Acts 6:11-15

Acts 6:11

The first Christian Martyr. Look:

I. At Stephen as a man. The third verse gives us to understand that he was a man of "honest report:" literally, a man well testified of the public bore him good witness. (1) This means that he was an honest man; and not only honest, but that he had a reputation for honesty. (2) But the words further imply that he was a good man. He was good, and he seemed good. A good character should be clear as glass, or, to use the Biblical illustration, transparent as light a character men can not only look at, but look through, and see God behind and beyond.

II. Stephen as a Christian. (1) He was full of faith. (2) He was full of the Holy Ghost.

III. Stephen as a deacon. (1) He was full of grace. (2) Being thus full of grace, he was of necessity full of power. (3) Moreover, he did great wonders and miracles among the people. For a while he is the most promising and interesting figure in Christian antiquity, and if we possessed his grace we should also inherit his power, and do great wonders, if not miracles, among the people.

IV. Stephen as a disputant. (1) They were not able to resist the wisdom with which he spake. (2) They were not able to resist the spirit by which he spake.

V. Stephen as a prisoner. His character as a prisoner is set forth in the eleventh and succeeding verses. His speech before his judges was remarkable: his bodily appearance was more remarkable still. They all, "looking steadfastly on him, beheld his face, as it had been the face of an angel."

VI. Stephen as a martyr. Nowhere outside the religion of the New Testament do we behold such majesty and meekness, in the grim presence of death. Pagans may die heroically, Christians only die forgivingly. Heathens may die bravely, believers in Christ only die Divinely. "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."

J. Cynddylan Jones, Studies in the Acts,p. 135.

Reference: Acts 6:13. E. G. Gibson, Expositor,2nd series, vol. iv., p. 423.