Sunday Evening, April 29, 2007
Acts 6:8-7:60
8. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
You will remember that Stephen was one of the seven chosen to head up the ministry to the needy within the Jerusalem church. As a matter of fact, he was the first of the seven mentioned. Here we read that he was full of faith and power. And why was he full of faith and power? Primarily because he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Go back to what Jesus said to His apostles, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you…" Stephen was demonstrating the truth of Jesus’ words, as he did great wonders and miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We do not know if Stephen was doing these great wonders and miracles among the people before his special appointment as one of the seven.
9. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Wherever there were Jews, there was a synagogue. In a town the size of Jerusalem, there would have been many synagogues. Here we have the mention of a particular synagogue that was attended by freed men who were from Cyrene, Alexander, Cilicia, and regions of Asia. [There are different interpretations, ranging from one synagogue here represented to as many as five. However, it makes no real difference].
Because Stephen’s views were seen as radical, he apparently entered into a debate with the leaders of this synagogue. The men of the synagogue were no match for Stephen’s wisdom. I understand the reference here to "the spirit by which he spake" to be the Holy Spirit.
11. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. 12. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, 13. And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14. For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. 15. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
Since they could not successfully debate with him, they secretly persuaded some men to say that he was guilty of blaspheming both Moses and God. These men were very effective in their efforts. Rumors generally spread quickly, and such was the case. Quickly they brought Stephen before the Sanhedren. Once the council was in session, those who opposed Stephen produced false witnesses who brought definite charges against him. The charges concerned what Stephen had said about the temple and about the law. Specifically, they accused him of saying that Jesus of Nazareth would destroy the temple. They also reported Stephen as saying that Jesus’ goal was to change the customs of Moses.
Verse 15 is very interesting. "And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." We aren’t told exactly what this meant. What did the face of an angel look like? One thing for sure, they could not deny that there was something different about this man Stephen. This reminds me of the their taking special notice of the fact that Peter and John had been with Jesus (4:13).
Acts 7
1. Then said the high priest, Are these things so?
After the charges were presented, the high priest, who was the president of the Sanhedrin, asked Stephen if the charges were true. In effect, he was asking Stephen to plead either "Guilty" or "Nor guilty." He asked the question in four words; Stephen’s answer is contained in about a thousand words. This is the longest speech recorded in Acts, even longer than any of the recorded sermons of Peter or Paul. We might refer to chapter 7 as Stephen’s defense, but not exactly. As we read Stephen’s response, it becomes increasingly clear that he was not aiming at receiving an acquittal from the Sanhedrin.
At this point, I think it is best that we read large portions of Stephen’s response at one time. Before we do, let me alert you ahead of time to the structure. It is in the form of a historical narrative, beginning with the call of Abraham and continuing through Solomon’s building of the temple. We might divide it into three sections…
2-16… .. The Period of the Patriarchs [Abraham through the sons of Jacob]
17-43.. .. Moses and the Law
44-50…. The Tabernacle and the Temple
Remember that Stephen is dealing with the charges of blasphemy against Moses and against God. Let’s read verses 2-16…
2. And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3. And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee. 4. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 5. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. 6. And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. 7. And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. 8. And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. 9. And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, 10. And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11. Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. 12. But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13. And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. 14. Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. 15. So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, 16. And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
In this first section, which deals with the Patriarchs, with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his sons. Notice that Stephen begins with God’s call to Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia (specifically Ur, as we know form Genesis). In light of the entire context of Stephen’s message, it is hard to escape the conclusion that Stephen was calling attention to the fact that God called Abraham when he was far from the land of Israel. Though he had nothing to go on but the Word of God, Abraham was obedient.
Stephen also calls attention to the fact that God gave him no inheritance in the land of Israel, only the promise that his descendants would inherit it. Rather, God imparted to Abraham the knowledge that his descendants would spend 400 years in a strange land, where they would be slaves. Only after those 400 years would God judge that nation and bring Abraham’s descendants back to the promised land.
In verse 8 we find the link between Abraham and Joseph, who form the main focus of this section. "…And Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs (= Joseph and his brothers)."
With Joseph, Stephen takes up a theme that runs throughout the rest of his speech. This is the theme of rejection. Joseph’s brothers rejected him, selling him into slavery (9). Notice also how Stephen points out that they did not recognize Joseph the first time they saw him (implied in verses 12-13). Praise God that He had a plan for Joseph. He used this rejected brother to preserve the lives of his family members, but notice that this great salvation came in the land of Egypt.
17. But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18. Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. 19. The same dealt subtly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live. 20. In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months: 21. And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. 22. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 23. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25. For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 26. And the next day he showed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? 27. But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28. Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? 29. Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons. 30. And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 31. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, 32. Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 33. Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. 34. I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt. 35. This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. 36. He brought them out, after that he had showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. 37. This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. 38. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: 39. To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, 40. Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 41. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. 42. Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? 43. Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
This section is all about Moses. Like Abraham, Moses was not born in the land of Israel. Instead, he was born in Egypt. After spending 40 years there, he then spent the next 40 herding sheep in the desert. And when the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush, it was not in Israel; it was out in the middle of the desert. Nevertheless, that lonely place in the middle of nowhere was holy ground. Why? Because the presence of the Lord was there. The great songwriter William Cowper penned these words…
Jesus, where’er Thy people meet,
There they behold Thy mercy-seat;
Where’er they seek Thee, Thou art found,
And every place is hallowed ground.
Surely Stephen is laying groundwork for the concept that God cannot be confined to any locality or nation.
The theme of rejection continues with Moses. Verses 23-28 recount how Moses defended a fellow Hebrew and killed the Egyptian who was mistreating him. This was followed by his attempt to settle an argument between two of his Hebrew brothers. Moses thought that they would understand that God was going to use him to deliver them, but they did not understand (25). They rejected him, and he had to flee into the desert. In verse 35, Stephen refers to Moses in this way: "This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge?"
Nevertheless, God chose that very Moses to lead them out of bondage in Egypt.
Beginning in verse 37, the rejection of Moses becomes even more serious. Listen to how Stephen describes Moses. "This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear" (37). We already know from Peter’s message to the people in the temple that this prophet whom God raised up is none other than Jesus (Acts 3:22-23). Stephen doesn’t elaborate, but he continues to lay the groundwork. In verse 38, he moves right along to describe Moses as the one who gave them the law. Let me read verse 38 from the Amplified Version: "This is he who in the assembly in the wilderness (desert) was the go-between for the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and our forefathers, and he received living oracles (words that still live) to be handed down to us." But despite the greatness of Moses and how God chose to use Him, "…our fathers would not obey (him), but thrust him form them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt…"
Stephen goes on to remind them of how they demanded that Aaron make them gods (of gold) and how they offered sacrifices to the idol he made, rejoicing in the works of their own hands (40-41). There is a strong implication that runs like this: "As they rejected Moses, you have rejected that prophet raised up by the Lord."
God’s verdict was to give them up to worship the host of heaven. He quotes from Amos to drive home his point. Stephen seems to be saying that the seeds of that unthinkable idolatry of later days were to be found in their rejection of Moses and of God in the wilderness.
Go back to the end of chapter 6 for a review of the charges against Stephen. In verse 11, we see that they secretly persuaded men to say that he had blasphemed against Moses and against God. When the official charges were brought, they were more specific. The false witnesses said that he did not cease to speak blasphemies against "this holy place and the law" (6:13). They went on to say, "For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us" (14). Stephen has been dealing with the charge about changing the customs which Moses delivered. In effect, he is saying, "I am not the one who changed the customs of Moses; you are. Just like your fathers, you have rejected the true intent of Moses."
And now he will turn to the the charge concerning "this place," the temple.
44. Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. 45. Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; 46. Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. 47. But Solomon built him an house. 48. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49. Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 50. Hath not my hand made all these things?
In verse 44, Stephen introduces the subject of the tabernacle. He reminds them that it was Moses who received the pattern of the tabernacle from God Himself. Do you remember the essential character of the tabernacle? No doubt, those listening to Stephen knew it well. The foundational words are found in Ex. 25:8, when the Lord said to Moses: "And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." It was the desire of God to dwell among His people.
What is the other thing we know about the tabernacle? Did it stay in the same place? No, it was portable. Whenever the cloud moved, the people were to move, and that meant moving the tabernacle. This was extremely important, so much so that the Lord gave very detailed instructions concerning which group of Levites was to carry certain parts of the tabernacle (see esp. Numbers 4).
Stephen emphasizes this aspect of the tabernacle by saying in verse 45, "Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus (= Joshua) into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David." By the way, the KJV "Jesus" is obviously a reference to Joshua. "Jesus" is simply the Greek version of the Hebrew name "Joshua." When God’s people went in and took the land of Canaan (which was the possession of the Gentiles up to that time), they took the tabernacle with them. Yes, the tabernacle was very mobile.
Remember that they had charged Stephen with speaking against "this holy place" (6:13). Now Stephen is emphasizing that long before the temple was built, God dwelt among His people in the tabernacle. It is no accident that Stephen also stresses the mobility of the tabernacle. Is it not preparing the way for the concept of the mobility of the gospel, that it cannot be confined to a building, to a city, or even to a particular people?
Now the time came when David desired to build God a house. Let’s go back and read that passage… (II Sam. 7:1-16)
And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; 2. That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. 3. And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee. 4. And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, 5. Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6. Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7. In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? 8. Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9. And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. 10. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 11. And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. 12. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15. But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
David was ashamed that he himself lived in a house of cedar, while the ark of God was housed in the curtains of a tent. Nevertheless, the Lord reminded David that he had never asked for a house of cedar to dwell in. Notice what the Lord says in verse 6, "Wherein I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day…" At this point, if the Lord hasn’t dwelt in any house, we expect Him to tell us where He has dwelt, but that is not what He says. Instead of saying, "I have dwelt," He says, "but have walked in a tent and a tabernacle." Again in verse 7, "In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel…" And He tells them that He never asked them to build Him a house of cedar
We don’t have time to explore this passage thoroughly, but just keep in mind that the Lord never quite identifies the house David’s son will build with a physical structure. We may interpret it that way, but there is still some question about it. When the Lord says in verse 13, "He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom forever," it is difficult to be certain that these are not parallel, that the house Solomon will build is not a family, rather than a structure. Just keep this in mind. We might explore it some more later.
Now back to Acts 7:47, "But Solomon built him an house." Stephen doesn’t give much time and space to the building of the temple. He spends much more time explaining it than he does announcing it. Remember again the charge against him. They said that he spoke "against this place" (6:13). And then they went on to say that they heard Stephen say Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place. These were "false witnesses," but that doesn’t mean there was no truth in what they said. Stephen may have indeed talked about Jesus’ statement from John 2, when He said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
Immediately after saying, "But Solomon built him a house," Stephen then says, "Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands." That statement is a reflection of what Solomon himself said, when he dedicated his magnificent temple. 1 Ki 8:27, "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?" Then Stephen goes on and immediately quotes "the prophet." Who is the prophet he quotes? It is Isaiah. Let me read to you Is. 66:1-2a, while you follow it here in Acts 7:49-50… "Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For allthose things hath mine hand made…" No doubt, this was a passage to which Stephen had given much thought.
Stephen was not down on Solomon for building the temple, but he was very much opposed to what the Jewish leaders had made of the temple. He would have agreed with Jesus, who the first time He cleansed the temple, said they had made it a house of merchandise (Jn. 2:16), and with the second cleansing said they had made it a den of thieves (Mt. 21:13; Mk. 11:17; Lk. 19:46). Though Stephen does not spell it out in detail, he understands that Jesus Himself is the temple of God, and surely he also understood that this is more than the physical body of Jesus. As Paul would later state it: "In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:21).
These Jewish leaders who were opposing Stephen had turned the temple into an institution. They had lost contact with the God whom they claimed dwelt in the temple. Stephen didn’t go on and quote the words after what we read from Isaiah 66:1-2a, but surely his hearers knew those words. Let me read them to you. "But to this man I will look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word" (Is. 66:2b). This describes the character of God’s people, but it didn’t describe the character of the Sanhedrin before whom Stephen stood that day. As their physical temple was made of stones, so their hearts were as hard as stone.
51. Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53. Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
And so we come to the conclusion of Stephen’s message. Only a few words, but powerful words indeed. The charge that they were stiffnecked is an echo of God’s own sentiment, stated in Ex. 33:5, "For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people…" Although they had been physically circumcised outwardly, not so their hearts and ears, as stated by various Old Testament prophets. These concepts come together in Deut. 10:16, "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked." Stephen is saying that was true of their fathers is true of them also, for they do always resist the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, their forefathers persecuted the very prophets who spoke of the coming of the Just One (a reference to the Messiah). Going farther than their fathers, these have now betrayed and murdered the Just One. Though they claimed to be keepers of the law of God, Stephen flatly asserts that though they received it, they had not kept it.
Stephen is including his opponents in the line of those who opposed Joseph and Moses. And behold, a greater than Joseph and Moses is here. They have opposed and murdered the Just One, the very Son of God, their own Messiah.
54. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
That was all they could take. They were cut to the heart. There is that word again, which literally means "sawn in two." They were sawn in two to their very heart. Then we are told that they "gnashed on him with their teeth." Let me read you an example of the wicked gnashing with their teeth. Ps. 35:15-16, "But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: 16. With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth." We are most familiar with this expression as a sign of anguish and despair, when Jesus says, "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Mat 13:41-42). This was certainly evidence of their anger and hatred towards Stephen.
55. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
This is absolutely amazing. Contrast Stephen’s behavior with the behavior of those who opposed him. They were so consumed with anger that they couldn’t control themselves. In reality, Stephen wasn’t controlling himself either; it was the Holy Spirit who was controlling, leading, guiding him. And what a work of the Spirit this is! Can you imagine this? He must have known what was coming. Did He not know what Jesus had said (Jn. 15:20) "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." Yes, he knew.
What a testimony this is. If he had snarled at them and yelled, they could have taken some satisfaction. But instead, Stephen looks up at heaven, and seeing the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing of the right hand of the God." I’m glad Luke reminds us again that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. No man could do this on his own.
These verses are filled with meaning far beyond my understanding. However, we must compare what Stephen said with what another said when He was on trial before this same council. Let’s read it in Mark 14:61-62, "But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62. And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." And how did they respond to Jesus? Let’s read it in Mark 14:63-64, "Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64. Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death." Now Stephen boldly contradicts the verdict of the Sanhedrin. "I see the Son of man [the same title Jesus used] at the right hand of God." Stephen proclaimed that what Jesus said was true; He was indeed at the right hand of power, just as He said He would be. If they found Jesus guilty of blasphemy, how could they judge Stephen otherwise?
It is also interesting to note that nowhere else in the New Testament do we find this title "Son of man" on the lips of anyone except Jesus. This is the only other time. This title had implications that went far beyond Jesus being only the Jewish Messiah. When Stephen saw Jesus at the right hand of the Father, was he not seeing the fulfillment of what he had long before grasped, that God’s people now had "a way of access to God more immediate and heart-satisfying than the obsolete temple ritual had ever been able to provide" (Acts, Bruce, p. 166).
One question we might ask is this: Why did Stephen see Jesus standing at the right hand of God? Jesus had said that they would see Him sitting on the right hand of power. Nowhere else in the New Testament is there reference to Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand. It has long been suggested that Jesus stood to welcome home His servant Stephen, who is the first recorded martyr for Jesus. Or, was it because Jesus was standing to bear testimony, as the proper posture for a witness was the standing position? As Stephen had faithfully testified for Jesus before men, was Jesus now testifying for Stephen before God?
57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 59. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
They couldn’t take it. Surely it was not only his words, but also his calm and peaceful manner than infuriated his opponents. We read that they ran [rushed] upon him with one accord. The word used here is the same that is used of the swine in Mark 5:12-13, "And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea." Notice that phrase again – "with one accord." Yes, they acted with the same passion!
The fact that there were official witnesses suggest that this was not just a mob action, but still a formal execution by the Sanhedrin. We might ask how they could do that without Roman authority. If Pilate was still governor, it is likely that he was willing to look the other way in order to please the Sanhedrin. Besides, he usually stayed in Caesarea, and some matters could not wait. Concerning the witnesses, we read in Deut. 17:7, "The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you." In this case, the witnesses took off their outer garments and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. We will see that name again shortly.
In contrast to their barbaric behavior, Stephen had perfect peace. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee" (Is. 26:3). Stephen’s focus was not upon those who were in the process of taking his life; his focus was on the Lord, whom he had the privilege of seeing. As Jesus had prayed, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," so His servant now says, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." It’s interesting that rather than speaking to the Father as Jesus did, Stephen speaks directly to Jesus, implying that Jesus is indeed God.
There is one other thing Stephen said that reminds us of Jesus on the cross. As Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," so His servant now says, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Again, is this not amazing! There is a story in the Old Testament of a man who was similarly stoned to death for his faithfulness to God. It was Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada. You can read the story later, but for now let’s just read about his death. 2 Chr. 24:21-22, "And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD. 22. Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it."
Zechariah was a very godly man, but he couldn’t say what Stephen said. Zechariah asked the Lord to punish them for what they were doing, to repay them for their evil. But Stephen, a man full of the Holy Spirit, could say, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." That is the life of the new covenant. That is why Jesus said could say, "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matt. 11:11)
And finally, Stephen fell asleep. That is the peace that passeth all understanding. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
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