The hatred unleashed against Stephen in Acts 6.8-15 and Acts 7 may come as a surprise, especially when his fate is compared with that of the apostles, who had until then been imprisoned and flogged, but not executed. Several historical, religious and theological reasons help explain it.
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Stephen Is Probably Addressing the Hellenistic Jews
Luke specifies that Stephen debates with members of the of the Freedmen, of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of Cilicia and Asia (Acts 6.9). These Diaspora Jews were often deeply attached to the Temple and to the traditions of their fathers. They had chosen to live in or return to Jerusalem precisely in order to be as close as possible to the sanctuary.
Paradoxically, their attachment to the Temple could be even stronger than that of some Palestinian Jews.
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Stephen Seems to Go Further Than the Twelve
Peter and the other apostles proclaimed above all that Jesus was the risen Messiah. Stephen, without denying this preaching, insists more on the provisional character of the Temple and on the limits of Jewish institutions.
He notably quotes:
“The Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands” (Acts 7.48).
This statement could be perceived as a direct attack on the Temple itself.
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The Memory of Jesus' Trial
The accusations brought against Stephen strangely recall those made against Jesus:
- “This man never stops speaking words against this holy place and against the Law” (Acts 6.13).
- “We have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place” (Acts 6.14).
As at Jesus' trial (Matthew 26.59-61), witnesses are produced and some words are distorted or taken out of context.
Stephen thus appears as a disciple who follows his Master even into the circumstances of his trial.
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His Speech Is Particularly Accusatory
In his long speech (Acts 7.2-53), Stephen retraces the history of Israel and accuses his hearers of repeating the faults of their ancestors:
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7.51).
Then he adds:
“You have betrayed and put to death the Righteous One” (Acts 7.52).
This direct accusation provokes a reaction of fury:
“They were furious in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him” (Acts 7.54).
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Stephen Is Filled with the Spirit and Irresistible in His Arguments
Luke emphasizes:
“They could not resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (Acts 6.10).
Their inability to refute his arguments drives his opponents to resort to false witnesses (Acts 6.11-13), just as had already been the case with Jesus.
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His Hellenistic Origin May Have Made Matters Worse
Stephen bore a Greek name and himself probably belonged to the group of the Hellenists. Seeing a man from their own background call into question their conception of the Temple and the Law could be perceived as a particularly intolerable betrayal.
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The Final Vision Triggers the Explosion
When Stephen declares:
“I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7.56),
his hearers see it as blasphemy. By applying to the glorified Jesus the vision of Daniel 7.13-14, Stephen implicitly affirms that the one whom the leaders condemned now sits beside God.
It is probably this declaration that triggers the lynching.
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Stephen Was an Easier Target Than the Apostles
The Twelve then enjoyed very great popularity among the people. The authorities had already given up using force against them for fear of provoking a riot (Acts 5.26). Stephen, although entrusted with an important ministry, probably did not have the same renown. His activity took place mainly among the Hellenistic Jews of Jerusalem (Acts 6.9). By having him condemned, the Jewish leaders struck one of the most brilliant representatives of the nascent church and issued a warning to the whole Christian community, without taking the political risk that the execution of the apostles would have represented. Luke's remark that the apostles remained in Jerusalem during the persecution (Acts 8.1) could confirm that they still enjoyed a certain protection linked to their popularity among the people.
This hypothesis fits fairly well with the strategy usually adopted by the religious authorities in the Gospels: they often seek to eliminate a leader or spokesman when political circumstances allow it, while avoiding as far as possible a popular reaction (Matthew 26.3-5; Mark 14.1-2). Thus, Stephen's death may have had an exemplary value: it was at once a punishment inflicted on a particularly influential preacher and a message addressed to the whole nascent church.
Conclusion
The hatred against Stephen is explained by the convergence of several factors: his ministry among the Hellenistic , his teaching about the Temple, the vigor of his accusation against the Jewish leaders and, finally, his testimony concerning the glory of the risen Christ. In reality, Stephen suffers the same rejection as his Master. His martyrdom marks a decisive stage in Acts, for it inaugurates the great persecution that will lead to the scattering of the believers and the spread of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem (Acts 8.1-4).
One could almost say that with Stephen, opposition to Christianity ceases to be directed mainly against the apostles and from then on extends to the whole church.