Acts 7: A Little History Lesson

We only just met Stephen in Acts 6, and we must already say good-bye to him in Acts 7.  Stephen is regarded as the first Christian martyr (one killed for his or her faith), but he would not be the last.

Acts 7 consists largely of Stephen's testimony before the Sanhedrin, that "Supreme Court" of the Jewish faith that had recently condemned Christ to death.  Stephen has been dragged before the assembly for alleged "blasphemy" against Moses and for speaking against the Temple.  

In his defense, Stephen reaches back, way back, into Israel's past and recites the story of their faith to the leaders of the people, reminding them of their nation's history -warts and all.  He begins with Abraham and moves through the rest of the patriarchs we read about in Genesis.  He covers Moses and Joshua and David and Solomon, the Tabernacle and the Temple.  (If you know your Old Testament, much of this will sound very familiar, as it surely must have to the Sanhedrin.)

Then Stephen gets to the nub of the charge against him.  This temple that the elders of the people are so proud of?  Stephen says God does not regard it, for He does not dwell in houses made with human hands.  Stephen ends with a rhetorical flourish, accusing the leaders in the Sanhedrin of being the same kind of obstinate, stubborn people as their ancestors who persecuted the prophets - but even worse, because now they have killed Jesus.

Stephen's defiant speech causes his questioners to become completely unhinged and lose their cool, immediately moving to the penalty phase of the trial - execution by stoning.  Holding their coats was a young man named Saul, of whom we will hear much, much more later.