Stephen at the Start

Nineteenth Tuesday after Pentecost

We return to our Acts Bible Study with the story of Stephen in chapters 6-7. Please read 6:8-15. 

 

In a summary statement Luke tell us that Stephen, like the other apostles, can do the same sorts of miracles that Jesus did. 

Permit me a brief digression on the matter of Apostolic Succession. Jesus chose the twelve Apostles. The Apostolic Age did not end with that selection. Matthias, a replacement for Judas, was chosen by the other Apostles (Acts 1:12-26). Matthias was chosen by the casting of lots. In Acts 6:1-6 seven new Apostles are chosen by the Twelve. Some modern denominations have erroneously thought of these seven as being the first "deacons," but the word deacon is not used for them in this text or any other. They are full fledged Apostles. In Acts 6:6 they are made Apostles through the laying on of hands by the twelve. I use the term "made Apostles." Some would prefer the term "ordained," and see this text as the first example of Apostolic Succession. The idea is that Jesus called and "ordained" the Apostles, who then ordained new Apostles through the laying on of hands, who then ordained others down through the generations to the present day. All ordained priests thus stand in the Apostolic Succession. 

 

Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Anglican (Episcopal) churches believe in the Apostolic Succession. But there is a catch. Orthodox believe that only they are in the Apostolic Succession. Catholics believe that they and the Orthodox, but not the Anglicans, are in the Apostolic Succession. Anglicans believe that they, the Catholics, and the Orthodox are in the Apostolic Succession, but none of the other Protestant denominations. Methodist and other Protestants (except Anglicans) do not believe in Apostolic Succession. I will note that the enmity between Orthodox and Catholics on this issue has softened in recent years, though both still do not accept Anglicans in the Apostolic Succession.

The practical difference, which I have experienced, is that I, an ordained United Methodist cannot perform the sacraments in an Apostolic Succession Church. I have preached in Episcopal churches but I cannot baptize or administer communion there. It gets even trickier. Episcopalians do not consider marriage a sacrament, nor do other Protestants, but Catholics and Orthodox do. I once did an Episcopal wedding, but I couldn't do it in an Episcopal Church. We did it outside at someone's house. Incidentally, Thursdays blog will be on weddings.

Back to Stephen. He preaches in a "synagogue of the Freedmen." Freedmen are Roman slaves who have been set free, or descendants of Roman slaves who have been set free. Some of those slaves were Jews. Some of them formed a community in Jerusalem. Such communities were called synagogues (a synagogue has to be at least ten Jewish men, but does not have to have a building). This synagogue would have been Greek speaking. Stephen provoked opposition there by speaking "against Moses," that is, against strict obedience to the laws of the Torah. This accusation had been made against Jesus. It would become a central element in the letters of Paul, specifically that gentiles could be saved through faith in Christ and without obedience to Torah. This would become the ultimate cause of the final separation between Jews and Christians in 95 AD.

Stephen is also speaking "against this holy place," namely the Temple in Jerusalem, as Jesus had. This is a reference to Jesus' prophesying the destruction of the Temple in Mark 13 (Matthew 24, Luke 21). The freedmen take their accusations to the high priest (Acts 7:1). In chapter 7 Stephen will make his "spirited" defense, as we shall see.

Faithfully,

Christian