Now Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with Stephen, 10 but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. 11 Then they instigated some men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, accosted him, seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They presented false witnesses who testified, “This man never stops saying things against [this] holy place and the law. 14 For we have heard him claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” 15 All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
With the power of the Holy Spirit in him, Steven performed miracles and spoke charismatically. The “wonders and signs (v. 8)” that he did could be a reference Luke was making to signs and wonders God did against Pharoah through Moses in the OT. Steven was continuing the teachings of Jesus and the Hellenists tried to debate with him but were unable to “withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke (v. 10; Lk. 21:15). As with Jesus, Stephen was falsely accused of blaspheming against the Temple and the Law of Moses. The members of the Sanhedrin saw Stephen’s face transfigured. In the following chapter (Acts 7) Stephen’s discourse before the Sanhedrin resulted in him being stoned to death. Stephen said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul (Acts 7:56-58)."
Almighty God, fill us with your Holy Spirit that we may be transformed in mind and body into your true sons and daughters. Help us to put shed old ways and live as Christ did providing healing, comfort and guidance to all in need. This we pray through your Son Jesus Christ our risen Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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