Did the gospel go to the whole world as soon as the New Testament began?
No. At the beginning of the New Testament, the gospel was confined to Israel, not sent to the whole world. Jewish believers, scattered by persecution after Stephen, preached the word to none but Jews only. Only later, through a transitional process in Acts, did the message begin to go to the Gentiles.
Les explains that Acts is a transitional book. He notes that after Peter came back to Jerusalem from Cornelius, Peter still was not going out to the Gentiles, and in Galatians 2 he understood he was not supposed to; his ministry was confined to the Jew, the circumcision, while Paul was to go to the Gentiles. So far in Acts it had been all Jewish. Acts 11:19 describes those scattered by the persecution around Stephen traveling as far as Phoenus, Cyprus, and Atioch, preaching the word to none but Jews only. Les says this verse opened his eyes, because he had assumed that as soon as the New Testament began, the whole world was being given the gospel. But it wasn't; it had been confined to Israel, and even these Jewish believers had no concept of going to Gentiles. In Acts 11, the transition to the Gentile kicks into higher gear, and the Jewish program begins slipping away.
Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
More Questions
Was the gospel given to the whole world immediately in the New Testament?
The common assumption that as soon as you got into the New Testament the gospel was given to the whole world is wrong; at this point the gospel was still confined to Israel, and Jewish believers had no concept of going to the Gentiles.
Did the early believers preach to Gentiles right after Pentecost?
In Acts 11:19 the scattered believers preached the Word to none but Jews only — seven or eight years after Pentecost these Jews had gone to no one but Jews.