The trial and death of Stephen flows directly from his arrest. Stephen was a deacon in the early church, responsible for looking after the daily distribution of food toward church members in need so that the apostles had freedom to pray and preach (Acts 6:4). Whilst fulfilling this work, it appears as if Stephen was also given the power to work wonders and miraculous signs (Acts 6:8). He also participated in debates which took place in the Synagogue of the Freedmen, where he tried to show how the Old Testament relates to Jesus Christ. His opinions were not received well by the Greek-speaking Jews and, after much debate, they made a plan to have him arrested and tried before the Sanhedrin. He was charged with blasphemy—specifically speaking against the temple and the law (Acts 6:13).
Stephen’s speech during his trial is the longest speech recorded in Acts. This suggests that it is of great importance.1 He begins with a focus on Abraham (Acts 7:2–8), followed by Joseph (Acts 7:9–16), Moses (Acts 7:17–43), and finally the tabernacle/temple (Acts 7:44–50). Most of his speech summarizes the history of Israel, specifically showing how there is a pattern of God’s people rejecting his messengers.2 In this, he does not provide a point-by-point refutation to prove his innocence; rather, he seeks to show how his opponents have misunderstood him, Jesus, and the Old Testament itself.3 (Paul will do a similar recounting of history in Acts 7:44–50).4 Stephen’s speech and the council’s subsequent actions would serve to confirm that the Jews in Jerusalem, to whom the gospel was first preached, had rejected it and thus it was now necessary for the church to evangelize further afield.5
As with other speeches in Acts, we should not assume that the words recorded are the only words which were uttered. The record we have of Stephen’s speech is most certainly a faithful summary of the gist of what he said during his trial. But he may well have said more in his explanation.6
1 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?”