Which believers stayed in Jerusalem when the church was scattered in Acts 8?
The twelve men stayed in Jerusalem when the church was scattered. All the Jewish believers fled throughout Judea and Samaria under intense persecution, except the very twelve men, who remained because their ministry was to the Jew until the covenant program was fulfilled.
Les explains that seven years had gone by, and Saul—later Paul—was consenting to Stephen's death. A great persecution arose against the assembly at Jerusalem, and all the Jewish believers were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. The word 'all' means all: every Jew who had embraced Jesus as Messiah fled under intense pressure, except the very twelve men. Les points out that these twelve stayed put, even though one might expect them to be the first to leave. They were not derelict; they knew they had no ministry to the ends of the world until the covenant program was fulfilled. Their ministry was to the Jew.
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
More Questions
Who made up the church at Jerusalem in Acts 8?
The Jerusalem assembly/church that was being persecuted in Acts 8 was composed of Jewish believers.
Who were the scattered believers in Acts 11:19 and where did they go?
The people scattered by the persecution over Stephen, referred to in Acts 11:19, are the same people described in Acts 8:1, and they went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch.