Daily Thoughts from Acts: Defending the Faith (Acts 6:7-15)

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”  And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.  (Acts 6:7-15 ESV)

The gospel spreads and with it the persecution.  With the resolution of the conflict concerning the widows’ support by appointing leaders who are part of the group that has been treated less fairly, the Lord gives great favor to His church so that the number of disciples increases greatly.  Surprisingly, even a great number of priests come to faith that Jesus is the Messiah.  They were among those who most opposed Jesus.  They were the people who were most associated with the Sadducees, the high priest and the Sanhedrin, often upper class type people.  From Luke’s perspective this is evidence that God’s word is increasing.  That is, its influence and fulfillment is increasing.

During this time one of the newly selected leaders to oversee the widow’s distribution, Stephen, is finding increased ministry.  But as Stephen becomes empowered to do signs and wonders, a particular synagogue he was probably associated, with since it was made up of those who were raised outside Israel as he was, and which was likely the synagogue of Saul of Tarsus, later called Paul, since he was from Cilicia, took umbrage with Stephen.  They seem more associated with the Pharisees, to whom belonged scribes and more middle class people. 

It is likely that these men gave pretty stout rebuttals to the message the new believers were preaching.  But unable to answer his graciousness and reasonable arguments they are forced in their minds to instigate false witnesses to claim he blasphemed and was teaching that Jesus would destroy Jerusalem with its temple and replace the Law.  Once you have to resort to lies and propaganda to forward your viewpoint you have already lost the argument.

Stephen is violently seized and brought before the Sanhedrin, just as Peter and John had been.  But now it is for a charge of blasphemy and presumably the populace may be more open to punishing Stephen for his supposed remarks about Moses and the Law.  Stephen, however, seems unmoved, his face filled with serenity and power and confidence.  We are not told specifically that Stephen is filled with the Spirit in order to make his defense but what follows is truly inspired.

We see here from the very beginning that because Christianity is a faith based in historical events and rational appeal, it is already engaged in defending the rationality of its beliefs, what we often term apologetics.  But the apologetic of Christians isn’t only a factor of solid argumentation but also of the work of the Spirit in rebellious hearts.  Those whose hearts are opened by God to believe will see the reasonableness of the truth and come to faith, while those who resist the truth will only be moved by our arguments to disputation, lies and persecution.

So give your arguments for faith in Christ and give them persuasively and be ready for stout rebuttals that may even cause you to wonder at first if your arguments are valid.  But listen to the Spirit and trust Him to move hearts as He wills.  Don’t shrink back.  Prepare and give an answer for the hope that lies within you.