Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
4. And they were scattered abroad. Luke declareth in this place also, that it came to pass by the wonderful providence of God, that the scattering abroad of the faithful should bring many unto the unity of faith; thus doth the Lord use to bring light out of darkness, and life out of death.
Samson's riddle is here again unriddled: Out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness. The persecution that was designed to extirpate the church was by the overruling providence of God made an occasion of the enlargement of it.
Commenting on Acts 8:4-13
Therefore they that were scattered abroad,.... By reason of the persecution in Jerusalem: the seventy disciples, and other ministers of the word; or the hundred and twenty, excepting the apostles, went every where; or went through the countries of Judea and Samaria, as far as Phenice, Cyrus, and Antioch: preaching the word; the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions add, "of God", and so some...