A Man Full of Faith

"Stephen, a man full of faith and of the holy spirit."—Acts 6:5

Robert Wilson

When the name of Stephen is mentioned the thought that usually follows is "the first Christian martyr." That is true, of course. However, Stephen’s contribution to the Christian cause is far greater than merely dying as a martyr.

Two things stand out in the assessment of Stephen’s contribution to the truth. First, he had a profound effect on the Apostle Paul and his ministry. Secondly, he brought additional light to the sacred narrative of the plan of God.

Stephen and Paul

With respect to Paul, we must rely on supposition, but certain facts are provided upon which to construct a foundation. The Apostle was of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia that had been a part of the Greek empire. Thus he knew Greek. Stephen likewise knew Greek and, from his non-Jewish name, appears like Paul to have been born outside of Israel. It was due to the complaints of Hellenist (Greek speaking) widows in the church that deacons were elected. They were not appointed by the apostles but were elected by the congregation, so in all likelihood some at least would be able to speak Greek in order to serve the needs of the Greek-speaking widows. Stephen was likely in that category.

Another evidence of Stephen’s language ability is supplied in Acts 6:9, "And there arose some of that synagogue which is called of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen" (Diaglott). It seems certain that such disputation among Jews from so many nations required a mutual language and that it was Greek.

Saul of Tarsus most certainly would have been present to hear Stephen’s defense of himself before the Sanhedrin. In reading Stephen’s narrative, one might ask, "How did that account get into the Bible? Who of the early church had access to it?" Reason tells us that Paul, as Saul, is the most likely to have had that access, and he was certainly the most qualified to retain and record that fateful scene. Acts 7:58 puts him there and that he kept the coats of them that stripped down for the purpose of throwing stones.

Some believe another evidence to Stephen’s impact on the apostle is Paul’s "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:7). They understand the "thorn" to be the haunting memory of his part in the trial and stoning of this bright, intelligent, and innocent follower of Jesus, with whom he had much in common.

Finally, Stephen’s innovative recitation of the narrative of God’s dealings with Israel and his injection of additional facts is similar to the method of teaching Paul later used.

Old Testament Insights

Additional insights provided by Stephen include his clear account in Acts 7:2 of God’s calling of Abraham "as when he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Haran." The Genesis account (11:31), reads, "And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there." This text could be understood to mean it was the father, Terah, who was motivated to take his family and go to Canaan. Students of the Bible have long appreciated that Stephen clarified this point, making evident that the way God taught Abraham obedience was by progression. He did not lead him into Canaan until, through the death of Terah, Abraham finally did "get out from" his "father’s house."

Further, in Acts 7:4, Stephen clearly states that "when his father was dead, he [God] removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell." Again, the Genesis account is vague on this point: "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and fromthy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee" (Gen. 12:1).

The Septuagint

Stephen, as a Greek-speaking Jew, apparently read the law and the prophets from the Greek Septuagint. It is in this translation that the prophet Amos (5:26) identifies an Egyptian idol, Remphan, that Israel worshipped together with the Ammonite idol Moloch (Acts 7:43). Remphan is not found in the Hebrew, giving further evidence that Stephen, in quoting from the Septuagint, could both read and speak Greek. Also worthy of note is how he inserted Amos’ prophecy into the Mosaic narrative (cf: Amos 5:25, 26 with Acts 7:42, 43).

Again, quoting from the Septuagint, Stephen cited the number of Jacob’s family at 75, rather than 70 as found in Genesis 46:27. The basis of this discrepancy is partly explained if the Genesis number represented those that came into Egypt as those who came "out of his loins." The Septuagint says the number is 66, without the nine wives. Stephen quoted it as "Jacob and all his kindred," which would include the wives, making the total 75.

Stephen on Moses’ Character

Commenting on Moses, Stephen added three important aspects to his character. First, to the statement in Exodus 2:2 that says Moses was a "goodly child," Stephen added he was "exceeding fair" (Acts. 7:20). Second, he stated Moses was highly educated, "And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians." And third, he spoke of Moses’ great works: "and was mighty in words and deeds" (v. 22). The only thing the Exodus account tells us is "And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue" (Exod. 4:10).

The three distinct periods of forty years each in the life of Moses were laid out by Stephen in Acts 7:23, 30, 36; of which only the last is specified in the Pentateuch. Stephen also brought the man Moses to life by expressing the emotion of his sense of terror and trembling at the burning bush in Acts 7:32, whereas Exodus 3:3 simply records the facts. In Acts 7:38, 53, Stephen spoke of the intervention of angels in the giving of the law; no mention of this appears in the Exodus account.

A Discrepancy

Finally, there is another difference in Stephen’s account from that of the Old Testament. Stephen sends us scurrying to the Pentateuch when he says in Acts 7:15, 16, "So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, and were carried over into Sychem [Shechem], and laid in the sepulcher that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem."

When was it that Abraham bought such a sepulcher? We go to the twenty-third chapter of Genesis and read of the death of Sarah in Hebron in the land of Canaan. Abraham speaks to "the people of the land, to the children of Heth," and asks them to entreat for him "to Ephron the Hittite, son of Zohar," for the cave of Machpelah and the field surrounding it. Abraham then purchased the field "which was before Mamre" and buried Sarah in the cave. That is the only purchase of burial ground by Abraham that we can find. Upon hisdeath, his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave next to Sarah. The location is better known as Hebron and lies about twenty miles south of Jerusalem and about twenty miles west of the Dead Sea.

Jacob, on the other hand, bought a parcel of land some thirty miles north of Jerusalem in Samaria (Gen. 33:18, 19). "And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. And he bought a parcel of field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money."

A further complication is found in the account of Genesis 49 and 50 where Jacob’s body was carried up out of Egypt by his sons and buried in the cave purchased by Abraham at Machpelah, where Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob’s wife, Leah, were buried.

Also, Joseph’s bones were carried up by Moses when Israel departed Egypt and they were buried at Shechem, according to Exodus 13:19 and Joshua 24:32. The books of the Old Testament, however, say nothing about where Joseph’s eleven brethren were buried. Josephus says they were buried in Hebron, but having now seen Stephen’s insights and knowledge of the Scriptures, and knowing of his begettal by the holy spirit, we accept his word over that of Josephus, and suggest that they were buried in Shechem (Sychem).

Adam Clarke comments that "we have the uniform consent of the Jewish writers that all of the patriarchs were brought out of Egypt and buried in Canaan, but none except Stephen mentions that they were buried in Sychem. As Sychem belonged to the Samaritans, probably the Jews thought it too great an honor for that people to possess the bones of the patriarchs; and therefore have carefully avoided making any mention of it."

An Unknown Man

So it is that we learn from Stephen many fine details concerning God’s dealings with Israel. Yet we know practically nothing about Stephen himself. There is no mention of who his father was, whether he had brothers or sisters, or even a wife. He well embodies the thought of 1 Corinthians 2:2, "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." One wonders if Paul had Stephen in mind in expressing those words. Stephen’s connections to family, friends, society, his educational background, his trade or profession—these all fade into insignificance when we view his character and message.

While we generally think of Stephen as being young, there is no evidence to preclude him being the age of our Lord at the time of his death or even in his forties. That he is shown disputing with a group of Greek-speaking Jews, "and they were not able to resist his wisdom and the spirit by which he spake" (Acts 6:10), shows that he was well versed in the scriptures and was able to give "an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15). This provides an insightful look at the depth of Stephen’s knowledge and wisdom and at his personal ability of self-expression. This also gives the reader of Acts 7 justifiable cause to consider carefully and attentively the account of Stephen’s testimony before the Sanhedrin.

At the opening of the account of Stephen’s trial, there is a remarkable statement made concerning the attitude of the council members about his appearance: "And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel" (Acts 6:15). Stephen well knew the history of those in civil and religious power in Israel. They consistently rejected those sent to them by God, and he knew that he was to be a victim of the same blind and malignant spirit; yet his serenity was unruffled. As they steadily looked upon him they were awed at his presence. Finally, the High Priest breaks the spell by asking, "Are these things so?" He was referring to the false accusations that had been brought against Stephen. Thus begins the wonderful recitation of this man of faith as recorded in the seventh chapter of Acts, together with the account of his stoning. It was thus that Stephen "fell asleep" (Acts 7:60), a phrase used in the Bible to describe death with the hope of a resurrection. Stephen’s eventual resurrection would bring him into the presence of God, "by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh" (Heb. 10:20).