Growth in the Number of Disciples

One way to examine the fulfillment of Acts 1:8 is to consider the expression "the word of Jehovah," or "the word of God," in these passages refers to the good news-the stirring message of divine truth, a living powerful message that changed the lives of  those who accepted it. -Hebrews 4:12. 

The first reference to the growth of God's word occurs at Acts 6:7.  There we read:  "Consequently the word of God went on growing, and the number of disciples kept multiplying in Jerusalem very much; and a great crowd of priests began to be obedient to the faith."   Here growth is linked to an increase in the number of disciples. Earlier, on the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., God's holy spirit was poured out upon about 120 disciples gathered in a upper room.  The apostle Peter then gave a stirring talk, and of those who listened, some 3,000 became believers on that very day.  What commotion there must have been as thousands of people made their way to the pool or pools in and around Jerusalem to be baptized in the name of Jesus, the man who had been impaled as a criminal some 50 days earlier! -Acts 2:41.

That, of course, was only the beginning.  The continued efforts by Jewish religious leaders to crush the preaching activity were in vain.  To the frustration of those leaders,  "Jehovah continued  to join to [the disciples] daily those being saved." (Acts 2:47) Soon "the number of the men became about five thousand." After that, "believers in the Lord kept on being added, multitudes both of men and of women." (Acts 4:4; 5:14) Of a later period, we read:  "Indeed the congregation throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria entered into a period of peace, being built up; and as it walked in the fear of Jehovah and in the comfort of the holy spirit it kept on multiplying." (Acts 9:31) Some years later, possibly about 58 C.E., reference was made to "many thousands of believers." (Acts 21:20) By then, there were also many Gentile believers.

This numerical growth was largely by conversion. The religion was new-but it was dynamic.  Far from being passive church members, the disciples were fully devoted to Jehovah and his Word, having sometimes learned the truth from those who were viciously persecuted.  (Acts 16:23, 26-33)   Those who accepted Christianity  did so as the result of a reasoned, conscientious decision.  (Romans 12:1)  They were educated in God's ways; the truth was in their minds and hearts.  (Hebrews 8:10, 11)  They were willing to die for what they believed in. -Acts 7:51-60. 

Those who embraced Christian teaching recognized  their responsibility to share the truth with others.  This directly contribute  to further numerical growth.  One Bible scholar said:  "Communicating the faith was not regarded as the preserve of the very zealous or of the officially designated evangelist. Evangelism was the prerogative and the duty of every Church member. . . .The spontaneous outreach of the total of Christian community gave immense impetus to the movement from the very outset." He further wrote:  "Evangelism  was the very life blood of the early Christians." The same is true of genuine Christians today.  

Next time: Geographical Growth

From the Watchtower magazine, 2001