Act 6:8-12 | KingComments | STEP | After the mention of Stephen as one of the seven deacons ( ) we now hear more about him. As noted above, Stephen, which is derived from stefanos , means ‘crown’. This name refers to the crown of a victor. There is another word for crown, diadema , which is diadem or royal crown. The diadema can be inherited by someone, the stefanos must be earned. We see that Stephen’s work is not limited to “the daily ministry” ( ). He does “great wonders and signs among the people”. He does this “full of grace and power”. In him the merciful power of God becomes manifest. He shows the powerful efficacy of grace by performing wonders that are a benefit to the people. The wonders he performs are great signs because they all refer to the Lord Jesus in heaven. In Stephen we see the free working of the Spirit ( ). None of the apostles commissioned him for his work. There is also no mention of the church appointing him to do this work. He who has a gift must not only be free to use it, but is even obliged to do so for the Lord and for the church. Stephen is a man “full of the Spirit and of wisdom” ( ), “full of faith” ( ) and “full of grace and power” ( ). Being “full of” means, in case this is said of people, “to be controlled by”. The Lord Jesus is the Only One of Whom can be said that He is “full of grace and truth” ( ). In doing wonders and signs, Stephen is doing something we have only seen with the apostles so far. However, his wonders are not described, because our attention should not go to his wonders, but all our attention should go to his preaching. His performance in the fullness of faith, grace and power evokes resistance. This time the resistance comes from the synagogue. Different groups come toward him and argue with him. Stephen is not afraid of them. He stands there as a lonely witness of the truth against a majority of opponents of the truth. No matter how they try to beat him, they don’t succeed. Stephen is powerfully supported by the Holy Spirit. According to the promise of the Lord Jesus, he demonstrates a wisdom and a spirit that silences his opponents ( ). For us, we must always be ready to give an account of the hope that is in us ( ).

‏ Acts 6:8-12

The Performance of Stephen

After the mention of Stephen as one of the seven deacons (Acts 6:5) we now hear more about him. As noted above, Stephen, which is derived from stefanos, means ‘crown’. This name refers to the crown of a victor. There is another word for crown, diadema, which is diadem or royal crown. The diadema can be inherited by someone, the stefanos must be earned.

We see that Stephen’s work is not limited to “the daily ministry” (Acts 6:1). He does “great wonders and signs among the people”. He does this “full of grace and power”. In him the merciful power of God becomes manifest. He shows the powerful efficacy of grace by performing wonders that are a benefit to the people. The wonders he performs are great signs because they all refer to the Lord Jesus in heaven.

In Stephen we see the free working of the Spirit (1Cor 12:11). None of the apostles commissioned him for his work. There is also no mention of the church appointing him to do this work. He who has a gift must not only be free to use it, but is even obliged to do so for the Lord and for the church.

Stephen is a man “full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3), “full of faith” (Acts 6:5) and “full of grace and power” (Acts 6:8). Being “full of” means, in case this is said of people, “to be controlled by”. The Lord Jesus is the Only One of Whom can be said that He is “full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14).

In doing wonders and signs, Stephen is doing something we have only seen with the apostles so far. However, his wonders are not described, because our attention should not go to his wonders, but all our attention should go to his preaching.

His performance in the fullness of faith, grace and power evokes resistance. This time the resistance comes from the synagogue. Different groups come toward him and argue with him. Stephen is not afraid of them. He stands there as a lonely witness of the truth against a majority of opponents of the truth.

No matter how they try to beat him, they don’t succeed. Stephen is powerfully supported by the Holy Spirit. According to the promise of the Lord Jesus, he demonstrates a wisdom and a spirit that silences his opponents (Lk 21:15 ; Lk 12:12). For us, we must always be ready to give an account of the hope that is in us (1Pet 3:15).

Arresting of Stephen

It is unacceptable to the opponents of Stephen that they cannot overpower him with words. That is why they resort to false accusations. They do not express these accusations themselves yet, but they incite men to claim that they have heard Stephen speak slanderous words against Moses and God.

Remarkably enough they place Moses before God. In their traditionalism and formalism their conception of Moses’ law is the filter through which they judge God and thus how people speak about God. When people say things that do not correspond with their view of Moses, they are reprehensible, no matter how much they reflect God’s thoughts.

They treat Stephen as they treated the Lord Jesus. The people who first held the apostles in high esteem are stirred up against Stephen here, under the influence of slander. This is how fickle the people’s favor is. In the elders and scribes these slanderers find grateful supporters.

The whole group comes up to Stephen. They drag him away and bring him before the Council. The Council will know how to deal with him, they think. They bring forward false, criminal witnesses (Psa 35:11). They accuse him of slander because he would have spoken against the temple and the law.

Stephen, like the Lord, has spoken the truth to their conscience. Because they do not want to bow to the truth, they bend the truth and turn it into a lie. They want to hold on to their own truth about the temple and the law, which gives them prestige among men. Therefore he must be accused of speaking against the temple and the law.

Their accusation indicates that Stephen has confronted them with the consequences of their unbelief. In his preaching he has referred to the Lord Jesus as the One Who has prophesied that the temple will be destroyed (Lk 21:6 ; 20). He will have pointed out the hollowness of the temple service because of the rejection of Christ. He will also have pointed out that the law is not sufficient as a means to be justified. But they did not want to listen. With undisguised contempt they speak about “this Nazarene, Jesus”.

After these accusations, they do not see the face of Stephen as the face of a demon, but as that of an angel. They see in the shine of his face the reflection of the glory of heaven. Perhaps some have thought of the face of Moses that shone (Exo 34:30). It is as if God says: ‘This man is not against Moses, but he is like Moses, a faithful servant of Mine.’

In the next chapter we hear the impressive speech of Stephen. There we see that the roles are reversed. There it is not the Council that is the court before which Stephen is summoned, but Stephen is the court before which the Council is summoned.