11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.". 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. Zavada, Jack. [2] The full Bible has been translated into 532 languages. 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. After that, the relics of the protomartyr were taken in procession to the Church of Hagia Sion on 26 December 415, making it the date for the feast of Saint Stephen. At his trial, after he reviewed the truthful history of Israel, Stephen condemned the Jewish leaders for not keeping the law and for killing the prophets and the Just One. 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. 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. Check your inbox for your latest news from us. But, as the record says, his opponents were not able to withstand the wisdom, i.e. creative tips and more. He did not hesitate to preach his views, choosing the Hellenistic synagogues for this purpose, and soon became engaged in controversies there. 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. Some commentators suggest this means Christ's work was not yet done, while others say Jesus stood to welcome Stephen into heaven. Stephen reminded everyone of how Moses was directed by God to reach out to people and refrain them from worshipping idols and stopping their slavery. Thus he belonged to that class of Jews usually residing outside of Palestine who, though distinguished from the orthodox Palestinian Jew by a broader outlook on life due to a more liberal education, were Jews none the less, the original Jewish element predominating in their character, and who might be true Israelites indeed, as Stephen was. Thus their fathers had turned away from Moses at the very moment when he was receiving Gods greatest revelation, and, instead of obeying the living oracles (Acts 7:38) he gave them, turned to idol-worship for which God punished them by the Babylonian captivity (Acts 7:39-43). 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. Stephen's martyrdom was a foretaste of what was to come. Not to impiety or frivolity in Stephen, but to some other cause, must be due therefore the difference between him and his opponents. Many Jews grew up outside of Jerusalem due to an event known as the Diaspora. 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. 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. LITERATURE. According to the Golden Legend, the relics of Lawrence moved miraculously to one side to make room for those of Stephen.[21]. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, Both our Blessed Lord and St. Stephen were treated as outcasts, and put to death outside the city. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, a parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow", "Translation of the relics of the Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen from Jerusalem to Constantinople", "Frequently asked questions: Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower", St. Stephen Protomartyr Catholic Church, St. Louis, Missouri, St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church, Omaha, NE, Benedict XVI, "Reflection on the Life and Death of Saint Stephen", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saint_Stephen&oldid=1147360833. 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. 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. of an enthusiastic faith and of a deep spirituality, and his activity was not restricted to the functions of his office; in fact while nothing is said of the manner in which he fulfilled the duties of his office, though without doubt he fulfilled them faithfully, the record makes it very clear that the importance of Stephen lay in his activity as a preacher, a witness for Christ; it is this activity which has given him the place he holds in history (Acts 22:20). The true source of Stephens freer views of the Mosaic Law and the temple was Christs own teachings, Stephen showing a wonderfully ripened understanding of them, paralleled only by that of Paul some time later. He showed that time and time again when it looked like the promise of coming of the Messiah would be prevented, God intervened. Learn Religions. Rajnandini is an art lover and enthusiastically likes to spread her knowledge. The charge against Stephens person was a baseless accusation. Stephen became popular because of his powerful debate with the Jews of the council. As Christ had been drawn into controversy with Pharisees and scribes on account of these freer views, and as His word about the temple was used to frame the accusation against Him in His trial, so also in the case of Stephen. Stephen standing there, his gaze piercing into heaven, while time and human limitations seemed effaced for him, marks one of the most historic moments in the history of Israel, as his words constitute the most memorable testimony ever uttered in behalf of Christ: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man the only place where this title is uttered by any other person than Jesus standing on the right hand of God (Acts 7:56). Just like they had murdered several other prophets including Zechariah, the Jews rejected and murdered Christ as well and disregarded the holy beliefs of Christianity. The soul remains immortal and therefore, we must choose to stick to our faiths and beliefs. 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). 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. Uncovering of his relics (relics of the saints: Nicodemus, Gamaliel and Abibas son of Gamaliel were also found in Saint Stephen's tomb) took place in 415, Gamaliel appeared to presbyter Lucian[ru] and he told him to go to Jerusalem and inform Bishop John about relics of Saint Stephen. Twelve of these disciples were designated by the Lord himself as apostles who spread the Gospel. Bible Character study Stephen, 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. They then drove all the other Greek-speaking Jewish Christians out of Jerusalem (Acts 8:1-3). [19] A different tradition is documented from the end of the Crusader period, after the disappearance of the Byzantine church: as Christian pilgrims were prohibited from approaching the militarily exposed northern city wall, the name "Saint Stephen's Gate" was transferred to the still accessible eastern gate, which bears this name until this day. By joining Kidadl you agree to Kidadls Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications from Kidadl. As Stephen by his life and work marks a period of transition in the development of the early Christian church, so his name is connected with an important new departure within the organization of the church itself, namely, the institution of the office of the Seven (Acts 6:1ff), who were entrusted with the administration of the work of relief in the church at Jerusalem the foundation of the diaconate. Many early Christians were martyred in the time after Christ. It meant Christianity was not just another Jewish sect but something entirely different: a New Covenant from God, replacing the Old. 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. This resulted in the number of new disciples in Jerusalem increasing along with a large number of priests being saved. 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. Full Bible has been translated into 532 languages up outside of Jerusalem ( Acts 8:1-3.... Translated into 532 languages our faiths and beliefs purpose, and soon became engaged in controversies there, the. 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