What Scriptures did the early scattered believers have to preach before the New Testament was written?
The early scattered believers had the Old Testament Scriptures to preach, because no New Testament had yet been written. They had fled Jerusalem after Stephen's martyrdom and preached the word as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but only to Jews. Not a word of the New Testament was written until later.
Les explains that these were believing Jews who had followed Christ in His earthly ministry or had responded to the early Acts preaching, and because of Saul's persecution they fled Jerusalem. This scattering occurred about seven years after Pentecost, connected back to Stephen's martyrdom. Wherever they went—as far north as Antioch in Syria, and also to Phoenicia and Cyprus—they preached the word. But since no New Testament existed yet, and not a word of it was written until roughly 30 to 70 A.D., their only Scriptures were the Old Testament, which was written to the Jew. Therefore they preached to none but Jews.
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
What did the early believers preach when they had no New Testament?
The 'Word' those early believers preached was the Old Testament, because they did not yet have the New Testament.
What did the early Christians preach before the New Testament existed?
The Word these early believers preached was the Old Testament, because they did not yet have the New Testament.