<< THE NUMBER OF DISCIPLES WAS MULTIPLIED >>
Acts 6–9

A Divers Membership With the Common Organization

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(1.) "THREE," "TWELVE" AND "SEVENTY," AN ANCIENT AND MODERN ORGANIZATION: 
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Anciently, Moses had a "First Presidency:" two assistants, Aaron and Hur. Additionally, he had an organization of Twelve and Seventy. The parallel organization is seen in the primitive Church with Peter, James and John appearing as a "First Presidency" within the original Twelve and the Seventy. And, of course, we see a similar structure today in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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(2.) LEADERS WERE COMPARED TO PARTS OF THE BODY.
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All parts were needed and had to work together. The constant use of "body language" can be seen as a metaphor of the "Body of Christ." The Prophet Joseph Smith said, "The Church is a compact body composed of different members, and is strictly analogous to the human system," (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Five 1842-43 Pg.244) Paul says, "Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular. . . (1 Corinthians 12:27)

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(3.) INSIGHT TO STEPHEN’S STONING: 
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A more accurate understanding of the process of stoning would also give added insight to the New Testament account of Stephen’s stoning as well as a woman brought to Jesus. Rabbinic interpretations of the ancient Jewish law of stoning indicate that it was required that the convicted be thrown (hurdled) over a cliff. One of at least two witnesses and thereby accusers was responsible to make sure the criminal was dead. The aversion to taking another’s life would motivate the accuser’s success in having the fall cause the death of the accused. Another witness/accuser always had to cast the first stone and then others threw stones to bring about the burial. Abandoned quarries (where the stone was rejected) would be likely locations for such rare executions.

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(4.) SAUL WITNESSES STEPHEN’S STONING AT THE PLACE OF A SKULL: 
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Stephen, apparently did not immediately die from the execution’s hurdle. The power and glory of his vision of the Father and the Son transcended the cruelty of those who waited to witness his bloody broken body disrespectfully covered with stones. The likely place of Stephen’s execution is where the Savior was crucified, an abandoned stone quarry, rejected by builders thousands of years ago because the stone was too crumbly. Stephen’s death, with his accompanying compassion and heavenly witness, was witnessed by "Saul, the Pharisee," Beginning a process of changeover to "Paul, the Apostle." Later, his own conversion would ultimately include persecution, and even a stoning attempt where the "hurdle" did not result in death.

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(5.) PHILIP, A SEVENTY, BEARS WITNESS TO AN ETHIOPIAN; WAS HE AN ISRAELITE?
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An interesting development in modern Israel is the influx of tens of thousands of black Jews from Ethiopia. ". . . according to their tradition, their ancestors . . . . came with Menelik, the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba . . . they said that he brought Judaic customs and civil law to Ethiopia. The lion of Judah was the symbol of the emperor of Ethiopia." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

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(6.) ETHIOPIAN CONNECTIONS TO ISRAEL: 
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"And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married . . ." (Numbers 12:1) "Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die." (Jeremiah 38:10) "And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship," (Acts 8:27) The conversion of the Ethiopian Queen Candace’s Minister of Finance brought him from his ancient Israelite connection to the restoration of the covenant in his own time.

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(7.) CROSSROADS OF THE EAST DREW DIVERSE CONVERTS: 
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Great men from each end of the Crossroads of the East, Ethiopia, and Damascus were being touched by the light of truth. Men with worldly experience had their eyes touched with the greater heavenly light which was once again available. Saul’s "brighter than the midday light" experience on the way to Damascus blinded him physically . . . opening his spiritual eyes. His experience of watching Stephen’s stoning, holding the witnesses’ clothes, ultimately became his own. As his eyes were opened, he received the commission as one of the Twelve was to open the eyes of the Jews and the Gentiles, to give them light and truth. (Acts 26:16-18) As the truth went forth, more people were enveloped in its light, and the number of disciples was multiplied.

 

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