STEPHEN

One of the seven deacons first chosen by the church at Jerusalem, and distinguished among them as "a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost." He seems from his name to have been a Hellenistic Jew, (see GRECIANS,) and to have been chosen in part as being familiar with the language, opinions, and customs of the Greeks, Ac 6:1-6. His mighty works and unanswerable argument roused the bitterest hostility against him, and he was brought before the Sanhedrin for trial, on the charge of blasphemy and heresy. His speech in his own defense, probably recorded only in part, shows historically that the opponents of Christianity were but the children and imitators of those who had always opposed true religion. His enraged hearers hurried him to death, a judicial tribunal becoming a riotous mob for the occasion. Compare Joh 18:31. With Christ-like magnanimity he forgave his murderers, and "fell asleep" amid their stones, with his eyes upon the Savior "standing at the right hand of God," as if rising from his throne to protect and receive the first martyr of his church, Ac 7:1-60. The results of Stephen’s death illustrates the saying of Tertrullian, "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church," Ac 8:1,4 11:19-21. Augustine observes that the church owes the conversion and ministry of Paul to the prayer of Stephen. Paul, himself a Cilician, Ac 6:9 22:3, had undoubtedly felt the force of his arguments in the discussions which preceded his arrest; and long afterwards alluded to his own presence at the martyr’s death, Ac 22:19,20—that triumph of Christian faith and love which has taught so many martyrs and Christians how to die. Yet nothing he heard or witnessed availed for his conversion, till he saw the Savior himself, Ac 9:1-43. The scene of Stephen’s martyrdom is placed by modern tradition on the east side of Jerusalem, near the gate called after his name. Earlier traditions located it more to the north.

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Stephen. Stephen
One of the seven deacons, who became a preacher of the gospel. He was the first Christian martyr. His personal character and history are recorded in Acts 6. “He fell asleep” with a prayer for his persecutors on his lips (7:60). Devout men carried him to his grave (8:2).

It was at the feet of the young Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, that those who stoned him laid their clothes (comp. Deut. 17:5-7) before they began their cruel work. The scene which Saul then witnessed and the words he heard appear to have made a deep and lasting impression on his mind (Acts 22:19, 20).

The speech of Stephen before the Jewish ruler is the first apology for the universalism of the gospel as a message to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. It is the longest speech contained in the Acts, a place of prominence being given to it as a defence.

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Stephen. same as Stephanas

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STEPHEN. → (A Christian martyr) → Appointed one of the committee of seven to oversee the daily ministration Ac 6:3,5,6 → Faith and power of Ac 6:5,8-10 → False charges against Ac 6:11-15 → Defense of Ac 7 → Stoned Ac 7:54-60; 8:1; 22:20 → Burial of Ac 8:2 → Gentle and forgiving spirit of Ac 7:59,60

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one of the seven, commonly called deacons, in the early church. Ac 6:5; 7:59; 8:2; 11:19; 22:20 -- "The Spirit filled Business Man", Elected to supervise benevolences Ac 6:5 -- he overleapt the limitations of his task and became a powerful preacher Ac 7:1-60 -- Possessed a seven-fold Fulness Full of Faith and the Holy Spirit Ac 6:5 Full of Wisdom Ac 6:3,10 Full of Power Ac 6:8 Full of Light Ac 6:15 Fulness of vision Ac 7:55,56 Fulness of Love Ac 7:60 A martyr for the faith Ac 7:56