A Steadfast Church

ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW THERE WAS TO BE A 24 HOUR PERIOD BETWEEN THE DEATH SENTENCE AND THE EXECUTION OF THAT SENTENCE. ALSO, THE JEWS HAD NO AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE ANYONE WITHOUT ROMAN CONSENT. THERE WAS NO WAITING PERIOD, NOR WERE THE ROMANS APPROACHED WITH REGARDS TO THE SENTENCE AGAINST STEPHEN. THIS WAS AN OLD-FASHINED LYNCH MOB.

STEPHEN WAS ONE OF THE ORDAINED “DEACONS” CHOSEN IN CHAPTER 6 BY THE CHURCH TO HELP THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS. STEPHEN’S MINISTRY WAS BLESSED BY GOD BUT HE ALSO DREW OPPOSITION FROM A GROUP CALLED THE “SYNAGOGUE OF FREE-MEN”, A GROUP WHOSE MEMBERSHIP WAS MADE UP OF FREE SLAVES.

HERE IS HOW EUGENE PETERSON DESCRIBED IT:

ACTS 6:8-15:

STEPHEN, BRIMMING WITH GOD’S GRACE AND ENERGY, WAS DOING WONDERFUL THINGS AMONG THE PEOPLE, UNMISTAKABLE SIGNS THAT GOD WAS AMONG THEM. BUT THEN SOME MEN FROM THE MEETING PLACE WHOSE MEMBERSHIP WAS MADE UP OF FREED SLAVES, CYRENIANS, ALEXANDRIANS, AND SOME OTHERS FROM CILICIA AND ASIA, WENT UP AGAINST HIM TRYING TO ARGUE HIM DOWN. BUT THEY WERE NO MATCH FOR HIS WISDOM AND SPIRIT WHEN HE SPOKE. 11 SO IN SECRET THEY BRIBED MEN TO LIE: “WE HEARD HIM CURSING MOSES AND GOD.”12–14 THAT STIRRED UP THE PEOPLE, THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS, AND RELIGION SCHOLARS. THEY GRABBED STEPHEN AND TOOK HIM BEFORE THE HIGH COUNCIL. THEY PUT FORWARD THEIR BRIBED WITNESSES TO TESTIFY: “THIS MAN TALKS NONSTOP AGAINST THIS HOLY PLACE AND GOD’S LAW. WE EVEN HEARD HIM SAY THAT JESUS OF NAZARETH WOULD TEAR THIS PLACE DOWN AND THROW OUT ALL THE CUSTOMS MOSES GAVE US.”15AS ALL THOSE WHO SAT ON THE HIGH COUNCIL LOOKED AT STEPHEN, THEY FOUND THEY COULDN’T TAKE THEIR EYES OFF HIM—HIS FACE WAS LIKE THE FACE OF AN ANGEL!

ACTS CHAPTER SEVEN RECOUNTS STEPHEN’S SPEECH TO THE COUNCIL. THIS SPEECH WAS DELIVERED WITH ALL THE ELEQUENCE OF A SKILLED ORATOR, BUT WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT STEPHEN WAS A LAYPERSON JUST LIKE YOU. THE SPEECH WAS ACTUALLY FOR THOSE WHO WOULD COME AFTER STEPHEN, AND FOR YOU AND ME, AS I BELIEVE THAT THE SANHEDRIN HAD ALREADY DETERMINED TO MAKE SOME FORM OF EXAMPLE OUT OF STEPHEN. HIS CLOSING STATEMENT WOULD DETERMINE THE SEVERITY OF HIS SENTENCE.

POINT ONE: THE TRIAL:

A) LET US FIRST LOOK AT TO WHOM STEPHEN ADDRESSES HIS REMARKS. THERE ARE THREE GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO WHOM STEPHEN IS ADDRESSING:

1. THE SANHEDRIN: AT THIS TIME IT WOULD INCLUDE MANY OF THE MEN WHO HAD PUT JESUS TO DEATH. IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE GAMELIEL, NICODEMUS, AND JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, IF THEY STILL REMAINED PART OF IT AT THIS TIME.

2. TO ENCOURAGE THE JEWS OF THAT DAY.

3. HE SPOKE TO STIR OUR HEARTS AS WE FACE TRIALS TODAY.

B) NOTE THE SPIRIT WITH WHICH HE SPOKE:

1. WITH AFFECTION: STEPHEN SALUTED HIS JUDGES AND ACCUSERS, CALLING THEM “BRETHERN”.

2. WITH REVERENCE: HE DID NOT FORGET THE RESPECT DUE TO THE ELDERS OF HIS PEOPLE, AND ADDRESSED THEM RESPECTFULLY AS “FATHERS.”

A WRITER SAID “NO MAN EVER INJURES HIS CAUSE BY RENDERING HONOUR TO WHOM HONOUR IS DUE.”