Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

STEPHEN

One of the first deacons and the first martyr of the apostolic church. For Luke, Stephen represents the growing Hellenistic interest of certain members in the early Jerusalem church. In addition, Stephen’s major speech (Acts 7:1-53) serves as a critique of traditional Judaism and suggests evangelization beyond Judea.

In Acts 6, Luke tells us of the first division in the early church. The community consisted of two Jewish groups described as “Hebrews” and “Hellenists.” These terms no doubt indicate cultural and linguistic divisions: Jews who had emerged from either Aramaic- or Greek-speaking synagogues. Stephen was one of seven deacons nominated to serve the needs of the Hellenists. Yet even in his introduction it is evident that his importance stands out; he alone is described as “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (v 5). After their commission Stephen is mentioned again as “full of grace and power,” and as doing “great wonders and signs among the people” (v 8).

Stephen’s preaching put him in contention with the Hellenistic synagogues of Jerusalem (Acts 6:9). As his subsequent speech before the Sanhedrin indicates, Stephen propounded a radical abrogation of the ancestral customs of Judaism and the temple cult. Luke’s account of his arrest and interrogation (6:10–7:60) is intended to evoke memories of Jesus’ trial. While capital punishment was reserved for the Roman governor once Judea had become a province, offenses against the temple still could be prosecuted by the Sanhedrin. In the end, Stephen’s execution by stoning is pursued with a vengeance (7:54-60). As the first martyr of the church, Stephen models Jesus even in death. He commits his spirit to Jesus (as Christ had done to the Father, Lk 23:46) and dies asking forgiveness for his prosecutors (Acts 7:59-60).

The speech in Acts 7 not only provides us with Stephen’s defense but in addition serves Luke’s broader interests in the spread of the gospel abroad (Acts 1:8). It is the longest speech in Acts and appears at a pivotal place in apostolic history. Stephen provides a critical recital of biblical history and argues that the major pillars upon which Judaism rested were in jeopardy. The temple, in which the Jews took pride, was not a divine invention—Solomon’s temple was contrary to the earlier tabernacle in the wilderness. The Torah, in which religious security was sought, was used by Stephen to chronicle Israel’s consistent disobedience. These same scriptures announced the coming of “the righteous one,” whom Israel crucified.

The implications of the speech are vital. God is free to move beyond the national/religious boundaries of Judaism. The exclusivistic outlook of Judaism is artificial. God’s work is dynamic. And if Stephen’s conclusions are correct, the Jewish church ought to be free to take the gospel beyond Judea. Stephen’s martyrdom introduced a major persecution in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1-3), which was followed by the proclamation of the gospel to the Samaritans and then the Greeks.