Our Blessed Lord was sentenced to death on the charge of blasphemy, because He had affirmed on oath: I am the Son of the living God, and hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God. In the same manner Stephen was stoned on the assumption that he was a blasphemer, and because he professed his belief in the Divinity of Jesus, and said: I see heaven open, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 2. He was a man full of the Holy Spirit, strong in faith, gifted in the working of miracles and brilliant in debating with the opponents of Christianity (Acts 6:1-10). Here is something else you might like to read: Top 7 Bible Verses About Sowing And Reaping, 25 Encouraging Bible Verses About Strength, Words of Encouragement: 30 Uplifting Quotes, Why Your Church Needs Vacation Bible School, Gods Amazing Conversions Through Dreams and Visions Part Three, Gods Amazing Conversions Through Dreams and Visions Part Two, Gods Amazing Conversions Through Dreams and Visions Part One, 7 Powerful Bible Verses About the Resurrection, 7 Bible Verses to Read When You Feel Like Giving Up, A Bible Study With Commentary on Romans One, Ice Dragon: Legend of the Blue Daisies Movie Review, Phoenix Wilder And The Great Elephant Adventure Movie Review, The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island Movie Review, The fact that Stephen was chosen to be a deacon speaks to his public testimony as a man that was a believer that lived his faith openly: Acts 6:5, Stephen took the humble position of a deacon waiting on widows and used it as an opportunity to demonstrate the power of God to do great things: Acts 6:8, Stephen demonstrated that he was well versed in Gods Word and could argue its truth with the wisdom that only the Holy Spirit could provide: Acts 6:9-10, Stephen did not back down when confronted by those who disagreed with the truth of Gods Word: Acts 6:11-15, Stephen used the spectacle of the public inquisition to share the truth with a much wider audience: Acts 7, Stephen received the strength he needed through faith to stand firm under the most extreme persecution one could suffer as a Christian: Acts 7:54-60, Stephen, like Jesus just before He died, pleaded for the forgiveness of those who were killing him: Acts 6:60. St. Stephen's Church, Thope, is one of the parishes of the first diocese of India, Kollam. He is the patron saint of Altar Servers, bricklayers, casket makers and deacons and his feast day is celebrated on December 26. Next post: Top 7 Bible Verses About Sowing And Reaping. While the assembly was overawed by the evidence of singular innocence and holiness written upon the countenance of Stephen (Acts 6:15), the question of the high priest Are these things so? broke in upon the silence. He preached the teachings of Christ to the Greek-speaking Jews. Stephen is described as a man who was unusually full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Stephen the First Martyr", "Golden Legend Invention of Saint Stephen, Protomartyr", "Translation of the Relics of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr", " - ", " - ", " (415)", "Finding of the relics of Saint Gamaliel", "Uncovering of the relics of the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen", "THE TRANSFER FROM JERUSALEM TO CONSTANTINOPLE OF THE RELICS OF THE HOLY FIRSTMARTYR STEPHEN", "Orthodox Calendar. It is our duty to make this journey memorable and not commit any sins. The soul remains immortal and therefore, we must choose to stick to our faiths and beliefs. It has been partially translated into 2,883 languages. In this sense the speech of Stephen is a grand apology for the Christian cause which he represented, inasmuch as it shows clearly that the new religion was only the divinely-ordered development of the old, and not in opposition to it. Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and when he looked up into heaven, Stephen saw 'the glory of God' (no one is permitted to see God) and on the right side of God, Jesus was standing! The Arrest of Stephen 7 So the word of God continued to spread. Just like they had murdered several other prophets including Zechariah, the Jews rejected and murdered Christ as well and disregarded the holy beliefs of Christianity. Reaching the destination isn't important, but we must focus on the journey first. In appealing to their reason he calls up picture after picture from Abraham to Moses; the speech exhibits vividly the continuity and the progress of the divine revelation which culminated in Jesus of Nazareth, the same thought as that expressed by Christ inMatthew 5:17of the principal agreement between the Old Testament and the New Testament revelation. They had killed the prophets who had protested against the dead ritualism of the temple-worship and raised their voice in behalf of a true spiritual worship as that of the tabernacle had been (Acts 7:44-50,Acts 7:52). But instead, they turned against him (Acts 6:11). His story is wholly contained in two chapters in the book of Acts, but it provides a glimpse into life in the early church and serves as an example of how our faith in Christ can lead to great things. This disposition of disobedience so characteristic of the race in its whole history, because, in spite of the divine revelation received, they remained unregenerate (Acts 7:51), reached its culmination in that awful crime of betrayal and murder committed by the present generation upon the Righteous One whose coming the prophets had predicted the rejection of Jesus of Nazareth, by which the Jews doomed not only their national existence, but also their temple-worship and the reign of the Law to destruction (Acts 6:14). Local churches were beginning to be established and there arose some problems with Greek widows being neglected in their care. [Acts 8:1][6] Some theologians argue that these may not be discrepancies, but rather a condensing of historical events for people who were already familiar with them. Thus he belonged to that class of Jews usually residing outside of Palestine who, though distinguished from the orthodox Palestinian Jew by a broader outlook on life due to a more liberal education, were Jews none the less, the original Jewish element predominating in their character, and who might be true Israelites indeed, as Stephen was. Stephen relied on God's messages and according to many Bible scholars, he left a powerful impact on the minds of the people worldwide. It is noteworthy, however, that the Jewish legal forms were observed, as if to give to the violence the appearance of legality. Their knowledge of Jewish history and Jewish religion as he would convey it to them would compel them to clear him of the accusation against him as blasphemer and false teacher. He deserves as well to be called the first great apologist for Christianity, since it was this that brought on his death as a martyr (circa 36 or 37 AD). Stephen was an evangelist. Phillip was the name of two of King Herod the Great's sons by different wives ( Luke 3:1 and Matthew 14:3 ). She is fond of classic British literature. They were interred alongside the relics of Saint Lawrence, whose tomb is enshrined within the church. It makes evident beyond doubt how not grounded the accusation of blasphemy against him was. His defense of his faith before the rabbinic court enraged his Jewish audience, and he was taken out of the city and stoned to death. Stephen was the first martyr of the church. He was also the first Christian martyr, stoned to death for preaching that Jesus was the Christ. Dr. Mike holds under-graduate through post graduate degrees in Christian Education and formerly worked as a nurse. As an aside, this might not have been Saul's first encounter with Jesus, as some scholars suggest that young Saul might have known of Jesus and that he might have actually witnessed His death. He held the coats of those who stoned Stephen to death and saw the victorious way Stephen died. They were told to choose men who were full of faith and the Holy Ghost. 6. Acts 6:8:Stephen performs various wonders and signs. He has a short introduction in Acts 6:5 and becomes the first martyr for the Christian faith just one chapter later. This revelation coupled with the splendid personality of Stephen, the testimony of his righteous life and the noble bravery of his sublime death, and above all his dying prayer, fell upon the honest soul of Saul with an irresistible force and inevitably brought on the Damascus event, as Augustine clearly recognized: Si Stephanus non orasset, ecclesia Paulum non habuisset. Judged by his teaching, Stephen may be called the forerunner of Paul. He was likely Jewish: Jews, from an early age, memorized portions of the Old Testament. [6], Some people have laid the charge of anti-Judaism against the speech, for instance the priest and scholar of comparative religion S. G. F. Brandon, who states: "The anti-Jewish polemic of this speech reflects the attitude of the author of Acts."[16]. Whether we live in a country full of religious freedoms or in a restricted area, we may find ourselves in situations where we have the choice to renounce our faith or die for it. Not to impiety or frivolity in Stephen, but to some other cause, must be due therefore the difference between him and his opponents. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. [19] A different tradition is documented from the end of the Crusader period, after the disappearance of the Byzantine church: as Christian pilgrims were prohibited from approaching the militarily exposed northern city wall, the name "Saint Stephen's Gate" was transferred to the still accessible eastern gate, which bears this name until this day. Even though he was appointed by the Twelve, Stephen was a full-fledged prophet, filled with the Holy Spirit. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon. He was an extremely righteous man who was appointed by the early Church to feed the widows. [13] Another possibility is that the discrepancies come from an ancient Jewish tradition which was not included in the scriptures or may have been popular among people of Jerusalem who were not scribes. Furthermore, Stephen spoke about Abraham, the supreme patriarch, who was led by the Almighty to Israel from a pagan land. In the same way, the Jews had refused to listen to Jesus during his ministry on earth and, instead, killed him when they could no longer stand his words. God often uses the person's godly character under fire to convict those to whom he is bearing verbal witness. In a similar fashion to Socrates on trial, Stephen gives a point-by-point rendering of the Old Testament and how it related to Jesus work through his death and resurrection. His name suggests he was a Hellenistic Jew who spoke and preached in Greek, one of the common languages in Israel in that day. Your privacy is important to us. Stephen saw before any other man in the church saw, that the gospel of Christ was not for Jews only, but was for all men; that all men might be saved if they would believe in Jesus; and this great truth Stephen began to preach with all his power. Stephen's death had the unexpected consequence of forcing Christians to flee persecution in Jerusalem. I want to draw four lessons from Stephen's death: 1. Though the Hellenist dispensed himself from keeping all of the Pharisaic additions to the Law, he always regarded the Law of Moses and the temple at Jerusalem as highly as the Palestinian Jew. The climax of his speech is reached inActs 7:51-53, when Stephen, breaking off the line of argument, suddenly in direct address turns upon his hearers, and, the accused becoming the accuser, charges them openly with the sin of resisting the Holy Spirit, with the murder of the prophets and the Righteous One, and with continual disobedience to the Law. Dr. Michael L. Williams He relied on the Holy Spirit who showed him the right path. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. These freer views of Stephen, though possibly attributable to his Hellenic culture, were certainly not of Hellenistic origin, for just their promulgation is what brought him into controversy with the Hellenistic synagogues of Jerusalem. Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum have argued that the covenants advance the storyline of the Bible in their book Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants, and they are on target. They responded by conspiring to lie about him in an effort to stir up the people and members of the local synagogue. The gospel spread far and wide as a result. Friedrich Justus Knecht lists the similarities of the martyrdom of Stephen to Jesus' death on the cross: 1. In his book The City of God, Augustine of Hippo describes the many miracles that occurred when part of the relics of Saint Stephen were brought to Africa. He did not hesitate to preach his views, choosing the Hellenistic synagogues for this purpose, and soon became engaged in controversies there. According to the Golden Legend, the relics of Lawrence moved miraculously to one side to make room for those of Stephen.[21]. Accused of blasphemy at his trial, he made a speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgment on him[Acts 7:5153] and was then stoned to death. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. 3 Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. He also had Hellenistic roots: This articlefrom Encyclopedia Britannica says he was a Hellenistic Jew (a foreign-born Jew), which would make sense why the apostles would place him in charge of the distribution of food to the Hellenistic widows. Furious at Stephens words, the Jews rushed upon him, dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death (Acts 7:54-60). In the eucharistic celebration on this feast day, it is traditional for all deacons serving at the altar to wear a liturgical crown (Armenian: khooyr), which is one of the vestments worn only by priests on all other days of the year, the crown being in this instance a symbol of martyrdom. Known best as the proto-martyr of the Christian church, introducing the heroic period of persecutions. . Throughout the 21st century, 27 December Julian will continue to fall on 9 January in the Gregorian calendar, and that is the date on which they observe the feast. What seems like a tragedy can somehow be part of God's great plan. They dragged him to appear before the Sanhedrin, the supreme legal court of Jewish elders, accusing him of preaching against the Temple and the Mosaic Law. [15], Numerous parallels between the accounts of Stephen in Acts and the Jesus of the Gospels they both perform miracles, they are both tried by the Sanhedrin, they both pray for forgiveness for their killers, for instance have led to suspicions that the author of Acts has emphasised in order to show the recipient that people become holy when they follow the example of Christ or invented some (or all) of these. is a pastor, author, Christian educator and Biblical counselor who has served in ministry since 2001. Satan does not sit idly by when his realm is challenged. Name: Stephen. These wise words of Stephen angered the Jews even more who condemned him shortly after his speech. Best Known For: Saint Stephen is recognized as a saint and the first martyr in Christian theology. This enrages the members of the Sanhedrin, and they order Stephens death by stoninga practice used in the Old Testament to put to death blasphemers and other doers of great acts of evil. Zavada, Jack. In Acts, after the early church begins to convert thousands of people to the Christian faith in a matter of days, we meet for a brief time a man by the name of Stephen. Bible References: Stephen's story is told in chapters 6 and 7 of the book of Acts. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! The Old Testament is the first section of the Bible, covering the creation of Earth through Noah and the flood, Moses and more, finishing with the Jews being expelled to Babylon. This helped him to preach to multiple audiences. He was extremely courageous to stand against the entire Jewish council and took this opportunity to reach out to a wider audience with his preachings. These deacons had to be full of wisdom and the Spirit. These deacons would take charge of the distribution of food to the widows, among other duties. The Catholic churches, Eastern Orthodox Churches, Anglican, Lutheran, and Oriental Orthodox churches refer to Stephen as a saint who is much closer to God than the high priest, and therefore, he is often regarded as Saint Stephen. of This day is also called the "Third Day of the Nativity" because it is the third day of the Christmas season. Read them in the archive below. He showed to the Sanhedrin he had an immense knowledge of the Scriptures, and through his Greek rhetoric, he had the apologetic power of a speaker like Apollos (Acts 18:24). The primary focus of this program is to cover historical and biblical content about the early church Fathers, the Apocryphal accounts, the canon, textual criticism, and the scripture itself. Stephen was a great man of faith who came from nowhere, but because of his testimony, he was chosen by the church members to take on the role of a deacon. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. It is in reality a philosophy of Israels history and religion, and in so far it was a novum. Man can only kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul. Stephen [N] [H] [S] one of the seven deacons, who became a preacher of the gospel. First, Stephen shows believers they can have a powerful impact for the kingdom, if even for a short period of time. In Western Christianity, 26 December is called "Saint Stephen's Day", the "Feast of Stephen" mentioned in the English Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslas". 3:12 ). [2], In a long speech to the Sanhedrin comprising almost the whole of Acts chapter 7, Stephen presents his view of the history of Israel. It harkens back to times when God's presence was visibly manifest before His people in the Old Testament. "[Acts 7:5153], Thus castigated, the account is that the crowd could contain their anger no longer. He continued by telling them what he was seeing, which enraged them so much they attacked him. Prejudiced and enraged as they were, the unanswerable arguments of Stephen, based on their own Scriptures, made them mad with fury, and doubtless through their demonstrations they stopped the speech. The strong appeal to the will is made by holding up the figure of Moses type of the Law, in its vital significance, in such a way as passionately to apply it to the fundamental relation of divine plan and human conduct. Many Jews grew up outside of Jerusalem due to an event known as the Diaspora. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content. Of his conversion to Christianity we know nothing, though there is a tradition that he was among the Seventy. Acts 7 is a beautiful example of telling the story of the whole Bible and tying it to Christ. The charge against his teaching was both false and true. Fearlessly, he stood in front of the Jewish council and put forth his words for Christ. We met Stephen in our last study, where he was picked as one of the seven men to help distribute food to the Hellenistic widows in a fair manner. I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God!" It meant Christianity was not just another Jewish sect but something entirely different: a New Covenant from God, replacing the Old. St. Stephen, (died 36 ce, Jerusalem; feast day December 26), Christian deacon in Jerusalem and the first Christian martyr, whose apology before the Sanhedrin (Acts of the Apostles 7) points to a distinct strand of belief in early Christianity. From that moment on, Saul's life was turned upside down. Rajnandini is an art lover and enthusiastically likes to spread her knowledge. God loves each of us as if there were only one of us"- Augustine. Stephen (Greek: Stphanos, meaning "wreath, crown" and by extension "reward, honor, renown, fame", often given as a title rather than as a name; c. 5 c. 34 AD) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity. And when he had said this, he fell asleep (Acts 7:60; compare1 Cor 15). If you liked reading this article, then don't forget to check out the facts about David in the Bible and facts about Esther from the Bible, here on Kidadl. This also has the effect of pushing the Feast of the Holy Innocents to the 29 December. After their false testimony, the high priest asked Stephen if these things were true. Enroll in Correspondence Course. QUICK FACTS. Before he died, Stephen said two things very similar to Jesus' last words from the cross: But Stephen's influence was even stronger after his death. In Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom, the day is celebrated as "Boxing Day". [6], There are at least five places where Stephen's re-telling of the stories of Israelite history diverges from the scriptures where these stories originated; for instance, Stephen says that Jacob's tomb was in Shechem,[Acts 7:16] but Genesis 50:13[Genesis 50:13] says Jacob's body was carried and buried in a cave in Machpelah at Hebron. He took this opportunity to preach Christianity, which angered several Jewish leaders and priests. The Seven from the first were occupied with essentially spiritual work, as also the later diaconate was engaged in something far different from mere charity organization. This enraged some of the members of the local synagogues. Stephen was mentioned for the first time in Act 6:5 of the Bible. In the way he lived and died, Stephen catapulted the early Christian church from its local Jerusalem roots to a cause that spread across the entire world. (compareMark 14:58;Mark 13:2;Mark 15:29). The contents of his speech are a recital of the most marked phases of Jewish history in the past, but as read from the point of view of its out-workings in the present old facts interpreted by a spirit-filled disciple of Christ. [5] As another deacon, Nicholas of Antioch, is specifically stated to have been a convert to Judaism, it may be assumed that Stephen was born Jewish, but nothing more is known about his previous life. They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. Among the most notable are the two sites in Jerusalem held by different traditions to be the place of his martyrdom, the Salesian monastery of Beit Jimal in Israel held to be the place where his remains were miraculously found, and the church of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura in Rome, where the saint's remains are said to be buried. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, a parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow", "Translation of the relics of the Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen from Jerusalem to Constantinople", "Frequently asked questions: Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower", St. Stephen Protomartyr Catholic Church, St. Louis, Missouri, St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church, Omaha, NE, Benedict XVI, "Reflection on the Life and Death of Saint Stephen", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saint_Stephen&oldid=1147360833. Dr Michael L has written 155 articles on What Christians Want To Know! This language is important. (1912), I. Accordingly, Stephen was taken outside the city (Leviticus 24:14; compareLuke 4:29); the witnesses threw the first stone at him (compareDeuteronomy 17:7) after taking off their upper garments and laying them at the feet of a young man named Saul (Acts 7:58) afterward Paul, now about 30 years old who evidently had charge of the whole proceedings. It may seem odd that a man who receives mention and dies within two chapters of the Bible has a great impact on believers today, but Christians can glean a lot of information from this saint. The word "bible" is from the Greek ta biblia, which means "the scrolls" or "the books." The word is derived from the ancient city of Byblos, which was the official supplier of paper products to the ancient world. Thus in a masterful way Stephen converts the charge of Antinomianism and anti-Mosaism brought against him into a countercharge of disobedience to the divine revelation, of which his hearers stood guilty in the present as their fathers had in the past. Why did Stephen become the first martyr for the Christian faith, and what can the church today learn about this saint from the first century? Though it marks the beginning of the first great persecution of Christians, the death of the first Christian martyr resulted in the greatest acquisition Christianity has probably ever made, the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Kidadl is supported by you, the reader. These are some of the lessons Stephen's life left people with. God's work is constantly unfolding and goes forth on his timetable. Who was this man who has such a brief mention? The fundamental differences between Stephen and his opponents, as is evident from the whole tone and drift and purpose of his speech, lay in that he judged Old Testament history from the prophetical point of view, to which Jesus had also allied Himself, while his opponents represented the legalistic point of view, so characteristic of the Jewish thought of that day. Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul, a Pharisee and Roman citizen who would later become a Christian apostle, participated in Stephen's martyrdom. [Acts 6:5, 8], It seems to have been among synagogues of Hellenistic Jews that he performed his teachings and "signs and wonders" since it is said that he aroused the opposition of the "Synagogue of the Freedmen", and "of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia". There was no blasphemy on the part of Stephen, save by perversion of his words. He contributed majorly to the growth of the church and also helped the apostles in their work of spreading the Almighty's words, just like the patron saint. Stephens new role did not stop with the daily routine of helping elderly widows, he used his role to demonstrate wonders and miracles among the people. 9 But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and . The tasking by the apostles pleased everyone and the brethren chose seven men who were full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. 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