The Martyrdom of Stephen by Bob DeWaay May 29, 2016

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church1  “Our Fathers” in Stephen’s speech: Acts 7:12; 7:19; 7:38; 7:39; 7:44; 7:45  “Your Fathers” in Stephen’s speech: Acts 7:51; 7:52 Stephen was willing to own their joint, sinful, corporate past until it came to their treatment of Messiah, the greater “Moses.” Then the Jewish leadership still owned the corporate guilt, but Stephen who had come to Messiah no longer did. The only way to escape from their history of apostasy was to believe in Christ.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church2  Again he says “your fathers” implying both physical descent but more importantly corporate guilt.  The “Righteous One” is Christ  Peter preached this same thing (Acts 3:14, 15)  See Zechariah 7:11, 12 Acts 7:52 (NKJV) Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church3  Peter had called them to repent over this: Acts 3:18-23  They, not Stephen, had rejected Moses!  Stephen’s face was like that of an angel (Acts 6:5) and angels announced Messiah in Luke 1 & 2 Acts 7:53 (NKJV) who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church4  Stephen’s arguments were irrefutable so they react emotionally  “Enraged” means “sawn through”  Their uncircumcised hearts (7:51) were confronted with truth  “grinding teeth” is the response of those who have been judged (Luke 13:28) Acts 7:54 (ESV) Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church5  7:2–8 Abraham (obeys God; receives promise)  7:9 Joseph (God was with him)  7:30–39 Moses (God sends him to liberate Jewish slaves; raised up as a prophet; living oracles)  7:52 Prophets (prophesied the coming of the Righteous One)  7:52 The Righteous One (God’s appointed one)  7:54–60 Stephen (full of faith and Spirit [6:5];  7:2–8 Egyptians (unnamed but represent nation who enslaved and ill-treated Abraham’s seed)  7:9–10 Joseph’s brothers (patriarchs who were jealous and thus sold Joseph, rejecting God’s representative)  7:35–41 Israelites in wilderness (reject Moses; in disobedience, make a golden calf to worship; reject worship of God)  7:52 Ancestors (killed the prophets, thus rejecting God’s representatives)  7:52 Stephen’s audience (betrayed and murdered the Righteous One)  7:54–60 Stephen’s audience (kills Stephen, God’s representative)

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church6  “Glory of God” is bookends with Acts 7:2  Peter saw God’s glory (Luke 9:31, 32)  God drew back the veil to show heaven!  Standing denotes legal advocacy (see Zech 3:1, 2)  Jesus is the eschatological judge who stands as an advocate for Stephen Acts 7:55 (ESV) But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church7  “Son of Man” is a reference to Daniel 7:13, 14  The right hand of God is a reference to Ps 110:1  In Luke 23:45, the veil was torn (thus opened), here the very heavens are opened. Acts 7:56 (ESV) And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church8  If what Stephen said was true, they knew they stood condemned  This was a mob action, not a legal one  They shouted and stopped their ears so they would not have to hear what Stephen preached  They could not tolerate the truth! Acts 7:57 (ESV) But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church9  Saul is introduced by Luke and will soon become a key character in Acts  They wanted to do this to Jesus in Luke 4 but could not (thrown down a cliff was specified in Mishna) Acts 7:58 (ESV) Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church10  This shows belief in the deity of Christ  Christ said similar words (Luke 23:46)  Psalm 31:5 Acts 7:59 (ESV) And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church11  Because they stopped their ears, Stephen had not been able to preach forgiveness  See Luke 23:34  They hear about forgiveness now though they would need to repent to receive it  “Fell asleep” is a Christian euphemism for death Acts 7:60 (ESV) And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church12  Saul did more than hold garments, he fully endorsed this evil action  Paul was from Cilicia (Acts 22:3) like some who had debated Stephen (Acts 6:9)  “Hearty agreement” is suneudokéō which implies taking pleasure with others (Romans 1:32; Acts 22:20 Acts 8:1a (NASB) Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.