Why does the good news of Jesus often face rejection?
In this episode, derived from Guide Through the Bible, Anthony High serves as Bible teacher and unpacks Acts 7. Along with host Arlin, he explores Stephen’s defense before the Sanhedrin. Stephen recounts Israel’s history to reveal a pattern: God sends deliverers only for them to be rejected by His people. Stephen exemplifies this pattern by confronting the leaders with their rejection of Jesus. This account ends with Stephen’s martyrdom, which fulfills Jesus’ warning about persecution. Yet even in tragedy, God’s purposes prevail—the persecution scatters the early church, spreading the gospel beyond Jerusalem. This episode challenges listeners to consider whether they will recognize and respond to God’s voice or resist Him.
Transcript
The context really begins with Acts 6:8, which records that Stephen became an influential and significant leader in the church. But Stephen was set up and the religious leaders framed him so they could take him down.
There are no unimportant details in scripture. Acts 7 is his defense/speech to the Sanhedrin. He recounts Israel’s history of failing to follow through in obedience to God. They were following the sins of their fathers. Likewise, they are doing it again by killing Jesus.
Background
Did you ever read through a passage of scripture and wonder why it’s there? Acts 7 is like that for me. What’s with the history lesson?
The People
Stephen: Was ordained at the beginning of Acts 6 as a deacon. He was one of the 7 men selected for the duty of food distribution. Acts 6:5 specifically mentions that he was “full of faith and the Holy Spirit”.
Following the selection of these 7 deacons, the church grew, and “a great many of the priests” were obedient to the faith.
Synagogue of the Freedmen: Not certain who this was, except they seem to be a group of Greek-speaking freed Jewish slaves from around the Roman empire. They were no less passionate about their beliefs. Stephen may have been one of them.
“The Council”: Most likely the Sanhedrin, similar to the Supreme Court of Jerusalem. It was made up of 71 “judges/elders” including the high priest. Some translations simply refer to it as the “council” or the “high council”. Not exactly the group of people you want to convene to argue with you.
The Argument
We don’t know the exact topic they were arguing about. According to Acts 6:9-10 it would seem as though the “Freedmen” started it.
When you can’t win with reason..
They couldn’t win so they went for slander to have Stephen arrested and charged before the Sanhedrin. In our last episode, Jeremy discussed how leaders tend to try to protect their power, position, and authority. Leaders in a difficult position between truth and a lie can become dangerous.
But why did he say what he did?
God was speaking through Stephen.
Let’s Read Acts 6:11-15
11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.
13 They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law;
14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.’
This is exactly what Jesus promised would happen to His followers and I see how in this moment, the whole council knew something super-natural was taking place.
Matthew 10:16-20: Jesus’ warning!
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.
18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;
20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”
They saw His face change…like Moses.
God was speaking and they knew it!
Stephen Speaks
Stephen had an interesting way of laying out his argument. He first went after the history and began with telling them what they already knew.
Why?
Throughout the Old Testament, we read review after review of the history of Israel. Deuteronomy 6:21 is an example, “we were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt…”. Every year, Passover would remind them whose they were, who they are, and what God requires.
In the beginning…
Did the “high council” groan when Stephen started at the beginning? He started with God’s call to Abram. God made a promise to Abraham that spanned generations and wasn’t fulfilled in Abraham’s lifetime.
The Heros
He then picks 3 heroes from the history of Israel. They were all called to rescue Israel but were first rejected. Joseph, Moses, and David.
Joseph
Joseph was called by God to prevent his family from starving and to care for them in this devastating famine that was to come. He was rejected and “killed” (figuratively)…sent away for a while to prepare the way for his family.
Acts 7:12-15 says,“But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers.”
It was then through this “death” that Joseph was able to save his family…all 75 of them. The implication here again is that the promise to Abraham wasn’t fulfilled.
Moses
Moses also was called to rescue his people and was “mighty in words and deeds”. He was a rescuer. Stephen quotes Deut. 18 in Acts 7:37 when he says that “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.” This is linked specifically to Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel. (Stephen is doing a brilliant job of weaving together a narrative for a final punch in the conscience of the leaders. Just like an OT prophet.)
But Stephen points out that Moses was rejected as a judge and ruler…again sent away to live in the back side of the desert. Effectively “killed” (figuratively) by his people.
Here again, when the time was right, God resurrected this rescuer and brought him back to deliver Israel.
Acts 7:35-36 says, “This Moses whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.”
Despite all that Moses did and the power that God demonstrated, the people refused to fully obey. First they made a calf at Mt. Sinai. Secondly, they brought along their idols and gods into the desert. Stephen quotes Amos 5:25-27, where the prophet accuses them of worshipping other gods in the wilderness travels, not fully worshipping Yahweh.
Acts 7:42-43 says, “Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: ‘Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, Images which you made to worship; And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’”
This is part of the Exodus story that I missed: the people kept their gods with them. Not only did they make a golden calf, but they were also lugging along these other gods that perpetually got them in trouble. Again, a rejection of God and his appointed “rescuer/Messiah”.
David and The Temple
The last hero/rescuer is a key one. The Messiah was to be a Son of David. David was the one who finally drove out the Gentiles.
Nowhere does scripture condemn David for wanting to build a temple, nor Solomon for actually building it. Yet it seems like Stephen is pointing out that God doesn’t live in a temple, yet they insisted on building one.
Is he digging at the current Jewish people for wanting a temple so badly that they connected with Herod to build it? Did the temple become a god? If you look back at how Stephen wove together his defense speech, you find the common themes of rejection of the “rescuer” and the worshipping of false gods.
I think in Acts 7:48-50, Stephen is answering the accusation from Acts 6:14.
Acts 7:48-50 says, “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord , Or what is the place of My rest? Has my hand not made all these things?’”
Acts 6:14 says, “for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.’”
We Listen?
Acts 7:51-53 says, “‘You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.’”
Family History
Stephen pulls in the heritage/family history of the people. Where does looking at your family history come in? What effect has your family history and culture had on you?
For me, I have realized that I have a family history of diabetes, so it’s going to be important for me to keep an eye on that as I get older. I must admit that it’s kind of difficult to do…I like sugar. Maybe more importantly, I have also realized there have been mental health issues in my extended family. Does this mean I will experience both of these conditions? No! But I do need to be aware and consider taking precautions.
I’m not an expert on generational sin, but as I read this passage, I can see that culture and sin have their effect through generations. At some point, you need to acknowledge the issue and repent. Even in an organization, you can develop a culture (good or bad) that becomes a massive train that’s hard to stop. For as eloquent and diplomatic as Stephen was up to this point, he really drove home his key point with a big hammer.
The Persecution of the Prophets
According to Stephen, every prophet was persecuted. Including the Just One (Jesus), “whom you betrayed and murdered.”
Then Stephen has a vision and tells the council about it. Seeing the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God wasn’t just saying that Jesus was the Messiah; it was also a pronouncement of judgment.
Daniel 7:13-14 says, “‘I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.’”
At this point, the “High Council” becomes a “Lowly mob”, loses all sense of dignity, and throws Stephen out of the city and stones him.
Ironically, Stephen follows in the footsteps of the prophets, and most importantly of Jesus. He gave His life outside the city and offered forgiveness to his murderers.
Dealing with Persecution
How do you deal with suffering and persecution? This is not our best-kept doctrine in the Western church. We don’t like it. The American church specifically likes to take the “dominion” part away from Jesus and to setup our own gods of power.
The Scattering
This persecution pushed the church out to Judea, Samaria and beyond.
Acts 8:1-3 says, “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.”
Acts 11:19 says, “Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.” (Act 11:19)
The scattered believers then took the Gospel to all sorts of places, planting the church in Antioch where they began to tell the Gentiles about Jesus. This is where the Apostle Paul was called to teach and basically get his “training”. It was from here that Paul and Barnabas set out on their first missionary journey.
Good comes of this terrible situation.
Review/Wrap-up
God speaks through Stephen. Fulfilling Jesus’ words to His disciples in Matthew 10.
Stephen points out the family history (aka culture) of resisting God and killing the prophets, convicting the leaders, infuriating them to commit more murder rather than repenting.
It’s a grave warning…do we recognize when God is speaking, or do we keep our culture and family history alive?
