There was no crime in all this, no violation of the law. To have pronounced any legal condemnation would have been absurd. The only resource left was mob violence. These proud and infamous men, the dignitaries of the Sanhedrim, “cried with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet whose name was Saul.
“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.And Saul was consenting unto his death.”[93]
This is the first mention which is made of Saul, the most remarkable man whose name is recorded in sacred or profane annals.
Saul was born in the city of Tarsus, in Asia Minor. It was “no mean city,” the capital of the Roman province of Cilicia, and situated upon the River Cadmus, a few miles from its entrance into the Mediterranean Sea. The parents of Saul were wealthy. It was a custom of the times, that every child, no matter how opulent his parents, should be taught some trade. Saul learned that of a tent-maker. We know almost nothing of his childhood and early youth. His parents belonged to the sect of Pharisees, the most punctilious observers of the rites of the Jewish religion. His vernacular language was probably Greek, though he undoubtedly was thoroughly instructed in Hebrew. As it is said that he was “brought up at the feet of Gamaliel,” and as it was the custom of the Jews to send their children, between the ages of ten and fourteen, to be instructed in the law, it is supposed, that, at that early age, Saul was sent to Gamaliel, the distinguished teacher in Jerusalem.
Saul, at the time of the martyrdom of Stephen, though a young man, had manifestly attained both maturity and influence. He was probably a member of the Sanhedrim, as he states, that,when the Christians were put to death, he gave his vote against them.[94] His commanding influence is also manifest from the declaration, “Many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and, being exceedingly mad against them,I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”[95]
After the martyrdom of Stephen, the persecution raged in Jerusalem with ever-increasing violence. It is recorded, “Asfor Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and, haling men and women,committed them to prison.”[96] This cruel persecution in Jerusalem scattered the Christians far and wide. Philip went to Samaria, and in one of the principal cities “preached Christ unto them.” His preaching was attended with wonderful success. Many converts were made, “and there was great joy in that city.”
The tidings of the success attending the preaching of the gospel in Samaria reaching Jerusalem, Peter and John were commissioned by those of the apostles who remained in the city to repair immediately to that province. The same miraculous testimony accompanied their preaching as at the day of Pentecost. After a very successful tour, having “preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans,” they returned to Jerusalem.
A very interesting incident is here recorded respecting Philip. By divine direction he was journeying to Gaza, the extreme southern city of Palestine. Gaza was on the direct route to Egypt. An officer of high rank, connected with the household of Candace, queen of Egypt, had been up to Jerusalem, and was returning to his native country in his chariot. He was a devout man, and, as he rode along, was reading the scriptures. It so chanced that he had opened to the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, and was at that moment reading the seventh and eighth verses:—
“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.”
Just then, the eunuch, overtaking Philip, invited him to a seat in the chariot by his side. Then, reverting to the scripture which he was reading, he inquired of Philip, “I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?”