"Stephen in the Bible Was the First Christian Martyr." According to the New Testament, the apostles were the primary disciples of Jesus. Gender: Male. Just before they drag Stephen out of the city to be stoned, he receives a vision of heaven where he sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He is a Christ-centered counselor and in addition to counseling, he teaches how to overcome life issues Biblically on topics such as anger management, marriage, addictions, and other subjects typically referred to as mental illnesses. It is generally believed that this. (b) The Jews to whom these revelations were granted, so far from being thankful at all stages of their history, had been slow to believe and understand them because they would not be obedient (Acts 7:39,Acts 7:57). Stephen explained that he was a messenger of God and that he stood at the right hand of God. in such a way that they might better understand and judge the present and adjust their conduct to it accordingly. Stephen tried to make people understand that Christianity is a completely different sect and God's new covenant. Bible Study Guides . [6] Stephen recounts the stories of the patriarchs in some depth, and goes into even more detail in the case of Moses. They had a strong knowledge of the Scriptures, as seen in Stephens speech featured in Acts 7. Thus, Stephen's execution sparked the spread of Christianity. She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams. Seeing a need to delegate roles, the disciples elected the first seven deacons known to the Christian faith. In addition, Stephen was also the first martyr of the church. The other two Philips in the Bible were servants of Christ and instrumental in the early church: Philip the disciple and apostle of Christ, and Philip the . Stephen provided a point-by-point explanation following the Old Testament and put forth the various examples angering those who condemned Jesus. 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 ). Devout men carried him to his grave ( 8:2 ). "[Acts 7:5153], Thus castigated, the account is that the crowd could contain their anger no longer. Although Scripture doesnt specify how long Stephens ministry lasted, it appears he receives opposition very soon into the journey. 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. [23][24][25][26][dubious discuss]. Scholars think these men were freed slaves from various parts of the Roman empire. 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. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. 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). We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. 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? If you liked our suggestions for facts about Stephen in the Bible then why not take a look at facts about Gideon in the Bible, or Abraham facts. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Hope Bolingeris a literary agent at C.Y.L.E. She is fond of classic British literature. Although he was just one of seven men chosen to make sure food was fairly distributed to the Grecian widows, Stephen soon began to stand out: Exactly what those wonders and miracles were, we are not told, but Stephen was empowered to do them by the Holy Spirit. Both our Blessed Lord and St. Stephen were treated as outcasts, and put to death outside the city. 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). 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. 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. 6. Instead of disputing the accuracy of their charges, he took the opportunity before the large numbers of people there to share the Gospel of Salvation, beginning all the way back with the calling of Abraham out of idolatry. Acts 7 is a beautiful example of telling the story of the whole Bible and tying it to Christ. Zavada, Jack. They were interred alongside the relics of Saint Lawrence, whose tomb is enshrined within the church. In Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom, the day is celebrated as "Boxing Day". Only a few people were known to possess charismatic powers like the Lord Jesus Christ and Saint Stephen was one of them. The reliquary is likely a 9th-century creation. In his book The City of God, Augustine of Hippo describes the many miracles that occurred when part of the relics of Saint Stephen were brought to Africa. The charge against his teaching was both false and true. He showed that time and time again when it looked like the promise of coming of the Messiah would be prevented, God intervened. These apostles were Simon, James, John, Bartholomew, Philip, Andrew, Matthew, Alphaeus, Thomas, Judas, Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. FACTS is a podcast that is based out of Explore Christianity (www.explorechristianity.net). 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. The strong appeal to the will is made by holding up the figure of Moses type of the Law, in its vital significance, in such a way as passionately to apply it to the fundamental relation of divine plan and human conduct. He was deeply influenced by Christianity and shared a strong connection with God himself. These are some of the lessons Stephen's life left people with. 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. Stephen is stated to have been full of faith and the Holy Spirit and to have performed miracles among the people. Why did Stephen become the first martyr for the Christian faith, and what can the church today learn about this saint from the first century? 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. Bible scholars are divided on Stephen's vision of Jesus standing by his throne. His testimony began with Abraham and ended with the exile by way of a quote from Isaiah 66. The 39 books of the Old Testament were composed between 1400 and 400 B.C., the 27 books of the New Testament between AD 50 and AD 100. Acts 7:55 in all English translations. 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 traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity. Pope Benedict XVI stated in 2012 that St. Stephen appealed to the Jewish scriptures to prove how the laws of Moses were not subverted by Jesus but, instead, were being fulfilled. 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. Stephen was a Greek-speaking Jew, called a Hellenist, and had ample knowledge about the Scriptures. Find out more about her here. Likewise, he contented for the faith with those who were ultra-liberal in their beliefs. St. Stephen the Martyr Church, Omaha, Nebraska, Saint Stephen is one of the sculptures on the side of the, Saint Stephen is featured as the eponymous subject of a song by the, This page was last edited on 30 March 2023, at 12:57. Previous post: How Does The Bible Define Wickedness? The accusation which they brought against him, through the introduction of false witnesses, included a twofold charge, one against his person, a charge of blasphemous words against Moses which would make him also a blasphemer of God, and one against his teaching, charging him with revolutionary and radical statements concerning the temple and the Law. Dr. Mike holds under-graduate through post graduate degrees in Christian Education and formerly worked as a nurse. What Does It Mean That "Your Life Is Hidden with Christ"? It has been partially translated into 2,883 languages. Furious at this humiliation, they suborned false testimony that Stephen had preached blasphemy against Moses and God. That idea threatened long-held beliefs. The Argument from Contingency: A Proof for God, 6 Verses to Cling to When You Are Overwhelmed. 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. [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). 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. As Paul later put it, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" ( 2 Tim. But, as the record says, his opponents were not able to withstand the wisdom, i.e. Furious at Stephens words, the Jews rushed upon him, dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death (Acts 7:54-60). Photo credit:Wikimedia Commons-Public Domain/Annibale Carracci. A young man watching the murder was Saul of Tarsus. Though the Hellenist dispensed himself from keeping all of the Pharisaic additions to the Law, he always regarded the Law of Moses and the temple at Jerusalem as highly as the Palestinian Jew. Preachers often will speak about Stephen because he was the first Christian to die for his beliefs. It makes evident beyond doubt how not grounded the accusation of blasphemy against him was. Many Jews grew up outside of Jerusalem due to an event known as the Diaspora. 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. Dr Michael L has written 155 articles on What Christians Want To Know! You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite, and in Oriental Orthodox Churches (e.g., Coptic, Syrian, Malankara) Saint Stephen's feast day is celebrated on 27 December, due to the celebration of the Synaxis of the Theotokos on the 26 December. What Stephen's Name Means. The courteous and at once endearing terms in Stephens address (Acts 7:2) to the council, and the terms our fathers and our race inActs 7:2,Acts 7:19by which he closely associates himself with his hearers, his declaration of the divine majesty of Yahweh with which the speech opens (Acts 7:2), of the providential leading of the patriarchs (Acts 7:8,Acts 7:10), his recognition of the Old Testament institutions as divinely decreed (Acts 7:8), his reference to the divine sanction of the Law and its condemnation of those who had not kept it (Acts 7:53), at the close of his speech, show clearly his reverence, not only for the past history of the Jewish race, but as well for its Sacred Writings and all of its religious institutions. He concluded by charging them with the murder and betrayal of the Just One, or Messiah. This language is important. Jesus answered directly and clearly, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting" (verses 4-5). 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. 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. Stephen is known for being the first Christian martyr. The word "bible" is from the Greek ta biblia, which means "the scrolls" or "the books." The word is derived from the ancient city of Byblos, which was the official supplier of paper products to the ancient world. Psalm 82:3 King James Version (KJV 1900) 3 Defend the poor and fatherless: Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 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. Both, before dying, commended their souls to God: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul! [17]. He said that the recently resurrected Jesus was standing by the side of God. He applied these two points to the Jews of his time by saying that they were mistaken in thinking God dwelt in the Jerusalem temple, and that their rejection of Christ was in keeping with the stubbornness of their forefathers (Acts 7:48-53). His name suggests he was a Hellenistic Jew who spoke and preached in Greek, one of the common languages in Israel in that day. [Acts 6:9] Members of these synagogues had challenged Stephen's teachings, but Stephen had bested them in debate. 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. The impression made by Stephens death was even greater than that made by his life. ( Mark 16:19) The men shouted out and plugged their ears! Ironically, Paul's fire for Christ would mirror Stephen's. A 20th-century French Catholic church, Saint-tienne, was built in its place, while another, the Greek Orthodox Church of St Stephen, was built outside the eastern gate of the city,[18] which a second tradition holds to be the site of his martyrdom, rather than the northern location outside Damascus Gate (for the two traditions see here). Rajnandini is an art lover and enthusiastically likes to spread her knowledge. Devout men lovingly took away the body of Stephen and expressed their grief with "great lamentation" (RSV). He had the power of healing people, which is a gift bestowed upon him by the Holy Spirit. But rather than be silenced, Stephen spoke with even more boldness. 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). Stephen's Testimony still enlightens souls all across the world to this day. 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). Learn more about Dr. Mike at Christianity Every Day. What it is Stephen himself shows unmistakenly in the second part of his defense. Stephen died as he had lived, a faithful witness to his Master whom he acknowledged as such amid the rain of stones hurled at him, loudly calling upon His name, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit (Acts 7:59; compareLuke 23:46), and whose spirit he exemplified so nobly when, with a final effort, bending his knees, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge (Acts 7:60; compareLuke 23:34). 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. Father: Zebedee Mother: Salome Brother: John Hometown: He lived in Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. Copyright 2010-2023 Telling Ministries LLC. Psalm 82:3 New Living Translation (NLT) 3 "Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. 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. Appointed one of the committee of seven to oversee the daily ministration. 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. Some commentators suggest this means Christ's work was not yet done, while others say Jesus stood to welcome Stephen into heaven. He was likely Jewish: Jews, from an early age, memorized portions of the Old Testament. According to Orthodox belief, he was the eldest and is therefore called "archdeacon". When the counsel and others heard this they were furious and offended and began screaming and insulting him. 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