Stephen

Biblical Account

Stephen appears in Acts 6–7. In the Jerusalem church, the widows of the Grecians (Greek-speaking Jews) were being neglected in the daily distribution of relief. The apostles appointed seven men to oversee this task, and Stephen is the first named among them. The text introduces him as "a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 6:5). He performed "great wonders and miracles" and disputed with members of the synagogue of the Libertines. They put forward false witnesses who accused him of speaking against the temple and the law, and Stephen was brought before the council (the supreme Jewish assembly) (6:8–15).

Chapter 7 records his lengthy defense. He traced the history of Israel through Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and the tabernacle to the temple. He then declared, "Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands" (7:48), and rebuked his hearers for resisting the Holy Ghost (7:51). He said that he saw the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God (7:55–56). He was then dragged outside the city and stoned. The witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul (7:58). Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," and "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge," and then died (7:59–60). A great persecution followed, scattering the believers, and devout men buried him (8:1–2).

Significance Within Scripture

The believers who were scattered after Stephen's death preached the gospel in various regions (8:4; 11:19). After his conversion, Paul confessed that "when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed," he himself was standing by and consenting (22:20). The two prayers Stephen offered as he died resemble Jesus' prayers on the cross recorded in Luke (Luke 23:34, 46). For this reason, many interpreters hold that the same author deliberately portrayed the two scenes as parallels.

Interpretations and Issues

• Relationship to the office of deacon: Acts 6 does not give the seven men the title "deacons." Nevertheless, a tradition dating back to the early church has regarded them as the beginning of the diaconate, and many Korean denominations cite this passage as the biblical basis for the office of deacon. Others hold that the Seven were workers assigned to a specific task rather than the prototype of the diaconate.
• Attitude toward the temple: Interpreters differ on whether his defense rejected the Jerusalem temple itself or criticized an attitude that would confine God to the temple.
• The "standing" Son of man: Various explanations have been offered for why the Son of man, usually depicted as seated, is here standing—for example, to welcome the martyr, or to rise as a witness or advocate.
• Differences in Old Testament citations: The statement that Jacob's family numbered seventy-five (7:14) is generally understood to follow the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), whereas the Hebrew text of Genesis 46:27 gives seventy. How to account for such differences in relation to biblical inerrancy has been a subject of discussion.
• Extrabiblical tradition: The Western church observes Stephen's feast day on December 26, and the Eastern Orthodox Church on December 27. Later traditions, such as accounts of the discovery of his relics, are not recorded in Scripture.

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church, Stephen frequently appears in sermons on faithfulness unto martyrdom and on forgiving one's enemies. Acts 6 is commonly used as the text at ordination services for deacons and kwonsa (lay exhorters). In Sunday school, the scene in which his face was "as it had been the face of an angel" (6:15) is taught together with the narrative that leads to the conversion of Saul (Paul).