Stephen was not the first nor he last of Jesus’ followers to ,counter opposition from the religious authorities. The Lord had prophesied his disciples would encounter opposition: “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” (Matt. 10:25).
To their credit, when the religious authorities opposed the gospel they taught, the disciples bravely obeyed Jesus’ command and continued to preach. Synagogues, homes and the temple were popular locations to deliver the good news of the resurrection (Luke 24:27). Their dauntless attitude is shown in Peter’s words: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29) — words believers sometimes need to apply today.
Stephen becomes prominent
As the membership of the community grew by thousands, a seven-man committee was formed to administer various welfare activities. Being one of the seven, Stephen’s service to his Lord broadened from his initial duties, until he “did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8). Now Stephen, a target for the opposition, like his Master, was charged with speaking “blasphemous words…” (6:11).
While the disciples’ preaching had certainly upset the religious leaders, Stephen’s activities irritated a particularly zealous community of Jews. Unable to refute his wisdom, they recruited false witnesses and charged him with blasphemy against this holy place (the temple and perhaps the land) and the law (6:10,13).
After his arrest, the high priest gave Stephen opportunity to answer the charges. While a casual reading of his defense may make it seem he only presented a review of highlights of Jewish history, a closer study shows much more. Through the Holy Spirit, Stephen selected his history very carefully and specifically answered the charges brought against him.
God not confined to Israel
Those listening closely would note the evidence very early in Jewish history that God had revealed Himself to those outside of the land of Israel. Many had received messages from God in Gentile lands — Mesopotamia (Abraham), Egypt (Joseph) and Sinai (Moses) (7:2,9,30). If God had reached out to men in these foreign lands, why were the religious leaders so insistent that God was confined to Israel? How could it be said that Stephen was guilty of blasphemy when the scriptures clearly showed God did not confine His revelations to Israel or the holy place (temple).
The religious leaders, and not Stephen, had adopted the wrong slant. If Stephen was to be believed — and how could his scriptural evidence be refuted — then their charge of blasphemy against the holy place must be withdrawn.
Israel’s long history of rebellion
Stephen’s history lesson also showed Israel was not always zealous of God’s law. For example, the sons of Jacob sold Joseph into Egypt, and the children of Israel continually wronged one another and refused to obey Moses (7:9,26,39). Indeed their formal worship of God was as flawed as their morals. While in the wilderness, they asked Aaron to make them gods and later drifted so far astray as to worship the host of heaven (7:40,42).
In this way, Stephen builds a case about those who “received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it” (7:53). Their worship was frequently remiss and in rejecting their Messiah they had pushed God too far.
Their scripture condemned them
Until this point in his speech, Stephen drew on historic events proving the leaders’ charges of blasphemy against him were wrong. Then, by quoting the prophet Isaiah, he defended his position as being the right one all along (Isa. 66:1,2): “Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the LORD: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?” (Acts 7:49,50).
His quotation from Isaiah 66 ended abruptly, but what he did not quote is even more damaging to his accusers. Those of his audience who were well versed in the scriptures would have continued this quote for themselves: “All those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembled’ at my word” (Isa 66:2).
The resurrection of Jesus proved he was a man to whom God looked, yet the leaders not only had slain him but now, after his resurrection, sought to kill the Lord’s followers.
How damning this unspoken verse was to their position.
Isaiah 66 contains plenty of additional material that Stephen’s audience would find distressing. It shows how their austere worship was futile and hints they would kill their Lord: “He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man…they have chosen their own ways…when I called, none did answer” (Isa. 66:3,4).
Stephen condemns his audience
Instead of continuing to quote Isaiah, Stephen shouted: “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye” (7:50). Several following verses intensify his rebuke (7:52,53).
Perhaps Stephen hoped that, when faced with these facts, the audience would lament their past, turn to God and free him. Instead, in immediate fulfillment of Stephen’s prophecy, they reacted in their customary way: “Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him” (Acts 7:57,58).
Although the whole audience did not grasp Stephen’s logic, was there perhaps one who eventually comprehended what he had said? (Acts 7:58). Are not thoughts found in the epistle to the Hebrews similar to those expressed here? Is it possible these have their origin in Stephen’s speech? Although we can’t be sure Paul is the author of Hebrews, we do know he eventually deeply regretted that Stephen was put to death. So although placing the instruction of scripture ahead of cherished ideas or tradition is not easy for us, we must note that it will help us succeed in the end.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One