Stephen’s Address to the Sanhedrin
Acts 6-7
What are your thoughts on Stephen’s actions?
What are your thoughts on Stephen’s defense before the Sanhedrin?
What could Stephen have done differently?
What might have been the result?
Why did Stephen take the actions and defense he took?
What similarities, if any, are there to our time?
How would (or perhaps) should we act?
The theme in Acts 6 & 7 is Stephen's actions and defense. His real starting point is "the God of glory." Y__H is characterized by glory, that is, the overwhelming shining of all His glorious virtues and majesty. He is the sovereign Lord; He is exalted above all the history of the world and, in this case, particularly Israel. None can say to Him, the Sovereign Lord: what are You doing? His is the power, the kingdom and the glory forever.
It is important to see Stephen did not attack the law of God, or even the law of Moses, but rather defended it. He did not attack the prophets but rather defended them from Israel’s rejection of them and their message. Stephen refuted the charges of the Freemen and turned their arguments against them. One of the things about the early disciples that confounded the Jewish and Roman leaders was their knowledge of the law. They were seen as unlearned but were more than able to argue with and refute the leaders and their work against God.
Acts 6
Stephen Accused of Blasphemy
(When people cannot defend their ungodly philosophies and practices they lie and work to remove the individual who is showing them for what they truly are. This is what happened to Stephen. They took his words, turned them around to an untruth and accused him of blasphemy against God.
The leaders were purposely misquoting Steven. Steven was not speaking against the Torah but against the man-made law and traditions that had supplanted God’s Law. His testimony in Chapter 7 proves this fact. The customs they accused Jesus and Stephen of changing were not the Law of God but rather the traditions and man-made laws of the Jewish religious leaders. This is the same thing Jesus said in Matthew 15:2-6 and the reason the Sanhedrin had a problem with Stephen. He showed, very clearly, they, not he and not Christ, were breaking God’s law. If Stephen’s case had been false or without merit they may have simply dismissed or ignored him, but what He said was painfully evident and true. Their rage shows their true guilt. The Sanhedrin and leadership did not turn back to God but murdered the person who shed light on their true guilt.
It is important to note that the face of Stephen had changed. This reminds us of Moses when his closeness to God caused his countenance to change, Stephen’s closeness to God and willingness to die for Christ and the salvation of the people caused his countenance to change. His closeness to God could be seen, the leaders chose to ignore this also.
Acts 7
Vs 1- 16
The high priest asked Stephen a direct question and Stephen seems to give an indirect answer. The answer is not indirect but rather Stephen provides his evidence, proof, first and then gives the answer. The reason for this becomes clear at the end with the answer given. If Stephen had given the answer first he would have been immediately stoned. By going through the history of the Jewish people from Abraham, Stephen provides proof of their actions throughout their history. Stephen shows a leadership pattern of ungodly behavior which they were continuing.
Stephen has now taken the Sanhedrin through their history showing that they rejected Moses, the deliverer God had given them. The implication, which they did not miss, was they had done the same thing with Christ. God saw the way the people were afflicted by Egypt and sent a deliverer, Moses. God also saw how all creation was afflicted by Satan and sent His deliverer, Christ. Israel rejected both deliverers God sent and chose to live in their state of ungodliness.
Israel Rebels Against God
Vs. 37-42
37This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: “‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
Using Moses as a type of Christ (deliverer) Stephen implied that it was not the believers in Christ that moved away from God but rather Israel had turned away from God {Matthew 15:0; 16:11-12} and followed paganism. They were still turning away.
Vs 43-50
43You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’ 44“Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, 49“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? 50Did not my hand make all these things?
(Stephen now quotes a prophesy from Amos (5:25-26) denouncing Israel for worshipping Molech, a pagan God that was given children as sacrifices and Rephan (the planet Saturn) whose celebrations were wild, unrestrained, debauched revels. Curiously, Amos was 600 years after Moses and Stephen implied, very strongly, that nothing had changed over the centuries. Israel rejected God before Amos and was still rejecting God.
Stephen addresses the temple and sums up his argument by quoting the prophecy of Isaiah {Isaiah 66:1}, which makes clear the impossibility of Almighty God actually dwelling in any house made by human hands. The great temple of the Jews had become in time a house of thieves and robbers; but God allowed it since the true temple was now and would be revealed in Christ. Needless-to-say, such sentiments as these were enough to release the rage and fury of the whole Sanhedrin against anyone who might dare to utter such thoughts. The fact that Isaiah had said the same thing in their sacred scriptures made no difference. Much like many groups in our time they were experts at rationalizing the scriptures they did not like.
The teaching here is fundamental to Christianity. It is not in just in any temple or house, but "in Christ," that one may receive all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places {Ephesians 1:3}. There is no indication in Stephen's speech that he anticipated anything other than the condemnation of his hearers. His purpose was not to "defend" himself in any practical sense, but to preach the truth "in Christ.")
51“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
(Here is the center of Stephen’s argument. Everything he said up to this point lays the groundwork, provides proof, evidence, for this statement. Stephen has given evidence of a pattern of behavior that continued with the killing of Christ. )
VS 54 – 60
54Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 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. 56And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
(By reciting their history and proving their pattern of behavior Stephen made the leadership realize, even if they did not acknowledge, they did and were doing exactly the same as their fathers, murdering the people God sent to help and warn them. This behavior culminated in them killing the Son of God, the Messiah, Yeshua, Jesus.
When Stephen saw Jesus standing next to the Glory of God {remember, no human has ever seen God} it sent the message that Jesus is the Son of God, and that Stephen is innocent of any wrongdoing or heresy. This did not sit well with the leaders since it said, very clearly, they had murdered the Son of God, lied about His resurrection and were continuing to deceive the people.
Stephens final comments and for the above before he died tells us much about both Jesus and Stephen. Jesus is exalted at God’s right hand, victorious over death and receiving believers into heaven. It also shows the great love Stephen had through Christ. His words “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Echo the words of Christ in Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Such love comes through God.
References:
English Standard Version of the Holy Bible
New International Version of the Holy Bible
King James Version of the Holy Bible
New King James Version of the Holy Bible
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Acts/Stephens-Speech
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