Acts 6:8

The Acts of St. Stephen, Acts 6:8 to Acts 8:2.

Acts 6:8. And Stephen. One of the new men just chosen as assistants to the Twelve at once attracted public attention. His fearlessness, his splendid oratory, his intense faith, the great wonders and signs done in the power of this faith, threw into the shade the apostles and their words and works. Stephen soon became in the eyes of the Jews the foremost among the Nazarene heretics by his fearless denunciation of the emptiness of Judaism as practised by Pharisee as well as Sadducee. He drew down on his head the bitter hatred of each of the powerful parties in the state.

Full of faith. The better reading here is ϰάριτος, grace, not to be understood as ‘favour with the people,' but as ‘favour with God,' the effects of which grace were those Divine powers which enabled him to work those signs and wonders.

And power. That is, strength, heroic fortitude to do and to endure; heroismus (Meyer).

Did great wonders and miracles among the people. It is better to refer the special power by which Stephen worked these great wonders, to the intenseness of his faith, rather than to the special grace which, in common with the other six, he received by the imposition of the apostles' hands. This is the first instance given us of any one not an apostle working signs and wonders.