St. Stephen, the First Martyr
Today we remember and celebrate the first martyr, and one of the first deacons, St. Stephen.
In the Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke praises St. Stephen as “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,” who “did great wonders and signs among the people”.
Acts also includes the moving scene of Stephen's death – witnessed by St. Paul before his conversion – at the hands of those who refused to accept Jesus as the Messiah.
Stephen was Jewish, possibly Greek-speaking. When Luke introduces him, was already a disciple.
St. Luke records that the believers “had all things in common”, and that they “would sell their possessions and goods and bring the proceeds to the Apostles, who would distribute them to all, as any had need.”
But there was an already-existing cultural conflict in the Church, between Jews and Gentiles. The immediate occasion was that some Greek-speaking widows in the Church felt neglected in their needs as compared to those of a Jewish background.
As this dispute arose, Stephen’s reputation for holiness led the Apostles to choose him (along with six other men) to assist them in an official and unique way. Through the sacramental power given to them by Christ, the Apostles ordained the seven men as deacons, and set them to the work of making sure that all the widows were helped fairly.
As a deacon, Stephen also preached about Christ as the fulfillment of the OT law and prophets. Unable to refute his message, some members of local synagogues brought him to court, charging him with seeking to destroy their traditions.
Stephen responded with a discourse recorded in the seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. He described Israel's recurring resistance to God's grace over the course of their history. Stephen concluded by accusing the present authorities of “opposing the Holy Spirit”, and of rejecting the Messiah. Suddenly he had a vision, and he exclaimed to the court, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
In response, the council dragged Deacon Stephen outside, and stoned him to death.
Acts 7 records, “While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.”
That first Christian martyrdom was overseen by a young Pharisee named Saul – later Paul (St. Paul) – whose own experience of Christ would transform him into a believer, and later a martyr himself.
St. Stephen, pray for us!
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