Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Acts Chapter 6 mean?

Acts 6 is an introduction to the first Christian martyr and the start of real persecution against the church. Well over five thousand men, not to mention women and children, have chosen to follow Jesus (Acts 4:4; 5:14). The Jewish leadership take notice; they arrest the apostles, command they stop teaching in Jesus’ name, and beat them (Acts 5:40). Their punishment has the opposite effect they’d hoped for; instead of intimidated, the apostles rejoice, knowing that if Jesus’ enemies are persecuting them, they must be doing something right (Acts 5:41).

This chapter has two short sections. Acts 6:1–7 describes some of the growing pains of the early church and how the leadership responds. Jerusalem is in Judea; the residents speak Aramaic and some Hebrew. But many of the Jesus-followers in Jerusalem are not locals. Some came for a short trip but found Jesus, then stayed so they could learn more from the apostles (Acts 2:9–11, 42). Others followed the custom of returning to Jerusalem to die in the land of their people. The travelers do not have access to their assets back home, and the elderly may have had to leave their local synagogues that provided support. Local believers pool their resources to provide for everyone (Acts 2:44–45; 4:32–37).

Those Jews, and consequently those Jews who had become Jesus-followers, who lived in countries and territories with more Romans and Greeks were called “Hellenists.” The prefix Helle- means “Greece,” and Hellenist Jews spoke more Greek than Aramaic. There were so many Hellenist Jews in Jerusalem that people travelling from different territories had their own synagogues (Acts 6:9). The Jesus-followers from Judea naturally knew their own widows and provided for them, but they didn’t necessarily know the widows from the other synagogues, so the Hellenist widows didn’t always get what they needed. When the apostles learn this, they appoint seven men to take charge of dispersing the food fairly. One of these men is Stephen.

In the second section (Acts 6:8–15), Stephen proves to be more than just an honest man “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5), he’s also a great apologist who skillfully debates the Hellenist Jews who dispute the message of Jesus. These Jews cannot withstand his logic or the Holy Spirit working in his words, but they don’t believe his message, so they incite men to falsely testify that Stephen speaks against Moses, God, and the temple. They accuse Stephen of the same charge of which the Sanhedrin accused Jesus: threatening to destroy the temple (Mark 14:58). Damaging a religious structure was against Roman law and punishable by death.

As we will see, Stephen’s argument is much more subtle than his enemies accuse him of. He isn’t saying he wants to destroy the temple. He’s saying that the temple is not necessary to worship God. He’s not wrong, but his unconventional way of looking at Jewish tradition leads to his status as the first Christian martyr (Acts 7).

Chapter Context
Acts 6 introduces us to a Jesus-follower named Stephen. The apostles affirmed the choice of Stephen, along with six others, to make sure every Christian in Jerusalem has what they need. But Stephen is also a skilled debater. As a Greek-speaking Jew from outside Judea, Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, and modern-day Asia Minor would naturally gravitate toward him. These travelers cannot defeat Stephen’s logic, but they reject his message. They falsely accuse Stephen and bring him before the Sanhedrin.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.

The church in Jerusalem is still growing. Some of the members are from Jerusalem and the surrounding area. Some are from as far away as Rome to the west and Mesopotamia to the east. Those who are from the west are called “Hellenists.” They’re familiar with Greek and Roman culture and speak Greek instead of Aramaic. Since the day of Pentecost, the Jesus-followers have supported the visitors (Acts 2:44–45; 4:32–37). The Aramaic-speaking locals, however, are overlooking the Greek-speaking widows. The ESV says, “daily distribution.” The original Greek refers to the presentation of a gift; in that context, it means service in the preparation for a social event. Some of the widows are being left out of charitable giving, due to a low-level problem with supervision. Acts 6:2 confirms this interpretation where it says it is not wise for the apostles to turn away from their calling to “serve tables.” Their point is not that such service is beneath them, but that they need support in order to fulfill their spiritual calling.

The passage doesn’t give very much information about the widows. It was custom at the time for elderly Jews who were not from Judea to come to Jerusalem so they could die in the land of their people. Enough foreign-born Jews came to Jerusalem that geographic regions had their own synagogues (Acts 6:9). If the widows weren’t fluent in Aramaic, had broken from their countrymen’s synagogue, and were the least bit homebound, the apostles wouldn’t necessarily think to check on them. At this point in time, after all, twelve men were leading the spiritual development of thousands and the evangelism of tens of thousands.

The Hellenists’ action is described using the Greek root word goggysmos. The modern English word “complaint” makes this sound more open and formal than the original. This is not a formal, open protest made to the apostles. Those who are unhappy are grumbling, or murmuring—they’re complaining and criticizing without making their comments public. That’s a particularly insidious type of rebellion that can cause divisiveness in any group (Philippians 2:14–15). Until this point, Luke records that the church has been “together,” and “of one heart and soul” (Acts 2:44; 4:32). It would be better for the Hellenists to present their concerns to the apostles. It would be better to trust that leadership will resolve the issue. In fact, we all should do this, in our church and with God.

Context Summary
Acts 6:1–7 sees the early church in Jerusalem solve a problem caused by their rapid growth. The church is comprised of Jews from traditionally Jewish lands as well as nations to the east and Roman territories around the Mediterranean. As more people follow Jesus, those who are able donate to the apostles to care for those in need. Greek-speaking widows are less familiar to the local believers, and so they are not getting the same amount of support as those who speak Aramaic. Instead of taking on one more responsibility, the apostles commission seven men to manage the donations. One of these men is Stephen.

Verse 2. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

Greek-speaking Jesus-followers in Jerusalem are upset. They feel the church is not providing equal distribution of charity for some Greek-speaking widows, compared to Aramaic-speaking widows. It is understandable that the apostles would not notice; at this point, the church numbers in the thousands and the apostles seek to evangelize tens of thousands. This is exactly what Jesus tasked them to do: to spread His story (Acts 1:8). So far, they’ve been faithful to the thousands in the church as well as the Jews who gather in the temple court (Acts 4:4, 33). Jesus did not task them with meeting the new disciples’ physical requirements; that comes organically with the Holy Spirit’s prompting.

This passage is the nascent version of 1 Corinthians 12. The apostles recognize that although every Jesus-follower has the same Holy Spirit dwelling within them, the Spirit empowers different people for different tasks. Jesus told the apostles to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). They can’t do that if they are also personally responsible for the physical well-being of all the widows in the church. The apostles are not claiming that some service is beneath them (John 13:14–16), or that they are too important for such work. They rightly understand that they cannot accomplish their spiritual calling and meet those other needs, as well.

This establishes the first of two significant principles in the passage. First, pastors cannot do everything in the church. They have just as few hours in their days as anyone else; God never intended or commanded spiritual leaders to do everything without help. Second, as inferred in Acts 6:3, everyone in the church has a role to fill. Waiting on tables is not a dishonorable job. It is a necessary one. But it does not belong to the apostles, it belongs to other members of the church. As Paul will later say, “For the body does not consist of one member but of many” (1 Corinthians 12:14). If the apostles were to take on every task of the church, they would not be honoring the other Jesus-followers.

The church is where every believer serves and leads; it is not where Christians go to be spoon-fed by a holy few. There are times where “need” outweighs “calling.” There’s nothing inappropriate about a pastor picking up a shovel, a broom, or a stack of diapers. But there is something inappropriate about pastors being forced to set their primary calling aside to do such things while other church members are idle.

Verse 3. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.

Although the passage doesn’t use the word, this is the establishment of the office of “deacon” in the church. Diakonia, the Greek root word from which “ministry” comes, specifically refers to the role of the deacons who collect and disperse resources (Acts 6:1–6); it is also used in the more general sense (Acts 20:24). It means to serve others by command of someone else. A small leadership staff cannot fill every need in a church. Forcing infinite responsibility on them is disrespectful to non-staff who have gifts of their own.

Throughout the history of Christianity, God has used conflict to refine belief and understanding. Until this time, the Holy Spirit worked in the hearts of the Jesus-followers to take care of each other’s practical needs (Acts 2:44–45; 4:32–37). There is nothing wrong with this system of management if the group is small and the members diligent and attentive. There are now thousands of Jesus-followers in Jerusalem, and the benevolent mob can’t keep track of everyone.

The church leadership needs some structure. Not only are the apostles willing to hand over responsibility for managing money and assets, they’re willing to let others choose the candidates who will do so. This delegation of duties is consistent with the Old Testament. Moses wisely agreed to place the Israelites under the command of a hierarchy of leaders (Exodus 18:19–23). And Nehemiah established quartermasters to make sure the Levites received their due (Nehemiah 13:13).

The leadership structure of the church is different than that in the Old Testament, however. God set aside the people of the tribe of Levi to serve Him. He designated that priests would come from the line of Aaron. The other Levite families had specific duties regarding the tabernacle (Numbers 3:21–37). Their tasks were based on what family they belonged to. In the church, however, leadership isn’t based on family but character. First Timothy 3:8–13 lays out the qualifications for deacons, most of which deal with integrity. While deacons need to be spiritually mature, as any church leader, the apostles especially need to know they will handle the finances honestly and responsibly.

Verse 4. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The apostles have realized that not all the Jesus-followers are receiving the support they need. In this case, the loose, generous system of donations is overlooking the Greek-speaking widows (Acts 6:1). Jesus has given the apostles their task: to spread His message. They have faithfully done so, to the point that the church in Jerusalem includes thousands of Jews and proselytes. That is their job, so they willingly pass on the administration of the donations to others who are qualified (Acts 6:2–3).

Ironically, “ministry” is from the Greek root word diakonia, the same word from which we get our term “deacon.” The seven men selected are to be deacons of the resources of the church and the provision of the people (Acts 6:5); the apostles are to be deacons of the Word. This is not a sign that pastors are somehow “above” less prestigious tasks (John 13:14–16). It is a sign that those other than pastors ought to support their leaders by taking on what tasks they can.

The apostles are not taking the easy road. The Sanhedrin has recently beat them because they preach in Jesus’ name (Acts 5:40). Tradition says that all but one will die a martyr’s death because they spread Jesus’ word. Before that happens, however, the apostles need to make sure they equip the Jesus-followers as thoroughly as possible (Acts 2:42). Twelve apostles cannot reach everyone in the Roman Empire and all the people in the nations to the east. But they can train people who can.

The apostles’ emphasis on prayer and the ministry of the Word and their willingness to delegate responsibilities should give us pause about the problems we expect our pastors and elders to solve. They should have the time to determine the major theological issues and lead the church in the direction the Holy Spirit leads. We should be willing to find solutions for the smaller problems and, with their agreement, get them done.

Verse 5. And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

Faced with the task of discipling a church of thousands and evangelizing a city of tens of thousands, the apostles delegate the financial and practical side of ministry (Acts 6:1–2). The Jesus-followers have nominated seven men for the new office of deacon (Acts 6:3–4). The initial issue is that the Greek-speaking widows are not receiving daily meals. It makes sense that, judging by their names, six of the new deacons are Hellenist Jews, while the seventh is a Gentile proselyte. Two of the deacons have a significant role in the book of Acts.

The most famous of the deacons, Stephen, is the first recorded person to lose his life in service to Jesus (Acts 7). His death signals an open season of persecution on Jesus-followers. The Sanhedrin quickly commissions a Pharisee named Saul to track down believers and bring them to Jerusalem for trial (Acts 8:1–3; 9:1–2). The Jesus-followers flee Jerusalem, but they bring Jesus’ message with them, spreading the gospel to Jews in Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Syrian Antioch.

Philip is neither the disciple Philip nor Herod Antipas’ brother (Matthew 10:3; 14:3). He is the most-often mentioned of the deacons. After Saul persecutes and scatters the church (Acts 8:1–3), Philip becomes the first recorded to preach in Samaria (Acts 8:4–6, 12), and he participates in converting an Ethiopian official in Judea (Acts 8:26–40). He moves up the coastline to Caesarea Maritima where he and his four prophetess daughters meet Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles is on his way to Jerusalem (Acts 21:8–9).

The Bible doesn’t give any more information on the others. Tradition says Prochorus becomes the apostle John’s attendant. As a proselyte, Nicolaus is a Gentile who has fully converted to Judaism, including undergoing circumcision.

The Holy Spirit is slowly expanding what the Jewish Jesus-followers understand about the kingdom of God. Here, the apostles give Hellenist Jews leadership positions. Soon, Samaritans will come to follow Jesus (Acts 8:4–8). Philip will witness the conversion of a God-fearing Ethiopian (Acts 8:26–40). The church’s most dangerous enemy will come to Christ (Acts 9:1–19). And then Peter will realize that Gentiles are welcome in God’s kingdom (Acts 10). When God wants big changes in us, sometimes He lets them come in small steps.

Verse 6. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

When presented with a problem by the culturally Greek members of the church, the Aramaic-speaking apostles empowered the church to solve it (Acts 6:1–2). The church chooses men who have a good reputation, wisdom, and an abundance of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3). Although the apostles will have to rely on “prayer and…the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4) regarding the integration of Gentiles into a Jewish-based religion later (Acts 11:1–18), the presence of the Holy Spirit and the character of a person should always be more important than cultural similarities.

The wording here resembles passages where Jesus-followers lay money and resources before the apostles (Acts 4:34–37). The congregation is dedicating these seven men to minister as the apostles see fit. The apostles turn around and give the men authority to decide how they will address the problem. The apostles can do this because of their dedication to prayer and because they know the character of the men and their relationship with the Holy Spirit.

The Bible speaks of laying hands on another often. Jesus laid His hands on the children (Matthew 19:13). Jairus begged Jesus to lay hands on his dying daughter (Mark 5:23). In Jesus’ ministry, laying on of hands is related to blessing and healing. In the church, some receive the Holy Spirit when an apostle lays his hands on them (Acts 8:16–19; 9:17–18; 19:5–6), but most receive the Holy Spirit without the ritual. Jesus did not commission the apostles by laying His hands on them, but the early church does ordain those set aside for a special ministry with the laying on of hands (Acts 13:3; 1 Timothy 4:14). It appears the laying on of hands is a cultural practice, as the Bible describes it but doesn’t command it.

Verse 7. And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

As Scripture describes Jesus’ ministry, “disciple” sometimes means any of Jesus’ followers, such as Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, Lazarus, and Justus and Matthias, although it usually refers to the Twelve. Since the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the word “disciple” has ceased to mean the Twelve and changed to mean all the Jesus-followers. “The Twelve” are called the apostles. A disciple is someone who repents, accepts Jesus as their Savior, and “devote[s] themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). This group now includes thousands of people (Acts 2:47; 4:4; 5:14). The addition of priests, however, is extraordinary.

The Sanhedrin, comprised of priests, elders, and scribes, arrested Peter and John because the Sadducee contingent didn’t like that they preached the resurrection from the dead. Peter and John firmly explained they would not stop preaching in Jesus’ name (Acts 4:1–22).

Then the jealous Sanhedrin arrested many if not all the apostles. God sent an angel to let them escape, and they returned to the temple to preach that Jesus had risen from the grave. The temple guards escorted—rather than dragged—the apostles back to the Sanhedrin. The apostles went peacefully and, again, said they would not follow the Sanhedrin’s restrictions on their preaching. The Sanhedrin beat them and released them, and the apostles rejoiced that they “were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:17–42).

Now, some of the priests, many of whom probably witnessed these two trials, come to a saving faith in Christ. Maybe they are convicted of what they did to Jesus. But maybe they see the confidence and freedom of Peter and the others who had fled when Jesus was arrested. Our faithfulness to Jesus can be a strong beacon to others, even if we’ve failed Him in the past.

“Word” is from the Greek root word logos which means an idea, a doctrine, and/or a message. John 1:1 identifies Jesus as the Word of God. Here, before the church has widely spread what becomes the New Testament books, the “word of God” does not yet have the meaning of Scripture. It does mean the total message God means to give mankind. This includes that Jesus is the Son of God, that He is the Savior, that He rose after His death, and that He is the core of salvation.

Verse 8. And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.

We don’t know a lot about Stephen; Scripture does not mention him beyond the context of his story in Acts 6—7. He is a Hellenist Jewish-Christian, meaning he is Jewish, but is not from Jerusalem; he was raised elsewhere in the Roman Empire where the primary language was Greek instead of Aramaic. He is “of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3) and other church members choose him to be one of the first deacons (Acts 6:5). However long he has been a Jesus-follower, he has used his time to good effect; other Hellenist Jews cannot match his wisdom, in large part because he is so submissive to the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:10).

“Wonder” is from the Greek root word teras, and “signs” is from the root word semeion. A wonder is a miracle that reveals a hidden truth, while a sign identifies the miracle-worker as God’s messenger. We don’t know why the men Stephen is debating refuse to accept the authority represented in the miracles he performs. The reason they give is that Stephen wants to see the temple destroyed. Stephen will succinctly explain why this is a non-issue with a quick recitation of Israel’s history (Acts 7:1–50).

The God-endowed protection that God has given the early church in Jerusalem is eroding. The Jewish leadership has arrested and beaten the apostles (Acts 5:17–42). Jesus trained the apostles to expect persecution (John 15:18–20), and it’s reasonable to assume the apostles passed on this warning to the new Christians. God knows Stephen’s opponents will grow into a mob that will kill him (Acts 7:54–60), but He will effectively use Stephen’s sacrifice. The coming persecution will spread Jesus’ followers and His gospel message all over the known world.

Context Summary
Acts 6:8–15 gives a short explanation of why the Jews get angry with Stephen and bring him before the Sanhedrin. Scripture does not record exactly what he says that enrages his audience. When they cannot defeat him with logic, they falsely accuse him of threatening the temple, which is the same charge the Sanhedrin tried to use against Jesus (Mark 14:57–59). Like Jesus, Stephen has said no such thing. And, like Jesus, Stephen’s message is far more radical—radical enough for the mob to kill him (Acts 7).

Verse 9. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.

A Hellenist: not raised in Judea but elsewhere in the Roman Empire, and his primary language is likely Greek, not Aramaic. The synagogues listed are also comprised of Greek-speaking Jews.

“Freedmen” is a blanket name for former slaves and their descendants. In the first century BC, Roman general Pompey captured some Jews, enslaved them, and took them to Rome. The Jewish slaves followed their religion so strictly, including refusing to work on the Sabbath and adhering to kosher law, they were useless as slaves, so Pompey released them. The Freedmen are descendants of these and other former slaves.

The Cyrenians are from Cyrene in modern-day Libya, and the Alexandrians are from Alexandria in Egypt. At the time described in this passage, both cities have large populations of Jews.

Cilicia is a province on the southeast coast of modern-day Asia Minor. Tarsus, where Paul comes from, is in Cilicia. “Asia,” in this context, does not mean the eastern continent. In Stephen’s era, the term Asia referred to a province in the western part of modern-day Asia Minor; this includes Troas, Ephesus, Colossae, and the other churches mentioned in Revelation 2–3. Paul will spend two to three years in Ephesus (Acts 19). It is the Jews from Asia who eventually get him arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 21:27).

A synagogue is a place for Jews to meet, read Scripture, and discuss what they read. Although Moses gave the Israelites God’s law, the kings often neglected or lost the law. In the reign of Jehoshaphat, the wise king sent officials throughout Judah to teach the people the law (2 Chronicles 17:7–9). When the exiles returned from Babylon, they had a problem. The law was in Hebrew, which very few people had learned. They natively spoke Aramaic, the trade language. So, when Ezra read the law to the people, scribes intermingled with the crowd, explaining what the words meant (Nehemiah 8:1–8). Synagogues served a similar purpose and are the model for the Christian church.

According to the Mosaic law, the men of Israel were to gather in Jerusalem for certain feasts throughout the year. Jerusalem is 1,400 miles from Rome, so Jews who did not live near Jerusalem came when they could. When they arrived, they found a group of their countrymen in an established synagogue. Some stayed in Jerusalem while others completed their business and returned home. Either way, to travel that far to worship at the temple of their people was a serious commitment and took a very devout person. It’s easy to see how they would be protective of their faith and their temple.

Verse 10. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

Stephen is a Greek-speaking Jewish Christian, not native to Judea, who is debating with other Greek-speaking Jews about Jesus (Acts 6:8–9). It’s even possible he is a member of one of the synagogues his adversaries attend (Acts 6:9). Stephen’s argument is unassailable because he is relying on the Holy Spirit for his words and content. Jesus had told the Twelve Disciples before, “Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:14–15). Stephen proves this promise goes beyond the twelve apostles.

Still, despite his words of wisdom and verifying miracles (Acts 6:8), Stephen’s audience rejects his argument and attacks him (Acts 6:11–14). They falsely accuse him before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, and eventually murder him (Acts 7:54–60). Stephen has all the right words and all the right strategies, but they aren’t enough to avoid the hatred of the world.

Apologetics only succeeds as an evangelism tool if the Holy Spirit is working and the people are ready to hear. If that isn’t the case, people will lie to themselves and others to justify their desire to reject the gospel. Jesus prepared the disciples for this, telling them to shake the dust off their feet when leaving those who refuse to listen (Matthew 10:14). More ominously, He warned them that those who rejected His message would persecute them (John 15:18–19).

But Stephen’s efforts are not in vain. Nearly two thousand years later we learn from his example, and his historical apologetic message (Acts 7:1–53) is a part of the Holy Spirit’s enduring work.

Verse 11. Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen has dominated a debate with Hellenist Jews in Jerusalem. Instead of listening to Stephen’s words, his opponents respond with treachery.

The passage doesn’t say exactly what Stephen and the Hellenist Jews are arguing about. In Acts 6:14, Stephen’s adversaries accuse him of following a man—Jesus—who threatened to destroy the temple. This is a complete misunderstanding of what Jesus said (John 2:18–22), although the Sanhedrin used the charge against Him (Mark 14:57–59). Stephen’s sermon does address this charge; he points out that a building made by human hands cannot contain God or His people’s worship of Him (Acts 7:48).

In Acts 6:14, Stephen’s opponents also claim Jesus disrespected the Mosaic law. Jesus certainly had many run-ins with the Pharisees on the topic. Most of their arguments centered around what work the Law permitted on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23–28; 3:1–6), along with extra-biblical traditions the Pharisees enforced like fasting and ceremonial handwashing (Mark 2:18–19; 7:1–5).

But Jesus also strongly said that He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, not even the smallest mark; He came to fulfill them because we are not capable of following the Law perfectly (Matthew 5:17–20). Because He is the perfect sacrifice for our sins, we can be reconciled to God. Jesus showed nothing but respect for Moses and the Mosaic law (Matthew 8:4; Mark 7:10; 10:3). He also used Moses to address this very situation: “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (Luke 16:31). As Stephen later points out, it is his opponents who reject the true message of Moses and other prophets, not the Jesus-followers (Acts 7:52).

Verse 12. And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council,

The “council” is a reference to the Sanhedrin, the religious court of the Jews. They enforced the Mosaic law on Jews in Judea and beyond (Acts 9:1–2). Members of the Sanhedrin were typically either priests, teachers of the Law, or elders: respected businessmen of Jerusalem. They could belong to any sect of Judaism, though most belonged to the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Others were Pharisees, who added extra laws to those God gave Moses. Not everyone on the Sanhedrin rejected Jesus; Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus followed Jesus and were on the council (Luke 23:50; John 7:50–51).

This is a near copy of how the Jewish council treated Jesus. The Sanhedrin falsely accused Him of threatening to destroy the temple, a capital offense in the Roman Empire (Mark 14:57–58), and then incited a crowd with lies (Matthew 27:20). In this case, Jews from Africa and modern-day Asia Minor incite a crowd so that the Sanhedrin will condemn Stephen.

The Sanhedrin is more than happy to oblige. They have arrested (Acts 4:3; 5:18), threatened (Acts 4:18), and beaten (Acts 5:40) the leaders of the Jesus-followers to no avail. The members of the Sanhedrin are jealous of the apostles’ following and powers (Acts 5:17) and horrified that they not only teach that resurrection of the dead is possible, but also that Jesus of Nazareth, their sworn enemy, has risen (Acts 4:1–2).

Despite this, many of the priests have chosen to follow Jesus (Acts 6:7). There’s no telling how this affects the body of priests or the Sanhedrin. The priests are all of one family (Deuteronomy 18:1); Jesus’ warning that He would split families is coming true (Luke 12:49–53).

Verse 13. and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law,

The council will see Stephen, and Stephen will make his defense (Acts 6:8–12; 7:1–53). We’re not told exactly how—or if— Stephen is speaking against the temple. In Stephen’s explanation before the Sanhedrin, he will use Jewish history to show the temple cannot and never could contain the worship of God (Acts 7:48).

The patriarchs followed God without a building. For generations, the Israelites worshiped God in a tent. The Jews didn’t build a fixed temple until the reign of Solomon, and even then, Solomon admitted it wasn’t enough. In his prayer of dedication he said “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!” (2 Chronicles 6:18).

Even more odd is the charge that Stephen is speaking against the Mosaic law. Jesus certainly condemned the extra regulations the Pharisees added to the Law, but He held the utmost respect for the Law and for Moses (Matthew 5:18; 8:4; Mark 7:10; 10:3). As Stephen points out in his defense, his accusers are spiritual descendants of the Jews who couldn’t follow the Law and who killed the prophets God sent to enforce it (Acts 7:51–53). Their charge is the highest hypocrisy.

Soon after this, the mob will stone Stephen (Acts 7:54–60). Many question why Stephen is killed with impunity, while the Sanhedrin had to go through legal gymnastics to convince Pilate to kill Jesus (John 18:31). The main reason is that Jesus was popular, and the religious leaders didn’t want to be responsible for a riot (Mark 14:1–2). Also, because Jesus and His conflict with Israel’s priests was so public, a mob-induced death would immediately have been blamed on those leaders, anyway.

Stephen is relatively unknown, the false witnesses are more coordinated, and he doesn’t have the widespread infamy that Jesus did prior to His death. So, Stephen’s conviction and execution will go through unchallenged (Acts 7:54–59).

Some scholars suggest Roman law did not allow the Jews to execute someone—unless the accused threatened a religious structure. That was an automatic capital offense anywhere in the Empire. The Sanhedrin was unable to convincingly accuse Jesus of such a charge (Mark 14:55–59), but they have an easier time fabricating witnesses against Stephen.

Verse 14. for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”

Stephen’s martyrdom story parallels that of Jesus. The Jewish religious leaders had long wished to destroy Jesus, ever since the beginning of His ministry in Capernaum (Mark 3:6). They were finally able to arrest Him the night of the Passover but had nothing to charge Him with. Eventually, false witnesses accused Him of threatening to tear down the temple and rebuild it in three days (Mark 14:56–58). This would have been an effective accusation; not only would it have enflamed the Jewish people, who adored Jesus, desecration of a religious monument was against Roman law and punishable by death.

There were two immense problems with the Sanhedrin’s campaign against Christ. The first was that the witnesses couldn’t get their story straight about what Jesus had said (Mark 14:59). Second, Jesus never threatened the temple. He dared the Jewish leadership to destroy Him, promising that in three days, He would rise again (John 2:19–22). He proved this when He did rise again three days after the Jewish leaders had Him crucified.

We don’t know exactly what Stephen and the Jews are debating. The Jews incite others to accuse Stephen of saying Jesus will destroy the temple and change the Mosaic law (Acts 6:11–13). But Stephen’s defense explains that the temple is not necessary for proper God-worship (Acts 7:1–50). In fact, in less than forty years, the Roman army will burn the temple to the ground. A temple can’t enclose God. God didn’t even ask for a temple—a single building can’t confine His followers’ worship. As Jesus told the woman at the well, “The hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father…God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:21, 24).

The Hellenist Jews know their argument is weak. They convince false witnesses to charge Stephen with nonsense (Acts 6:11) and even insult Jesus, calling Him “this Nazarene” (NASB). A common slur was that nothing good can come out of Nazareth (John 1:46). Fortunately for Stephen’s accusers, most of the Sanhedrin is more interested in preserving their hold over the people than the truth.

Verse 15. And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Contemporary culture sees angels as benevolent beings come to serve and protect us and fill us with peace. We tend to think someone with “a face like an angel” is sweet and innocent. This leads to an assumption that Stephen looked harmless, benevolent, or peaceful. That’s not necessarily false, but the ancient concept of “angels” wasn’t docile or quiet.

Angels in the Bible were more likely to send their witnesses to their knees in terror—virtually every person in Scripture who sees an angel immediately has to be told not to be afraid (Matthew 28:5; Luke 1:11–13; 2:10; Acts 10:3–4). After David took an ill-advised census, an angel killed 70,000 men (2 Samuel 24:15–16). Another being described using the term angel killed 185,000 members in Sennacherib’s army (2 Kings 19:35). Daniel fell to his face in fear when an angel visited him (Daniel 8:17).

In short, angels are massively powerful warriors in God’s army, not chubby infants with wings sitting on clouds and playing cute harps. To say Stephen’s face reminded his audience of an angel speaks more to the evidence of God’s power in his life than anything else.

Stephen is clearly not defenseless, either. He is filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly speaking words of truth that his adversaries are powerless to refute (Acts 6:10). The only reason he is before the council is because his opponents have resorted to lies and deceit (Acts 6:11) and the council is more than willing to condemn a Jesus-follower.

The Holy Spirit is surely with Stephen. He has given Stephen the power to perform miracles that identify him as God’s ambassador (Acts 6:8). He has given Stephen the words to say. And as Stephen dies, He will give Stephen the ability to look into heaven and see Jesus standing at God’s right hand (Acts 7:55–56). Despite Stephen’s good reputation, wisdom, and submission to God, he will be killed: the first Christian martyr. And his death will give his enemies the courage to persecute the other Jesus-followers (Acts 8:1–3). But as the members of the early church flee Jerusalem, they will take Jesus’ message with them. And two thousand years later, Jesus-followers, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, will still spread Jesus’ message around the world, no matter the cost.

End of Chapter 6.

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