Context No. 752 of 4322 · Acts
Context · Reflection
Acts 6:7-15: in context
7The word of God increased and the number of the disciples greatly multiplied in Jerusalem. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. 8Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines”, and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen. 10They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 11Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, then brought him in to the council, 13and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. 14For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” 15All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel.
The church in Jerusalem is growing, even priests are joining, and Stephen, one of the seven chosen to serve, is doing wonders and speaking with a wisdom his opponents cannot handle. That is exactly the problem. Men from several synagogues rise to dispute with him, and Luke says plainly that they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. They lost the argument. And here the account turns, because losing the argument did not stop them.
Since they could not beat him with truth, they reached for lies. They secretly put men up to say they had heard Stephen blaspheme Moses and God, stirred up the crowd and the elders, seized him, and hauled him before the council, where false witnesses accused him of never ceasing to speak against the temple and the law. It is the same move that had been used against Jesus, the same manufactured charge about destroying the temple. And as the lies are read out, Luke notes something the whole council could see: everyone staring at Stephen saw that his face was like the face of an angel. The men with the false witnesses had the power in the room. The man they were framing had the light on his face.
When they could not answer Stephen, they set out to destroy him instead. When I cannot win a point honestly, do I let it go, or quietly start to attack the person?
Sources
- Acts 6:3-6: Stephen chosen as one of the seven, a man full of the Spirit and wisdom
- Exodus 34:29-35: Moses's face shining after meeting God, echoed in Stephen's angelic face
- Matthew 26:59-61: the false witnesses against Jesus, the same charge about destroying the temple