Stephen

Stephen, one of the seven deacons chosen by the early church, was full of faith and the Holy Spirit, performed miracles, and became the first Christian martyr after his powerful testimony before the Sanhedrin.

Stephen was one of the seven men chosen by the early church in Jerusalem to serve as deacons, responsible for the daily distribution of food to widows (Act 6:1-6). He is described as being full of faith, wisdom, and the Holy Spirit (Act.6.5, 8).

As Stephen continued to perform wonders and signs among the people, he faced opposition from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen, who disputed with him (Act 6:9). However, they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke (Act 6:10).

Consequently, they brought false charges against Stephen, accusing him of blasphemy against Moses and God (Act 6:11-14). When brought before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish high court), Stephen's face was said to have appeared like the face of an angel (Act 6:15).

In his defense, Stephen delivered a powerful speech recounting Israel's history and their rejection of God's prophets, culminating in their rejection of Jesus as the Righteous One (Act 7:1-53). He accused his hearers of resisting the Holy Spirit and persecuting the prophets, just as their fathers had done (Act 7:51-52).

Enraged by his words, the members of the Sanhedrin gnashed their teeth at Stephen, but he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Act 7:54-55). When he declared this vision, they dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death, with a young man named Saul (later known as Paul) guarding the garments of those who carried out the execution (Act 7:56-60).

As he was being stoned, Stephen called out to the Lord Jesus to receive his spirit and, echoing Jesus' words on the cross, asked God not to hold this sin against his persecutors (Act 7:59-60). Devout men buried Stephen and lamented deeply over him (Act 8:2).

Stephen's martyrdom marked a significant turning point in the early church, as it sparked a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, leading to the dispersion of believers throughout Judea and Samaria (Act.8.1, 11:19). This dispersion ultimately led to the spread of the gospel beyond Jerusalem, fulfilling Jesus' command to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth (Act 1:8).

One of the seven deacons, who became a preacher of the gospel. He was the first Christian martyr. His personal character and history are recorded in Acts 6. “He fell asleep” with a prayer for his persecutors on his lips (7:60). Devout men carried him to his grave (8:2).

It was at the feet of the young Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, that those who stoned him laid their clothes (comp. Deut. 17:5-7) before they began their cruel work. The scene which Saul then witnessed and the words he heard appear to have made a deep and lasting impression on his mind (Acts 22:19, 20).

The speech of Stephen before the Jewish ruler is the first apology for the universalism of the gospel as a message to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. It is the longest speech contained in the Acts, a place of prominence being given to it as a defence.