Stephen Bears Witness

Under the guidance of the Spirit, Stephen gave effective testimony to the priestly leaders of Israel. 

The young church of Jerusalem  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 them was Stephen, and the Book of Acts notes especially that he was “full of faith and the Spirit.”

Prior to his ascension, Jesus instructed the fledgling church to tarry until they received the Spirit. Thereafter, they would become his “witnesses, both in Jerusalem and Judea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

[Light in the dark, Unsplash.com]

The Greek term translated as “witness” in English is 'martus'. Not coincidentally, this is the word from which the English nouns ‘martyr’ and ‘martyrdom’ are derived. 

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).

In the account, Stephen was confronted by leaders of the local synagogue. They were “not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he speaks.” Therefore, they suborned perjury from certain witnesses who claimed he was slandering the Temple and the Law of Moses. The synagogue authorities hauled Stephen before the Sanhedrin for interrogation.

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 for the Tabernacle.

In the wilderness, the Israelites compelled Aaron to erect a “golden calf” to which they offered sacrifices and worship – “And they rejoiced in the works of their own hands.” From that incident, the term “made-with-hands” became a euphemism for idolatry in the Hebrew Bible – (Isaiah 2:8-9, 44:9-20).

Despite her punishment for the offense, Israel continued in idolatry even after the construction of the Tabernacle, and later, the Temple building in Jerusalem. This national sin festered until Israel was exiled to Babylon.

In Stephen’s day, many Jews harbored an idolatrous attitude toward the Temple, pointing to it as evidence of God’s favor and His election of the Jewish people.

However, according to Stephen, the “Most-High does not dwell in houses made with hands,” a deliberate slap at his opponents and their veneration of the Temple.

By employing the term “made-with-hands,” Stephen insinuated the continuing idolatry of the Jews. While the Almighty did not dwell in temples “made-with-hands,” His Spirit certainly did dwell in Stephen, as his eloquence and wisdom demonstrated.

The First Martyr concluded his defense by charging the representatives of Israel with “always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.” Despite having received the Mosaic Law, including its instructions for administering the Tabernacle, they persecuted the prophets, and most recently, committed the worst of all offenses by murdering God’s Messiah.

The Temple authorities did not respond well to Stephen’s words – “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and gnashed on him with their teeth.”

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

FULL OF THE SPIRIT

Stephen was “full of the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit gave him the wisdom to answer his accusers with boldness and words they could neither “gainsay nor resist,” just as Jesus promised – (Mark 13:11, Luke 21:15).

Stephen’s witness was a manifestation of the promise of Joel’s prophecy. With the outpouring of the Spirit, “My servants and handmaidens will prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heaven above.”

That is what Stephen did under the inspiration of the Spirit when he spoke  prophetic words as a testimony to the Jewish leaders. His vision of Jesus “sitting at the right hand of God” was also just such a “wonder in the heavens above” as the Book of Joel promised.

His testimony before the Jewish leaders was an answer to the earlier prayer of the church in reaction to opposition from the priestly authorities:

• “Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your Word with all boldness” – (Acts 4:29).

Thus, in the Book of Acts, and in fulfillment of Scripture, it is the Spirit that guides and empowers the Body of Christ to execute its mission of bearing “witness” to the “uttermost parts of the earth,” beginning in Jerusalem.

Furthermore, under the Spirit’s direction, even the judicial murder of Stephen becomes the perfect opportunity to testify before the Jewish nation. It was no defeat for the church.

Stephen’s martyrdom became an example for other disciples and a demonstration of how the Spirit works through the Church to bring the Gospel to even the unworthiest of men.

Stephen’s Spirit-infused words attested powerfully that the time of the Temple was over. The Last Days had arrived with the promised Gift of the Spirit.

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