Acts 6:9, commentary and pictures

Certain of the Greek-speaking diaspora synagogues, those of the Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians and Asians, rose up in open dispute with Stephen.
His challengers were learned Jews from surrounding countries, rabbis and teachers of the law summoned to refute him, with Saul taking a leading part by eloquence and rabbinical reasoning, and they were confident of easy victory because they supposed Stephen ignorant.
Stephen was himself highly educated in the prophecies and the law, and strengthened by Scripture he spoke with the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit in clear defense of Christ.
His opponents could not answer or resist him but were utterly defeated and confounded before the assembly, so in order to silence him they hired men to falsely accuse him of speaking against Moses, God, the temple and the law and brought him before the council seeking his death.
The evidence of God's presence with Stephen in that trial later made Saul doubt his opposition, and the same synagogue where men had disputed with Stephen afterward heard Paul proclaim Jesus as the Son of God and defend the cause Stephen had died to uphold.

Synagogue Setting and Opponents

The verse lists the Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those of Cilicia and of Asia rising up from the synagogue called the synagogue of the Libertines to dispute with Stephen. These were several Greek-speaking diaspora Jewish communities meeting in their synagogues at Jerusalem. Because Stephen spoke Greek and understood Greek customs, he had opportunity to preach the gospel in these Greek-speaking synagogues.

His opponents were learned Jews brought in from surrounding countries and summoned to argue against him and refute his teaching. They were students of the great rabbis, including rabbis themselves and teachers of the law. Saul took a leading and prominent part both in disputing with Stephen and in his trial and conviction. With eloquence and rabbinical learning and reasoning he worked to persuade the people that Stephen's teaching was dangerous falsehood.

The disputants entered public debate confident of complete victory because they supposed Stephen was ignorant.

Stephen's Defense and Aftermath

Stephen himself was highly educated, as educated as Saul, a student of the prophecies and learned in all matters of the law, and he understood God's purpose to spread the gospel to other nations. His opponents supposed him ignorant and felt confident of complete victory over him in public discussion and debate. Yet when men of the synagogue rose up disputing with him, he boldly declared his faith and was active in the cause of God.

Strengthened by Scripture and firm in faith, he answered with wisdom and power, speaking with the wisdom and Spirit of the Holy Ghost, with clear and calm wisdom. He powerfully exalted Jesus and reproved the priests and elders, ably defending the truths he advocated and taught. His learned opponents could not answer him or resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. It was plain to the whole vast assembly that he had utterly defeated and confounded them in debate.

When they could not defeat his arguments or overcome his wisdom, his skilled and deceptive enemies turned against him and sought his death. They hired men to falsely accuse him of speaking against Moses, God, the temple, and the law, and brought him before the council with false witnesses. They sought to silence him and to frighten others from accepting his faith.

The evidence of God's presence with Stephen during his trial and conviction later made Saul, who had taken a prominent part in that trial and conviction, doubt his opposition to the followers of Jesus. The same synagogue where men had disputed with Stephen later heard the voice that had argued against him proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God. There Paul presented prophetic evidence for Jesus' identity, defending the cause Stephen had died to uphold. The surrounding chapter gives the Bible plan for church work, assigning capable, devoted people who understand God's principles to manage business affairs while others attend to spiritual work, with each worker doing the part entrusted to them rather than taking on duties they were not called to bear.