The apostles stayed in Jerusalem because they expected the Messiah to return to that city and knew they had no God-given right to leave.
Les Feldick shows from Acts 8:1 that when persecution scattered all the Jewish believers, the apostles were the exception. He explains that they were convinced the Messiah would return to Jerusalem, and they did not want to be absent when He came. Peter understood that he had no ministry to the Gentiles until Israel's king was in place, so the Twelve sat tight in Jerusalem even under intense persecution.
Acts 8:1 — This verse explicitly states that all the believers were scattered abroad except the apostles, directly answering where the apostles were.
Acts 11:19 — This verse shows that the scattered believers preached the word to none but Jews only, revealing the early church's understanding at that time.
Acts 8:1 records that when a great persecution arose against the church at Jerusalem, "they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles." The Twelve, therefore, were the specific exception to the scattering described in Scripture. Acts 11:19 then follows those who were scattered: believers who had been forced out of Jerusalem because of the persecution around Stephen traveled as far as Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch, "preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only." So the biblical record plainly shows the apostles remaining in Jerusalem while others scattered and preached, but only to Jews.
Les Feldick points out that the apostles' staying is not accidental or a failure. He emphasizes the word "except" in Acts 8:1 and asks why these twelve men, who had been with Christ for three years, would stay in Jerusalem under intense persecution. His answer: they knew they had no God-given right to leave. They were convinced that if they left Jerusalem, the Messiah would return to Jerusalem and they would not be there. Peter understood that he had no ministry to the Gentiles until Israel's king was in place. Les also notes that the believing Jews, including the apostles, remained within Judaism—still practicing the law and worshiping at the temple. The scattered believers, according to Acts 11:19, preached to none but Jew only, showing that the early church's message was still confined to Israel.
Les asks that if the apostles were embracing the Great Commission, where should they have been six or seven years later? They should have been throughout the whole Roman Empire. But where were they? Jerusalem. Not only were they in Jerusalem, but they would not leave even under intense persecution. They knew they had no God-given right to leave. They were convinced that if they left, the Messiah would come again and they would be gone. Peter understood that he had no ministry to the Gentiles until Israel's king was in place.
Acts 11:19 says that those who were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose around Stephen traveled as far as Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they were "preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only." Les emphasizes that this could not be plainer: they were not going to the Gentiles. Meanwhile, the apostles were the exception in Acts 8:1 — they stayed in Jerusalem.
Les notes that seven years after Pentecost, the apostles were still in Jerusalem. Every believing Jew had been scattered out of Jerusalem because of persecution, but the very leaders of those Jewish believers sat tight. In spite of all the pressure of persecution, those twelve men were still there.
Les asks his listeners to think about this: if the apostles were embracing the Great Commission, they should have been throughout the Roman Empire. Instead, they were in Jerusalem. But Les insists that their staying was "Contrary to the Word of God, not at all," because Peter understood that he had no ministry to the Gentiles until Israel's king was in place.
The Scattering Except the Twelve
Les reads Acts 8:1 and notes that every Jewish believer was scattered except the Twelve, the very men we would expect to have been out around the world.
The Apostles Knew They Had No Right to Leave
Les asks why the apostles were still in Jerusalem six or seven years later if the Great Commission were directing them; they would not leave even under persecution because they knew they had no God-given right to.
Waiting for the Messiah's Return
Les explains the apostles would not leave because if they did, the Messiah would come again and they would be gone; Peter knew he had no ministry to the Gentiles until Israel's king was in place.
Seven Years After Pentecost
Les highlights that seven years after Pentecost, every believing Jew had fled except the apostles, who sat tight.
Still Practicing Law and Temple Worship
Les reminds us that these Jewish believers were still within Judaism, practicing the law and worshiping at the temple, and that is why the apostles stayed in Jerusalem.
Preaching to None But Jew Only
Les shows from Acts 11:19 that those who were scattered traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but preached the word to none but Jew only.
The King Would Return to Jerusalem
Les repeats that the apostles were not about to leave because the King would return to Jerusalem, and they would not be there; they were still there seven years after Pentecost.
The Coffee Shop Analogy
Les uses the analogy of being afraid to leave the bus stop for coffee because the bus might arrive, describing the frame of mind of the twelve men who stayed in Jerusalem.
Acts 8:1: 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.
This verse directly states that the apostles did not scatter with the other believers, making them the exception.
Acts 11:19: 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.
This verse shows that even the scattered believers preached only to Jews, not to Gentiles.
No, according to Les Feldick. They were not embracing what we might call the Great Commission in the way we expect; they knew they had no God-given right to leave Jerusalem. Peter understood that he had no ministry to the Gentiles until Israel's king was in place.
No. Acts 11:19 says the scattered believers preached the word to none but unto the Jews only. The early believing Jews were still confining their preaching to Jews.
Les explains that the apostles were convinced that if they left Jerusalem, the Messiah would come again and they would be gone. So they stayed in Jerusalem, waiting for the King's return.
At least seven years after Pentecost. At the time of the scattering in Acts 8, after the persecution around Stephen, the apostles were still in Jerusalem.
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