And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
Standing before the council to answer the false charge of blasphemy, Stephen faced his judges and all who looked steadfastly saw his face shining with heavenly radiance like the face of an angel. The light was the reflected glory of Christ's countenance shining upon him in his suffering, the same holy light that shone from Moses' face after communion with God as a visible sign of God's presence, approval and glory resting upon him. It was weighty evidence from God for the truth he preached that Jesus is the Son of God, yet the rulers in stubborn unbelief and prejudice despised the evidence and, enraged by his unanswerable wisdom, silenced him with stones rather than with arguments from Scripture. Saul saw that angel-like face reflecting Christ's glory, and joined with Stephen's clear reasoning, patient endurance and forgiving spirit, it thrust conviction upon his mind that Jesus was the promised Messiah, a glory he could not efface from memory and which helped lead him to conversion though he long resisted it from pride, prejudice and respect for the rulers. Christ watched him from heaven with deep interest in his conflict and revealed the glory of his countenance to him, a pattern seen again when Paul stood calm and fearless before hostile crowds and Nero, and when any believer who has felt God's power has the face shine with heavenly light.
Trial Setting Examined
Stephen stood face to face with his judges in the council to answer the charge of blasphemy brought falsely against him. As he stood so accused, his face bore a heavenly light like an angel's, giving the council evidence from God, which the authorities despised instead of heeding and repenting. A wonderful manifestation of power had attended his ministry and had been witnessed by the priests and rulers, giving weighty evidence for the truth he preached. Instead of yielding to that evidence they were filled with bitter hatred and determined to silence him by putting him to death.
They seized him and brought him before the Sanhedrin council for trial. They intended to take the law into their own hands to try, condemn and execute him according to Jewish custom as they had done on several occasions before, bribing the Roman authorities to pass over it without comment and not doubting they could do so again without danger to themselves. Learned Jews from surrounding countries were summoned to refute his arguments. Saul was present and took a leading part against him, bringing the weight of eloquence and the logic of the rabbis to convince the people that he was preaching delusive and dangerous doctrines.
This was after Christ's ascension, during the early preaching of the gospel in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit had been poured out, and the first gospel church displayed the power of the risen Saviour. It was there that Stephen bore his testimony with a face like an angel's before he laid down his life.
He stood before the council full of faith and the Holy Spirit, with his face lit with the glory of God and appearing like an angel's face. He stood calm despite the rulers' anger and the mob's hostility, not afraid of the angry priests and mob, reflecting the Holy Spirit's presence and the heavenly vision that strengthened him as he faced martyrdom. His Spirit-empowered testimony spoke with a wisdom and Spirit the council could not resist, and his words of truth could not be answered. Their effect on the people enraged the judges, who gave powerful evidence through him that Jesus is the Son of God yet rejected that evidence, silencing him with stones rather than with arguments from Scripture.
Heavenly Radiance Explained
All who sat in the council and looked steadfastly upon Stephen saw his face shining with heavenly radiance, with the glory of God resting upon him so that it appeared as the face of an angel. The light was not his own but the reflected light and glory of Christ's countenance and glory shining upon him while he suffered for his faith. Saul witnessed this reflection as Stephen faced his enemies, together with his patience, forbearance and forgiveness toward them.
It was the same holy light that had radiated the face of Moses after communion with God. That radiance was the shekinah, a visible sign and signet of God's presence, approval and glory upon him, given for those who exalted Moses to see and recognize in the prisoner before them. Those who honored Moses could have recognized the same holy light in Stephen as he stood to answer the charge.
It was a spectacle of glory they would never again witness in the temple, whose glory had departed forever. Christ Himself was watching Stephen from heaven with deep interest during his conflict with evil powers and his martyrdom. In that watching He revealed the glory of His countenance to him and let the light of His face shine and rest upon him, so that even his enemies saw that brightness reflecting the Redeemer's glory.
Evidence Given Rejected
The shining of Stephen's face was striking, weighty evidence from God for the truth he preached, powerful evidence that Jesus is the Son of God, given to the council as he stood falsely accused and witnessed by priests and rulers in connection with his ministry. It was a wonderful manifestation of power attending him and a visible sign of God's presence with him as he stood trial, with the Holy Spirit speaking through him. Many who beheld that lighted countenance trembled and veiled or covered their faces.
The rulers nevertheless remained in stubborn unbelief and prejudice that never faltered and was unchanged, and prejudice kept some of the judges from responding to what they saw. They despised that evidence from God instead of heeding it and repenting. Filled with bitter hatred and determined to silence him by putting him to death, enraged by the effect of his unanswerable words upon the people, they silenced him with stones rather than with arguments from Scripture.
His glorified face in faith, constancy and glorification, bearing the signet of God's approval, together with words that reached the very soul and heart, made a deep impression upon all who witnessed them. That witness testified to the truth of what he proclaimed and remained in the memory of the beholders, staying with those who saw and heard him except those hardened by resisting the light.
Conviction of Saul
Saul the learned Jew was present while Stephen faced his enemies, and saw his face reflecting the light of Christ's glory and appearing like the face of an angel. That sight was a testimony to Christ, a sign of God's presence and glory upon Stephen, and with Stephen's faith and constancy it helped convince Saul that Jesus was the promised Messiah and the truth he proclaimed.
Christ was speaking to Saul through that shining face joined with clear reasoning from the Scriptures that could not be answered. He saw it together with Stephen's composed endurance, patience, forbearance toward his enemies and forgiveness of them. With these were joined the fortitude and cheerful resignation of other believers while tormented and afflicted, some yielding up their lives with rejoicing, and all this testimony appealed loudly to Saul and pressed and thrust conviction upon his mind and conscience.
He resisted that conviction because of his education and prejudices, his respect for priests and rulers, and his pride of popularity. He struggled entire nights against conviction, ending each struggle by declaring that Jesus was not the Messiah but an impostor and his followers deluded fanatics.
That glory flashed upon the persecutor and made a deep impression that stayed in memory where it could not be effaced, his glorified face in faith, constancy and glorification with words that reached to the very soul remaining with all who witnessed them except those hardened by resisting the light. Saul later remembered the heavenly radiance and shining with anguish on his part in urging on the martyrdom and his failure to recognize the striking evidence and God's signet of approval before him. He then understood the martyr's appearance as testimony that Stephen had truly seen God's glory, and the impression made by his face and words helped bring him to Jesus, resulting in his conversion.
Pattern for Witnesses
The pattern of Stephen's angel-like face is seen again in Paul when he faces a hostile crowd and possible death with fearless calm and confidence in God. His countenance bears that same angelic mark, reflecting innocence and loyalty to God and joy in serving as Christ's representative while proclaiming the gospel. Before Nero his hearers likewise see in his countenance the holy calm and courage of a faithful witness, one focused on Jesus and the gospel rather than on danger or death. So too a believer who has experienced the power of God may have the face shine with heavenly light.
Standing before the council to answer the false charge of blasphemy, Stephen faced his judges and all who looked steadfastly saw his face shining with heavenly radiance like the face of an angel.
The light was the reflected glory of Christ's countenance shining upon him in his suffering, the same holy light that shone from Moses' face after communion with God as a visible sign of God's presence, approval and glory resting upon him.
It was weighty evidence from God for the truth he preached that Jesus is the Son of God, yet the rulers in stubborn unbelief and prejudice despised the evidence and, enraged by his unanswerable wisdom, silenced him with stones rather than with arguments from Scripture.
Saul saw that angel-like face reflecting Christ's glory, and joined with Stephen's clear reasoning, patient endurance and forgiving spirit, it thrust conviction upon his mind that Jesus was the promised Messiah, a glory he could not efface from memory and which helped lead him to conversion though he long resisted it from pride, prejudice and respect for the rulers.
Christ watched him from heaven with deep interest in his conflict and revealed the glory of his countenance to him, a pattern seen again when Paul stood calm and fearless before hostile crowds and Nero, and when any believer who has felt God's power has the face shine with heavenly light.
Trial Setting Examined
Stephen stood face to face with his judges in the council to answer the charge of blasphemy brought falsely against him. As he stood so accused, his face bore a heavenly light like an angel's, giving the council evidence from God, which the authorities despised instead of heeding and repenting. A wonderful manifestation of power had attended his ministry and had been witnessed by the priests and rulers, giving weighty evidence for the truth he preached. Instead of yielding to that evidence they were filled with bitter hatred and determined to silence him by putting him to death.
They seized him and brought him before the Sanhedrin council for trial. They intended to take the law into their own hands to try, condemn and execute him according to Jewish custom as they had done on several occasions before, bribing the Roman authorities to pass over it without comment and not doubting they could do so again without danger to themselves. Learned Jews from surrounding countries were summoned to refute his arguments. Saul was present and took a leading part against him, bringing the weight of eloquence and the logic of the rabbis to convince the people that he was preaching delusive and dangerous doctrines.
This was after Christ's ascension, during the early preaching of the gospel in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit had been poured out, and the first gospel church displayed the power of the risen Saviour. It was there that Stephen bore his testimony with a face like an angel's before he laid down his life.
He stood before the council full of faith and the Holy Spirit, with his face lit with the glory of God and appearing like an angel's face. He stood calm despite the rulers' anger and the mob's hostility, not afraid of the angry priests and mob, reflecting the Holy Spirit's presence and the heavenly vision that strengthened him as he faced martyrdom. His Spirit-empowered testimony spoke with a wisdom and Spirit the council could not resist, and his words of truth could not be answered. Their effect on the people enraged the judges, who gave powerful evidence through him that Jesus is the Son of God yet rejected that evidence, silencing him with stones rather than with arguments from Scripture.
Heavenly Radiance Explained
All who sat in the council and looked steadfastly upon Stephen saw his face shining with heavenly radiance, with the glory of God resting upon him so that it appeared as the face of an angel. The light was not his own but the reflected light and glory of Christ's countenance and glory shining upon him while he suffered for his faith. Saul witnessed this reflection as Stephen faced his enemies, together with his patience, forbearance and forgiveness toward them.
It was the same holy light that had radiated the face of Moses after communion with God. That radiance was the shekinah, a visible sign and signet of God's presence, approval and glory upon him, given for those who exalted Moses to see and recognize in the prisoner before them. Those who honored Moses could have recognized the same holy light in Stephen as he stood to answer the charge.
It was a spectacle of glory they would never again witness in the temple, whose glory had departed forever. Christ Himself was watching Stephen from heaven with deep interest during his conflict with evil powers and his martyrdom. In that watching He revealed the glory of His countenance to him and let the light of His face shine and rest upon him, so that even his enemies saw that brightness reflecting the Redeemer's glory.
Evidence Given Rejected
The shining of Stephen's face was striking, weighty evidence from God for the truth he preached, powerful evidence that Jesus is the Son of God, given to the council as he stood falsely accused and witnessed by priests and rulers in connection with his ministry. It was a wonderful manifestation of power attending him and a visible sign of God's presence with him as he stood trial, with the Holy Spirit speaking through him. Many who beheld that lighted countenance trembled and veiled or covered their faces.
The rulers nevertheless remained in stubborn unbelief and prejudice that never faltered and was unchanged, and prejudice kept some of the judges from responding to what they saw. They despised that evidence from God instead of heeding it and repenting. Filled with bitter hatred and determined to silence him by putting him to death, enraged by the effect of his unanswerable words upon the people, they silenced him with stones rather than with arguments from Scripture.
His glorified face in faith, constancy and glorification, bearing the signet of God's approval, together with words that reached the very soul and heart, made a deep impression upon all who witnessed them. That witness testified to the truth of what he proclaimed and remained in the memory of the beholders, staying with those who saw and heard him except those hardened by resisting the light.
Conviction of Saul
Saul the learned Jew was present while Stephen faced his enemies, and saw his face reflecting the light of Christ's glory and appearing like the face of an angel. That sight was a testimony to Christ, a sign of God's presence and glory upon Stephen, and with Stephen's faith and constancy it helped convince Saul that Jesus was the promised Messiah and the truth he proclaimed.
Christ was speaking to Saul through that shining face joined with clear reasoning from the Scriptures that could not be answered. He saw it together with Stephen's composed endurance, patience, forbearance toward his enemies and forgiveness of them. With these were joined the fortitude and cheerful resignation of other believers while tormented and afflicted, some yielding up their lives with rejoicing, and all this testimony appealed loudly to Saul and pressed and thrust conviction upon his mind and conscience.
He resisted that conviction because of his education and prejudices, his respect for priests and rulers, and his pride of popularity. He struggled entire nights against conviction, ending each struggle by declaring that Jesus was not the Messiah but an impostor and his followers deluded fanatics.
That glory flashed upon the persecutor and made a deep impression that stayed in memory where it could not be effaced, his glorified face in faith, constancy and glorification with words that reached to the very soul remaining with all who witnessed them except those hardened by resisting the light. Saul later remembered the heavenly radiance and shining with anguish on his part in urging on the martyrdom and his failure to recognize the striking evidence and God's signet of approval before him. He then understood the martyr's appearance as testimony that Stephen had truly seen God's glory, and the impression made by his face and words helped bring him to Jesus, resulting in his conversion.
Pattern for Witnesses
The pattern of Stephen's angel-like face is seen again in Paul when he faces a hostile crowd and possible death with fearless calm and confidence in God. His countenance bears that same angelic mark, reflecting innocence and loyalty to God and joy in serving as Christ's representative while proclaiming the gospel. Before Nero his hearers likewise see in his countenance the holy calm and courage of a faithful witness, one focused on Jesus and the gospel rather than on danger or death. So too a believer who has experienced the power of God may have the face shine with heavenly light.