Download the March 24 Sunday School lesson.
Spring Quarter: Examining Our Faith
Unit 1: Living in Faith
Lesson 4: Week of March 24, 2024
By Dr. Hal Brady
Lesson Scripture: Acts 6:7-15
Key Verses: Acts 6:9-10
Lesson Aims
- State the charges against Stephen and its basis.
- Critique the “ends justify the means” tactic used by Stephen’s opponents.
- Evaluate various ways of responding or reacting when he or she faces opposition to Jesus today.
Most churches have what is called a “sanctuary.” Each week that room serves as the location for worship services. While we infrequently use this space, certain behaviors are deemed unacceptable there. For instance, the church youth group would not consider holding a water balloon fight in there. That would simply be out of the question in regard to the sanctuary.
Now, we members of the congregation established such expectations as a way to honor God. However, we knew that there was nothing holy about that room in and of itself. We believe that God dwells in his people (1 Corinthians 3:16), not buildings (Acts 17:24).
But we still want to set aside that room as a sacred space to honor and worship God, nonetheless.
Violation of the sacred space of the temple in Jerusalem was a severe matter to first-century Jewish leaders. An accusation of such a violation would lead to harsh consequences.
Lesson Context: First-Century Church
After Jesus’ ascension, the number of believers increased and were added to the number in Jerusalem (see Acts 2:47b; 5:14; 6:1). The expanding number of believers led them to develop habits for this gathering and expectation for how they would treat each other (see Acts 2:42-47a; 4:32-35).
During this time, almost all believers were ethnically Jewish. However, not all had the same cultural upbringing. Some had lived in the Greek-speaking (Hellenistic) portions of the Roman Empire, while others lived in Jewish regions of Palestine. The differences between the groups of first-century Jews led to conflict regarding the treatment of widows (Acts 6:1).
As a result, the apostles faced challenges while trying to oversee the church (Acts 6:2).
To ease the load for the apostles, they selected seven men to handle specific tasks (see Acts 6:3-4). The book of Acts mentions two of these seven men in further detail: Philip (8:4-40) and Stephen (6:8-8:1).
In some ways, the role of these seven men was analogous to the position of deacon (see 1 Timothy 3:8-13). The word “deacon” comes from the Greek noun “diakonia,” which is not used in Acts 6. However, a variation of that word does appear in Acts 6 and is translated as “ministry” (Acts 6:4). The term describes some aspects of the work of the apostles.
Lesson Context: The Jerusalem Temple
For first-century Judaism, the temple in Jerusalem served as the faith’s physical and spiritual center. The temple complex was the focus of the people’s worship and served as the headquarters for religious leadership.
Several versions of the Jewish temple existed. Construction on the first began in about 966 BC during the reign of Solomon (1 Kings 6:1). After 13 years, Solomon’s Temple was completed (7:1) and dedicated (1 Kings 8). During his reign, the temple became a place to worship God and store valuable artifacts. As such, it was a notable place for enemy forces to plunder (example 14:25-28).
In 597 BC, the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem, took the people into exile, and looted Solomon’s Temple (2 Kings 24:10-14). In 586 BC, the Babylonians destroyed Solomon’s Temple and took the remaining artifacts from the temple. There would be attempts to rebuild this place of worship. In 538 BC, the Persian King Cyrus allowed Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (see Ezra 1:1-4; 6:1-12; 2 Chronicles 36:22-23). Under the oversight of Zerubbabel, construction faced delays. Eventually, however, the temple was dedicated in 515 BC (see Ezra 5;1-6:22). That temple—sometimes called Zerubbabel’s Temple—was smaller and less impressive than the temple of Solomon’s day (Haggai 2:3).
Over time, Zerubbabel’s Temple experienced harsh treatment. Greek King Antiochus IV, also known as Antiochus Epiphanes (reigned 175-164 BC), desecrated that temple and took its treasures. His actions led the people to revolt to free Jerusalem and the temple from foreign powers.
Their freedom was temporary because in 63 BC Roman General Pompey desecrated the temple and its sacred artifacts again. Although in shambles, the temple was not entirely destroyed. It needed renovation and restoration.
The temple mentioned in the Gospels was the one renovated by Herod the Great (reigned 47-4 BC). Work on that temple began in around 20 BC.
A main point regarding this lesson is that the first-century Jewish leaders were not about to let anyone else again defile their holy place. They were especially not going to allow anyone to speak harshly against the building and its associated customs.
- The Growing Church
As “the word of God” increased in influence and power more and more people accepted it and the disciples multiplied. Whenever the gospel falls on willing ears, spiritual fruit results and often it multiplies (see Luke 8:8,15). That the number of Disciples “increased rapidly” implies that the Jerusalem church underwent quick numerical growth (examples, Acts 1:15; 2:41).
Counted among these believers were “priests.” These men served in the temple when their lot was chosen (see, Luke 1:5, 8-10). They differed from the elite religious ruling class of the Sanhedrin. Instead, these priests would have been relatively poor. They would not have profited much from the wealth created by the temple. Though the text does not mention how many priests were in a “large number,” the first-century historian Josephus estimated that there were 20,000 priests at the time. So, we can assume that the numbers of believers among the priesthood numbered at least in the hundreds. Only a short time had passed from Jesus’ ascension, but the gospel message found fertile soil for growth in Jerusalem.
Question! How can your congregation be a conduit for the spread of the gospel in your neighborhood and town?
“Great wonders and signs” had been attributed to Jesus (example, John 2:11) and the Apostles (Acts 5:12). When the apostles did these things, it confirmed the presence of God’s grace and the empowerment of his servants.
The book of Acts does not reveal the kind of miraculous work that Stephen did “among the people.” The apostles healed and restored people who were suffering from both physical and spiritual ailments. Therefore, it is likely that Stephen did similarly. Although Stephen was not an apostle, he had been chosen by God to give witness to salvation (compare Hebrews 2:3-4). His life demonstrated the spiritual “power” that had been promised by Jesus (Acts 1:8).
And as you know, Stephen was one of the seven chosen to “serve tables,” so that none of the needy should be neglected and the apostles might be free to preach. Any way you look at it, Stephen was one of the great servants of God.
After the exile that began in 586 BC, the need arose for synagogues among the Jewish people. These were locations for prayer and teaching of Scripture.
The opponents who debated Stephen were “members of the Synagogue of the Freedman” (v.9). They came from four places: Cyrene and Alexandria, cities in upper Africa, and Cilicia and Asia, provinces in Asia Minor. The most important town in Cilicia was Tarsus, Paul’s hometown. Did Paul (Saul) worship in this synagogue? We cannot be sure, but we know that he was involved in Stephen’s death. He may have, however, preferred a synagogue using Hebrew, for he calls himself a Hebrew (2 Corinthians 11:22).
Freedmen were Jewish people who had been liberated from slavery or who were descendants of those freed. These people were different from free-born citizens of the Roman Empire who had never experienced involvement. So, the synagogue of the Freedmen was clearly a Hellenist synagogue and may be the one to which Stephen himself once belonged.
Stephen’s teachings gave these groups a reason to “argue” with him. If he had only performed miracles and served food, it is unlikely that these groups would have had any dispute. However, what led to conflict with the synagogue’s members were his words.
Stephen understandably followed Peter and John in proclaiming God’s salvation in Jesus the Messiah (compare Acts 3:12-26). However, the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem did not want anyone to preach that message (Actus 4:13-18). Jesus’ promises to his followers regarding opposition (Luke 21:12-15) were coming true.
“They could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke” (v.10). That the synagogue members “could not stand up against” Stephen does not mean that they agreed with that message. Rather they had no answer to his teachings. You see, God’s Spirit had filled Stephen with the wisdom of God. Stephen had studied knowledge of the Word, which with divine assistance, made his reasoning irresistible. It’s no wonder that Stephen’s “stiff-necked” opponents could not answer him.
If the thought of speaking about Jesus makes you uncomfortable, be encouraged! The all-wise God can (and will) give you wisdom to speak as you have prepared yourself to do so. Are you making any progress in that regard?
- The Emboldened Opposition
(Acts 6:11-15)
Stephen’s wisdom did not sit well with the religious. Unable to win an argument with him, they took a different approach to quiet him. Certain “men” were “secretly persuaded” to speak up against Stephen regarding his teachings.
The charge of “blasphemous words” came from their understanding of Stephen’s teaching regarding the Law of Moses. Their accusation had severe consequences for Stephen. The Law of Moses prohibited blasphemous language “against” God and the leaders of Israel (Exodus 20:7; 22:28).
Clearly Stephen had a vision for a world for Christ. To the Jews two things were especially precious. First, there was the Temple; there alone sacrifice could be offered and there alone God could be truly worshiped. Second, there was the Law which could never be changed. But Stephen saw that the Temple must pass away, that the Law was but a stage toward the Gospel, that Christianity must go out to the whole wide world. And he said so.
Though Stephen’s career was to be short, it was full of significance for he was the first to see that Christianity was not the prerequisite of the Jews but God’s offer to all the world.
As you know, the false charges against Stephen was blasphemy. They insisted that blasphemy poured from Stephen without ceasing. Blasphemy is gross irreverence to sacred things—in this case the temple, and the law of Moses.
In verse 12, we are told that the opposition to Stephen stirred up “the people and the elders and the teachers of the law.” The result was that Stephen was seized and brought before the Sanhedrin. The “Sanhedrin” was a 70-member “supreme court” for matters regarding Jewish law. Any claim that would have “stirred up the people and the religious leaders would have been significant.
The Sanhedrin met in a chamber connected to the temple. The false witness charge that they heard was that Stephen was preaching threats against this holy place and against the law. In the views of the Sanhedrin, this was a blasphemous act by Stephen. As I mentioned earlier, this was a severe offense with serious consequences (Leviticus 24:10-16).
14a says,
“For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place.”
Their claims had a grain of truth. “Jesus” had indeed prophesied regarding the destruction of “this place,” the temple (see Luke 21:5-6). He had also proclaimed, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19). The apostle John, however, interpreted this statement as a metaphor for Jesus’ body (John 2:21).
Jesus never claimed that he himself would be the one to destroy the temple. However, he had faced charges similar to the ones brought before Stephen. The point of Jesus’ teachings was to serve as prophetic reminders regarding the temporary nature of the temple. In AD 70, Jesus’ prophesies regarding the temple were fulfilled when Roman commander Titus destroyed the temple.
14b says,
“and change the customs Moses handed town to us.” Some of the “customs” described in the Law of Moses included circumcision (Leviticus 12:3) and dietary practices (see Leviticus 11:17). These things were a way for the Jewish people to separate themselves from Gentiles. Therefore, any teachings regarding “change” to these things would affect their unique identity as a people.
Jesus’ teaching transformed or set aside these customs. One way is found in his teaching on food and spiritual defilement. The Law of Moses indicates that consuming certain foods makes a person unclean. However, Jesus taught that what a person eats does not lead to defilement (Matthrew 15:17-20).
And Jesus did not seek to abolish the Law of Moses. Instead, his teachings and entire ministry fulfilled the law and the other writings of Scripture (Matthew 5:17). All parts of Hebrew Scripture—the writings of Moses, the prophets, the psalms, and the wisdom literature serve as guideposts that point people to Jesus. Rather than nullify these Scriptures, Jesus fulfilled them through his life, death, and resurrection (Luke 24:27).
Now, the charges regarding Stephen’s teachings were intended to unify the various factions of the Sanhedrin against him. The temple was the primary economic engine of Jerusalem, and it provided wealth for many. For other members of the groups, their interpretations of the law depended on their tradition. Consequently, the prospect of the temple’s destruction and the law’s annulment threatened the power and influence of these parties. It was this threat to vested interests that motivated the arrest of Jesus and later Stephen.
The phrase in verse 15 “the face of an angel” highlights the supernatural nature of the expression of Stephen’s face. His facial expression should have been a clue to the divine approval of his teachings.
Stephen began his speech to the Sanhedrin by referring to “the God of glory” (Acts 7:2). As he concluded, Stephen’s first view of Heaven would be to see “the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55). That vision was the final straw for the Sanhedrin as he was stoned to death by mob action (Acts 7:56-8:1a).
Conclusion
What should the Christian’s response be to attacks and insults to faith? The verbal attacks on Stephen led to a physical attack that resulted in his death. While it is unlikely we will experience the same end as Stephen, his manner of living can inform our behavior whether or not attacks on our faith result.
Stephen was a student of Scripture, demonstrated by his speech before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:2-54). Not only did he know the “acts” of Scripture, but he also knew how Jesus “fulfilled” all of Scripture. And this knowledge led him to display confidence and hope during his interaction with the Sanhedrin. It also enabled him to face his final crisis with peace and poise.
So, consider the example of Stephen the next time you pray. Ask the Lord for wisdom, power, and peace. And when we practice those attributes, we will better serve the Lord.
Action Plan
- In what ways can believers develop spiritual power?
- How do your actions, attitudes, and expressions indicate to others that you are a follower of Christ?
- How does today’s lesson inform your thoughts and behaviors for the upcoming Holy week?
- What do we really know about Stephen?
Resources For This Lesson
- “2023-2024 NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, International Sunday School Lessons,” pages 257-264.
- “The New Application Commentary (Acts)” by Afith Fernando, pages 244-246.
- “Acts” edited by Orrin Root and John W. Wade, pages 44-46.
- “The Acts of the Apostles,” by William Barclay, pages 50-53.
Dr. Hal Brady is a retired pastor who continues to present the Good News of Jesus Christ and offer encouragement in a fresh and vital way though Hal Brady Ministries (halbradyministries.com).
