Stephen Is Martyred

Stephen is Martyred

Acts 7:51–60 NKJV

“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen was one of the seven deacons which were selected by the Holy Spirit and the leadership of the Church to minister unto the carnal needs of the Congregational such as the care of the widows of the church. When I use the word “carnal” it is not an evil thing as the word “carnal” is used often in a negative sense in contradistinction to “spiritual,” However, the ministering unto the physical needs of the congregation as as much as a spiritual service as is the preaching of the Word, if one be called to this service. We don’t have anything said about how Stephen discharged these duties, but when we see his character, he did these tasks well. We do not know much about five of the deacons who were chosen other than their names which were of Greek origin. However, both Stephen and Phillip were known for their evangelistic work. We will see Phillip later witnessing to the Ethiopian Eunuch. Stephen’s career was cut short by his martyrdom. This is recorded of his work in Acts 6:8:

Acts 6:8 NKJV

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

The synagogue of the Libertines did not take kindly to his work and had Stephen arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin, One of the charges against him was that he preached against the Temple and that it would be destroyed. One should note here that this was one of the charges the Sanhedrin brought against Jesus as well. When we understand the mission of the Church, it was to continue with the work and words of Jesus: We read in Acts 1:1 “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.” Jesus had warned His disciples that they would be treated in the same matter that He was treated. We see this in verses like Matthew 10:40 which emphasizes the positive that those who heard Jesus would hear them as well. But this is set in the context of Matthew 10:38 which also indicates that the call of the Christian can lead to martyrdom as we see in Stephen and most if not all of the Apostles as well. Countless numbers of Christian have followed in the path of martyrdom.

Stephen had just finished his defense to the Sanhedrin. Stephen knew what lay ahead for him if he persisted in his teaching concerning Jesus and doing works in His name, There are many who would have cowed down in fear. Some would have claimed to have been misunderstood. Others would have recanted. Yet, Stephen when he was asked to respond to the charges remained bold. He was more interested in preaching the truth about Jesus than His own life. In this, he follows in the path of the Lord Jesus. The Lord had been bold at His trial, both before the Sanhedrin and Pilate as well. Jesus called them out when one of the guards struck him uncondemned which was a violation of Jewish Law. The entire proceeding including suborning witnesses to perjure themselves and trying Jesus at night, when no one could press a charge that two or three witnesses could agree upon, they asked Jesus to testify against Himself which was also forbidden. Nevertheless, Jesus affirmed that He was the Son of the Blessed. not only this, but that they would see Jesus seated at the Father’s right hand, the hand of power and judgment. He would return in the clouds which reinforces the theme that it was they, not Him who would have to appear before Him at the last judgment. They might condemn Him here, but this was only to fulfill God’s plan anyway. As far as Pilate was concerned.it seems that Jesus was more concerned about Pilate’s soul and was witnessing to Pilate. He also said he would be judged, even though those who betrayed Him had the greater sin.