Stephen's Defence Before The Sanhedrin

by DYER, M. | Category: N/a | Sept 2002

Marked resemblance

Stephen is thrust suddenly on to the pages of the Word 'as a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit' (Acts 6:5). There is much in his experience that resembles that of the Lord. His testimony and works aroused the enmity of the Jews, leading to his arrest, the setting up of false witnesses, his trial and death. The Lord said to His disciples, 'a servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you' (John 15:20). Faithful Stephen found the truth of these words. He would also experience the truth of the Lord's words in Luke 21:15, 'I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to withstand or gainsay.' Stephen's words and works aroused an aggressive challenge and the accusation of blasphemy. Stephen, like the Lord before him, found an unholy alliance in the people, the elders, and the scribes joined together in a common purpose to persecute a man more righteous and better than themselves.

Contrasting expressions

Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 8:1, 'A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine and the hardness of his face is changed.' As Stephen was arraigned before the council, 'all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel' (Acts 6:15). What a contrast in expressions must have been evident, malevolence seen in the council, and an angelic appearance in Stephen - a scene worthy of a good painter. It is difficult for us to imagine what an angel's face may be like. Of the angel who rolled away the stone from the tomb where the Lord had been buried we read, 'His appearance was as lightning' (Mat.28:3). Whatever Stephen's face was like, it was certainly very different from those around, with something of the radiance of heaven about it. His appearance was in itself a testimony to his enemies.

Editorial emphasis

In the world of journalism, the amount of coverage given to a news item or article is an indication of its importance in the view of the editor. In Stephen's defence we have one of the longest chapters in the New Testament. This tells us about the great interest of the Holy Spirit as 'editor' of the Scriptures, in Stephen's defence, martyrdom and its consequences; events of great importance in His design of the New Testament. Stephen's address to the council covers nearly 2000 years of Israel's history, from the call of Abraham to the death of Christ. It is a masterly condensing of salient points in the nation's history, giving facts and faults, all of them skilfully marshalled.

Among the facts of Israel's history alluded to by Stephen are two details that appear to contradict the account given in Genesis 46:27 and in Exodus 12:40 with regard to the number of souls that went down to Egypt with Jacob, and with the time spent in that land. Genesis 46:27 states that 'all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.' Stephen refers to 'threescore and fifteen souls', a difference of five. An explanation may lie in what Stephen said: Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred. The "all" would include Joseph, his wife, his two sons and his brother Simeon who was being held in Egypt. Genesis 46:27, Exodus 1:5 and Deuteronomy 10:22 give only the number who accompanied Jacob on his journey. Stephen further refers to a period of 400 years that Abraham's seed spent in Egypt, in agreement with the word of the Lord in Genesis 15:13. However, Exodus 12:40 states that Israel sojourned in Egypt for 430 years, a difference of 30 years. In the view of the writer, the explanation again lies in what was said. The period of 400 years began with the birth of Isaac; 400 years from his birth to the Exodus. The 430 years of the book of Exodus begins with the call of Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees. He was 75 years of age when he left Haran and 100 years old when Isaac was born, so giving a period of 5 years between the God of glory appearing to him before he dwelt in Haran and his departure from that place. Thus, there were 430 years from the call in Ur to the Exodus.

Scriptural skill

Stephen's knowledge of Israel's past enabled him to be bold enough to contradict his accusers and show them from the Scriptures how far astray they had gone. He outlined developments in Israel from the days of Moses, which ultimately resulted in the rejection of Christ. The nation's attitude towards the Lord and their denial of Him before Pilate was similar to their treatment of Moses and their questioning of his divinely given credentials. Stephen thrust home to them the fact that, in those early days of their experience, having seen signs and wonders and having been given the living oracles of God, they had rejected God and His Word and had turned to idolatrous worship. He reinforced this argument by showing from the book of Amos, written hundreds of years later, that God regarded those events as the start of a condition that would eventually lead to judgement and captivity in Babylon.

Stephen knew the pride that these men had in the Temple and its service. Herod had lavished money and time on refurbishment and extensions to the earlier structure. Stephen cites the fact that Solomon had built a house for the God of Jacob. These men would know of its magnificence. Stephen then immediately quotes from Isaiah 66:1,2, which shows the divine perspective on a material dwelling place made with human hands. In this we see his skill in handling the Scriptures. No place here for pride in the work of human hands, when the Most High views the earth as His footstool, and all material things as having been made by Him.

Sharp analysis

Stephen's fearless denunciation of these men sharpens in tone as he says they are 'stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears' (v.51). All that Israel had experienced at the hands of the Lord - good or bad - had not in any way altered their spirit of resistance to the working of the Holy Spirit. Stephen's spiritual insight discerned this as being a key in times past to their rejection and killing of the prophets, who spoke of the coming of Christ, and now in his generation led to the betrayal and murder of the Son of God. The response of these men to Stephen's witness exposed their corrupt sinful nature - 'whited sepulchres', as the Lord described their fellows (Mat.23:37). Stephen's listeners, 'when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth' (v.57). Stephen spoke, in the power of the Holy Spirit, words from God penetrating the hearts of these hard, hateful men. Such words were 'living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart' (Heb.4:12). Their intentions were clear! They gnashed on him with their teeth!

Divine design

Stephen at his end knew the realization of the first promise that the Lord made to anyone after the commencement of his ministry. The Lord said to Nathanael, 'Thou shalt see greater things than these ... Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man' (John 1:50,51). What a sight for Stephen, to lift his eyes heavenward from the faces before him, and to 'see the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God' (v.55). Shortly afterwards, he was in that heavenly place.

The death of Stephen marked a turning point in the development of the work in those early days. Stephen leaves the scene, and immediately we are introduced to a young man named Saul, with all the expansion of things that would spring from him. Stephen's death ushered in a period of great persecution, when many of the saints were scattered abroad, taking the word of the Lord with them, and so contributing to its spread in Judea, Samaria and other areas. It also saw the furtherance of the gospel among the Gentiles, giving effect to the Lord's command in Matthew 28:19: 'Go ... make disciples of all the nations'. As Asaph said, 'Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee' (Ps.76:10).

Biblical quotations from the RV

DYER, M. | Sept 2002
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