The Stoning of Stephen

Stephen’s Trial

When the number of disciples where growing, the Hellenistic Jews complained that the Hebraic Jews where overlooking the Hellenistic Jew’s widows in the daily distribution of food. So, the Twelve disciples got together and they chose 7 people to share the Word of God, and the rest would help distribute the food. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas. So the Word of God spread. Stephen performed many wonders and miracles among the people. Some people from Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia, argued with Stephen, but could not find anything wrong. They secretly told some men to false witness him, saying he spoke against Moses and God. This stirred up the people, and they tested him in the Sanhedrin. Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?” And Stephen replied by telling everyone how God’s glory and power has been with them throughout many generations. Stephen finished by telling the people that they resisted the Holy Spirit and do not listen to God. The people were furious. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the Glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” They all covered their ears, yelling at the top of their lungs, they rushed at him, dragged him outside the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses of this laid their coats down before a man named Saul. While he was being stoned, Stephen asked Jesus to receive his Spirit. He cried for Jesus not to hold the sin against them. After he said these things, he fell asleep. As you can see, Stephen had to be full of the Holy Spirit, to testify against these people.