Quick Facts Thus also his defense before the Sanhedrin, though the name of Jesus was not mentioned until the very last, was in reality a grand apology for Christ. 1,000 Trivia Facts About the Bible?is a fun, informative, and entertaining way to see how well you know the Good Book. Both, before dying, commended their souls to God: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul! [17]. That idea threatened long-held beliefs. If you like what you're reading, you can get free daily updates through the RSS feed here. Not too long after, Saul would be converted by Jesus and become the great Christian missionary and apostle Paul. He was the first Christian martyr. According to Act seven where he is seen to apologize to the Jewish Council, the Sanhedrin, his Hellenistic dialect also had a Hebrew note to it, which gives us the idea that he was raised out of Jerusalem and was a foreign-born Jew just like many others. bible, Stephen in the Bible Was the First Christian Martyr. Through the life and work of Jesus, everything had changed. In the same way, the Jews had refused to listen to Jesus during his ministry on earth and, instead, killed him when they could no longer stand his words. 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 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). "[Acts 7:5153], Thus castigated, the account is that the crowd could contain their anger no longer. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. For the first king of Hungary, see, Marian Wolniewicz as the translator of the Book of Acts from: The Millennium Holy Bible; Warsaw, 1980, numerous other places named Saint tienne, St. Stephen's School (ICSE/ISC), Sonarpur, Kolkata, St. Stephen's Orthodox Cathedral, Kudassanad, Pandalam, Kerala, Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura, "Article XXI (IX) Of the Invocation of the Saints", "St. Stephen's death shows importance of Scripture, Pope says", "Stephen's Speech: A Theology of Errors? [Acts 22:20], The only source for information about Stephen is the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles. He preached the teachings of Christ to the Greek-speaking Jews. 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 significance of this difference is borne out by the fact upon which Stephens refutation hinges, namely, the fact, proved by the history of the past, that the development of the divine revelation and the development of the Jewish nation, so far from combining, move in divergent lines, due to a disposition of obstinate disobedience on the part of their fathers, and that therefore not he but they were disobedient to the divine revelation. 9 But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and . They responded by conspiring to lie about him in an effort to stir up the people and members of the local synagogue. All rights reserved. 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. Even before his death, he asked for forgiveness of his murderers, just like Jesus. Email. When Stephen performs great signs and wonders, he draws opposition from a group called the Synagogue of the Freedmen. 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. It is in reality a philosophy of Israels history and religion, and in so far it was a novum. [6] Stephen faced two accusations: that he had declared that Jesus would destroy the Temple in Jerusalem and that he had changed the customs of Moses. 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. 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. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Learn Religions. [7] Stephen denounces his listeners[6] as "stiff-necked" people who, just as their ancestors had done, resist the Holy Spirit. He is the patron saint of Altar Servers, bricklayers, casket makers and deacons and his feast day is celebrated on December 26. It may seem odd that a man who receives mention and dies within two chapters of the Bible has a great impact on believers today, but Christians can glean a lot of information from this saint. The Seven from the first were occupied with essentially spiritual work, as also the later diaconate was engaged in something far different from mere charity organization. Thus, Stephen's execution sparked the spread of Christianity. Third, and most importantly, Stephen shows us the cost of faith. Stephen in the Bible is known as the first Christian martyr. What Does It Mean That "Your Life Is Hidden with Christ"? Stephen tried to reach the masses with the message of attaining ultimate salvation. This is because the Armenian churches maintain the decree of Constantine, which stipulated that the Nativity and Theophany of Jesus were to be celebrated on 6 January. God loves each of us as if there were only one of us"- Augustine. Stephen had both a Hellenistic and Jewish background. His personal character and history are recorded in Acts 6 . Jack Zavada is a writer who covers the Bible, theology, and other Christianity topics. 3:12 ). Stephen's preachings were of utmost importance to society, which led to a revolutionary consequence for the early Christians. Stephen in the Bible Known for: Stephen was a Hellenist Jew and one of seven men ordained as deacons in the early church. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. 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. They were interred alongside the relics of Saint Lawrence, whose tomb is enshrined within the church. Stephens new role did not stop with the daily routine of helping elderly widows, he used his role to demonstrate wonders and miracles among the people. Stephen explained how God fulfilled the promises He had made to Abraham through the events in history. According to the Golden Legend, the relics of Lawrence moved miraculously to one side to make room for those of Stephen.[21]. But Stephen was especially qualified for this high work, having been endued by the Holy Spirit with apostolical gifts, not only that of preaching, but also that of working miracles (Acts 6:8). You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. 6. [2] The full Bible has been translated into 532 languages. 1. Stephen then told how they, being set in their stiff-necked unbelieving ways, resisted the Holy Spirits conviction just as their fathers before them had resisted the preaching of the prophets who told of Jesus coming. Martyrdom of Stephen. Zavada, Jack. He relied on the Holy Spirit who showed him the right path. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases. [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. [4] Artistic representations often show Stephen with a crown symbolising martyrdom, three stones, martyr's palm frond, censer, and often holding a miniature church building. 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). (Unfortunately, today, most churches continue to neglect widows that are the responsibility of the church. This also has the effect of pushing the Feast of the Holy Innocents to the 29 December. They resisted the purpose of God by obstinately and stiff-neckedly opposing those through whom God worked. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! This revelation coupled with the splendid personality of Stephen, the testimony of his righteous life and the noble bravery of his sublime death, and above all his dying prayer, fell upon the honest soul of Saul with an irresistible force and inevitably brought on the Damascus event, as Augustine clearly recognized: Si Stephanus non orasset, ecclesia Paulum non habuisset. Judged by his teaching, Stephen may be called the forerunner of Paul. God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, [Acts 7:30-32] and inspired Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. 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. Bible References: The apostle James is mentioned in all four Gospels and his martyrdom is cited in Acts 12:2. But, as the record says, his opponents were not able to withstand the wisdom, i.e. He proclaimed the gospel after Jesus' resurrection and was the first apostle to be martyred for his faith. 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. He was deeply influenced by Christianity and shared a strong connection with God himself. In his freer views of Jewish law and customs, due to his deeper conception and better understanding of the essence of Christianity, he even excelled the apostles. As devout Jews, they would have been horrified at Stephen's claim that Jesus Christ was the much-awaited Messiah. Thus in a masterful way Stephen converts the charge of Antinomianism and anti-Mosaism brought against him into a countercharge of disobedience to the divine revelation, of which his hearers stood guilty in the present as their fathers had in the past. He performed great wonders and miraculous signs, was known for his wisdom, and spoke with power (Acts 6:3-10). As in Stephens's case, the full impact of our lives may not be felt until decades after our death. Answer. Stephen had a vision of Jesus and said he saw the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. Stephen Howard. Here is something else you might like to read: Top 7 Bible Verses About Sowing And Reaping, 25 Encouraging Bible Verses About Strength, Words of Encouragement: 30 Uplifting Quotes, Why Your Church Needs Vacation Bible School, Gods Amazing Conversions Through Dreams and Visions Part Three, Gods Amazing Conversions Through Dreams and Visions Part Two, Gods Amazing Conversions Through Dreams and Visions Part One, 7 Powerful Bible Verses About the Resurrection, 7 Bible Verses to Read When You Feel Like Giving Up, A Bible Study With Commentary on Romans One, Ice Dragon: Legend of the Blue Daisies Movie Review, Phoenix Wilder And The Great Elephant Adventure Movie Review, The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island Movie Review, The fact that Stephen was chosen to be a deacon speaks to his public testimony as a man that was a believer that lived his faith openly: Acts 6:5, Stephen took the humble position of a deacon waiting on widows and used it as an opportunity to demonstrate the power of God to do great things: Acts 6:8, Stephen demonstrated that he was well versed in Gods Word and could argue its truth with the wisdom that only the Holy Spirit could provide: Acts 6:9-10, Stephen did not back down when confronted by those who disagreed with the truth of Gods Word: Acts 6:11-15, Stephen used the spectacle of the public inquisition to share the truth with a much wider audience: Acts 7, Stephen received the strength he needed through faith to stand firm under the most extreme persecution one could suffer as a Christian: Acts 7:54-60, Stephen, like Jesus just before He died, pleaded for the forgiveness of those who were killing him: Acts 6:60. 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