Act 8:3, 9:14, 26:10 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 3. Saul made havoc of the Church ] The word ελυμαινετο, from λυμαινω, to destroy, devastate, ravage , signifies the act of ferocious animals , such as bears, wolves , and the like, in seeking and devouring their prey. This shows with what persevering rancour this man pursued the harmless Christians; and thus we see in him what bigotry and false zeal are capable of performing. Entering into every house ] For, however it might be to others, a Christian man's house was not his castle. Haling men and women ] Neither sparing age nor sex in the professors of Christianity. The word συρων signifies dragging them before the magistrates, or dragging them to justice . Committed them to prison. ] For, as the Romans alone had the power of life and death, the Sanhedrin, by whom Saul was employed, , could do no more than arrest and imprison, in order to inflict any punishment short of death. It is true, St. Paul himself says that some of them were put to death, see ; but this was either done by Roman authority, or by what was called the judgment of zeal , i.e. when the mob took the execution of the laws into their own hands, and massacred those whom they pretended to be blasphemers of God: for these sanctified their murderous outrage under the specious name of zeal for God's glory , and quoted the ensample of Phineas as a precedent. Such persons as these formed a sect among the Jews; and are known in ecclesiastical history by the appellation of Zealots or Sicarii .

‏ Acts 8:3

Verse 3. Saul made havoc of the Church] The word ελυμαινετο, from λυμαινω, to destroy, devastate, ravage, signifies the act of ferocious animals, such as bears, wolves, and the like, in seeking and devouring their prey. This shows with what persevering rancour this man pursued the harmless Christians; and thus we see in him what bigotry and false zeal are capable of performing.

Entering into every house] For, however it might be to others, a Christian man's house was not his castle.

Haling men and women] Neither sparing age nor sex in the professors of Christianity. The word συρων signifies dragging them before the magistrates, or dragging them to justice.

Committed them to prison.] For, as the Romans alone had the power of life and death, the Sanhedrin, by whom Saul was employed, Ac 26:10, could do no more than arrest and imprison, in order to inflict any punishment short of death. It is true, St. Paul himself says that some of them were put to death, see Ac 26:10; but this was either done by Roman authority, or by what was called the judgment of zeal, i.e. when the mob took the execution of the laws into their own hands, and massacred those whom they pretended to be blasphemers of God: for these sanctified their murderous outrage under the specious name of zeal for God's glory, and quoted the ensample of Phineas as a precedent. Such persons as these formed a sect among the Jews; and are known in ecclesiastical history by the appellation of Zealots or Sicarii.

‏ Acts 9:14

Verse 14. And here he hath authority, &c.] Ananias had undoubtedly heard of Saul's coming, and the commission he had received from the chief priests; and he was about to urge this as a reason why he should have no connection with so dangerous a man.

‏ Acts 26:10

Verse 10. Many of the saints] From what is said in this verse, it seems that Paul, before his conversion, was invested with much power: he imprisoned the Christians; punished many in various synagogues; compelled them to blaspheme-to renounce, and, perhaps, to execrate Christ, in order to save their lives; and gave his voice, exerted all his influence and authority, against them, in order that they might be put to death; and from this it would seem that there were other persons put to death besides St. Stephen, though their names are not mentioned.