Acts 6:12, commentary and pictures

Opponents who could not answer Stephen stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes against him, then seized him and brought him before the council, the Sanhedrin, for trial. They acted because they could not withstand, answer, or overcome the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke, the power of his preaching, and the weight of evidence he presented. Their hostility was bitter hatred of that evidence and of his bold testimony about Jesus, the same hatred they had shown toward Christ, and they seized him to silence his preaching, to make an example of him, and to put him to death. The seizure was supported by arranged false testimony and false witnesses accusing him of speaking blasphemy against Moses, God, the holy place or temple, and the law, including the claim that Jesus would destroy the customs Moses had given. The proceeding was unlawful in taking the law into Jewish hands to try and execute a prisoner, and those behind it expected to escape danger because they had previously bribed or persuaded Roman authorities to overlook such trials and executions and believed they could do so again.

Arrest and Accusation

His opponents stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, then came upon him, seized him, and brought him before the council for trial. The council before which he was placed was the Sanhedrin. The seizure followed arranged action against him after his preaching and wisdom could not be overcome. His bold testimony about Jesus had provoked the same hatred that had been shown toward Christ.

The seizure was supported by arranged false testimony and hired false witnesses. They accused him of speaking blasphemy against Moses, against God, against the holy place or temple, and against the law. Part of the charge was the claim that Jesus would destroy the customs Moses had given.

The proceeding took the law into Jewish hands to try and execute a prisoner, and was therefore unlawful. Those behind it sought to silence his preaching, to make an example of him, and to put him to death. They expected to escape danger and consequences because they had previously bribed or persuaded Roman officials and authorities to overlook such trials and executions of prisoners by the Jews, and they believed they could do so again without endangering themselves.

The false witnesses were used to supply a pretext for condemnation. If he or other Christians had broken the Sabbath, their enemies could have charged them with it directly. Their care to respect lesser customs shows that Sabbath-breaking would have brought the severest penalty.

Motives and Aftermath

Stephen's opponents acted because they could not withstand, answer, or overcome the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke. Confronted with the power of his preaching and the weight of evidence he presented, the priests and rulers would not yield but chose hostility instead. Unable to answer his teaching, they determined to silence him and make an example of him. Their hostility arose from bitter hatred of the evidence and of his bold testimony about Jesus. That testimony provoked in them the same hatred they had shown toward Christ, leading them to press false charges of blasphemy against Moses, God, the holy place, and the law.

They seized him to silence his preaching, to make an example of him, and to put him to death. Angered by the power of his preaching and unwilling to accept the evidence, the priests and rulers sought his death as the way to stop his voice. Saul took a prominent part in the trial and conviction that followed. The signs of God's presence with Stephen made Saul doubt whether his opposition to Jesus' followers was right. Persuaded by the priests and rulers that Stephen was a blasphemer and Jesus an impostor, he became a bitter persecutor.

He had believers dragged before councils and tribunals and imprisoned or condemned to death for faith in Jesus even when there was no evidence of any other offense. That persecution brought grief to the church and drove many to flee. The case also illustrates how unreliable claims and rumors gain influence when listeners want them to be true. Opponents may seize on rumors and supposed errors to silence those who speak unwelcome truth.