He also is one of the men selected in Acts 6 to serve the Jerusalem church by overseeing the daily distribution to the widows.

Philip is one of the men fleeing from the persecution.

The Christians fleeing Jerusalem went on preaching the good news of Jesus Christ as they went.

Saul is wrecking havoc on the church in Jerusalem. These Christians were teaching and preaching in each other вЂs home, eating meals together, and spending time doing the will of God. These Christians were zealous and passionate, meeting daily in the temple courts preaching the risen Jesus.

Saul вЂs work would have been easy because these Christians did not gather for only an hour on Sunday. Saul begins to devastate the Christians by entering into their homes, dragging off men and women, and putting them in prison.

Saul, the one who approved of Stephen вЂs death and held the cloaks of those who stoned Stephen, ravages the church.

So severe is the persecution that the Christians are fleeing for their lives to other areas in Judea and Samaria. On the same day of Stephen вЂs, a severe persecution against all the Christians in Jerusalem breaks out. We become quickly aware about the motives of Saul. The first verse of chapter 8 tells us that Saul approved of Stephen вЂs execution. One can only imagine the terror that would have struck the Christians as the Jewish leaders have not only managed to put to death Jesus, which He predicted, but also killed one of their evangelists and servants.

What a horrifying scene for the Christians in Jerusalem as one of the men selected to be a servant of the Jerusalem church is dragged out of the city and stoned by the Jewish leaders.

The last we read about this event is found in Acts 8:2, вЂњ But devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.

Because of his boldness, Stephen is stoned for the preaching the name of Jesus Christ to these Jewish leaders.

In chapter 7 we read about the boldness of Stephen, preaching to the Sanhedrin concerning their rebellion against God.

Simon the sorcerer commentary