( Acts 7:55-56) The Bible tells us that Jesus is sitting on God's right side. This enraged some of the members of the local synagogues. The Jews of the Roman empire always questioned God's grace in terms of Christianity and whenever they failed to produce an argument, oppositions and false claims were put forth by them. She is fond of classic British literature. He had the power of healing people, which is a gift bestowed upon him by the Holy Spirit. Stephen's death taught us to speak boldly for our religion and not fear death, for it is the ultimate destination for all living souls. Election and Ordination of Deacons. It has been partially translated into 2,883 languages. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon. 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? Covenants are the backbone of the biblical story. Saint Stephen was the first Christian martyr. Bible References: Stephen's story is told in chapters 6 and 7 of the book of Acts. These wise words of Stephen angered the Jews even more who condemned him shortly after his speech. Dr. Mike and his wife, Pamela Rose, live in Northeast Ohio and they have children and grandchildren that live in various states. Important churches and sites dedicated to Saint Stephen are: This article is about Deacon Stephen, the first martyred saint. At this point he was attacked, and even the one who later became the apostle Paul was consenting to his death. What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. 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. He brought out the topic of Moses and their journey of meeting with God in a burning bush amidst the wilderness of Midian. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. Throughout the history of the early church, various charismatic gifts such as healing, belonged to several followers of Christ. These freer views of Stephen, though possibly attributable to his Hellenic culture, were certainly not of Hellenistic origin, for just their promulgation is what brought him into controversy with the Hellenistic synagogues of Jerusalem. The fundamental differences between Stephen and his opponents, as is evident from the whole tone and drift and purpose of his speech, lay in that he judged Old Testament history from the prophetical point of view, to which Jesus had also allied Himself, while his opponents represented the legalistic point of view, so characteristic of the Jewish thought of that day. Acts 8:2[Acts 8:2] says "Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him," but the location where he was buried is not specified. [Acts 6:5, 8], It seems to have been among synagogues of Hellenistic Jews that he performed his teachings and "signs and wonders" since it is said that he aroused the opposition of the "Synagogue of the Freedmen", and "of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia". Both, before dying, commended their souls to God: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul! [17]. Throughout the history of the early church, various charismatic gifts such as healing, belonged to several followers of Christ. Acts 7 is a beautiful example of telling the story of the whole Bible and tying it to Christ. 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. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Both, when dying, prayed for their enemies: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Lay not this sin to their charge. 4. Through Stephens example, we can learn to speak boldly for our faith, and know that our lives here on earth cannot compare with the joys well experience in heaven. He continued by telling them what he was seeing, which enraged them so much they attacked him. [2] The full Bible has been translated into 532 languages. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! (1912), I. In 439, the relics were translated to a new church north of the Damascus Gate built by the empress Aelia Eudocia in honor of Saint Stephen. With a Master of Arts in English, she has worked as a private tutor and, in the past few years, has moved into content writing for companies such as Writer's Zone. Stephen was an evangelist. The name Stephen is taken from a Greek word, Stphanos, which means 'wreath, crown'. God's work is constantly unfolding and goes forth on his timetable. He proclaimed the gospel after Jesus' resurrection and was the first apostle to be martyred for his faith. 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. He used his role to minister both personally in ways that not only help the apostles, but was directly responsible for the growth in the church. 1. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! In a similar fashion to Socrates on trial, Stephen gives a point-by-point rendering of the Old Testament and how it related to Jesus work through his death and resurrection. 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. Not too long after, Saul would be converted by Jesus and become the great Christian missionary and apostle Paul. Seeing a need to delegate roles, the disciples elected the first seven deacons known to the Christian faith. Focus of love and hatred. He concluded by charging them with the murder and betrayal of the Just One, or Messiah. Thus the aim of Stephen was to point out to his hearers the true meaning of Jewish history and Jewish Law in reference to the present, i.e. 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 impression made by Stephens death was even greater than that made by his life. 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. 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. 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. Stephen now represents those that Jesus had prophesied would be told what to say when they stood before the authorities. Devout men carried him to his grave ( 8:2 ). Nevertheless, the Israelites turned to other gods. Stephen explained that he was a messenger of God and that he stood at the right hand of God. 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. better understanding, convincing knowledge, and the Spirit, i.e. Many Jews grew up outside of Jerusalem due to an event known as the Diaspora. 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. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/stephen-in-the-bible-first-christian-martyr-4074068. Next post: Top 7 Bible Verses About Sowing And Reaping. bible, 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. These words which mark the climax, though probably not the close of the speech, pointed the moral in terms of the most cutting rebuke, and were at once prophetical as to the effect the speech would have upon his hearers and for him. The God of glory, he says, appeared to Abraham in Mesopotamia, thus establishing at the beginning of the speech one of its major themes, that God does not dwell only in one particular building (meaning the Temple). Stephen saw before any other man in the church saw, that the gospel of Christ was not for Jews only, but was for all men; that all men might be saved if they would believe in Jesus; and this great truth Stephen began to preach with all his power. The charge of blasphemy against God and contempt of the Law is implicitly repudiated by the tenor of the whole speech. God loves each of us as if there were only one of us"- Augustine. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. By joining Kidadl you agree to Kidadls Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications from Kidadl. Stephen provided a point-by-point explanation following the Old Testament and put forth the various examples angering those who condemned Jesus. (Unfortunately, today, most churches continue to neglect widows that are the responsibility of the church. [28] Stephen is remembered in the Church of England with a Festival on 26 December.[29]. His story is wholly contained in two chapters in the book of Acts, but it provides a glimpse into life in the early church and serves as an example of how our faith in Christ can lead to great things. Stephen's death had the unexpected consequence of forcing Christians to flee persecution in Jerusalem. [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. Her column "Hope's Hacks," tips and tricks to avoid writer's block, reaches 6,000+ readers weekly and is featured monthly on Cyle Young's blog, which receives 63,000+ monthly hits. Stephen was able to heal others and therefore, many people regard him as a Saint. [8] However, Stephen looked up and cried, "Look! Bible References: The apostle James is mentioned in all four Gospels and his martyrdom is cited in Acts 12:2. Stephen relied on God's messages and according to many Bible scholars, he left a powerful impact on the minds of the people worldwide. [6], There are at least five places where Stephen's re-telling of the stories of Israelite history diverges from the scriptures where these stories originated; for instance, Stephen says that Jacob's tomb was in Shechem,[Acts 7:16] but Genesis 50:13[Genesis 50:13] says Jacob's body was carried and buried in a cave in Machpelah at Hebron. This group of Alexandrians and Cyreniansargue with Stephen, but when they cannot create counterarguments to Stephens wise retorts, they produce false witnesses who claim Stephen had blasphemed in order to dispose of him and the evidence of Gods work in him. He also was one of the first deacons of the church. Stephen is first mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as one of seven deacons appointed by the Apostles to distribute food and charitable aid to poorer members of the community in the early church. Such arguing and directness as Stephens could have but one result. When the counsel and others heard this they were furious and offended and began screaming and insulting him. According to the Bible stories, Stephen was a faithful man who possessed charismatic powers. Stephen was a gifted preacher, but the text shows God gave him wisdom and courage. Local churches were beginning to be established and there arose some problems with Greek widows being neglected in their care. Due to his honesty and wisdom, he was chosen as one of the seven deacons by the young church members of early Christianity. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! I want to draw four lessons from Stephen's death: 1. Typically Jesus was described as sitting on his heavenly throne, indicating his work was finished. Quick Facts He followed the Lord's path and just like Him, he pleaded for forgiveness for his murderers right before his death. As they attacked him, they drug him outside the city and stoned him to death. Stephen's Testimony still enlightens souls all across the world to this day. 3 Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Following Stephen's death, the early Church mourned with great sadness its very first martyr. This helped him to preach to multiple audiences. Support this pod He was a man full of the Holy Spirit, strong in faith, gifted in the working of miracles and brilliant in debating with the opponents of Christianity ( Acts 6:1-10 ). Third, and most importantly, Stephen shows us the cost of faith. But Stephen, ansported with enthusiasm and inspiration, was vouchsafed a vision of the glory of God, which he had mentioned in the beginning of his speech (Acts 7:2), and of Jesus, whose cause he had so gallantly defended (Acts 7:55). He was also the first Christian martyr, stoned to death for preaching that Jesus was the Christ. Some Orthodox churches, particularly in the west, follow a modified Julian calendar that places date names identically with the standard Gregorian calendar of widespread civil usage. 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). Christs words regarding the temple (John 4:20-24;Mark 13:2) not only led Stephen to see that the true worship of God was not confined to the temple, but opened his eyes as to the purely formal character of this worship in that day, which, far from being true worship, had become a mere ceremonialism (Mark 7:6), and in the words of Christ (John 2:19) he saw an intimation of the new temple which was to take the place of the old. Even before his death, he asked for forgiveness of his murderers, just like Jesus. He was the first martyr who was condemned by the devout Jews. Stephen the First Martyr", "Golden Legend Invention of Saint Stephen, Protomartyr", "Translation of the Relics of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr", " - ", " - ", " (415)", "Finding of the relics of Saint Gamaliel", "Uncovering of the relics of the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen", "THE TRANSFER FROM JERUSALEM TO CONSTANTINOPLE OF THE RELICS OF THE HOLY FIRSTMARTYR STEPHEN", "Orthodox Calendar. The Old Testament is the first section of the Bible, covering the creation of Earth through Noah and the flood, Moses and more, finishing with the Jews being expelled to Babylon. Likewise, he contented for the faith with those who were ultra-liberal in their beliefs. This sacrifice created turmoil in Jerusalem, where the Jewish Council was forcing Christians and persecuting them. 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). Learn Religions. They responded by conspiring to lie about him in an effort to stir up the people and members of the local synagogue. Check your inbox for your latest news from us. a Greek-speaking Jew. The soul remains immortal and therefore, we must choose to stick to our faiths and beliefs. Enroll in Online Course. Because wicked men are enemies of God, those who speak out boldly for God and against evil will suffer. What it is Stephen himself shows unmistakenly in the second part of his defense. Stephen was a Greek-speaking Jew, called a Hellenist, and had ample knowledge about the Scriptures. Stephen was a man of godly character. In the Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Catholic Churches, Saint Stephen's Day falls on 25 December the day on which the feast of the Nativity of Jesus (Christmas) falls in all other churches. And when he had said this, he . Contrary to Roman law and order they took Stephen, and without awaiting sentence against him, amid a tumultuous scene, stoned him to death, the punishment prescribed in Mosaic Law for a blasphemer (Deuteronomy 17:7;Leviticus 24:14-16). Hope Bolingeris a literary agent at C.Y.L.E. Acts 6:8: Stephen performs various wonders and signs. 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. 3:12 ). As devout Jews, they would have been horrified at Stephen's claim that Jesus Christ was the much-awaited Messiah. 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 . St. Stephen is often depicted with stones, a Gospel Book, a miniature church and a martyr's palm frond. Prejudiced and enraged as they were, the unanswerable arguments of Stephen, based on their own Scriptures, made them mad with fury, and doubtless through their demonstrations they stopped the speech. Thus it was gradual, and as it had begun before Moses it was not completed by him, as is evident from his own words, A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me (Acts 7:2-37). 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. All Rights Reserved. After their false testimony, the high priest asked Stephen if these things were true. These apostles were Simon, James, John, Bartholomew, Philip, Andrew, Matthew, Alphaeus, Thomas, Judas, Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. The Arrest of Stephen 7 So the word of God continued to spread. He showed to the Sanhedrin he had an immense knowledge of the Scriptures, and through his Greek rhetoric, he had the apologetic power of a speaker like Apollos (Acts 18:24). [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]. is a pastor, author, Christian educator and Biblical counselor who has served in ministry since 2001. Gender: Male. "[Acts 7:5153], Thus castigated, the account is that the crowd could contain their anger no longer. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. Trilingual Rajnandini has also published work in a supplement for 'The Telegraph', and had her poetry shortlisted in Poems4Peace, an international project. As Paul later put it, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" ( 2 Tim. 6. In addition, Stephen was also the first martyr of the church. [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. [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. Stephen was one of the seven men chosen to be responsible over the distribution of food to widows in the early church after a dispute arose and the apostles recognized they needed help. He burst the bonds of Judaism, by which the other apostles were still bound, by teaching that the temple and the Law of Moses were evanescent and that Christianity was destined to supersede Judaism (Acts 6:14). Bible Study Guides . Stephen also used his popularity to reach a broader base of people with the message of salvation. These deacons had to be full of wisdom and the Spirit. These deacons would take charge of the distribution of food to the widows, among other duties. Learn Religions, Jan. 4, 2022, learnreligions.com/stephen-in-the-bible-first-christian-martyr-4074068. [2] Stephen is mentioned in Acts 6 as one of the Greek-speaking Hellenistic Jews selected to participate in a fairer distribution of welfare to the Greek-speaking widows.[3]. The story of Saint Stephen's ordination as a deacon is found in the sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, which also recounts the plot against Stephen and the beginning of the trial that resulted in his martyrdom; the seventh chapter of Acts recounts Stephen's speech before the Sanhedrin and his martyrdom. 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). Stephen Howard. These are some of the lessons Stephen's life left people with. Being a Greek-speaking Jew himself, Stephen went to the synagogue for Greek-speaking Jews in Jerusalem to try to turn his fellow Jews to Christ. What Do We Learn from Reading Jesus Genealogy? From that moment on, Saul's life was turned upside down. God often uses the person's godly character under fire to convict those to whom he is bearing verbal witness. While the assembly was overawed by the evidence of singular innocence and holiness written upon the countenance of Stephen (Acts 6:15), the question of the high priest Are these things so? broke in upon the silence. Stephen was mentioned for the first time in Act 6:5 of the Bible. [2], In a long speech to the Sanhedrin comprising almost the whole of Acts chapter 7, Stephen presents his view of the history of Israel. Now the audience could restrain its rage no longer, and the catastrophe followed immediately. They dragged him to appear before the Sanhedrin, the supreme legal court of Jewish elders, accusing him of preaching against the Temple and the Mosaic Law. Our Blessed Lord was sentenced to death on the charge of blasphemy, because He had affirmed on oath: I am the Son of the living God, and hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God. In the same manner Stephen was stoned on the assumption that he was a blasphemer, and because he professed his belief in the Divinity of Jesus, and said: I see heaven open, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 2. This church was destroyed in the 12th century. We met Stephen in our last study, where he was picked as one of the seven men to help distribute food to the Hellenistic widows in a fair manner. According to Orthodox belief, he was the eldest and is therefore called "archdeacon". In the current norms for the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, the feast is celebrated at the Eucharist, but, for the Liturgy of the Hours, is restricted to the Hours during the day, with Evening Prayer being reserved to the celebration of the Octave of Christmas. One, claimed by noted French archaeologists Louis-Hugues Vincent (18721960) and Flix-Marie Abel (18781953) to be ancient, places the event at Jerusalem's northern gate, while another one, dated by Vincent and Abel to the Middle Ages and no earlier than the 12th century, locates it at the eastern gate. Little is known about Stephen in the Bible before he was ordained a deacon in the young church, as described in Acts 6:1-6. What seems like a tragedy can somehow be part of God's great plan. Although we have only this two-chapter narrative of Stephens life, he has left a legacy that serves as something to consider by believers today. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. ", "LXXXVIII. When Stephen performs great signs and wonders, he draws opposition from a group called the Synagogue of the Freedmen. What Stephen's Name Means. He was likely Jewish: Jews, from an early age, memorized portions of the Old Testament. The first thing to note is that Acts 7:55 does not say that Stephen saw "the Father" or even that he "saw God.". As in the trial of Christ, the judge, Pontius Pilate, read his true verdict, I find no guilt in him, written on His countenance and whole bearing, thus here the record tells us that the judges of Stephen, All that sat in the council saw his face as it had been the face of an angel (Acts 6:15;2Corinthians 3:18); as if in refutation of the charge made against him, Stephen receives the same mark of divine favor which had been granted to Moses. The charge against Stephens person was a baseless accusation. First, Stephen shows believers they can have a powerful impact for the kingdom, if even for a short period of time. He also had Hellenistic roots: This articlefrom Encyclopedia Britannica says he was a Hellenistic Jew (a foreign-born Jew), which would make sense why the apostles would place him in charge of the distribution of food to the Hellenistic widows. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so its important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. Stephen was the first martyr of the church. The reminder of Jesus standing by us will surely guide our path to home. [9][Acts 7:54] The people from the crowd, who threw the first stones,[10][9] laid their coats down so as to be able to do this, at the feet of a "young man named Saul" (later identified as Paul the Apostle). The Argument from Contingency: A Proof for God, 6 Verses to Cling to When You Are Overwhelmed. Stephen stood by the words of Jesus Christ, and so he was opposed by the Synagogue of the Freedmen, which involved the Alexandrians and the Cyrenians. Jack Zavada is a writer who covers the Bible, theology, and other Christianity topics. Gifts such as healing facts about stephen in the bible belonged to several followers of Christ shows unmistakenly in young! Later became the apostle James is mentioned in all four Gospels and wife... We hope you love our recommendations for products and services and apostle Paul was consenting his! And that he was seeing, which means 'wreath, crown ' second... Convict those to whom he is bearing verbal witness continued by telling them what he was seeing, which a. Claim that Jesus Christ was the much-awaited Messiah in their care Bible tells us that Jesus described! S right side independently by the tenor of the just one, Messiah... 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