic philosophers in Athens. (Acts
17:18)
“Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And
some said, ‘What does this babbler want to say?’ Others said, ‘He
seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,’ because he preached to
them Jesus and the resurrection.” NKJV
B.
His Roman Citizenship
Read
Acts 22:25-29.
“And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who
stood by, ‘Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and
uncondemned?’ When the centurion heard that, he went and told the
commander, saying, ‘Take care what you do, for this man is a
Roman.’ Then the commander came and said to him, ‘Tell me, are you
a Roman?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ The commander answered, ‘With a large
sum I obtained this citizenship.’ And Paul said, ‘But I was born a
citizen.’ ” NKJV Citizenship was not automatically conferred
to every citizen of Tarsus. It was granted to families of high
social standing or possibly for services rendered to Rome. So Saul
was born into a wealthy, prominent family in Tarsus. Few Jews were
awarded this privileged status. This citizenship had many
advantages. They had the right to appeal to the emperor if they
felt the outcome of their trial was unfair. They could also vote
and become members of the senate. (Acts
25:10-12)
“So Paul said, ‘I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to
be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well
know. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving
of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these
things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them.
I appeal to Caesar.’ Then Festus, when he had conferred with the
council, answered, ‘You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you
shall go!’ ” NKJV
C.
His Jewish Heritage
Read
Acts 22:3.
“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in
this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the
strictness of the fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you
all are today.” NKJV In Paul’s day, rabbis were the teachers
and interpreters of the Law of Moses. Synagogues, scattered
throughout much of the Roman Empire, were the places Jews went to be
educated by the rabbis. There were three main sects within
Judaism: Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. The latter was a
male-only order, and lived very austere lives usually in remote
areas. The Dead Sea Scrolls were a work of the Essenes. The
Sadducees were a small but powerful sect more concerned with this
life than the next. The Jewish Supreme Court, the Sanhedrin, was
controlled by the Sadducees. The Pharisees were the largest sect of
the Jews and this was Saul’s particular sect. Over time, the
Pharisees had built a set of rules to “protect” the Law of Moses.
These rules, or traditions, were incredibly detailed and took God’s
laws further than they were ever intended. See
Matthew 23:4
“For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s
shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their
fingers.” and
Matthew 15:7-9.
“Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These
people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their
lips But their heart is far from Me And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ” NKJV Saul
probably began his Jewish education in the synagogue at around age
five. At around age thirteen, he would have left Tarsus for
Jerusalem to study under the renowned rabbi Gamaliel. (Acts
5:34)
“Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a
teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded
them to put the apostles outside for a little while.” NKJV
Saul received the best education his religion had to offer.
II.
Why Did Saul Persecute Christians?
·
Saul was a strict Pharisee. (Acts
23:6)
“But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other
Pharisees, he cried out in the council, ‘Men and brethren, I am a
Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and
resurrection of the dead I am being judged!’ ” (Acts 26:4-5)
“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning
among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. They knew me
from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to
the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.” (Philippians
3:5) “circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the
tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a
Pharisee;” NKJV
·
He was very zealous concerning those he believed
might harm the Jewish faith. (Galatians
1:13-14)
“For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I
persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy
it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in
my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of
my fathers.” (Philippians 3:6) “concerning zeal,
persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the
law, blameless,” NKJV
·
He consented to the death of Stephen. (Acts
22:19-20)
“So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned
and beat those who believe on You. And when the blood of Your
martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his
death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ ”
NKJV
·
He entered names dragging men and women off to
prison. (Acts
8:3)
“As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and
dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.” (Acts
22:4) “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and
delivering into prisons both men and women.” NKJV Saul even
went into the synagogues and beat Christians. (Acts
22:19)
“So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned
and beat those who believe on You.’ ” NKJV
·
He was convinced that he should do as much as he
could to oppose the name of Jesus. (Acts
26:9-11)
“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name
of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the
saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief
priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against
them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled
them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I
persecuted them even to foreign cities. NKJV
Conclusion:
Many aspects of Saul’s early life and background
prepared him for the work of an apostle that God had planned for him
later in his life. (I
Timothy 1:15-16)
“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus
Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are
going to believe on Him for everlasting life.” NKJV
Bobby Stafford
August 30, 2015 [Evening]
Acts: Lesson 20 Acts 8:1-3
