A Study of the Book of Acts

Part 1: The Jerusalem Church (Acts 1-7)

Lesson Fourteen: Stephen's Martyrdom

Acts 7:51-60

Key Verse

"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye."
— Acts 7:51

Lesson Questions

Read Acts 7:51-60 carefully before answering these questions.

1. Review: Acts chapters five and six.
2. How did Stephen describe his audience? What did he say they did? 7:51
3. What had their fathers done? What had the audience done? 7:52
4. Stephen said two things about his audience in 7:53, what are they?
5. How did the audience react? 7:54
6. Of what was Stephen full? What did he do? 7:55
7. What did Stephen say? 7:56
8. What did the audience do? 7:57
9. What else did they do? 7:58
10. What were they doing? What was Stephen doing? 7:59
11. Then what happened? 7:60

Thought Questions

A. ​ What does it mean to be stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears?
B. ​ What does it mean to resist the Holy Spirit?
C. ​ How were they like their fathers?
D. ​ What could angels have had to do with the giving of the law?
E. ​ How is the reaction to Stephen's defense different from the reaction to Peter's sermon in Acts chapter two? Why the difference?
F. ​ What is meant by Stephen being full of the Holy Spirit? What did he see when he looked up into heaven?
G. ​ What was done to Stephen? Did that change the truth? What may we learn?
H. ​ What new person is mentioned? What did he do? Did Stephen forgive his murderers?

Supplementary Materials

Stephen's Devastating Accusation (7:51-53) After tracing Israel's history of rejecting God's messengers, Stephen turns directly to his accusers. His words are sharp and uncompromising:

Term Meaning & Significance
"Stiffnecked" Like an ox that refuses to respond to the yoke. Stubborn, unbending, unwilling to submit to God's direction. The same word used of Israel at Sinai (Ex. 33:3-5).
"Uncircumcised in Outwardly bearing the covenant sign, but inwardly unchanged.
heart" Moses warned of this (Deut. 10:16; 30:6). Jeremiah used the same language (Jer. 4:4; 9:26).
"Uncircumcised in Ears closed to God's word. They heard but would not listen.
ears" Similar to Jeremiah 6:10: "their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken."
"Resist the Holy To oppose, strive against. The Holy Spirit spoke through the
Ghost" prophets (2 Pet. 1:21). To reject the prophets' message was to resist the Spirit who inspired it.

How Does One "Resist the Holy Spirit"? Stephen accused the council: "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye" (7:51). Understanding this phrase is crucial:

  • The Spirit spoke through the prophets (2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Sam. 23:2). When Israel rejected the prophets' message, they resisted the Spirit who gave that message.
  • The Spirit spoke through the apostles (John 16:13; Acts 2:4). When the council rejected the apostles' preaching, they resisted the Spirit.
  • The Spirit speaks through Scripture (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 3:7). Today, to reject God's written word is to resist the Spirit who inspired it.

Key Point: One resists the Holy Spirit by rejecting the message the Spirit has delivered—whether through prophets, apostles, or Scripture.

The Pattern: "As Your Fathers Did, So Do Ye" Stephen's point throughout his defense: Israel had a pattern of rejecting God's messengers. The council was following that same pattern: The Fathers The Council Scripture Rejected Joseph Rejected Jesus Acts 7:9; 7:52 Rejected Moses (first time) Rejected Christ's messengers Acts 7:27-28, 35 Persecuted the prophets Killed Stephen Acts 7:52 Made idols at Sinai Made an idol of the temple Acts 7:41, 48 Received the law but did not "Have not kept it" Acts 7:53 keep it

The Law "By the Disposition of Angels" (7:53)

Stephen said the council "received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it." What role did angels play?

  • Galatians 3:19 — The law "was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."
  • Hebrews 2:2 — "The word spoken by angels was stedfast."
  • Deuteronomy 33:2 (LXX) — Refers to angels at Sinai.

Angels were present as attendants or ministers when God gave the law. Stephen's point: the law came with divine majesty and authority—making their failure to keep it even more condemnable.

Stephen's Vision (7:55-56) While his accusers raged, Stephen "looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God."

What Stephen Saw Significance
"The glory of God" The radiant manifestation of God's presence—similar to what Moses saw (Ex. 33:18-23)
"Jesus standing" Usually described as "seated" (Heb. 1:3; 10:12). Here standing—perhaps to receive His faithful witness, or as advocate for Stephen
"The Son of man" Stephen used Jesus' favorite self-designation. This title comes from Daniel 7:13-14 and implies deity and dominion.
"Right hand of God" The position of authority and honor (Ps. 110:1). Jesus told the council He would be there (Matt. 26:64). Now Stephen confirmed it.

Stephen's Death Compared to Christ's Death The parallels between Stephen's death and Christ's death are remarkable: Stephen Christ Accused by false witnesses (6:13) Accused by false witnesses (Matt. 26:60) Charged with blasphemy (6:11) Charged with blasphemy (Matt. 26:65) Saw the Son of Man at God's right hand Said He would be at God's right hand (Matt. (7:56) 26:64) "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (7:59) "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46) "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (7:60) "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34)

Note: Stephen's prayer to Jesus ("Lord Jesus, receive my spirit") demonstrates the early church's view of Christ—He is the One to whom prayers are offered and who receives the spirits of the faithful.

"A Young Man Whose Name Was Saul" (7:58; 8:1) Almost as a footnote, Luke introduces a man who will dominate the rest of Acts:

  • The witnesses laid their clothes at Saul's feet (7:58) — The law required witnesses to cast the first stones (Deut. 17:7). Saul guarded their garments, making him complicit.
  • "Saul was consenting unto his death" (8:1) — The word "consenting" implies full approval and participation.
  • Saul would later "make havock of the church" (8:3) — His persecution intensified after Stephen's death.
  • Yet this same Saul would become Paul the apostle (Acts 9) — God's grace transforms even the fiercest opponents.

Paul later called himself "the chief of sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15), surely remembering this day. Stephen's faithful witness and gracious death may have planted seeds in Saul's heart that eventually bore fruit.

Two Reactions to the Same Message Compare the reaction to Stephen's sermon with the reaction to Peter's sermon on Pentecost: Acts 2 (Peter's Sermon) Acts 7 (Stephen's Defense) "Pricked in their heart" (2:37) "Cut to the heart" (7:54) Asked: "What shall we do?" (2:37) "Gnashed on him with their teeth" (7:54) Gladly received the word (2:41) "Stopped their ears" (7:57) Were baptized (2:41) Stoned Stephen (7:58) Result: 3,000 saved Result: First martyr

The Difference: Both messages convicted. The difference was in the hearts of the hearers. The crowd at Pentecost had "honest and good hearts" (Luke 8:15) that received the word. The council had hardened hearts that rejected it.

Key Cross-References

OT Reference Acts Verse Connection
Deut. 10:16 Acts 7:51 "Circumcise... your heart" — the command they ignored
Jer. 6:10 Acts 7:51 "Their ear is uncircumcised" — the same phrase
Dan. 7:13-14 Acts 7:56 "Son of man" — the Messianic title from Daniel
Psalm 110:1 Acts 7:55-56 Christ at God's "right hand"
Deut. 17:7 Acts 7:58 Witnesses cast first stones — the legal procedure
Luke 23:34, 46 Acts 7:59-60 Stephen's death parallels Christ's death

Part 1 Summary: The Jerusalem Church (Acts 1-7) Stephen's death marks the end of the first section of Acts. The persecution that follows scatters the church (8:1), which ironically fulfills Jesus' commission to take the gospel to "Judaea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (1:8). What the enemy meant for evil, God used for good. In Part 2, the gospel will spread beyond Jerusalem as Philip preaches in Samaria and to the Ethiopian, and Saul is converted on the road to Damascus.