Stephen Testifies

Under the guidance of the Spirit, Stephen gives eloquent and effective testimony before the priestly leaders of Israel.

The young church experienced conflicts between its Greek and Aramaic-speaking members. The Apostles instructed the community to select seven men “full of the Spirit and wisdom” to take charge of the matter. One of the seven was Stephen, and the Book of Acts describes him as “full of faith and the Spirit.”

[Photo by Damian Markutt on Unsplash]

Jesus instructed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. Thereafter, they would become his “witnesses <…> to the uttermost parts of the earth.” The Greek term translated as “witnesses” is ‘martus’, the source of the English nouns ‘martyr’ and ‘martyrdom’:

• “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth” – (Acts 1:8).

• And Stephen was “full of grace and power and wrought great wonders and signs among the people” as predicted in Joel’s prophecy - “In the last days, I will pour out My Spirit <…> And I will show wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath” – (Acts 2:17-21, 6:9-15).

Stephen was confronted by leaders of the local synagogue. They could “not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.” They suborned perjured testimony against Stephen from witnesses who claimed he had slandered the Temple and the Law of Moses, and so, the synagogue authorities hauled Stephen before the Sanhedrin for interrogation.

In response to the charges, Stephen recounted the history of how God summoned Abraham out of Mesopotamia, delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage, brought the nation to Sinai, the sins committed by the Israelites, and the design given by Yahweh to Moses for the Tabernacle, the precursor to the later Temple built by Solomon – (“But Solomon built him a house” - Acts 7:1-47).

In the wilderness, the Israelites compelled Aaron to erect a “golden calf” to which they offered sacrifices and worship:

• “Saying to Aaron, Make us gods that will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has become of him. And they made a calf in those days and brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands” – (Acts 7:40-41).

Because of this incident, the term “made-with-hands” became a euphemism in the Hebrew Scriptures for idolatry – (e.g., Isaiah 2:8-9, 44:9-20).

Despite being punished for her egregious transgression, Israel continued in idolatry even after the construction of the Tabernacle, and later, of the Temple. This national sin festered for generations until Israel was exiled to Babylon as punishment for her idolatrous sin. By Stephen’s time, many Jews held an idolatrous view of the Temple, pointing to its existence as evidence of God’s favor and His election.

In response to Jewish confidence in the Temple, Stephen reminded his accusers that the “Most-High does not dwell in houses made-with-hands,” a barely veiled charge of idolatry against his opponents for their veneration of the Temple.

Stephen thus insinuated the continuing involvement of the priestly authorities in this national sin, and there was irony in his words. While the Almighty did not dwell in temples “made-with-hands,” His Spirit certainly did dwell in Stephen, as his eloquence and wisdom demonstrated before the Sanhedrin. Stephen concluded his defense by charging the priestly representatives of Israel with “always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.”

Despite having received the Torah, including its instructions for constructing and administering the Tabernacle, Israel persecuted the prophets, and most recently, committed the worst of all offenses, murdering God’s Messiah. The Temple authorities did not respond positively to Stephen’s testimony:

• “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, y0u do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so you do. Which of the prophets did your father not persecute? And they killed those who showed before of the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers, you who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and gnashed on him with their teeth” – (Acts 7:51-54).

Remarkably, Stephen, “being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.” After his outburst, his opponents stoned him to death, making him the first martyr to die for the Gospel and Jesus Christ - (Acts 7:54-60).

FULL OF THE SPIRIT

Stephen is described as “full of the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit gave him the wisdom he needed to answer his accusers with boldness and words they could neither “gainsay nor resist,” as Jesus promised:

• “When they lead you to judgment and betray you, be not anxious beforehand what you will speak. But whatever will be given you in that hour, that speak, for it is not you that speak, but the Holy Spirit” – (Mark 13:11, Luk 21:15).

Stephen’s Spirit-inspired witness was a manifestation of the promise of Joel’s prophecy: “My servants and handmaidens will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath.” The Martyr spoke prophetic words as a testimony to the Jewish leaders, and his vision of Jesus “sitting at the right hand of God” was just such a “wonder in the heaven above” – (Acts 2:19, 7:56).

Stephen’s testimony came as an answer to the earlier prayer of the Jerusalem Church in reaction to opposition from the priestly authorities to Peter and John - “Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness.” God’s Spirit was guiding and empowering the Church to fulfill its mission of bearing “witness” to the “ends of the earth,” beginning in Jerusalem – (Acts 4:29).

Even the judicial murder of Stephen became an opportunity to testify to the Jewish nation of what God had done through Jesus. His violent death became an example and inspiration for other disciples and a demonstration of how the Spirit would work through the Body of Christ to bring the Gospel even to the unworthiest of men.

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SEE ALSO:

• As many as He Calls - (The Gift of the Spirit is for every man who repents, even to those afar off, and this is in fulfillment of the Promise - Acts 2:37-41)

• Pentecost - Outcome - (Acts 2:42-47 - Following the events of the Day of Pentecost, the congregation established itself as a fellowship of believers centered in Jerusalem)

• Signs on the Earth - (The prophecy in the Book of Joel sets the tone for Acts, including the signs and wonders that accompany the gospel)

• Boldness in the Spirit - (In response to threats from the high priests, the young church was filled with great boldness of speech by the Spirit)