A Bible Study on the Book of Acts Session 16
The Church of the Holy Apostles;
Based upon the Homilies of St John Chrysostom (SJC)
Study Guide – Acts 6.8-7.5, Homily 15
Chapter 6 v. 8-15 – And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; “for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
SJC “Grace alone is not sufficient, but there must be ordination.” Stephen did not perform any miracles until AFTER he was ordained.
Since Gamaliel had convinced the council to stop from fighting the Apostles, they now turn against Stephen hoping to frighten the Apostles.
SJC “The things for which they ought to give thanks, they made matter of blame. O the madness!”
There is total commitment to stopping the Gospel.
Stephen spoke publicly and openly, so they are forced to have false witnesses, just as they did against Christ. They are breaking their own law.
Their loyalty is to Moses and the Temple, not to God. “which Moses delivered to us.”
Two-fold charges against Stephen: 1)Destroy Temple & change customs 2)Introduce outsiders into the Temple
Parallel between Stephen and Moses since the crowd has their mind on Moses. (See Exodus 34.29-35)
SJC “For this was his grace, this was the glory of Moses. God made him thus gracious of visage, now that he was about to say something, thus at once by his very look to awe them.”
Stephen’s face shown because he was falsely accused. SJC “For the Apostles were not falsely charged, but were forbidden: but this man is falsely accused: and therefore before all else his countenance please for him.”
Chapter 7 v. 1-5 – Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?” And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, “and said to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ “Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. “And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.
Priests are conflicted (6.7 vs 7.1) with some obedient and some not.
Obedience is blessed by God. SJC “It shows how far these men are from being children of Abraham.”
Stephen combats their gentle trickery with gentleness (becomes a theme for SJC)
SJC “Immediately at the outset he overthrows their conceit, and makes it appear by what he says, that the Temple is nothing, hat the customs are nothing either, without their suspecting his drift.”
Note that the Jews are of Persian origin: STILL God makes them the promise. Opens the door for gentiles.
Teaching on Trusting in God’s Promise – (see Homily 15, pp 97-99)
- Tribulation here; rest there
- It isn’t evil to be afflicted. It is evil to sin.
- Take a stand against the passions
- Rebuke others with gentleness
- God became man that man might become God. (St Athanasios)
Life Application – Nothing is more base than passion (Homily 15, pp 99-100)
- It is the part of men that are strong to bear the weak.
- It is not possible to be master of one’s self, being in a passion.
- Dress the soul with gentleness.