Now Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with Stephen, 10 but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. 11 Then they instigated some men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, accosted him, seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They presented false witnesses who testified, “This man never stops saying things against [this] holy place and the law. 14 For we have heard him claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” 15 All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
In Acts 6:8-15, Stephen, one of the seven chosen to serve the early Christian community (Acts 6:1-7), emerges as a powerful witness to Christ. Described as “filled with grace and power,” he works “great wonders and signs among the people” (v. 8), indicating that his ministry was not limited to material service but was also empowered by the Holy Spirit for evangelization with signs that confirmed the Gospel message (cf. Mark 16:20).
Opposition soon arises from members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen—likely composed of Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia. These were Greek-speaking Jews, many of whom had once lived in the diaspora and had returned to Jerusalem, often with deep devotion to the Temple and Jewish law. They or their ancestors had been liberated from slavery under Roman rule and may have recognized in Stephen a fellow Greek-speaking Jew, but were scandalized by his bold proclamation that Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled and surpassed the Mosaic Law and the Temple. To them, Stephen’s message seemed a threat to the very foundations of Jewish religious life.
Unable to refute the Spirit-filled wisdom with which Stephen speaks (v. 10), they resort to deception. False witnesses are gathered, echoing what was done to Jesus during His Passion (cf. Matt. 26:59-61), and Stephen is accused of blasphemy against Moses and God. This accusation would have struck a deep chord in Jewish society, where reverence for the Law and the Temple was foundational.
The accusation itself—that Stephen speaks “against this holy place and the law” (v. 13)—foreshadows a deeper truth revealed in Christ: the Temple and the Mosaic Law find their fulfillment in Him (Matt. 5:17, John 2:19-21). Stephen is not desecrating the Law or the Temple; rather, he is proclaiming that both are now surpassed in the risen Christ, in whom God’s presence dwells among His people in a new and living way (2 Cor. 3:6-11, Heb. 9:11-15).
In the final verse, we are told that those in the Sanhedrin “saw that his face was like the face of an angel” (v. 15). This remarkable description recalls the radiance of Moses’ face after speaking with God (cf. Ex. 34:29-35), suggesting that Stephen, like Moses, stands in the presence of God and reflects His glory. Yet, unlike Moses, Stephen is not delivering stone tablets, but bearing witness to the living Word—Jesus Christ.
Stephen’s confrontation with religious authorities reveals an early and enduring pattern in the life of the Church: the Gospel, when preached with power and clarity, often provokes resistance. But truth cannot be silenced by opposition. Just as Jesus was unjustly accused, so now His servant Stephen shares in His suffering. This is not defeat—it is a share in the victory of Christ. As St. Paul later writes, “we always carry about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body” (2 Cor. 4:10).
In every generation, Stephen’s boldness invites believers to trust in the Spirit’s power when facing misunderstanding, hostility, or slander. The Risen Christ does not abandon His people. He gives wisdom, courage, and a share in His glory—even in trials. The early Church’s story is our story: struggle, witness, and the promise of life through the Holy Spirit.
O Risen Lord, fill us with the grace and courage of Stephen, that we may bear witness to You with wisdom and love, even in the face of opposition. May Your Spirit shine through us and lead others to truth. Amen.
O Lord, guide every heart that longs for Your presence
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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