Background and Life of the Apostle Stephen in Acts
Stephen was the first Christian martyr and the chief among seven men appointed to address a dispute in the early Jerusalem church between Hellenistic and Hebrew Christians [1, 3]. His Greek name indicates his own Hellenistic origin [3], marking him as part of the Greek-speaking Jewish community whose widows had been overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
Selection and Character
The apostles proposed selecting seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, to oversee the practical administration of charity, freeing the Twelve to focus on prayer and the ministry of the word [6]. Stephen emerged as the foremost of these seven, described in emphatic, almost superlative terms: "full of faith and of the Holy Ghost," "full of grace and power," possessing irresistible "spirit and wisdom" [3, 7]. Though called to serve tables, Stephen did not consider the office beneath him; faithful in this responsibility, he was entrusted with more [4]. He "performed great wonders and signs among the people" [2], demonstrating that his role extended beyond administrative duties into active ministry.
Conflict and Martyrdom
Stephen's powerful preaching provoked opposition from members of various synagogues, who disputed with him but could not withstand his wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke [6]. When unable to refute him, they brought false witnesses before the Sanhedrin, accusing him of blasphemy against Moses and God [6]. His defense, recorded in Acts 7, recounted Israel's history in three movements—the patriarchs, Moses, and the Tabernacle—exposing the nation's pattern of rejecting those whom God had sent [8]. Rather than defending himself, Stephen became a witness in God's prosecution of his accusers [8].
The enraged crowd dragged him outside the city and stoned him. Those who stoned him laid their clothes at the feet of a young Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus [1], in accordance with the procedure prescribed in Deuteronomy 17:5-7. Stephen died with a prayer for his persecutors on his lips [1], and devout men carried him to burial [1]. The scene and Stephen's words made a deep and lasting impression on Saul [1, 5], who later acknowledged his own complicity in the martyrdom [5].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Stephen — One of the seven deacons, who became a preacher of the gospel. He was the first Christian martyr. His personal character and history are recorded in Acts 6. "He fell asleep" with a prayer for his persecutors on his lips (7:60). Devout men carried him to his grave (8:2). It was at the feet of the young Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, that those who stoned him laid their clothes (comp. Deut. 17:5-7) before they began their cruel work. The scene which Saul then witnessed and the words he heard appear to have made a deep and lasting impression on his mind (Acts 22:19”
- Acts “Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. -- Acts 6:8”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Stephen — the first Christian martyr, was the chief of the seven (commonly called Deacons) appointed to rectify the complaints in the early Church of Jerusalem, made by the Hellenistic against the hebrew Christians. His Greek name indicates his own Hellenistic origin. His importance is stamped on the narrative by a reiteration of emphatic, almost superlative, phrases: "full of faith and of the Holy Ghost," (Acts 6:5) "full of grace and power," ibid. (Acts 6:8) irresistible "spirit and wisdom," ibid (Acts 6:10) "full of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 7:55) He shot far ahead of”
- Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 6:8: Stephen, no doubt was diligent and faithful in the discharge of his office as distributor of the church's charity, and laid out himself to put that affair in a good method, which he did to universal satisfaction; and though it appears here that he was a man of uncommon gifts, and fitted for a higher station, yet, being called to that office, he did not think it below him to do the duty of it. And, being faithful in a little, he was entrusted with more; and, though we do not find him propagating the gospel by preaching and baptizing, yet we find him here called out to”
- Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 22:18: And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed,.... Stephen was a martyr for Christ, both by confession with his mouth, and by the effusion of his blood; he was the proto-martyr, or "the first martyr" that suffered for Christ; and there are copies, as one of Stephens's, and the Complutensian edition, which so read in this place; his blood was shed by stoning: I also was standing by; to see the inhuman action performed; nor was he an idle and indifferent spectator: and consenting unto his death; being pleased and delighted with it, and rejoicing at it; see Act 8:”
- Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 6 (introduction): In this chapter we have, I. The discontent that was among the disciples about the distribution of the public charity (Act 6:1). II. The election and ordination of seven men, who should take care of that matter, and ease the apostles of the burden (Act 6:2-6). III. The increase of the church, by the addition of many to it (Act 6:7). IV. A particular account of Stephen, one of the seven. 1. His great activity for Christ (Act 6:8). 2. The opposition he met with from the enemies of Christianity, and his disputes with them (Act 6:9, Act 6:10). 3. The convenin”
- Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 6:5: And the saying pleased the whole multitude,.... The speech the apostles made took with them; all things they proposed were universally approved of; the whole body of the church came into it at once unanimously; they all judged it highly reasonable, that the apostles should be eased of the burden in taking care of the poor, and that it should be transferred to some other persons, and they fixed on the following: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost; he was a man eminent for his faith in Christ, and his faithfulness to him, and in everything”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 7:1: 7:1-53 Stephen responded to the accusations by testifying about his Lord (cp. Luke 21:12-17). Instead of defending himself against their prosecution, he became a witness in God’s prosecution of them, exposing their stubbornness and unfaithfulness to God. Stephen’s recital of Israel’s past reminded them of their repeated rejections of those whom God had sent. • Stephen’s review of Israel’s history has three principal parts, dealing with the work of the patriarchs (Acts 7:2-16), the ministry of Moses (7:17-43), and the role of the Tabernacle and the Temple (7:44-50). S”