The account begins with the ascension of Christ (30-33 AD) and runs all the way through to 62-64 AD. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. [2] The reason for the appointment of the deacons is stated to have been dissatisfaction among Hellenistic (that is, Greek-influenced and Greek-speaking) Jews that their widows were being slighted in preference to Hebraic ones in the daily distribution of food. He was likely Jewish: Jews, from an early age, memorized portions of the Old Testament. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite, and in Oriental Orthodox Churches (e.g., Coptic, Syrian, Malankara) Saint Stephen's feast day is celebrated on 27 December, due to the celebration of the Synaxis of the Theotokos on the 26 December. It is in reality a philosophy of Israels history and religion, and in so far it was a novum. They resisted the purpose of God by obstinately and stiff-neckedly opposing those through whom God worked. Stephens story shows us that no matter how insignificant we may think our role is, we can use it to reach others for Christ and endure the persecution that is sure to follow. Kidadl is supported by you, the reader. Stephen is first mentioned in Acts 6:5 as part of a group of men that were chosen to be deacons. 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). of an enthusiastic faith and of a deep spirituality, and his activity was not restricted to the functions of his office; in fact while nothing is said of the manner in which he fulfilled the duties of his office, though without doubt he fulfilled them faithfully, the record makes it very clear that the importance of Stephen lay in his activity as a preacher, a witness for Christ; it is this activity which has given him the place he holds in history (Acts 22:20). 1. 6. Due to his efforts, the gospel spread throughout the nation, thus infuriating the council of Sanhedrins. When Stephen preached these things, the Jews accused him of blasphemy and brought him before their Council, the Sanhedrin (Acts 6:12-15). 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. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. And when he had said this, he fell asleep (Acts 7:60; compare1 Cor 15). Both, before dying, commended their souls to God: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul! [17]. Trilingual Rajnandini has also published work in a supplement for 'The Telegraph', and had her poetry shortlisted in Poems4Peace, an international project. (b) The Jews to whom these revelations were granted, so far from being thankful at all stages of their history, had been slow to believe and understand them because they would not be obedient (Acts 7:39,Acts 7:57). (1912), I. In defending his preaching, Stephen gave an outline of Israels history, his aim being to demonstrate two main points. Although we dont have much information presented about Stephen in the sixth chapter of Acts, we can derive the following from the text provided. He is a Christ-centered counselor and in addition to counseling, he teaches how to overcome life issues Biblically on topics such as anger management, marriage, addictions, and other subjects typically referred to as mental illnesses. According to the Bible stories, Stephen was a faithful man who possessed charismatic powers. The apostles addressed this need by tasking the local church members to choose seven men that could be appointed over the business of caring for the widows. Read full chapter. This enraged some of the members of the local synagogues. In accordance with the accusation against him, his defense was a twofold one: personal defense and defense of his teaching. That was the only time in the New Testament anyone other than Jesus himself called him the Son of Man. He said that the recently resurrected Jesus was standing by the side of God. 3:12 ). Zavada, Jack. creative tips and more. This language is important. [23][24][25][26][dubious discuss]. Bible Study Guides . He was one of the first to conceive of the fact that Christianity represented a new order of things and as such would inevitably supersede the old order. This allowed him to speak to both Jewish and Gentile audiences. 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 one of the seven first deacons, and the proto-martyr or first martyr of the Christian church. Stephen was a man of godly character. 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. 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. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith. [1] According to the Acts of the Apostles, he was a deacon in the early Church at Jerusalem who angered members of various synagogues by his teachings. Stephen's name is derived from the Greek name "Stfanos" and means "honor," "wreath" or "crown" and Stephen may have been the first Christian martyr . He had the power of healing people, which is a gift bestowed upon him by the Holy Spirit. Stephen explained that he was a messenger of God and that he stood at the right hand of God. In itself that is not surprising, for in the early Christian church every Christian was at once a witness for Christ, and lay-preaching was common. In those churches, then, the date the feast is observed is generally known as 27 December. He uses very Jewish examples, but his argument follows a Greek-like argument, similar to the ones used by Plato and Socrates. [8] However, Stephen looked up and cried, "Look! It was false as an implied insinuation that he impugned the divine origin and character of the temple and the Mosaic Law, but it was true as far as he conceived both to be only of a temporary nature and serving a merely provisional purpose, which, as we have seen, constituted the peculiarity of his teaching. Stephen in the Bible is known as the first Christian martyr. Now the audience could restrain its rage no longer, and the catastrophe followed immediately. [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. This also has the effect of pushing the Feast of the Holy Innocents to the 29 December. It has been partially translated into 2,883 languages. Thus also his conception of the transitory nature of the Mosaic Law may be traced to Christs teaching as to the Sabbath, the laws of purifying, the fulfillment of the Law and Jewish customs of the day (Matthew 5:20) and of a better righteousness than that of the Pharisees and scribes (Matthew 9:16). 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. Martyrdom of Stephen. Hope Bolingeris a literary agent at C.Y.L.E. He was a deacon and is introduced in the Bible as a faithful man of God. Although Scripture doesnt specify how long Stephens ministry lasted, it appears he receives opposition very soon into the journey. [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. [Acts 6:9] Members of these synagogues had challenged Stephen's teachings, but Stephen had bested them in debate. The Holy Spirit equips believers to do things they could not humanly do. 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. He brought out the topic of Moses and their journey of meeting with God in a burning bush amidst the wilderness of Midian. 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. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. Dr. Mike has worked in the information technology field for many years and he uses his talents and experience in the ministry for the glory of the Lord. Stephen died as he had lived, a faithful witness to his Master whom he acknowledged as such amid the rain of stones hurled at him, loudly calling upon His name, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit (Acts 7:59; compareLuke 23:46), and whose spirit he exemplified so nobly when, with a final effort, bending his knees, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge (Acts 7:60; compareLuke 23:34). After that, the relics of the protomartyr were taken in procession to the Church of Hagia Sion on 26 December 415, making it the date for the feast of Saint Stephen. He shows how Israelites in the Old Testament failed to see past their stubbornness and turned away from God and persecuted and killed anyone who spoke Gods word (several of the prophets were martyred). Stephen's death had the unexpected consequence of forcing Christians to flee persecution in Jerusalem. 6. He was thus prosecuted and stoned to death. 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. in such a way that they might better understand and judge the present and adjust their conduct to it accordingly. He held the coats of those who stoned Stephen to death and saw the victorious way Stephen died. Any information you provide to us via this website may be placed by us on servers located in countries outside the EU if you do not agree to such placement, do not provide the information. 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. The vision of the risen and exalted Jesus vouchsafed to the dying Stephen presented Christianity to Saul of Tarsus in a new light, tending to remove what had been its greatest stumbling-block to him in the Crucified One. Stephen recounts the stories of the patriarchs in some depth, and goes into even more detail in the case of Moses. It says that he saw "the Glory of God.". They then drove all the other Greek-speaking Jewish Christians out of Jerusalem (Acts 8:1-3). Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. His sacrifice and sufferings taught us a very important lesson about the cost of faith. Peter the Apostle - Member of Jesus' Inner Circle, Introduction to the Catholic Religion: Beliefs, Practices and History, John Chrysostom, the Golden-Tongued Preacher, M.A., English Composition, Illinois State University, B.S., English Literature, Illinois State University. Devout men lovingly took away the body of Stephen and expressed their grief with "great lamentation" (RSV). Both our Blessed Lord and St. Stephen were treated as outcasts, and put to death outside the city. He proclaimed the gospel after Jesus' resurrection and was the first apostle to be martyred for his faith. the deep earnestness and spirituality, by which he spake so convincingly (Acts 6:10;Matthew 10:19,Matthew 10:20). In addition, Stephen was also the first martyr of the church. The Jewish laws, ceremonies, temple and priesthood had fulfilled their purpose and were no longer necessary. 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. [31][32][33], In 428 (when Saint Theodosius II the Younger Roman Emperor) relics of saint: Stephen, Nicodemus, Gamaliel and Abibas were translated from Jerusalem to Constantinople and relics have been placed in Saint Lawrence church, and after preparations were made relics were moved to specially prepared Saint Stephen church in Constantinople, this event took place on 2 August.[34][32][33]. The emotional appeal lies in the reverential and feeling manner in which he handles the history sacred to them all. He accepted Christianity and became one of the seven deacons chosen by the disciples to take care of the widows and the needy people in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-5). Stephen's Testimony still enlightens souls all across the world to this day. Acts 7 is a beautiful example of telling the story of the whole Bible and tying it to Christ. 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. The charge against Stephens person was a baseless accusation. Acts 8:1-2. The Bible's. Many early Christians were martyred in the time after Christ. Twelve of these disciples were designated by the Lord himself as apostles who spread the Gospel. Important churches and sites dedicated to Saint Stephen are: This article is about Deacon Stephen, the first martyred saint. Proud member 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. Stephen's martyrdom was a foretaste of what was to come. Even before his death, he asked for forgiveness of his murderers, just like Jesus. If you like what you're reading, you can get free daily updates through the RSS feed here. Ksiki | mikka okadka. Only a few people were known to possess charismatic powers like the Lord Jesus Christ and Saint Stephen was one of them. St. Stephen is often depicted with stones, a Gospel Book, a miniature church and a martyr's palm frond. Not too long after, Saul would be converted by Jesus and become the great Christian missionary and apostle Paul. God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, [Acts 7:30-32] and inspired Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. Enroll in Correspondence Course. He was not at all worried about his earthly existence and stood firm in his belief in Christ. Learn more about Dr. Mike at Christianity Every Day. It is a public holiday in many nations that are of historic Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran traditions, including Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Poland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Catalonia and the Balearic Isles. Beginning by mentioning the God of glory and ending with a vision of that glory itself, the speech is a wonderful apotheosis of the humble cause of the Nazarene, the enthusiastic tribute of its first great martyr delivered in the face of death. [Acts 11:1920][11], The exact site of Stephen's stoning is not mentioned in Acts; instead there are two different traditions. One of the seven men chosen by the early Church, Stephen was responsible for distributing food to the Grecian widows, who had been overlooked by the church. It is said that Stephen's life and death served as a catalyst in the spread of Christianity both directly and indirectly. He came out of nowhere but was, however, an extremely righteous man. 11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.". 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. [14] That Jacob's body was carried to a final resting place in Shechem is not recorded in Genesis, though it does not exclude the possibility that his bones were transferred to Shechem for a final burial place, as was done with the bones of Jacob's son Joseph, as described in Joshua 24:32 Other scholars consider them as errors. Many people who are familiar with the Bible are not familiar with Stephen who was one of the first deacons in the Bible. Before he converted, however, Saul would persecute other Christians in the name of the Sanhedrin, causing early church members to flee Jerusalem, taking the gospel wherever they went. Using the God given wisdom provided by the Holy Spirit, Stephen was able to cut through their weak arguments. As Christ had been drawn into controversy with Pharisees and scribes on account of these freer views, and as His word about the temple was used to frame the accusation against Him in His trial, so also in the case of Stephen. [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]. She is fond of classic British literature. He preached the teachings of Christ to the Greek-speaking Jews. Saint Stephen is also commemorated on 4 January (Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles) in the Eastern Orthodox Church. But it's not the same type of evangelistic sermon, which Peter gave a few chapters prior. The courteous and at once endearing terms in Stephens address (Acts 7:2) to the council, and the terms our fathers and our race inActs 7:2,Acts 7:19by which he closely associates himself with his hearers, his declaration of the divine majesty of Yahweh with which the speech opens (Acts 7:2), of the providential leading of the patriarchs (Acts 7:8,Acts 7:10), his recognition of the Old Testament institutions as divinely decreed (Acts 7:8), his reference to the divine sanction of the Law and its condemnation of those who had not kept it (Acts 7:53), at the close of his speech, show clearly his reverence, not only for the past history of the Jewish race, but as well for its Sacred Writings and all of its religious institutions. Stephen became popular because of his powerful debate with the Jews of the council. The Sanhedrin feared this revolutionary message, which got Stephen hauled to the council. 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