Acts 7:54-8:3 Accusations are hard for anyone to endure. How do you respond to accusations? Do you ignore them? Apologize? Accuse the accuser? Get mad? Shout? Deny? Throw things? Pout? Walk away? Repent? Ask how you can change? Stephen brought his speech to a dramatic end with a major accusation. How else can they react to this charge?
If you have been protecting the purity of the faith in one God, and his presence in the temple, and his laws for 4000 years, how can you put up with such a dramatic different interpretation of the scriptures that you have protected for so long? This is a major attack on our way of life, our historians, our traditions, our beliefs, our hope? For the Sanhedrin, it means their jobs, their livelihood, their way of life, their purpose in life. How could we have made such a wrong decision about Jesus? How can he be the Messiah if he doesn’t deliver us from Rome, and lead us into a new Jewish Kingdom? It can’t be a cursed one.
A door of salvation to the Gentiles like Jesus to the Jews and second chance.
This leads to the stoning of Stephen outside the city. In this, there is a lot of similarity to Jesus by a Hellenistic believer: which answers the question posed by Theophilus: for assurance: 1:4. Parallels to Jesus:
Stephen has grace and power, works wonders and signs among the people 6:8
Enters into dispute with those who challenge him 6:9 including spies 6:11
Arrested 6:12 and brought to trial before the Sanhedrin 6:12-15
False witnesses 6:13 (see Mk 14:56, Mt 26:59; taken outside the city 7:58
The matter of clothing discarded 7:58; Stephen prays 7:59; asks forgiveness of murderers 7:60;
Buried by pious people 8:2. This is a correlation as a witness of Jesus who possesses the same Spirit.
Jesus was silent, but he said he would give the words to say in times like these: Lk 21:15: “for I will provide you eloquence and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to oppose or refute.”
The introduction and role of Saul/Paul: 1. Accusers throw the stones, the cloaks at Paul’s feet show that he had authority, and his approval May have been more like instigator. Stephen like him was a hellenist Jew – a Roman citizen, and from a Hellenistic synagogue. He may have even known him. Prior to his conviction that Jesus was the Messiah. This ends the Jerusalem Narrative, and begins the spread of the Gospel to the nations through Judea and Samaria.
The key event here is the references to the Holy Spirit, both in the accusation 7:51-53, and in his revelation. Luke makes clear to us, that this is not about superheroes great personalities, but it is the witness of Jesus alive in individuals. It is the Holy Spirit that defines Stephen as a real witness to the message, the resurrection, and the newness of life in the dawning of a new kingdom with a new Lord who is over all. The Ruler is not the Sanhedrin, not the Romans, not Herod, not the Fathers, not the prophets, not the temple, and not the Torah! The Ruler, the Lord, the Prince of Peace, the counselor, the mighty God, Emmanuel, God with us is Jesus!
The reality of this confession is found in two facts: 1. He sees the Glory: the God of Glory who appears to Abraham and Moses, which makes Stephen a spokesperson for the people, the Glory is associated with Jesus, in particular his resurrection (Lk 9:31,32; 24:26; Acts 3:13) of which now Stephen is a witness to (Acts 22:20) “And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing nearby and approving, and watching over the cloaks of those who were killing him.’”
and thirdly, Glory is associated with the coming of the Son of Man (Lk9::26; 21:27)
2. He sees heaven opened up: this is a two way street, directly from the Lord to his disciples, those who believe and follow him. It also is a direct new revelation about the role of the temple and the Torah. This is what causes those who are uncircumcised in their hearts and ears, to cover their ears not to listen to such blasphemy.
He dies while calling on the Name of the Lord, as in Acts 2:21: everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Saul is a witness to this martyrdom. Though his initial reaction is to be zealous for the traditions of Orthodox Judaism, Saul hear this messianic way of interpreting the scriptures!
The open heaven is our choice!
What can we take out of this? The need we each have for being filled with the Holy Spirit. Responding to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, beginning with repentance, baptism, and then to follow him responding to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Here the word translated most for faith: pistes, is a call to faithfulness and loyalty to the new Lord above all else. This is the hope that God gives in this life to those who follow him. It is a newness of life! It is a life filled with his presence, and a life that knows no end. This kingdom crosses borders, languages, cultures, divisions, and unifies people under the Lordship of Jesus.
What will you choose?