In our Sunday night bible study class at church we have just started Acts 8.In the first verse Luke tells us that due to the persecution in Jerusalem the new Christians were scattered abroad,except for the Apostles.The obvious question is why did they not leave?
From what I have been able to gather from my studies,there seems to be not much interest by the commentators,giving the subject only a sentence or two.Only Frank Stagg,professor of Greek at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, seems to be thorough in his answer.Whether he is right or wrong,I know not, therefore I bring the issue to the board here.
He says that the Apostles stayed in Jerusalem because none of them, at that time had tried to break down "the middle wall of partition."They were all still Jews,granted, Christian Jews but still Jews.None of the twelve had taken the iniative to preach to the Samaritans or the Gentiles.Only gradually did they investigate the truths that Stephen had given his life for.
This view dovetails nicely with Saul's rant.His furor was directed at a specific group;those who shared Stephen's liberal view.Just before being stoned Stephen gave his captors a review of Hebrew history,in which he demonstrated that God never limited Himself to one land ,and certainly not to the temple in Jerusalem."Holy ground" was any ground where God had been encountered.Many of the most cherished experiences of their fathers had taken place outside Palestine.
I realize that we are not to add to the scriptures ,but it just seems that there should be if not a theological answer then certainly a historical one.

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