Acts of Apostles in the Early Church 

After the coming of the Holy Spirit and Satan's counter-attack, the church is almost ready to start its worldwide mission. So far it has been composed only of Jews and restricted to Jerusalem. Now, however, the Spirit is about to thrust his people out into the wider world, and the apostle Paul is to be God's chosen instrument.

But first, in the next six chapters of Acts, Luke explains how the foundations of the Gentile mission were laid by two remarkable men (Stephen the martyr and Philip the evangelist), followed by two remarkable conversions (Saul the Pharisee and Cornelius the centurion).

Stephen the martyr came first (Acts 6:8-8:2). His preaching aroused strenuous Jewish opposition, but in his carefully reasoned defense before the Sanhedrin he emphasized the freedom of the living God to go where he pleases and to call his people to go forth also.

Although Stephen failed to convince the Council and was stroned to death, his martyrdom seems to have had a profound influence on Saul. It also led to the scattering of the disciples throughout Judea and Samaria.

As one of the seven, Stephen was "full of the Spirit and wisdom" (6:3). He is then described as "full of faith and of the Holy Spirit" (6:5). And he is now re-introduced as a man full of God's grace and power" (6:8a).

Yet, despite all of his outstanding qualities, his ministry provoked fierce antagonism. We are not told why, but it's explained that the opposition arose...from members of the synagogue of the Freedmen. Also mentioned are Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia.

A rumor circulated that Stephen had blasphemed against Moses and against God. This charge was elaborated by false witnesses, who said Stephen "never stops speaking against the holy place and against the law."

This was a serious accusation, because there was nothing more sacred to the Jews than their temple and law.

Stephen's words against the temple and the law are seen to be his teaching about what Jesus of Nazareth would do to both ("destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down....")

So far as we can tell, Stephen was teaching much the same as Jesus taught.

After these two accusations, Stephen defended himself in such a way as to develop an apologia for his radical gospel.

What he did was not just to rehearse the salient points of the Old Testament story, but to do so as to draw lessons from it which the Jews had never learned or even noticed.

Now, having exposed Israel's past unfaithfullness to the law and the prophets, Stephen went on to accuse his judges of the same sin:

"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!...."

His speech was not so much a self-defense as a testimony to Christ. His main theme was positive, that Jesus the Messiah had come to replace the temple and fulfil the law, which both bore witness to him.

What interests many people most about Stephen is that he was the first Christian martyr. Luke's main concern lies elsewhere, however. The author of Acts emphasizes the vital role Stephen played in the development of worldwide Christian mission through both his teaching and his death.

The church was shocked, even stunned, by the martyrdom of Stephen and by the violent opposition that followed. But, with the benefit of hindsight, we can see how God's providence used Stephen's testimony, in word and deed, through life and death, to promote the church's mission.

(Source: The Message of Acts, by John R.W. Stott)