I must confess that one of my favorite phrases of conviction today comes from one of several sermons which was not well-received by its audience: Stiff-necked!
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
“This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’
σκληροτράχηλος, σκληροτράχηλόν (σκληρός and τράχηλος), properly, stiff-necked;
tropically, stubborn, headstrong, obstinate:
Acts 7:51; the Sept. for עֹרֶף קְשֵׁה, Exodus 33:3, 5; Exodus 34:9; (etc.)
Stephen’s single use of ‘stiffnecked‘ peoplein the New Testament points to those who CLAIM the Old Covenant of the LAW of Moses.
Many of us remain fascinated with the testimony of a witness impacting the outcome of a trial.
μάρτυς – martys – a witness
WE are simply spectators at a trial, not a familiar rerun of a fictional courtroom scene by Erle Stanley Gardner six decades ago, but an actual ancient trial of an accused defendant, Stephen, from two thousand years ago.
Like the legal dramas whose complex plots draw us in, we know that the defendant is innocent. His advocate, however, is supernatural and his jury includes dozens of Stephen’s accusing judges.
And the outcome? Preordained. (Think of it as ‘prerecorded’ by the Author of this great mystery.)
Contemporary summary of Stephen's defense thus far from Luke's transcript in Acts 7:
You men, brethren, and fathers of the council know the Law of Moses, by which you judge my words.
I, too, revere Moses and the Prophets, and present their testimony in my defense. WE the people of the Way of Jesus love the same LORD our God and Father, who appeared to Moses before we entered the land of God’s promise. The same Lord who appeared to David before his son brought the tabernacle of witness into the Temple of Solomon.
Acts 7: continued
49 ‘Heaven is My throne, And the earth is the footstool of My feet; What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord, ‘Or what place is there for My rest? 50 Was it not My hand that made all these things?’
Acts 7:49-50 NASB – Stephen quotes the Prophet Isaiah 66;1-2
Witness to a “stiff-necked people!”
Here is a courtroom scene with the witness Stephen called to the stand in his own defense. And he seems to confess guilt. But as in most murder mysteries, this twist in the plot is not quite what it seems.
Public trials laden with false testimony in the temples of stiff-necked people.
A thousand years later King Herod, who had sought to murder Judea’s Messiah, would build it back better through an alliance with Rome. The Empire already occupied Jerusalem and would soon burn down Herod’s temple in A.D. 70, less than two score years after a trial of thirty-year old Stephen in ~A.D. 33.
Here's some background investigation from Luke's first century account of Stephen's trial.
Many acts have taken place outside the courtroom of Jerusalem's one-hundred-twenty man council.
(This trial scene will play like a mid-sixty's [A.D. 60's] rerun to most of Luke's readerssome thirty years later.) Some 21st century Christians may be unfamiliar with this current explosive climate of the Capitol City of Jerusalem (in ~A.D. 63), not to mention our ongoing political turmoil in Rome (our Babylon of this era).
Two years earlier the trial of Jesus had been a political public charade staged by the same officials of these ‘whitewashed tombs‘ of the Sanhedrin.
Then the entire assembly of them set out and brought Him before Pilate.
And they began to bring charges against Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”
one who is a spectator of anything, e.g. of a contest
in an ethical sense
those who after his example have proved the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent death
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”
ACTS 1:9 – The instruction of Jesus to the Apostles – 1:10 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.
Acts 4:33 NASB
“Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.
Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
Acts of the Apostles 6:8 CSB
But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines,” and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen. They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
Then they secretly induced men to say,
“We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moshe and God.”
Acts 6:9-11 Hebrew Names Version
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said,
This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
“You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!
Acts 7:51 NLT – Stephen’s closing argument!
Does the prophet speaking with the face of an angel, a shining face like that of Moses coming down from the Presence of the LORD on Sinai, not have to speak the TESTIMONY of God’s truth?
Is Stephen’s WITNESS FOR CHRIST, even in the face of inevitable execution not gospel truth to Law-breakers?
Of course. By the Power of the Holy Spirit this is exactly what Stephen does as conclusion to his testimony
.
Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?
They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One,
Herod certainly would have had full support of Jerusalem's High Council when he had beheaded John the Baptist, who was witness to the LORD anointing the ministry of Jesus in the Jordan.
and you have now become betrayers and murderers of Him;
you who received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”
Acts 7:52-53 – Stephen’s closing argument to the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem
Sentencing!
The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.
55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
“Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Acts 7:56b NASB – a final witness of Stephen before the Sanhedrin
57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.
“Bring the one who has cursed outside the camp, and have all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then have all the congregation stone him. Vayikra (Leviticus) 24 ::
False witnesses against Stephen would have been the first to cast stones against him! Not only were they without sin, but their stiff-necked opposition to the Son of God had brought them by their own testimony to the place of executing an angelic saint of Stephen.
Their own leaders had arranged false testimony to shield their own sins and covetous clinging to whitewashed leadership image of a PEOPLE already condemned.
(Of course THAT was twenty-one centuries ago; an opportune ACT that could never happen now... Would it?) Unresolved trials WE THE PEOPLE endure daily seem to never end - an unresolved eternity preoccupying this brief life.
But Stephen’s case must convince us and convict US: true witness with eternal judgment will come to a conclusion WE must not ignore.
Witness of a Martyr
I remind US once more of the definition above, also linked below.
ACTS 7:58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning him, Stephen called out to God, “Lord Yeshua! Receive my spirit!”
Acts 7:59 Hebrew Names Version
“Father, forgive them..”
Stephen had heard it before from the parched tongue of Jesus on the Cross. He had preached it with the power of the Holy Spirit.
But now as his own failing flesh of this short life suffered at the hands of his false accusers, Stephen utters one last word – a lasting impression on a leading disciple of Gamaliel.
Then he knelt down and began to pray crying out with a loud voice:
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”
Having said this, Stephen died.
Impressions from an injustice witnessed
The crowds of officials must have been gloating with gratification as the stone-battered body of Stephen lay lifeless in that pit – like Golgotha, a place of shame beyond the walls of THEIR CITY.
'WE can justify our ACTS by demonstrating OUR power (like this) over these PEOPLE we represent in their Temple; so WE can say anything and they will believe US, because WE rule this 'chosen' NATION under God.'
'I think we can eliminate more of these religious opponents like this. Don't you?
(Okay, I confess my most contemporary take on their first century victories which filled crowds with anger, false witnesses and political cover without accountability.
Who would believe such lies told by so many of every party and false witness HEADLINED in so many places? - RH)
The religious and political leaders and their constituancies all return to the comfort of Jerusalem’s walls, with lavish celebrations under watchful eyes of their Roman Centurion ‘friends,’ men like them who seem just a bit more apprehensive about religion and Judean political disagreements lately.
But some recognize the accusations as false and not all process back to Judea’s Capitol abuzz with tomorrow’s HEADLINES of their victory this day..
STEPHEN GUILTY! BLASPHEMER EXECUTED IMMEDIATELY!
JUSTICE DELIVERED IN OUR NATION’S CAPITOL!
Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. – Acts 8:1
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
ACTS 22:20 KJV – Later confession of witness by Saul of Tarsus, who Christ would call as Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul.
“But be on your guard; for they will hand you over to the [Sanhedrin; or Council] courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.
Gospel of Mark 13:9 – Reply of Jesus to Peter, James, John and Andrew about signs of the beginning of the last days.
martyrion – From a presumed derivative of μάρτυς (G3144)
WE know it by sometimes sworn oath:
Sworn testimony is evidence given by a witness who has made a commitment to tell the truth. If the witness is later found to have lied whilst bound by the commitment, they can often be charged with the crime of perjury. The types of commitment can include oaths, affirmations and promises.. – Source: Wikipedia
Note: Talk of JESUS .com will occasionally include a testimony of Christ in other languages for our readers in other countries. Above: from Chinese law
Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later
Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. – Acts 7:44
We have reached the point in his trial where Stephen’s testimony will quickly move on from Moses to David.
7:45 Years later, when Joshua led our ancestors in battle against the nations that God drove out of this land, the Tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory. And it stayed there until the time of King David.
Timeline: Moses *uncertain *(~15th or 13th c. B.C.); (Precise timeline of Joshua & the Judges of Israel uncertain.):
David *~1000 B.C. (dates differ between various sources); Solomon ~900's B.C. - First Temple of the United Kingdom of Israel (Judah in the south & Israel in the north) ended in 931 B.C. at Solomon's death.
Stephen's testimony before Jerusalem's leaders takes place about ten centuries (1000 years) after David, but just two years after these judges of Herod's temple reject their Messiah Jesus.
First TempleHerod’s temple
46 David found favor in God’s sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for Him..
Herod’s temple
Stephen then Testifies for the LORD from Scripture:
Proverbs 29:18 WLC, ESV Where there is no prophetic vision [חָזוֹן]. the people cast off restraint,but blessed is he who keeps the law.
The Lord God has kept silent for centuries between the Prophets and John the Baptist.
These Judges of Jerusalem’s Sanhedrin have witnessed rare wonders and signswhich have prompted the faithful to ask if certain men have been sent to them from the Lord God.
Peter, John and the Apostles have healed many in Jerusalem for two years now.
And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.
Before that, for three years Jesus, whom they called Son of David, performed many signs and proofs throughout Judah, Samaria and Galilee. Some had speculated that their Messiah from Nazareth could have been John the Baptist resurrected from the dead.
(Others even claim to have seen Jesus after His crucifixion on a Cross and burial in a nearby tomb!)
And many Jews, leaders of the Sanhedrin and even Herod had marveled at the preaching of John the Baptist.
John the Baptist
from the Good News of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (who had stood with Peter during his sign at the temple):
This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you? ”
He didn’t deny it but confessed: “I am not the Messiah.”
“What then? ” they asked him. “Are you Elijah? ”
“I am not,” he said.
“Are you the Prophet? ”
“No,” he answered.
“Who are you, then? ” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself? ”
He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord — just as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Jerusalem’s elders held a distant fear of the Lord, as when the Hebrew elders had asked Moses NOT to look upon the Face of the LORD. Isaiah and the Prophets of old had had visions like no earthly corporate vision of a gathering at the temple or in synagogues. So they had to be certain that men like John the baptizer and Jesus and Peter and now, Stephen (addressing them with the face of an angel) would not strike them down for their turning from God.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Israel's ruling council, now judging Stephen, would have been well familiar with these prophesies of Isaiah, *whose name means “The LORD is salvation,” and is similar to the names Joshua, Elisha, and Jesus; and ministered in and around Jerusalem as a prophet to Judah during the reigns of 4 kings of Judah, c. 739–686 B.C. - *Source
Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies…
And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
Recall now from the testimony of Acts 6: 'All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel,' also used of Moses after having received the Law from the LORD and Isaiah's own testimony of having seen the Lord and heard Him speak.
Isaiah – חֲזוֹן יְשַֽׁעְיָהוּ
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Listen, heavens, and hear, earth; For the LORD has spoken: “Sons I have raised and brought up, But they have revolted against Me.
“An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master’s manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand.”
Oh, sinful nation, People weighed down with guilt, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the LORD, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him.
2:12 For the Lord of armies will have a day of reckoning
Against everyone who is arrogant and haughty,
And against everyone who is lifted up,
That he may be brought low.
3:14 The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and leaders of His people,
“It is you who have devoured the vineyard;
The goods stolen from the poor are in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing My people
And [m]oppressing the face of the poor?”
Declares the Lord God of armies.
6:1 .. I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
.. And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
.. Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
.. “Send me.”
Then I said, “Lord, how long?”
And He answered, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, Houses are without people, And the land is utterly desolate..
7:13 Then he said, “Listen now, house of David! Is it too trivial a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel…
“The LORD will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah—the days of the king of Assyria.”
For My hand made all these things, So all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But I will look to this one, At one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word.
Isaiah 66:2 NASB
NEXT: Stephen’s closing argument and Sentence of the Sanhedrin
