Acts 8:5-13 Phillip and a sorcerer

Acts 8:5-13 Phillip evangelizes in Samaria. The effect of the persecution in Jerusalem was for Christians to scatter, and carry the gospel to Samaria, as Jesus had told the apostles in Acts 1:8. Philip was mentioned in Acts 6:5 as one of the deacons, right after Stephen. We find that after waiting on tables for a while, he was now empowered with a gospel of power, which included deliverance and miraculous healings. So great was his witness that a man, Simon the sorcerer, who had formerly practiced magic and astonished people, claiming to be great, not only lost his followers to Christianity, but also himself believed the gospel. This was a guy who knew how to fake magic and impress people, and yet when he saw real supernatural power, he was able to recognize it and respond.

          In Deuteronomy 18:9-22, Moses had described the stark opposition between God's prophets and other people who practiced (or pretended to practice) supernatural actions apart from God. In this section he included those who make their children pass through the fire, use divination, practice witchcraft, interpret omens, sorcerers, anyone who casts a spell, a medium, a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. In the time just before Israel enters the promised land, God warns Israel that these practices are detestable, and that even though people are looking for supernatural connection, the only connection to Him will be through a prophet that He will raise up. And that prophet will be known by the fact that what he says in God's name will come to pass. If someone prophesies falsely in God's name, i.e., what he says doesn't happen, they can ignore him. So Phillip is in this circumstance the prophet that God raised up, to tell the good news to the people of Samaria. And Simon, whether he was really a practitioner of supernatural power apart from God, or was just a fake who had learned how to trick people, would have been driven out (according to Deut 18:12). But evidently there was enough repentance in Simon's heart that he was not driven out.

Acts 8:1-4 Persecution

Acts 8:1-4 Persecution and scattering of the church. The trial and execution of Stephen appears to have emboldened the enemies of the church. Saul specifically began dragging men and women off to prison. Some of the members of the church moved to other cities, scattering but continuing to bring the news of Jesus where they went. Is it ironic or fitting that before his conversion, while he was still an enemy of Christ, God used Saul to initiate the spreading of the disciples and the gospel outside Jerusalem.

          We have to wonder what the Romans thought of all this. They were reluctant participants in the execution of Christ, and at that time it seemed that the Sanhedrin complained to Pilate that they did not have the authority for capital punishment. (John 18:31) Now the Sanhedrin had executed Stephen without Roman authorization (or so the account seems to indicate) and they were arresting many others and throwing them in prison. What prison? Did the Jews have their own prison?

          In the modern world, we have become complacent in that tolerance has become politically correct, and generally the law of the land, in most Western countries. Persecution for the sake of Christ seems confined mostly to Islamic, Communist, and some third-world countries. But Jesus had forewarned of persecution and most of church history is one of persecution, if not by the government, then by each other. We have both the promises of and empowerment by Christ, and examples of how to act in these circumstances.

          Jesus said that He came to bring abundant life to whoever would receive Him. (John 10:10) Stephen's life doesn't seem to have been too abundant after he was arrested. Most likely those imprisoned didn't feel they were experiencing abundant life. The problem with these observations is that they pertain to the physical or natural realm. Jesus brought abundant spiritual life - abundance of the presence of God. The Holy Spirit would flow out of one's innermost being like a river of living water. (John 7:38-39) When Stephen died, he went immediately to a heavenly reception in which Jesus was standing at the right hand of God to receive him. There is nothing in imprisonment that can keep us from experiencing the flow of the Holy Spirit, as for example, in Acts 16:25. Paul & Silas were singing worship to God at midnight in prison.

Acts 7:54-60 Stephen's Death

Acts 7:54-60 Stephen is stoned to death. Apparently the Council had listened without interrupting up to this point.  But when Stephen accused them of betraying and murdering the Messiah, and not keeping the Law of Moses, they were cut in their hearts. It is a little hard to figure out what is meant by them gnashing their teeth at or on Stephen. It almost sounds like they started chewing him, although perhaps that is metaphorical. Maybe they were grinding their teeth. But the outcome was that they drove Stephen out of the city and began stoning him. There is no record of the Sanhedrin delivering a verdict. Most likely the charges were based on Deuteronomy 17, and since they laid their garments at the feet of Saul, this implies some kind of official sanction for Stephen's execution.

          What do we make of all this? Stephen is the first recorded martyr in the New Testament. He looked into heaven and saw the glory of God with Jesus standing at the right hand of God, which he described.  This transcendent vision gave him strength and comfort as he endured mortal agony, and the grace to forgive his own murderers. (Acts 7:59-60) We sing of this in the second stanza of the hymn 'The Son of God Goes Forth to War' by Reginald Heber.

The martyr first whose eagle eye could pierce beyond the grave,

Who saw his Master in the sky and called on Him to save:

Like him with pardon on his tongue in midst of mortal pain,

He prayed for them that did the wrong. Who follows in His train?

Visions of God’s throne are recorded only a few times in Scripture. (Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1 & 10, and Revelation 4-5). In every case there are circumstances of grave tribulation or distress. So perhaps we should not, at least from the viewpoint of this life, be seeking such a vision, unless we are prepared for the accompanying life-conditions.

As he was dying from the stones, Stephen called on The Lord to receive his spirit. His final words were forgiveness - asking The Lord to not count this sin against them. Thus in the truest sense he witnessed (marturos) for Christ - showing love and forgiveness for his enemies as commanded by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27)

Acts 7:2-50 Stephen's Defense

Acts 7:2-8 Stephen cites how God dealt with Abraham. He quotes Genesis 12:1 to the effect that God told Abraham to leave Mesopotamia and Haran and move to a land He would show him. He quotes Gen 15:7, the promise that God gave Abraham to give him and his offspring the land. And then quotes Gen 15:13-14 to the effect that God warned Abraham that his offspring would be enslaved in Egypt and that He would bring them out of slavery after that, to serve Him in this land. And finally he references the covenant of circumcision that God gave Abraham long before Moses (Genesis 17:9-14).

 Acts 7:9-16 Stephen discusses how God dealt with Jacob and his twelve sons. God rescued Joseph after his brothers had sold him into slavery in Egypt and made him governor of Egypt. And through these circumstances, Jacob and his entire family were saved from famine, and moved to Egypt, and settled there. Why did Stephen mention the relatively minor point that Jacob and Joseph were buried in the tomb in Shechem that Abraham had purchased? (Gen 50:4-13 and Joshua 24:32). Most likely this was in reference to God's fulfillment of the promise to give Abraham and his offspring the land of Canaan.

Acts 7:17-29 Stephen discusses how Moses grew up and was exiled from Egypt. He quotes Exodus 1:8 regarding the new king in Egypt who did not know Joseph. He recounts Moses' birth, upbringing, and how Moses killed an Egyptian who was treating a Hebrew unjustly, thinking he was delivering Israel. And then when he tried to get two Israelites who were fighting to reconcile, recognized that this was not going to work, and in quoting Exodus 2:14-15, Stephen shows that Moses realized he would be wanted for murder and fled to Midian. So Moses did not initially understand God or His plan at all and on top of that was a murderer.

Acts 7:30-36 Stephen discusses how God called Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt. Quoting Exodus 3:2-8, Stephen explains how God called Moses even though he was a most unlikely candidate, because He was God, the God of the patriarchs, and He was holy. And He was the one who would deliver Israel out of Egypt, even though Exodus 2:14 indicates the Israelites had little reason, in the natural, to accept Moses' leadership. He was chosen by God so that it was God who performed wonders and signs with Moses as His designated ruler and deliverer. It was all God.

Acts 7:37-44 Stephen discusses how the Israelites rebelled against Moses and God in the wilderness. In Deut 18:15 Moses told Israel that God would raise up for them a leader, just as He had spoken with Moses on Mount Sinai, He would speak to other leaders. But this was after they had tried to find their own leaders and asked Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship (Exodus 32:1). Stephen quotes Amos 5:25-26 to the effect that God was not really worshipped by Israel even in the wilderness, not just with the golden calf that Aaron had made, but also took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of Rompha. And they worshipped these other gods even though they had the tabernacle in the wilderness that was built just as God had told Moses and shown him the pattern for it. They had a copy of the heavenly tabernacle (Hebrews 8:5), yet rather than worship the true God, the God who delivered them out of Egypt, in the manner He had shown and directed them, they clung to worship of other Gods.

Acts 7:45-47 Stephen continues the story with Joshua leading Israel into the land, David finding favor in God's sight, and Solomon building the temple. Joshua, David, and Solomon each obeyed God and were successful in service to Him, in the particular role God had called them. Leading up to the building of the Temple in Jerusalem by Solomon, which ought to have established permanently the worship of the true God by Israel, according to His commands, so that He would dwell among them.

Acts 7:48-50 Stephen quotes Isaiah on the point of God not dwelling in a house made by human hands. The problem with Solomon's temple (and later, Herod's temple) is that an earthly tabernacle or temple in simply not equal to the task of being a dwelling place for the God who is the creator of all things, who is Himself uniquely not subject to the law of causality, but created it. Isaiah 66:1-2 quite simply states this question to Israel by God: "What kind of house will you build for Me?" At this point, it appears that Stephen is headed for a summation in which he can explain that Jesus was God incarnate and that the house that God really desires to dwell in is the church, the assembly of those who have surrendered to Christ, and that all of Israel's history was a picture and type of this truth, now actually present. 

Acts 6:8-7:1 Stephen's arrest

Acts 6:8-15 Stephen serves in the power of the Holy Spirit, and is arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin on the charge of blasphemy. Some Jews attempted to argue with Stephen about the gospel, most likely disputing specific facts or perhaps the interpretation of the Old Testament. But the Holy Spirit gave such a powerful revelation to Stephen that he was able to answer with wisdom and the power of the Spirit that these Jews were unable to respond to the arguments.

          As an indication of the extent to which the Jews had bought into the world's system, they turned to the legal system in an attempt to get rid of Stephen, since they could not answer his religious arguments. But their accusation reflects a partial understanding of what he was saying. They accused him of saying that Jesus will destroy the Law of Moses, which is true in one respect. Because the redemption that Jesus offers brings grace with the power of the resurrection from the dead, the good news transcends the law. Paul elaborates this in great detail. (Romans 2-8) It is not that the law is gone, but that the law could not save. Jesus could and would save. Stephen understood this. His accusers did not. So they brought him to the Sanhedrin where he was to be questioned.

Acts 7:1-53 Stephen's defense. In this chapter there is a theme and there are points made, but we have to accept on faith that this was inspired by the Holy Spirit, first because of Acts 6:15, and second as a fulfillment of Jesus' promise in Luke 12:11-12. It is possible the construct an outline of this message. But it is more likely that the Spirit led Stephen to say specific words fit to the occasion, and as Acts 8:1, 22:20, and 26:14 suggest, they pierced deeply into Paul's heart, ultimately being part of what led to his conversion. And so it must be that when the Holy Spirit gives us words to speak, we must commit our words and our lives to Him, because in such circumstances, God is at work in ways we do not fathom.

Acts 7:1 The high priest asks if the accusations are true. What were the accusations? According to Acts 6:13-14:

•   Stephen incessantly spoke against the holy place (the Temple), saying that Jesus will destroy it;

•   He incessantly spoke against the law, saying that Jesus will alter the customs that Moses gave them

Stephen's response is filled with quotes from the Old Testament. A significant aspect of Stephen's discussion is that God's dealing with the patriarch's precedes the Law of Moses, and the building of the Temple.

Acts 6:1-7 The first deacons

Acts 6:1-6 Seven deacons are selected to serve tables. The first thing we notice is grumbling. In Acts 4:32 they were all of one heart and soul. In Acts 6:1 the culturally Greek Jews complained because they thought the Jewish widows were getting more food service than the Hellenistic widows. The first chink in the unity of the church. However, the twelve apostles treated this complaint seriously and told the congregation to select seven men to put in charge of the food service, so that they could focus on teaching. This is perhaps the first indication that not every person has every gift, or is called to do every work. The apostles were gifted to teach and pastor and exhibited gifts of healing, but they recognized that others were gifted to organize and lead practical ministries (gifts of administration and helps).

          There is no record of how the congregation chose the seven men. Perhaps they had a nominating committee and an election. Perhaps they prayed and the Holy Spirit made it plain to them through consensus. The emphasis of the record is that the chosen men were full of faith and the Holy Spirit. This is further evidenced by what follows. Although these men are chosen to serve tables, this is perhaps merely a test of their humility, as the Holy Spirit has also gifted at least Stephen and Phillip with other more spiritual gifts. Are we willing to serve in menial jobs?

Acts 6:7 The word continues to spread in Jerusalem. Perhaps there is a hint here that the church stopped growing when the grumbling started. At least grumbling in the church was not a capital offense as it was in Exodus 16, or as serious as lying to the Holy Spirit in Acts 5. And the outcome of the apostles dealing with the situation in a godly manner was for the church to continue growing.

          Many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. Although the high priest, the senior leadership, and of course the Sadducees would never be willing to receive the gospel and follow Christ, on theological and political grounds, it appears that many priests were touched by the Holy Spirit and responded to the truth of the gospel. This no doubt created tension within the ranks of the priesthood. But it is another test of character. Were they willing to risk conflict with the high priest, and possibly their career, for the sake of the truth when it became evident to them? Are we?

Acts 5:33-42 Gamaliel

Acts 5:33-39 Gamaliel's counsel. Apparently Gamaliel was a Pharisee, not a Sadducee. The minority party in this case, but still with the right to speak in the Sanhedrin. His advice, while not necessarily born of the Holy Spirit, nevertheless carries a great deal of wisdom.  He cites two examples (apparently in the recent past) in which people rose up as leaders of various groups, but their rebellion came to nothing and their followers were scattered. Most likely he was reflecting on the contrast to what had happened during the Maccabean rebellion, in which God granted supernatural victory to free the Jews from Greek domination; these leaders had likely intended to recreate this success but as their efforts came to naught, they were obviously not being led by God. But they must not forget that the Maccabees were themselves supernaturally gifted for success. So from Gamaliel's human perspective, the priests would be well-advised to pay close attention to the evidence; if this was from God, they had best not oppose it.

          The only other reference to Gamaliel is in Paul's defense in the Temple in Jerusalem (Acts 23:2) in which he states that he sat at the feet of Gamaliel. When we read the scholarship and the logical thoroughness with which Paul constructed his epistles, we can infer that Gamaliel was indeed an honest and gifted scholar, who understood both the scriptures and the way that God had worked with the Jews over the course of their history. He was respected by all - apparently even the Sadducees. Whether he became a follower of Christ would be speculation. Was he ever influenced by Nicodemus?

Acts 5:40-42 The disciples are flogged and continue teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. The priests repeated their orders that the apostles stop speaking in Jesus' name. Most likely at this point no one thought the apostles would obey this order, but for the record the priests had to repeat it. The apostles rejoiced that they had been considered worthy to suffer for Jesus' name. The battle lines continue to be drawn. But we shall see that God has a way of building His kingdom despite the opposition of those who claim to speak for Him. It is not that the church directly confronts the Jewish priesthood; rather, they become irrelevant to the work of God in the new covenant. They didn't have to become irrelevant, but they marginalized themselves by rejecting what God was doing.