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December 26, 2007

The Festival of St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr

The trial and martyrdom of Stephen is recorded in the Book of Acts 6:8-8:1. It is an episode rich with theology, especially Stephen's testimony, which draws the continuity between the old covenant and the new and ends with the stern words of a prophet (7:51-53):

"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him -- you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."

Like Christ and John the Baptist before him, the world found this message to be intolerable, and Stephen was stoned -- the first of countless martyrs.

Every martyr gives us an example of fearlessness and boldness when testifying, even if their fates are far removed from whatever danger we might face. The most powerful aspect of Stephen's death, though, are his famous last words, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." What faith it must have taken to echo the words of our crucified Lord, to pray for his persecutors even as they brutally murdered him.

More sobering still is the very last sentence of the story, Acts 8:1a: "And Saul was there, giving approval to his death."

Posted by Zach Wendling at December 26, 2007 05:39 PM

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Posted by: John M at December 28, 2007 04:19 PM | permalink

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