Acts 6:5-8:2.
Act 11:19 persecution that occurred on the occasion of E
Act 22:20 the blood of E your witness was spilled
Esteban (Gr. Stéfanos, “garland”, “crown of victory”; common name in ancient inscriptions). First Christian martyr. His Greek name suggests a Hellenistic background. Tradition 408 says that he and Philip were among the 70 sent by Jesus (Luk 10:1-17). The 1st mention of Stephen appears in Act 6:5, where he is designated as one of the 7 men chosen by the Jerusalem church and ordained to oversee the daily distribution of food to its poor members (vs 1-6), in harmony with the community system adopted by the new church (4:32, 34, 35). Men in this position were to be “of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (6:3). 211. Stephen’s Gate in Jerusalem. Stephen is then mentioned performing miracles and preaching with power as a result of his faith and the grace bestowed on him by the Holy Spirit (Acts 6: 8). The success of his labors and the conviction aroused by his preaching of the gospel aroused the antagonism of certain men “of the synagogue called of the freedmen, and of those of Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia” (v 9). These men were apparently devout Jews from the dispersion who had come from their countries to worship in Jerusalem. Concluding from Stephen’s preaching that he was propagating ideas designed to diminish the importance of Moses’ temple and customs (vs 13, 14), they first sought to weaken his influence and nullify his preaching. quarreling with him. However, his logic, his spiritual insight, and the power that accompanied his preaching overcame all their arguments (6:10). His strategy having failed, they instigated certain men to accuse him of blasphemy (v 11). This aroused the indignation of the people and the leaders; he was arrested and dragged before the council* (v 12). There they accused him of having spoken against the temple and the law, and of having taught that Jesus would destroy the temple (6:13-15; 7:1). In his defense, Stephen presented a summary of the history of God’s chosen people beginning with Abraham (7:2), and showed that the Hebrews had systematically rejected divine guidance and had now rejected the Messiah. Sensing, evidently from the reaction of his listeners, that his defense had failed and that his enemies were determined to take his life, he abruptly ended his reasoning and began a stern denunciation against his accusers. (Act 7: 51-53). Finally, as his enemies manifested murderous rage (v 54), he, “filled with the Holy Spirit,” received a vision of Jesus sitting at the right hand of God (v 55). As he described this vision, his audience stopped their ears at what he considered blasphemy, and they dragged him out of the city, where they stoned him (vs 56-58). “And devout men carried Stephen to the ground, and they wept a great deal over him” (8:2). Stephen’s death, which occurred only a few years after Jesus’ earthly life, started the 1st wave of persecution against the church. The believers were forced to leave Jerusalem, and with it the seed of the gospel of Jesus Christ was scattered far and wide (v 1).
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
greek crown In the Church of Jerusalem there were in apostolic times, Jews of Greek culture, the so-called “Hellenists”, who had lived outside of Palestine and read the Scriptures in Greek, converted to Christianity. The Hellenists complained of neglect of those born in Palestine, who spoke Aramaic. The Twelve convened the assembly of the disciples in order to choose seven assistants, deacons, who would be in charge of attending to the daily matters of the faithful, while they dedicated themselves to the ministry of the Word. One of the seven was E., a Hellenist, “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit”, Acts 6, 1-7. As E., “full of graceful power”, performed miracles, some Jews from the Libertos synagogue started arguing with him and since they could not refute his arguments, they decided to lose him, for which they obtained some venal witnesses who accused him before the Sanhedrin of blasphemy against Moses and against God, Acts 6, 8-15. E., then, delivered his speech, which began with the story of Abraham, Joseph and Moses. E. he told his detractors that his parents were unfaithful to God, they persecuted and killed the prophets who announced the coming of the Just One, Christ; like his parents, they betrayed and murdered Christ. †œYou always offer resistance to the Holy Spirit† , E confronted them. Those who heard him were filled with anger, Acts 7, 1-54. When E. said: “I am seeing the heavens open and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God the Father,” they came upon him and took him to the outskirts of the city, where they stoned him. Among those who approved of this crime was a young man named Saul, who after his conversion would be called par excellence † œthe Apostle †, that is, Paul. E., before dying, asked the Lord, like Christ on the cross, forgiveness for his enemy, Acts 7, 55-60. E. is considered the first martyr of Christianity.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary
(gr., Stephanos, crown). One of seven appointed to oversee the daily distribution to the poor in the early church (Acts 6:1-6). He performed great wonders and signs, taught in the synagogue, and there debated with the Jews of the dispersion. Acts 7 records Stephen’s remarkable apology to the Sanhedrin. Stephen’s exclamation at the conclusion of his speech is of particular importance for proper understanding: Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God! (Acts 7:56). This is the only time in the NT that the title Son of Man appears on the lips of someone other than Jesus himself, revealing Stephen’s messianic understanding of the term. Such a radical thought was too much for the listeners of the Sanhedrin. Stephen was stoned to death.
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(crown).
One of the first 7 deacons of the Church: (Acts 6:1-6). First Christian martyr: (Acts 7). Paul had in his hands the clothes of those who stoned him.
Christian Bible Dictionary
Dr. J. Dominguez
http://bible.com/dictionary/
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
(From gr., Crown). One of “seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” selected “to wait tables” in the early Christian community. No details are given of his activity in this regard, but we are told that E. † œfull of grace and power did great wonders and signs among the people †. Some Jews rose up to dispute with him “but they could not resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke,” so they bribed false witnesses and “inflamed the people, the elders, and the scribes.” Brought to trial, † œfixing their eyes on him they saw his face like the face of an angel †.
E. made a beautiful defense based on the history of the people of Israel and their continuous rejection of God’s salvific actions. At the end of which he called his accusers “stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart,” telling them that they resisted the Holy Spirit just like his parents. † œLooking up to heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God †, which he expressed aloud. For which “casting him out of the city” they stoned him. † œA young man named Saul † was present and † œconsented to his death † (Acts 6:1-15; Acts 7:1-60; Acts 8:1). As a consequence of these events, a persecution was unleashed that apparently fell mainly on the believers who came from the Hellenized world, which allowed the apostles to stay in Jerusalem. “But those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the gospel” (Acts 8:4).
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
tip, BIOG HOMB HONT
vet, (Gr. “stephanos” = “crown”). The first mention of this protomartyr of the Christian faith is found at the head of the list of the seven that the Christians of Jerusalem chose at the suggestion of the apostles, to preside over the distribution of alms in the church (Acts 6:5). The Hellenists (Greek-speaking Diaspora Jews) complained of injustices being committed towards their widows. The choice of Stephen, who had a Greek name, suggests that he himself was a Hellenist, probably from outside Palestine. It was from this same Hellenistic milieu that the persecution arose (Acts 6:9). Stephen was an outstanding man, full of faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5); he preached the way, and performed great miracles (Acts 6:8). In view of his activity, the Jews of the dispersion, who had synagogues in Jerusalem, began to oppose the church. The first persecutors were those from the synagogue of the Freedmen and from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia Minor (Acts 6:9). They accused Stephen of having blasphemed Moses and God, claiming that Jesus would destroy the Temple and change the customs that came from Moses (Acts 6:11-14). Luke declares that false testimonies were presented against Stephen, as he had been against Christ. Esteban, presented before the Sanhedrin, delivered the speech recorded in Hch. 7:2-53. To show them clearly that God had led Israel toward a precise goal, Stephen reminded them that God had chosen the patriarchs (Acts 7:2-22). Then he explained to them how in the time of Moses, and later, the Israelites ceaselessly opposed God’s designs (Acts 7:23-43), and how they failed to discern the temporary and symbolic character of the Tabernacle and the Temple ( Acts 7:44-50). At this point in the speech, he censured his listeners, accusing them of resisting the Holy Spirit as his parents had done, and of not having kept the Law (Acts 7:51-53). At this moment the Jews, gnashing their teeth, were ready to rush against him; Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God, as if ready to receive his witness. At this revelation of Stephen, the Jews seized him, took him to the outskirts of the city, and stoned him. Roman law prohibited the execution of anyone without first seeing the cause of the Roman authority. Esteban’s death was a lynching due to the fanaticism of his opponents. Peter demonstrates that Christianity is the fulfillment of the prophecies. Stephen states that the history of Israel led to the new covenant. In his statement that Judaism cannot limit Christianity, Stephen does not reveal the universal aspect of the Gospel. He also does not give any indication about the doctrine of the Church. These matters would be revealed through Paul….