Bible Study series: Acts 7:54-56. Now the “empire” (Sanhedrin) strikes back.
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At the link to the original post, next, I write more commentary and dig a little deeper into the Greek. I also offer a section titled Observations for Discipleship at the end. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided in the commentary section for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Acts 7:54-56
54 When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But since he was full of the Holy Spirit, when he fixed his gaze on heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Look! I see the heavens opening wide and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:54-56)
Comments:
54:
“they were infuriated”: It literally means “saw through” (as in “sawn in two”). It shows the hearts and consciences were stung and cut. The apostles did not hold back before priests and especially the mighty Sanhedrin. This boldness is a theme in Acts 2-7.
“Ground their teeth”: it could be literal, but more likely it just stands in for rage. Consider our “throw a fit”: do we literally throw something called a fit?
Quick Reference to Jewish Groups in Gospels and Acts
55:
“fixed … gaze”: it also means “stare intently or intensely.” Luke is fond of it: Luke 4:20; 22:56; Acts 1:10; 3:4; 3:12; 6:15; 7:55; 10:4; 11:6; 13:9; 14:9; 23:1. Then Paul uses it twice: 2 Cor. 3:7, 13.
“Being full of the Holy Spirit”: The first Greek word is strong—being. It expresses present tense. “full” means that he overflowed, and Holy Spirit does the filling. So Stephen’s life in Acts begins with the fulness of the Spirit (6:5, 8) and ends with it, here. It does not seem Stephen “leaked,” but there is no way that the “great wonders and signs” he did was done without a super-surge of the Spirit in his life. Renewalists believe this is for believers today, and it can be continuous or a surge or infilling can happen anytime the minister or believer needs it. Flexibility is needed in our teaching and interpretation of Scripture and our daily experiences.
We should see the fullness of the Spirit as including prayer languages. Paul, after all, writing later, said he spoke in his Spirit-inspired languages more than the Corinthians did (1 Cor. 14:18). He said he wanted everyone to pray in their spiritual languages (1 Cor. 14:5) and not forbid this wonderful gift (1 Cor. 14:39).
Therefore, Luke does not need to link the fullness or baptism of the Spirit with prayer languages in every verse that talks about this fullness. It would be like Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick, intervening to tell his readers on every other page, “Don’t forget! We’re on a whaling ship!” In Acts, Luke omits some of these details, but that is how all four Gospels and Acts are presented to us: elliptical. But the entire context of Acts is Spirit-empowered and Spirit-filled. The entire book is very charismatic. Luke expects us to fill in the ellipses with the power of the Spirit and manifested gifts, like prayer languages.
It is similar to his omitting water baptism in key places. Often he does say that new converts got baptized: Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12-13, 35-38; 9:18; 10:48; 16:14-15, 31-33; 18:8; 19:5), Yet in other cases water baptism is not brought up for new converts: Acts 9:42; 11:21; 13:12, 48; 14:1; 17:12, 34). Luke expects us to fill in these omissions. All during Paul’s (and Barnabas’s) first missionary journey, many conversions are recorded, but not one water baptism is said to be done, but we know that they took place because this was standard practice. Luke intends that we assume this happened. This is why I have nicknamed him Luke the Omitter. or Luke the “Condenser.”
For a fuller discussion “full,” see this post:
Baptized, Filled, and Full of the Spirit: What Does It All Mean?
For systematic theology of the Spirit:
The Spirit’s Deity and Divine Attributes
The Spirit in the Life of Christ
The Spirit in the Church and Believers
56:
“Son of Man”: this phrase appears in Acts for the first time and comes from Daniel 7:13-14, which means the Messianic and powerful Lord, but it also comes from Ezekiel and refers to a human, Ezekiel himself (e.g. 2:1). Jesus was both Lord and man. It could also be translated as “Son of Humanity.”
4. Titles of Jesus: The Son of Man
“standing at the right hand of God”: Jesus stood up to welcome the first martyr, and when you die, whether by martyrdom, or natural or accidental causes, he will stand to welcome you too.
15. Do I Really Know Jesus? He Ascended into Heaven
17. Do I Really Know Jesus? He Is Seated at Right Hand of Father
Bruce:
In short, the presence of the Son of Man at God’s right hand meant that for his people a way of access to God had been opened up more immediate and heart-satisfying than the temple could provide. It meant that the hour of fulfillment had struck, and that the age of particularism had come to an end. The sovereignty of the Son of Man was to embrace all nations and races without distinction: under this sway there is no place for an institution which gives religious privileges to one group in preference to others. (comment on vv. 55-56)
“Particularism” means that the proclamation of the gospel was limited only to Jerusalem and the Messianic Jews. Stephen’s speech is about to launch the church and the gospel to all points around their (known) world.
Polhill is excellent about why Christ is envisioned as standing:
The standing position may thus depict the exalted Christ in his role of judge. If so, Stephen’s vision not only confirmed his testimony, but it showed Christ rising to render judgment on his accusers. They, not he, were the guilty parties. In Dan 7:14 the Son of Man was given dominion over “all peoples, nations, and men of every language.” If this is a further implication of Stephen’s Son of Man vision, it ties in well with his understanding of God as not being bound to one nation or people.90 It is a vision of the boundless reign of Christ, which was soon to begin with the Samaritan mission of Stephen’s fellow Hellenist Philip. (comment on 7:56)
There are parallels between Stephen’s trial and that of Jesus. Luke writes of Jesus’s trial:
66 And as morning came, the elders of the people, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law gathered together and led him before their council. 67 They said, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you would in no way believe. 68 If I were to ask you, you would in no way reply. 69 ‘From now on the Son of Man shall be sitting on the right hand of the power of God.’ [Ps. 110:1] 70 All of them said, “Are you, therefore, the Son of God?” And he said, “You are saying that I am.” 71 Then they said, “Why do we still need witnesses? For we ourselves have heard it from his mouth!” (Luke 22:66-71)
Then the Sanhedrin voted to put Jesus to death. Stephen will likewise undergo a martyrdom in the next section of Scripture.
Luke, through Stephen’s true story and martyrdom, confirms Jesus’s prophecy. Jesus really was exalted at the right hand of God.
Bock:
For the careful reader of Luke-Acts, Stephen’s testimony is of Jesus’s complete vindication by God. This claim leads to Stephen’s martyrdom. So the issue that led to Jesus’s execution, his claim to be able to sit at God’s right hand (Luke 22:69) also leads to Stephen’s death. This christological point and belief, embedded in the allusion to the Son of Man and to Jesus’s trial scene, reflect the difference between the new community and the Jews who stone Stephen. The parting of the ways between Judaism and what became Christianity centered on the status the believers in the new faith assigned to Jesus. Stephen’s vision and the crowds’ violent reaction exemplify the differences. (comment on vv. 55-56)
GrowApp for Acts 7:54-56
1. Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. Are you full of the Spirit?
2.. Stephen was about to die. He was ready. How do you prepare for your (eventual) death, before God?
RELATED
The Historical Reliability of the Book of Acts
Book of Acts and Paul’s Epistles: Match Made in Heaven?
SOURCES
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