The First Martyr: Acts 6:8-15; 7:54-60

Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.

Stephen—one of the seven chosen to serve tables, distribute food, care for widows. But Stephen was more than an administrator. Full of grace and power. Wonders and signs. The Spirit overflowed in him.

Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen.

The Freedmen—Jews who had been slaves in Rome, now freed, now returned to Jerusalem. They had their own synagogue. And they argued with Stephen.

These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him.

They debated. They lost. The Spirit gave Stephen wisdom they couldn't match. Unable to defeat his arguments, they changed tactics.

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.

False witnesses. Lies coordinated. Blasphemy alleged. The same charges leveled against Jesus now thrown at his follower.

So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.

Mob manipulation. The elders gathered. The council assembled. Stephen arrested and arraigned.

They produced false witnesses, who testified, This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.

The accusations specific: against the temple, against the law, against Moses, because of Jesus. The charges distorted what Stephen actually taught.

All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

His face. While lies swirled around him, his face glowed. Like an angel—radiant, peaceful, heavenly. The accused looked more divine than his accusers.

Stephen preached. A long sermon—the longest in Acts—recounting Israel's history, their constant rejection of God's messengers, their stiff-necked resistance to the Holy Spirit. And then the conclusion they couldn't bear.

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.

Furious—the word suggests being cut to the heart, but in rage rather than repentance. Gnashing teeth—the image of animal fury, uncontrolled anger.

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.

Full of the Holy Spirit—the same phrase that marked his ministry now sustained his death. He looked up. He saw. The glory of God. And Jesus—standing. Usually Scripture pictures Jesus seated at God's right hand. But for Stephen, Jesus stood. To welcome? To honor? To receive?

Look, he said, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

He told them what he saw. Heaven open. The Son of Man—Jesus' title for himself. Standing at God's right hand. The vision shared with his murderers.

At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him.

Covered ears—they wouldn't hear. Yelling—drowning out the testimony. Rushed at him—mob violence unleashed.

They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.

Out of the city—execution outside the camp, following the law even while breaking it. Stoning began. Heavy stones hurled at the radiant-faced deacon.

Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

A detail that would echo through history. Saul—young, zealous, approving. Watching the coats. Watching the murder. This Saul would become Paul.

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

His prayer—echoing Jesus on the cross. Into your hands I commit my spirit became Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Even dying, Stephen proclaimed Jesus as Lord worthy to receive what only God receives.

Then he fell on his knees and cried out, Lord, do not hold this sin against them.

On his knees—whether from impact or from prayer. His final words—intercession for his killers. Father, forgive them, Jesus had prayed. Stephen followed his Lord in death as in life.

When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Fell asleep—the Christian euphemism for death. Not annihilation but rest. Stephen, first martyr, face like an angel, seeing Jesus, forgiving his murderers, fell asleep.

And Saul approved of their killing him.

The chapter ended with Saul. Approving. Not yet knowing that Stephen's Jesus would meet him on a Damascus road. Not yet knowing that he would suffer the same for the same name.