The difference in stephens case was that stephen did not have an extensive history of antagonizing the jewish religious leaders. Enraged by stephens teaching of jesus, council members killed stephen. Thompson demonstrates that the primary theological message of acts is that god is fulfilling his promises to israel in christ. He deals with a number of the major periods in israels history and with several of its prominent figures, including abraham, jacob, joseph, moses, david, and the prophets.
Witnesses to the world 21st century biblical commentary series steven ger, mal couch, ed hindson on. In addition, stephen was also the first martyr of the church. The book of acts provides a bridge for the writings of the nt. The story of stephen, the first martyr the wonder book of bible stories logan marshall in the new testament, in the book of acts, you will learn how the members of the church in jerusalem gave their money freely to help the poor. Stephens declaration of the herrschermacht of jesus was misunderstood by his hearers as a degradation of the temple. Wenk argues that the point of the story about philip and the ethiopian eunuch is to demonstrate how the cultically unclean cf. The situation only grew worse for pilate in the time between jesus crucifixion and the stephens stoning. This early christian deacon was a zealous defender of jesus christ and the way, as christianity was called in its first few years. The apostles informed the church that it was not right that they neglect the word of god and prayer in order to wait tables. Ad 34 traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of christianity, was according to the acts of the apostles a deacon in the early church at jerusalem who aroused. His story is wholly contained in two chapters in the book of acts, but it provides. Acts 7 niv stephens speech to the sanhedrin bible gateway. The first part, the gospel of luke, tells how god fulfilled his plan for the worlds salvation through the life, death, and.
Many scholars see a samaritan connection to stephens community, postulating that it may have migrated there when jerusalem was destroyed in 70 ce. Lukes account of gods unfolding plan new studies in biblical theology thompson, alan j. Only stephen and philip are discussed in much detail in acts. We only have a chapter and a half about stephen in the whole bible, yet he emerges as one of the most impressive characters in the entire scripture. The name stephen is greek, and chapter 6 of the acts of the apostles 6 tells us that he was a hellenist a foreignborn jew who spoke greek. The stoning of stephen why were the jews allowed to stone. Acts concerns the very vital period in christian history between the resurrection of jesus and the death of the apostle paul, the time when christian ideas and beliefs were. The book of acts ends with paul proclaiming the kingdom of god and teaching about the lord jesus christ with all boldness and without hindrance acts 28. It describes the coming of the holy spirit at pentecost in acts 2, the spread of the gospel outside of jerusalem in acts 8 and to the gentiles in acts 10, how the church made decisions in regards to doctrine acts 15, and more. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. The jewish religious leaders listening to stephen boiled over with anger.
Saint stephen, christian deacon in jerusalem who was the first christian martyr. Pauls respect for others often wins a hearing for him and even turns enemies into friends, notwithstanding the boldness of his words. The book of acts kjv audio holy bible high quality and best speed book 44 duration. Stephen stoned in the bible, how and where was stephen. The name stephen is greek, and chapter 6 of the acts of the apostles 6 tells.
Following the example of jesus, he died with this prayer on his lips. Stephen told them of seeing the glory of god and jesus and acknowledged jesus in his death. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named saul. Jun 29, 2018 under roman law, stephen s death was illegal. The number of disciples in jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith. The sanhedrin was not authorized to impose the death penalty, but the stoning appeared to be the result of mob action. Contemporarily with the earliest manuscripts of acts, link to acts manuscript dating there is historical evidence that establishes that the theophoric name, theophilus was used as an honorific for a king or emperor, julian the emperor, oration ii, and eusebius in reference to constantine, eusebius history of the church book x, 8. But despite all of this history, god offers them restoration with himself, through jesus. They did not heed and even killed the prophets of god. The works of stephen and philip are the only two recorded and their works concern preaching, catechising and baptising.
The very length of stephens speech in acts 7, the longest in a book full of speeches, probably indicates something of the importance luke assigned to this. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. The greek word for wisdom is used only four times in acts, twice of stephen 6. Stephen, acts 6 commentary the book biblical thinking.
In less than one generation this initial cohort of christians boldly turned the world upside down acts 17. There is no mention in acts of anyone being punished for the death of stephen. In all of the drama that characterizes acts, there is perhaps nothing so moving as the story of stephen. The only primary source for information about stephen is the new testament book of the acts of the apostles. Unless otherwise noted, the biblical citations are taken from the.
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the hellenistic jews among them complained against the hebraic jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. In ad 36, a few years after stephens martyrdom, pilate lost his governorship. When a dispute arose within the church regarding the daily distribution of food, the twelve realized that they needed help administering the day to day operation of the church. The acts of the apostles, abbreviation acts, fifth book of the new testament, a valuable history of the early christian church. As a second volume to lukes gospel, it joins what jesus began to do and to teach 1. The holy spirit in acts, not only breaks down ethnic barriers, he also breaks down social barriers.
Their appointment is described in chapter 6 of the acts of the apostles acts 6. As little as we know about him, we know enough to see that he was an extraordinary individual. Walls, the acts and the acts some notes on the book of acts in the second century, tyndale bulletin 12 1963. These verses describe how seven men were chosen as special ministers, and one of them, stephen, fell foul of the authorities. The holy spirit was always present, and israel had a history of rejecting it. Acts was apparently written in rome, perhaps between ad 70 and 90, though some think a slightly earlier date is also.
The book of acts gives a unique glimpse into the life and practice of the early church. If anything, stephens words are an indictment, not a defense. Saint stephen is a recognized saint in many christian theologies, and is considered to be the first christian martyr. M any people who are familiar with the bible are not familiar with stephen who was one of the first deacons in the bible. Stephens sermon is twice as long as peters sermon delivered at pentecost acts 2. His listeners always reject the saving message of god. Posted in bible studies, book of acts tagged acts 6, acts 6 commentary, false witnesses, hellenists, stephen, stephen seized, stephen the apostle by jesusmessage leave a comment leave a reply cancel reply. It describes the coming of the holy spirit at pentecost in acts 2, the spread of the gospel outside of jerusalem in acts 8 and to the gentiles in acts 10, how the church made. The hellenist converts, who probably formed a minority in the early. Aug 16, 2011 alan thompsons the acts of the risen lord jesus is one of the books in the new studies in biblical theology series from iv press. Aug 31, 2015 stephen as his name and his relations in the church at jerusalem seem to imply acts 6.
Steven ger is a hebrew of hebrews, a fourthgeneration jewish believer, whose jewishchristian perspective will bring new life to your understanding of the book of acts. Acts of the apostles book of acts bible movie visual bible. The stoning of stephen why were the jews allowed to. Stephen begins his message with the call of abraham, found in genesis 12. Philip is simply referred to as the evangelist in chapter 18. The book of acts, which continues the narrative that luke began in his gospel, is especially important because it was the first written history of the christian church. These were men of the synagogue called the libertines, and some of the cyrenians, alexandrians, cilicians and asians. It is noteworthy that there have always been those faithful believers whose love for and commitment to the lord seem to shine through so greatly that others around them notice, and stephen was such a man.
May 10, 2014 acts of the apostles book of acts bible movie visual bible. Stephanos, meaning wreath, crown and by extension reward, honor, renown, fame, often given as a title rather than as a name, hebrew. Stephen became the first martyr of the church when he was killed by a mob, and whose death was agreed to by saul of. According to the fifth book of the bibles new testament, the acts. Acts was apparently written in rome, perhaps between ad 70 and 90. A complaint arose from the grecian jews against the. Stephen was not concerned about his earthly existence, determining instead to stand firmly on the side of jesus christ, no matter the consequences. The god of glory appeared to our father abraham while he was still in mesopotamia, before he lived in harran. The life and teachings of jesus christ are established in the four gospel narratives, and the book of acts provides a coordinated account of the beginning and spread of the church as the result of the work of the risen lord and the holy spirit through the apostles. Acts was written in greek, presumably by the evangelist luke, whose gospel concludes where acts begins, namely, with christs ascension into heaven. Leave your country and your people, god said, and go to the land i will show you. Some biblical scholars have likened that religious group to a pack of ravenous wolves ready to tear limb from limb this one full of the holy spirit acts 7.
The need for such men arose out of the complaint of the hellenists i. Stephen is arrested and taken before the authorities. He is the first christian speaker to challenge jewish institutions, the law and the temple. He performed great wonders and signs among the people.
Godly character is the basis for courageous witness for jesus christ, no matter what the results. Jan 02, 2020 beyond that, stephens sermon seems to have so infuriated the crowd that its possible nobody was thinking logically acts 7. In this passage, luke is restating the great commission challenge jesus gave in luke 24. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named saul. It opens with a greeting to theophilus, who was also the intended recipient of lukes gospel. Jan 02, 2020 acts 7 is the record of stephens testimony, which is perhaps the most detailed and concise history of israel and their relationship to god of any in scripture. Stephens response was jewish in its concerns, and in form it followed hellenistic rhetorical conventions joshua 24. A list of sermons in the book of acts leadership resources. The long and short of it is that the jewish religious leaders did not have the legal right to exact the death penalty. Stephens speech to the sanhedrin then the high priest asked stephen, are these charges true. During the stoning of stephen, according to the book of acts, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named saul, who later converted to christianity and took the name paul.
He accepted christianity and became one of the seven deacons chosen by the disciples to take care of the widows and the needy people in jerusalem acts 6. Stephen presents to the sanhedrin their history according to the scriptures. His story is wholly contained in two chapters in the book of acts, but it provides a glimpse into life in the early church and serves as an example of how our faith in christ can lead to great things. Stephens speech differs sharply from previous speeches in acts. One of the seven appointed to look after the daily distribution to the poor in the early church acts. The acts of the apostles, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament.