Stephen

Stephen is most famously remembered as the first Christian martyr. His story is reported only in the book of Acts.

We know almost nothing about Stephen's background, though his Greek name (from stephanos, meaning 'crown,' 'gift,' 'reason for boasting,' see, e.g., Phil 4:1) we may surmise he was from a Hellenistic Jewish family. We first hear of him when the Hellenistic Jewish widows were neglected in their needs and the apostles decided that seven men should be appointed to "wait on tables" while the apostles who devoted their time to the ministry of the word. Stephen was one of the seven so appointed as the first " deacons" in the church (Acts 6:5). Though the qualifications for candidacy was that the men should be "known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom," when the men were listed, Stephen was singled out as "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit" that the others were not." Three verses down, he is again characterized as "a man full of God's grace and power," who "did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people" (6:8).

Opposition, however, arose against Stephen's ministry and he was falsely accused of "blasphemy against Moses and against God" (v11). When he was brought to trial before the Sanhedrin, "they saw that his face was like the face of an angel" (v15). Asked by the high priest if the charges against him was true, Stephen addressed them with speech (7:2-53) which clearly indicted his audience of disobedience to the law instead. Furious and gnashing their teeth (v54) they were further enraged when Stephen "full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 'Look,' he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'" (v55f.) They seized Stephen, dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death.

Stephen's death set in motion one of the most amazing work of the Holy Spirit in the history of the Christian Church. First, it provoked a great persecution against the fledging church. Except for the leaders, most of the disciples in Jerusalem were scattered across the land; this had the unattended effect of spreading the gospel abroad (Acts 11:19). Second, it brought Paul into direct contact with the Christian Church, and on a journey to Damascus to seek out more Christians to imprison them, Paul met the risen Christ and became one of His most effective evangelists.

CONCORDANCE (NIV)

Stephen appears 11x, spread over the same number of verses, and in the book of Acts only.

Acts 6:5 — This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

Acts 6:8-9 — Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)--Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, . . .

Acts 6:11-12 — Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God." So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.

Acts 6:15 — All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Acts 7:55 — But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

Acts 7:59 — While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Acts 8:2 — Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.

Acts 11:19 — Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews.

Acts 22:20 — And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'

Resources:

P. A. Blair, "The Death of St Stephen," Tyndale Bulletin 2 (1956): 2-3.☰

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

F. F. Bruce, Peter, Stephen, James, and John. London: Paternoster, 1979.