Introduction

After Stephen's death and its aftermath, Acts 8:4–9:31 introduces wider geographical horizons which maintain and expand the spatialised reading of Acts pursued in earlier chapters. Witness-space extends into Samaria and anticipates ‘the end of the earth’ through a variety of firstspace locales. Narrative firstspace is no longer restricted to Jerusalem, nor is it so closely identified with apostolic presence. Nevertheless, as this chapter demonstrates, a consistent spatial order governed by heavenly and Christocentric thirdspace based around 1:6–11 is maintained throughout this section.

The chapter explores 8:4–9:31 by dividing it into three broad arenas: Samaria (8:4–25), the Gaza road (8:26–40), and Saul's transformation (9:1–30). Together with 9:32–11:18 (Chapter 7), these arenas embed an ascension geography ‘under heaven’ and ‘to the ends of the earth’.

Samaria-space (8:4–25)

Reading Samaria-space within ascension geography

As a narrative turn, the move to Samaria needs to be positioned within the narrative-geographical flow of Acts. Most fundamentally in this regard, movement into Samaria directly evokes the expanding witness envisaged by Jesus in 1:8. It is initiated by those ‘scattered’ from Jerusalem (8:2, 4), a firstspace displacement resulting from Stephen's martyrdom, itself provoked by his proclamation of heavenly thirdspace (7:56). On these two counts the spatial dynamic underpinning Acts 8–11 is driven by the heavenly Christ. Although these chapters contain many supernatural agencies spurring expansion from exclusively Jewish space towards the gentiles, the initial transposition into Samaria, like 11:19–26 (which bookends the section), is presented with no explicit supernatural accompaniment beyond Stephen's prior Christophany and heaven now answering the prayer of 4:23–31 even beyond ‘this city’ (4:27).