In yesterday's study we found Stephen confronting the Sanhedrin for their stubborn refusal to believe the truth. He said they were just like their ancestors who often rebelled against God's chosen deliverers and who refused to acknowledge their sins. The Sanhedrin isn't going to stand for words such as these.
"When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him." (Acts 7:54) Some translations render the verse like this, "They were cut to the heart". We have already seen one instance of a sermon cutting people to the heart, and that was Peter's sermon at Pentecost. But Peter's listeners responded to the conviction of the Holy Spirit by coming to faith in Christ. The Sanhedrin respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit by repressing their guilt and unleashing their anger on Stephen.
Stephen is not a man who resists the Holy Spirit. It is at this moment that the Holy Spirit gives him the courage to face death without fear. "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 7:55) I can't imagine being martyred for my faith. If it should come to that, I can only trust that the Holy Spirit will give me the same strength He has given others. We are privileged enough to be given a description of just how the Holy Spirit strengthened Stephen in his final moments on earth. This first Christian martyr's mind was on the glory of heaven and his eyes were fixed on Jesus Christ. Though God allowed him to meet his death, He gave him the grace to stand up under the pressure, and I think Stephen was so transported by the vision provided to him that it's possible he didn't even feel the stones that are soon to pelt him.
It's significant that Stephen sees Jesus standing, for the usual description of Jesus since the resurrection is that He is seated at the right hand of God. But on this occasion He rises to His feet to honor Stephen's unshakable faith. He readies Himself to welcome Stephen home with open arms. Does Christ stand to recognize the death of every martyr? Quite possibly so. I can easily imagine Jesus, who gave His life for us, standing to salute those who give their lives for Him.
Stephen can't keep the glorious vision to himself. "'Look,' he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'" (Acts 7:56) To the minds of the Sanhedrin, this is the ultimate blasphemy, to suggest that a man who was executed on a cross is now at the right hand of Almighty God. Stephen uses the Messianic title "Son of Man" in regard to Jesus of Nazareth, a term used by the prophet Daniel and by Jesus Himself. His listeners cannot stand to hear anymore. These highly educated men are overcome with fury and form a crazed mob.
"At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul." (Acts 7:57-58) The witnesses that testified against a person in court were given the dubious honor of being the first to cast stones. Luke has already told us that the witnesses who testified against Stephen were paid or otherwise induced to tell lies. These are the ones who throw their coats off and lay them at the feet of Saul of Tarsus, a man who in this moment is in complete agreement with the actions of the mob. A day is coming in which this man will say, "Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief." (1 Timothy 1:13)
Saul, who will become the Apostle Paul, was once a blasphemer because he spoke against Christ. He was a persecutor because of incidents like the one we are studying today and because he himself sought out Christians in order to have them arrested, beaten, and even executed. This is why he refers to himself as having been a violent person, because he reveled in punishing the Christians for what he felt was idolatry. But Paul also gives credit to the mercy of God because God gave him a second chance. God gave him an opportunity to become someone different and better. God understood that when Saul of Tarsus was persecuting Christians he was doing it because he didn't know Christ. Once he came to know Christ, Paul himself was more than willing to die a martyr's death for the name of Jesus. I can't help wondering if Paul thought of Stephen many years later as he met his own death for the faith. Perhaps in his final moments Paul found strength in thinking of the example of Stephen whose mind was set on things above, not on things below.
"While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' When he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:59-60) Jesus is the example Stephen thinks of as he breathes his last. Like Jesus, he asks for the Lord to receive his spirit. Like Jesus, he prays for his enemies and asks God not to hold their sins against them.
Luke concludes today's passage on this note, "And Saul approved of their killing them." (Acts 8:1) I think there is a dramatic flair to Luke's writing, for he has introduced Saul to us in a way that indicates to us that this man will continue to grow more and more violent as an enemy of the church. Luke sets the stage to surprise us later when Saul's stunning conversion takes place. Luke prepares us to give God praise when we see the grace of the Lord at work as He transforms the violent Saul into one of the greatest preachers of the gospel who has ever lived.
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