The+Stoning+of+Stephen

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Martyrdom has been or is seen for most religions. Martyrs can sometimes be seen as heroes for what they have done. However, Stephen’s “trial” and death in Acts 7 is much more than an act of a martyr. It has been questioned whether or not the stoning of Stephen was an act of a formal, legal process or the act of the mob. What is also interesting about Stephen’s death is how closely he imitates Christ. While in no way is it said that Stephen’s death did the same as Christ’s or it was a reenactment of the martyrdom of Christ, but there are some amazing similarities. Stephen’s death was also a turning point for the Church.

Was Stephen’s “trial” and “sentence” an act of a legal process, or a mob? The beginning of Acts 7 up until his death at the end of Acts 7 is his speech to the Sanhedrin. Stephen’s speech “was, for his hearers, flagrant apostasy. While his purpose was to denounce the status quo mentality that had been grown up around the land, the law and the temple…this was undoubtedly taken as a frontal attack against the Jewish religion in its official and popular forms.”[|[1]] The council was absolutely furious. Unless they wanted to repent and admit that they were wrong, they had no other choice than to find Stephen guilty of blasphemy.[|[2]] The sentence of blasphemy is stoning. So the question is whether Stephen had a “trial.” The verdict of conviction, according to the rules the Sanhedrin were following, were not to be completed until the following day.[|[3]] It is nowhere mentioned in the book of Acts that they waited to stone Stephen. They were so enraged with Stephen and his message to them that “they ground their teeth at him” (Acts 7:54). Grinding their teeth is not a good thing. They were so infuriated with him that from what it looks like in the Bible, they took him outside the city right away and stoned him. This was the result of a mob, not a legal process.

There are numerous similarities between Stephen’s death and Jesus’. Again, it is going too far to say that Stephen is reenacting Christ’s death, but Stephen, in several ways, is imitating Christ. It is not only His death that Stephen imitates, but also the events leading up to His death that are so similar. One of the first similarities between Jesus and Stephen is, just like Jesus, Stephen was also able to work wonders and signs among people (Acts 6:8). Stephen was also brought to trial before the Sanhedrin (6:12-15) just like Jesus was. He also had false witnesses accuse him (6:13; see Luke 22:66-71). Stephen was taken out of the city to be killed (7:58; see Luke 23:32). He also prays that his spirit would be accepted (7:59; see Luke 23:46).[|[4]] Just before Stephen’s death he cries out to the Lord not to “hold this sin against them” (7:60; see Luke 23:34, 46). Although the wording and sequence is not exact, they are still reminiscent of Jesus.[|[5]] Although there are countless similarities, there are also some differences. One of the major differences is that Jesus stayed silent in the face of His accusers, but Stephen was not. Stephen’s speech was exactly what the council expected.[|[6]] Another difference was the Stephen’s death was to glorify the Lord Jesus himself.[|[7]] The point that Luke is trying to make with all of these parallels and differences between Jesus and Stephen is “not to emphasize the personality of his characters but rather their prophetic power that is affected by the Holy Spirit.”[|[8]] The same power of the Holy Spirit will then be transferred to Paul, Philip and Barnabas as they bring the gospel outside of Jerusalem into the world.[|[9]]

Stephen’s death is not only the death of a martyr, but it is also a turning point. It is no coincidence that Saul (who later becomes Paul) is introduced at Stephen’s stoning. Stephen’s death in the city of Jerusalem signifies that the mission of the church has ended in the Holy City. There are no more evangelistic narratives in Jerusalem in the book of Acts.[|[10]] This was an easy transition from evangelism in Jerusalem by Stephen and others, into evangelism throughout the world by Paul and others. In fact, the Holy City will become a center of forces that are against God’s plan for salvation.[|[11]] The narrative of Acts pushes away from Jerusalem and goes towards Rome,[|[12]] which is a major nation and also where the book of Acts ends. While it is like the Jews are in spiritual exile from the point of Stephen’s death onward, it is also a time of rebirth and renewal in Stephen’s death.[|[13]] The gospel was then brought out into the rest of the world for the Gentiles. Because of Jesus’ death, we were able to be saved; because of Stephen’s death, the gospel was able to move outside of Jerusalem into the rest of world through people like Paul.

Although there are opposing opinions about whether Stephen’s death was an act of a mob, or an official, legal process that is not the point. Stephen’s similarities between the events leading up to his death and his actions before he died are closely related to that of Jesus Christ’s death. There are some differences; however, the point is not that Stephen imitates Christ. It is because of the Holy Spirit moving through him that he was able to do those things. Stephen’s martyrdom was much more than just being a martyr. His death launched a huge turning point in the church’s mission from Jerusalem to the rest of the world led by the one and only Paul, who assisted in the stoning of Stephen.

Bibliography

Bock, Darrell L. //Acts//: Grand Rapid, MI: Baker Academic, 2007. Johnson, Luke Timothy. //The Acts of the Apostles//: Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1992. Keck, Leander E., Ed. //The New Interpreter’s Bible: General Articles and Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections for Each Book of the Bible//: Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002. Longnecker, Richard N. //The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol 9:// Grand Rapids, MI: The Zondervan Corporation, 1981.

[|[1]] Richard N. Longnecker, //The Expositor’s Bible Commentary// (Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation, 1981), 349. [|[2]] Ibid, 349. [|[3]] Ibid, 351. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">[|[4]] Luke Timothy Johnson, //The Acts of the Apostles// (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1992), 142-143. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">[|[5]] Richard N. Longnecker, //The Expositor’s Bible Commentary// (Grand Rapids: the Zondervan Corporation, 1981), 352. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">[|[6]] Luke Timothy Johnson, //The Acts of the Apostles// (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1992), 143. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">[|[7]] Leander E. Keck, Ed, //The New Interpreter’s Bible: General Articles and Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections for Each Book of the Bible// (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002), 131. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">[|[8]] Luke Timothy Johnson, //The Acts of the Apostles// (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1992), 143. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">[|[9]] Ibid, 143. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">[|[10]] Leander E. Keck, Ed, //The New Interpreter’s Bible: General Arti//cles //and Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections for Each Book of the Bible// (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002), 130. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">[|[11]] Ibid, 130. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">[|[12]] Ibid, 130. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">[|[13]] Ibid, 130.

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