Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
They therefore (oi men oun). Demonstrative oi as often (Acts 1:6, etc.) though it will make sense as the article with the participle diasparentev. The general statement is made here by men and a particular instance (de) follows in verse Acts 8:5. The inferential particle (oun) points back to verse Acts 8:3, the persecution by young Saul and the Pharisees. Jesus had commanded the disciples not to depart from Jerusalem till they received the Promise of the Father (Acts 1:4), but they had remained long after that and were not carrying the gospel to the other peoples (Acts 1:8). Now they were pushed out by Saul and began as a result to carry out the Great Commission for world conquest, that is those "scattered abroad" (diasparentev, second aorist passive participle of diaspeirw). This verb means disperse, to sow in separate or scattered places (dia) and so to drive people hither and thither. Old and very common verb, especially in the LXX, but in the N.T. only in Acts 8:1, Acts 8:4; Acts 11:19.
Went about (dihlqon). Constative second aorist active of dierxomai, to go through (from place to place, dia). Old and common verb, frequent for missionary journeys in the Acts (Acts 5:40; Acts 8:40; Acts 9:32; Acts 11:19; Acts 13:6).
Preaching the word (euaggelizomenoi ton logon). Evangelizing or gospelizing the word (the truth about Christ). In Acts 11:19 Luke explains more fully the extent of the labours of these new preachers of the gospel. They were emergency preachers, not ordained clergymen, but men stirred to activity by the zeal of Saul against them. The blood of the martyrs (Stephen) was already becoming the seed of the church. "The violent dispersion of these earnest disciples resulted in a rapid diffusion of the gospel" (Alvah Hovey).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 8:4:
Luke 1:2
John 7:35
Acts 2:41
Acts 8:1
Acts 8:4
Acts 8:5
Acts 11:19
Acts 13:52
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