Commentary on Acts 6:8-15

By Bob Myhan

⁸ And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

While Stephen is the first non-apostle said by Luke to have done “great wonders and signs among the people,” this does not automatically mean he was the first non-apostle to do them. That is, there may have been others not mentioned.

Luke does not talk about the means by which non-apostles received the power to do these “great wonders and signs” until chapter eight. But we may conclude that Stephen received power by those same means. Whether he received the power at this time or had received it earlier is also a matter of conjecture.

The people had been told to choose “seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit,” etc. (Verse 3) “And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit….” (Verse 5) The phrase, “full of the Holy Spirit” is almost certainly a figure of speech called metonymy, wherein one thing is substituted for another to which it is closely related.

As an example, compare the following parallel passages.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13)

While it is possible that “the Holy Spirit” is one of the “good things” the Father will “give…to those who ask Him” it is also possible that “the Holy Spirit” is here used as a figure (by metonymy) for the “good things.”

Likewise, it is possible that “full of the Holy Spirit” is (by metonymy) figurative for the power bestowed by the Holy Spirit or the fruit produced in the life of a Christian by the Holy Spirit. We will consider this matter further in our comments on Acts 8:14-19.

⁹ Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen.

By this statement of Luke it is implied that Stephen was not doing these “great wonders and signs” as mere entertainment but for the purpose of confirming what he preached as God’s word. It is unclear in Greek whether Luke refers to one group, consisting of four subgroups, or five groups. This group (or these groups) did not like his preaching because it implied that physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were not favored by God above Gentiles.

¹⁰ And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

Once again, the encouraging words of Jesus to His apostles as He sent them out on the limited commission are called to mind. (See Matthew 10:16-26)

¹¹ Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” ¹² And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. ¹³ They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; ¹⁴ for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”

Having been unable to stop the apostles, the council now tries to bully Stephen into ceasing to teach and preach in the name of Jesus Christ. Notice the progression here. First, the Synagogue of the Freedmen (and, perhaps, certain others), challenged Stephen but were totally unable to stand up to his wisdom and the demonstration of the Holy Spirit. Next, they suborned witnesses regarding the message he preached in hope of indicting him for heterodoxy. Then “they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes.” They apparently felt the need to do this because—on top of everything else— “a great many of the priests (had been) obedient to the faith.” (Verse 7) In short, something had to be done (in their minds) to offset the influence of gospel preaching. Their only hope was to mischaracterize the teaching and preaching of the apostles and others as something antithetical to the Law and the Prophets which of course, it was not. The respective ministries of John the Baptist, Jesus and the apostles and evangelists were fulfilling the Old Testament writings not setting them aside. In point of fact, the Jewish rulers had already shown utter contempt for “the customs which Moses delivered” preferring, instead, the uninspired traditions of their elders. (See again Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13)

¹⁵ And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

Stephen’s countenance was such that the members of the council could hardly believe he could be guilty of such. Certainly, they were already prejudiced against the gospel the apostles were preaching but this man was not one of the twelve. At any rate, they were seemingly impressed by his demeanor. This positive impression of him gives him the opportunity to speak at greater length to the council than had the apostles.

(To be continued)

Benevolence and Relief (Part 12)

By Bob Myhan

We continue to examine chapter five of the epistle of Paul to the Galatians in order to demonstrate that the epistle was not intended to deal with the subject of congregational benevolence. Rather, it is dealing with whether Gentile converts must submit to the ordinances of the Old Testament, including physical circumcision.

Again, the Judaizers would argue that, if we are not under the law, we have no moral compass. But the Law was no longer needed because it had been replaced by a higher law that not only reminded one of the dangers of being immoral but gave us better tools for living according to God’s revealed will. Remember that Paul had previously pointed out that the Law was the Jews’ guardian to bring them to the faith. But, now that the faith (the gospel) had come they were no longer under the guardian. (See Galatians 3:24-29; 4:1-6) And the faith had taught them better than the law ever could because the faith contained the demonstration of God’s love in the life and death of God’s Son.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

It has been suggested that “the works of the flesh” can be divided into four categories—lust, impiety, temper and appetite. It is evident that this is not an exhaustive list of practices that will keep one out of the kingdom of God for at least three reasons. First, after identifying 17 specific “works of the flesh,” Paul adds “and the like,” implying there were others unidentified. Second, there is a similar list in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 which contains things not on this list but which are “like” the things on this list. Third, there is (in 1 Corinthians 5:9-11) a list of sinners from whom Christians should withdraw. This list is not identical to either of the other lists. Why should Christians withdraw from “Such a one”? It is “that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:5).

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Unbridled, the flesh engages in works that are not in the individual’s best interest. But, if the Christian will but follow the leading of the Holy Spirit (by obeying the New Testament), “the fruit of the Spirit” will be produced in his life. The singular, “fruit of the Spirit” followed by the singular “is,” implies a collectivity rather than a plurality. The Holy Spirit produces all these characteristics in the life of one who follows His leading. Since there is no law against such things as these, one who follows the Spirit does not need the law.

²⁴ And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Scriptural baptism, following belief and repentance,   puts to death “the flesh with its passions and desires.”

¹ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? ³ Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

⁵ For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin. (Rom. 6:1-7)

¹ There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.   ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. ⁸ So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. ¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. ¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Rom. 8:1-13)

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Gal. 2:20)

As Paul told the Corinthians, “the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Cor. 3:6) In this passage “the letter” is the Old Testament and “the Spirit” is the New Testament. The Law was not given in order to produce spiritual life. (Gal. 3:21) The Law was temporary but the New Testament is permanent. It will be in force until the Lord returns for His own.

(To be continued)