The apostles stayed because their God-given ministry was still centered on Israel, not on the Gentiles, and they were awaiting the King's return to Jerusalem.
Les Feldick teaches that the twelve apostles were not disobeying the Great Commission; rather, they understood they had no ministry to the Gentiles until Israel's King was in place. Scripture shows all the other Jewish believers scattered under persecution, but the apostles deliberately remained in Jerusalem even seven years after Pentecost.
Acts 8:1 — This verse explicitly states that all believers were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria except the apostles, showing the apostles' deliberate stay.
Acts 11:19 — It confirms that the scattered believers went out preaching, while the apostles remained in Jerusalem.
Acts 8:1 says that a great persecution arose against the church at Jerusalem, and all the believers were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria — except the apostles. The text makes a clear point that the twelve did not leave. Acts 11:19 further describes those who were scattered abroad because of the persecution that arose about Stephen. They traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. The biblical record itself distinguishes the scattered believers from the apostles who stayed in Jerusalem.
Les Feldick teaches that the apostles stayed in Jerusalem because they were still looking for the King. He uses the analogy of a man waiting for a bus or a wife — if he leaves to get coffee, he might miss the arrival. In the same way, the apostles feared that if they left Jerusalem, the Messiah would return and they would not be there. Les emphasizes that these were not disobedient men. Rather, they knew their theology better than most people do today. They understood that under the covenant program, the message was to Israel, and they had no God-given right to go to the Gentiles until Israel's King was in place. Even under the intense persecution of Saul of Tarsus, those twelve men sat tight in Jerusalem, and they were still there seven years after Pentecost.
No, Les says they were not remiss. They knew their theology better than most people do today. The commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel was not for them to fulfill under the covenant until they had the King. The pressure of persecution did not send them out to the Gentiles because they understood their ministry was still to Israel.
Les compares the apostles to a man waiting for someone at a bus depot: if he goes across the street for coffee, the bus will arrive and he will miss the meeting. In the same way, the apostles believed that if they left Jerusalem, the King would return and they would be gone. So even though Saul was persecuting believers even to death, the twelve sat tight.
Les notes that even seven years after Pentecost, the twelve were still sitting tight in Jerusalem. Every other believing Jew had been scattered because of the pressure, but the apostles did not leave. Their stay was not accidental; it reflected their understanding that they had no God-given right to go anywhere else until Israel's King was in place.
The Great Commission Was Not Yet in Effect
Les explains that Peter and the eleven did not go to the ends of the earth because under the covenant they were not to do so until they had the King.
Awaiting the Messiah's Return
Les says Peter understood he had no ministry to the Gentiles until Israel's king was in place, so the twelve stayed in Jerusalem despite persecution.
All Scattered Except the Apostles
Les emphasizes that even seven years after Pentecost the apostles were still in Jerusalem because they knew they had no God-given right to leave.
The King Would Return to Jerusalem
Les says they would not leave because if they did, the King might return to Jerusalem and they would not be there.
The Apostles Understood Their Commission
Les argues that if these men who had been with Christ for three years did not understand their commission, no one could; their deliberate stay proves they understood it.
The Bus Depot Analogy
Les compares the apostles to a man waiting for a bus, knowing that if he left for coffee he would miss the arrival; this illustrates why they sat tight.
Taking Acts 8:1 Literally
Les stresses taking Acts 8:1 at face value: every believing Jew fled for his life, but the apostles sat tight and stayed in Jerusalem.
Two Shocking Facts
Les points out that the twelve did not run under persecution and were still in Jerusalem seven years later because they were still looking for the King.
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 is the key verse showing every believer fled except the twelve apostles.
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.
It confirms the scattered believers went out while the apostles stayed in Jerusalem.
No, Les Feldick teaches that they were not remiss. They knew their theology better than most people do today. The commission to go to the ends of the earth was not for them to fulfill until Israel's King was in place.
They were still looking for the King. If they left Jerusalem, the Messiah might return and they would not be there. So even under Saul's persecution, the twelve sat tight.
Les points out that even seven years after Pentecost, the twelve were still sitting in Jerusalem. They remained because they had no God-given right to leave until Israel's King was in place.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Twelve Apostles Stayed in Jerusalem — Acts 1 & 8