The strong appeal to the will is made by holding up the figure of Moses type of the Law, in its vital significance, in such a way as passionately to apply it to the fundamental relation of divine plan and human conduct. [Acts 6:914] Stephen is said to have been unperturbed, his face looking like "that of an angel". And now you have betrayed and murdered him. [12], Of the numerous speeches in Acts of the Apostles, Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin is the longest. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so its important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. Stephen's death had the unexpected consequence of forcing Christians to flee persecution in Jerusalem. He was a man full of the Holy Spirit, strong in faith, gifted in the working of miracles and brilliant in debating with the opponents of Christianity ( Acts 6:1-10 ). Acts 6:8: Stephen performs various wonders and signs. As devout Jews, they would have been horrified at Stephen's claim that Jesus Christ was the much-awaited Messiah. He shows how Israelites in the Old Testament failed to see past their stubbornness and turned away from God and persecuted and killed anyone who spoke Gods word (several of the prophets were martyred). The emotional appeal lies in the reverential and feeling manner in which he handles the history sacred to them all. Here is something else you might like to read: 10 Famous Christian Martyrs, Resources Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, King James Version, Tagged as: God appeared to Moses in the burning bush,[Acts 7:3032] and inspired Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. Our Blessed Lord was sentenced to death on the charge of blasphemy, because He had affirmed on oath: I am the Son of the living God, and hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God. In the same manner Stephen was stoned on the assumption that he was a blasphemer, and because he professed his belief in the Divinity of Jesus, and said: I see heaven open, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 2. Of his conversion to Christianity we know nothing, though there is a tradition that he was among the Seventy. Local churches were beginning to be established and there arose some problems with Greek widows being neglected in their care. Stephen in the Bible Known for: Stephen was a Hellenist Jew and one of seven men ordained as deacons in the early church. In addition, Stephen was also the first martyr of the church. Since the name "Stephanos" is Greek, it has been assumed that he was one of these Hellenistic Jews. Typically Jesus was described as sitting on his heavenly throne, indicating his work was finished. The disciples chose Stephen, and six others, and prayed over them as they began their ministry. Dr. Mike holds under-graduate through post graduate degrees in Christian Education and formerly worked as a nurse. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Stephen reminded everyone of how Moses was directed by God to reach out to people and refrain them from worshipping idols and stopping their slavery. Stephen's martyrdom was a foretaste of what was to come. (Unfortunately, today, most churches continue to neglect widows that are the responsibility of the church. As Paul later put it, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" ( 2 Tim. Accordingly, Stephen was taken outside the city (Leviticus 24:14; compareLuke 4:29); the witnesses threw the first stone at him (compareDeuteronomy 17:7) after taking off their upper garments and laying them at the feet of a young man named Saul (Acts 7:58) afterward Paul, now about 30 years old who evidently had charge of the whole proceedings. Next post: Top 7 Bible Verses About Sowing And Reaping. [6], Some people have laid the charge of anti-Judaism against the speech, for instance the priest and scholar of comparative religion S. G. F. Brandon, who states: "The anti-Jewish polemic of this speech reflects the attitude of the author of Acts."[16]. Many people who are familiar with the Bible are not familiar with Stephen who was one of the first deacons in the Bible. The climax of his speech is reached inActs 7:51-53, when Stephen, breaking off the line of argument, suddenly in direct address turns upon his hearers, and, the accused becoming the accuser, charges them openly with the sin of resisting the Holy Spirit, with the murder of the prophets and the Righteous One, and with continual disobedience to the Law. Outside work, her interests include music, movies, travel, philanthropy, writing her blog, and reading. The Jewish laws, ceremonies, temple and priesthood had fulfilled their purpose and were no longer necessary. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. These wise words of Stephen angered the Jews even more who condemned him shortly after his speech. [Acts 8:1][6] Some theologians argue that these may not be discrepancies, but rather a condensing of historical events for people who were already familiar with them. Best Known For: Saint Stephen is recognized as a saint and the first martyr in Christian theology. Acts 7 is a beautiful example of telling the story of the whole Bible and tying it to Christ. [23][24][25][26][dubious discuss]. [13] Another possibility is that the discrepancies come from an ancient Jewish tradition which was not included in the scriptures or may have been popular among people of Jerusalem who were not scribes. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content. In appealing to their reason he calls up picture after picture from Abraham to Moses; the speech exhibits vividly the continuity and the progress of the divine revelation which culminated in Jesus of Nazareth, the same thought as that expressed by Christ inMatthew 5:17of the principal agreement between the Old Testament and the New Testament revelation. Thus it was gradual, and as it had begun before Moses it was not completed by him, as is evident from his own words, A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me (Acts 7:2-37). Stephen prayed that the Lord would receive his spirit and his killers be forgiven, sank to his knees, and "fell asleep". Bible Study Guides . She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams. It's library of books The Bible is a library of 66 books, written by 44 authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit over a period of about 1,500 years. He followed the Lord's path and just like Him, he pleaded for forgiveness for his murderers right before his death. His defense of his faith before the rabbinic court enraged his Jewish audience, and he was taken out of the city and stoned to death. He said that the recently resurrected Jesus was standing by the side of God. Acts reveals the outpouring of the Holy Spirit The Gospel of John records a critical discussion between Jesus and His disciple: All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. This group of Alexandrians and Cyreniansargue with Stephen, but when they cannot create counterarguments to Stephens wise retorts, they produce false witnesses who claim Stephen had blasphemed in order to dispose of him and the evidence of Gods work in him. Stephen is first mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as one of seven deacons appointed by the Apostles to distribute food and charitable aid to poorer members of the community in the early church. His name suggests he was a Hellenistic Jew who spoke and preached in Greek, one of the common languages in Israel in that day. Acts 6. From that moment on, Saul's life was turned upside down. Friedrich Justus Knecht lists the similarities of the martyrdom of Stephen to Jesus' death on the cross: 1. [Acts 11:1920][11], The exact site of Stephen's stoning is not mentioned in Acts; instead there are two different traditions. Stephen had a vision of Jesus and said he saw the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. A young man watching the murder was Saul of Tarsus. He is the patron saint of Altar Servers, bricklayers, casket makers and deacons and his feast day is celebrated on December 26. [1] According to the Acts of the Apostles, he was a deacon in the early Church at Jerusalem who angered members of various synagogues by his teachings. Stephen became popular because of his powerful debate with the Jews of the council. Covenants are the backbone of the biblical story. Both, before dying, commended their souls to God: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul! [17]. After their false testimony, the high priest asked Stephen if these things were true. Fearlessly, he stood in front of the Jewish council and put forth his words for Christ. In the eucharistic celebration on this feast day, it is traditional for all deacons serving at the altar to wear a liturgical crown (Armenian: khooyr), which is one of the vestments worn only by priests on all other days of the year, the crown being in this instance a symbol of martyrdom. Your privacy is important to us. It harkens back to times when God's presence was visibly manifest before His people in the Old Testament. In 415, a priest named Lucian purportedly had a dream that revealed the location of Stephen's remains at Beit Jimal. (compareMark 14:58;Mark 13:2;Mark 15:29). The Crusaders initially called the main northern gate of Jerusalem "Saint Stephen's Gate" (in Latin, Porta Sancti Stephani), highlighting its proximity to the site of martyrdom of Saint Stephen, marked by the church and monastery built by Empress Eudocia. 3:12 ). He was extremely courageous to stand against the entire Jewish council and took this opportunity to reach out to a wider audience with his preachings. The gospel spread far and wide as a result. Pope Benedict XVI stated in 2012 that St. Stephen appealed to the Jewish scriptures to prove how the laws of Moses were not subverted by Jesus but, instead, were being fulfilled. St. Stephen is often depicted with stones, a Gospel Book, a miniature church and a martyr's palm frond. 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. This also has the effect of pushing the Feast of the Holy Innocents to the 29 December. a Greek-speaking Jew. ( Acts 7:55-56) The Bible tells us that Jesus is sitting on God's right side. No matter how many challenges come in the course of our life, we must not lose hope in fate. But it's not the same type of evangelistic sermon, which Peter gave a few chapters prior. Of the seven men, all Hellenists, elected to this office at the occasion of a grievance of the Hellenistic Christians in the Jerusalem church against the Hebrew Christians, to the effect that in the distribution of alms their widows were being discriminated against, Stephen, who heads the list, is by far the most distinguished. [22], Part of the right arm of Saint Stephen is enshrined at Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius in Russia. This is because the Armenian churches maintain the decree of Constantine, which stipulated that the Nativity and Theophany of Jesus were to be celebrated on 6 January. Thus his teachings forecast that greatest controversy of the first Christian century, the controversy between Judaism and Christianity, which reached its culmination-point in the Council of Jerusalem, resulting in the independence of the Christian church from the fetters of Judaistic legalism. Customs of Moses (Acts 6:14) were the institutions that distinguished the Jews and that were derived from Moses. Preachers often will speak about Stephen because he was the first Christian to die for his beliefs. The word "bible" is from the Greek ta biblia, which means "the scrolls" or "the books." The word is derived from the ancient city of Byblos, which was the official supplier of paper products to the ancient world. Act seven talks about the tremendous wisdom that he possessed. "[Acts 8:1] In the aftermath of Stephen's death, the remaining disciples except for the apostles fled to distant lands, many to Antioch. Likewise, he contented for the faith with those who were ultra-liberal in their beliefs. Thus also his conception of the transitory nature of the Mosaic Law may be traced to Christs teaching as to the Sabbath, the laws of purifying, the fulfillment of the Law and Jewish customs of the day (Matthew 5:20) and of a better righteousness than that of the Pharisees and scribes (Matthew 9:16). He applied these two points to the Jews of his time by saying that they were mistaken in thinking God dwelt in the Jerusalem temple, and that their rejection of Christ was in keeping with the stubbornness of their forefathers (Acts 7:48-53). 6. This disposition of disobedience so characteristic of the race in its whole history, because, in spite of the divine revelation received, they remained unregenerate (Acts 7:51), reached its culmination in that awful crime of betrayal and murder committed by the present generation upon the Righteous One whose coming the prophets had predicted the rejection of Jesus of Nazareth, by which the Jews doomed not only their national existence, but also their temple-worship and the reign of the Law to destruction (Acts 6:14). Peter the Apostle - Member of Jesus' Inner Circle, Introduction to the Catholic Religion: Beliefs, Practices and History, John Chrysostom, the Golden-Tongued Preacher, M.A., English Composition, Illinois State University, B.S., English Literature, Illinois State University. The reliquary is likely a 9th-century creation. Saint Stephen was the first Christian martyr. God's work is constantly unfolding and goes forth on his timetable. Stephen also used his popularity to reach a broader base of people with the message of salvation. With a Master of Arts in English, she has worked as a private tutor and, in the past few years, has moved into content writing for companies such as Writer's Zone. See 1 Timothy 5:1-16). in such a way that they might better understand and judge the present and adjust their conduct to it accordingly. Known best as the proto-martyr of the Christian church, introducing the heroic period of persecutions. It is a public holiday in many nations that are of historic Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran traditions, including Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Poland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Catalonia and the Balearic Isles. Stephen relied upon the Holy Spirit to give him the Words to say, the strength to persevere under persecution, and the heart to forgive those who were responsible for his death. [28] Stephen is remembered in the Church of England with a Festival on 26 December.[29]. Just like they had murdered several other prophets including Zechariah, the Jews rejected and murdered Christ as well and disregarded the holy beliefs of Christianity. Many churches and other places commemorate Stephen. Not too long after, Saul would be converted by Jesus and become the great Christian missionary and apostle Paul. In accordance with the accusation against him, his defense was a twofold one: personal defense and defense of his teaching. The council members refused to listen to him, and even then, he kept his calm and said with a smiling face that he could see heaven open for the man standing on the right hand of God. He preached the teachings of Christ to the Greek-speaking Jews. Stephen explained how God fulfilled the promises He had made to Abraham through the events in history. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What Do We Learn from Reading Jesus Genealogy? You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. He did not hesitate to preach his views, choosing the Hellenistic synagogues for this purpose, and soon became engaged in controversies there. At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. The courteous and at once endearing terms in Stephens address (Acts 7:2) to the council, and the terms our fathers and our race inActs 7:2,Acts 7:19by which he closely associates himself with his hearers, his declaration of the divine majesty of Yahweh with which the speech opens (Acts 7:2), of the providential leading of the patriarchs (Acts 7:8,Acts 7:10), his recognition of the Old Testament institutions as divinely decreed (Acts 7:8), his reference to the divine sanction of the Law and its condemnation of those who had not kept it (Acts 7:53), at the close of his speech, show clearly his reverence, not only for the past history of the Jewish race, but as well for its Sacred Writings and all of its religious institutions. He was condemned for committing blasphemy against the . Stephen is stated to have been full of faith and the Holy Spirit and to have performed miracles among the people. This language is important. 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