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54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. ~ Acts 7:54-60
Today, we conclude our study of Acts 7 where Stephen has just finished delivering his message to the religious leaders of first century Israel. It is the nature of the truth when met with the false to hurt, especially when it is underscored by someone in your own family. This is what happened that day when Stephen delivered his message to the religious leaders of Israel. Stephen's life and death remind us of another martyr: Jim Elliot. It was he who once said, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Jim and four others went to the Auca Indians in Equador. The Aucas had never heard the gospel so these men went down there to tell them about the salvation the Lord Jesus offers. Jim wrote his most famous quote before he was martyred on January 8, 1956.
In v.54 of today's passage we read, "When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth."
Since Stephen had been so clear in his words to the religious leaders, they demonstrated they perfectly understood what he said. In their reaction they revealed they had been cut to the heart. The Greek word Luke used to describe them literally means "to be cut through." This is the second and last use of this word in the Bible. The religious leader were thrown into a state of rage after hearing the truth about their condition. Being reminded that they resisted the Holy Spirit and that they were the murderers of the Messiah, caused them to become completely enraged.
The Greek word translated as "gnashed" is found only here in the Bible. When they gnashed their teeth they revealed their rage in a slightly different way. They were like wild animals clenching their teeth and snarling at Stephen. All of this happened because their hearts were not one ounce receptive to the truth. Sometimes we must present the truth this way. The religious leaders of first century Israel knew the history of Israel well. And, Stephen's words convicted them because they were true. When we did not allow the truth to do the work God desires, we find ourselves much like mad men. The religious leaders of Israel thought they were in an encounter with Stephen but they were in an encounter with God.
In v.55-56 of today's passage we read, "55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!'"
Stephen is set in contrast to these supposed "leaders" who were like enraged animals snarling at him. Instead, it says of him, "being full of the Holy Spirit." The religious leaders did not have the Holy Spirit to guide them. Instead, they stood as the enemies of God due to their rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ. In contrast, Stephen stood "gazing into heaven." He looked into heaven because there stood, at the right hand of God, the One who was defining Him. To stand at the right hand of God signifies the position of the Lord Jesus with all power and authority having been granted to Him. It was God's response to the obedience of the Lord Jesus on our behalf, the obedience that sent Him to die on the cross.
After the Lord Jesus died on the cross and then ascended into heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the Father. A priest always sat down when the sacrificial work was done. His work was finished. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, the payment for our sin was made. But Stephen saw the Lord Jesus standing up. He stood up to welcome the first martyr in Christian history into Heaven. The Lord Jesus stood in the position of all authority and power. He arose from having been seated. He arose in order to confer the crown of life upon Stephen and to welcome him into his new home. Stephen owns the mark of honor as the first person who is known as the church’s first martyr.
In v.57-58 of today's passage we read, "57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul."
In response to Stephen's proclamation that he could see the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God, the religious leaders "cried out with a loud voice." Then, the entire group of religious leaders got up from their seats and came forward as a single tidal wave, rushing upon Stephen and seizing him. Then, they cast him out of the city. They did this because it was their practice to escort their offenders outside of the gates of the city to be stoned. They didn't simply pick up a few rocks and throw them at him. They pushed him over a 10-foot precipice, hoping he would be crushed upon landing. Since he survived the fall and was still alive, it was then that they hurled large stones down upon him until he was dead.
Once Stephen was taken outside the city it was understood that the witnesses would lay down their clothes. This clothing was the long flowing outer garment that would inhibit the casting of stones. The witnesses were those who were to cast the stone first, wanting to ensure they got the maximum amount of effect out of their toss. So, they took off their outer garment. The laying down of the clothes was specifically noted to introduce the next person in the narrative. It is obvious they laid them down in order to cast, but it says they laid them down "at the feet of a young man named Saul."
Stephen was in the Synagogue of the Freedman providing this apologetic and Saul of Tarsus happened to be going to that Synagogue in Jerusalem. This is the first time Saul, later called Paul, appears in the Bible. By guarding the clothes of these men, Saul was agreeing to the execution. Saul listened to Stephen's appeal and it made an impact on him. We couldn't have two more opposite men on this stage. The young man Stephen and the young man Saul of Tarsus. What divided them was the cross of the Lord Jesus.
In v.59 of today's passage we read, "And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.'"
By invoking the name of the Lord Jesus, as he is being stoned, Stephen explicitly acknowledged the Lord Jesus as the Messiah. Stephen acknowledged that the Lord Jesus is the glory of God and that He is at the position of all of the power and authority of God. Stephen then appealed to the Lord Jesus to do something that only God can do, to receive his spirit.
In v.60 of today's passage we read, "Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.'"
Five times in the Gospel according to Luke and in the book of Acts, kneeling while praying is accentuated. Such a position of humility goes back to the Old Testament where Solomon knelt down before the assembly when praying at the dedication of the temple and when Daniel was said to kneel three times a day when he prayed and gave thanks before his God.
Then, Stephen "cried out with a loud voice." Like the Lord Jesus, Stephen prayed for his killers. This prayer was not for Stephen's benefit, it was for those stoning him. His prayer was for those who would have remembered Zechariah 13:1 which reads, "In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness." The prophet had already describes that day in Zechariah 12:10 which reads, "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn."
