"But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen."There is a whole study right in this verse, but lets just consider one aspect, what dispute and why.
Stephen was out preaching the word apparently, with power and grace. And working wonders among the people. But what was the dispute? He must have said something seriously piercing. We know that it was not a condemnation of foreign Jews. He is currently working to feed the widows of those foreign Jews who have turned to the Lord.
Perhaps there is more to what he is preaching than simply "Follow Jesus." Whatever it was (and I will speculate in a bit), it stirred up the synagogues of foreign Jews to action against him. Why didn't the temple priests go after Stephen? Were they afraid of the followers? Fearful of the power that the twelve displayed? Or simply wanted this new movement to run its course. We do not know, but the foreign Jews in these synagogues were ready for action.
My contention is along these lines. These are converts, or descendants of converts, or descendants of Jews taken to foreign lands who have returned to follow God. There is a natural desire to excel, to be as good a Jew as the Hebrews in Jerusalem and Judah. To prove to themselves that they are just as fervent a follower of God as any other Jew. And in this, they hold Jerusalem, and the temple, in a high place within, beyond the practical, experiential regard of a Hebrew.
In this, it would be very offensive to hear the Olivette Discourse. This is what I believe Stephen had embraced as part of his message. Clearly the disciples believed the Lord's greatest prophecy. Yet it had not occurred at this time. But we don't hear very much preaching of it. The focus of the scripture is rightly upon the reconciliation ministry of Christ, not the judgment. But at this time period, the Spirit was moving Stephen at least to call out in the streets with a word of power.
Here is my contention. When the groups handed Stephen over, and sent false witnesses up against him, it was not that the witnesses falsely proclaimed what he had preached. They were plants, 'trustworthy' men, of repute who could bring a charge with weight. The charge itself was spot on. They considered what he had been contending with them, considered carefully the words of Stephen.
What was this charge? What terrible thing did Stephen speak against 'this place' (the temple) and the law? Here is the beautiful accusation, in which they perceive the nature of the Messiah, and rejected Jesus as that, "... that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us."
You better believe that was what Stephen preached! Moses custom provide for the atonement of sins by sacrifice at the temple. Moses custom encompassed the practices of natural life to follow God. But did not lead to personal experience of God for all the people. And the end of the Law was death. No man could meet the requirements. Preaching Jesus as the Messiah is preaching the change in custom.
We have a new way. We have a freedom to live with God here, and serve His purpose with power and strength in a new life. Not to attempt perfection by the adherence to laws and customs, but to seek the source of life every day. That life which automatically embodies the obedience to God. Turn today, and find that life in the Messiah!
Now, the other part, about destruction. Do we think that these false witnesses, correctly describing the gospel in one aspect, were making something up when they accused Stephen of preaching the coming destruction of the temple? Of course not! He is just speaking what Jesus spoke! Stephen was called up, rose up, and the Living Word inhabited him and spoke! This is prophetic ministry at its finest.
Jesus foretold the greatest prophesy of all time. He spoke of His ministry, His resurrection, and then His judgment upon the old system. He said no stone would be left upon another. Within one generation. In the context of the Hebrew, that was the heart of the whole religion. Now they scoffed, discounted Him, accused Him, and crucified Him. And nothing had happened yet.
But Stephen touched a nerve again. Perhaps among the foreign Jews because they had not hardened themselves against the believers of the 'new way'. Perhaps because they wanted to be even more fervent than other Jews. And it may have been that they had a personal deep connection to the idea of the temple, to the core of Judaism, beyond the practical experience of it daily. It was built up in them from afar, without living it, then they returned. Returned to find these ones preaching its destruction, even this 'upstart prophet', who believes that the Messiah is alive.
There is great power in the gospel. And that word is for today. It is a invitation to a new life. A free gift of incomparable price. But it is also a prophesy of the destruction of the natural. We hear the word today. We hear the voice of Stephen in those filled with the Spirit and wisdom around us. The word goes forth to us today.
That word is a condemnation of your natural man. The cross means destruction of your personal temple. Your practices of selfishness. Your own strength, your own way. It will not stand before God. But he has baptised us unto His death! He took on that destruction in its entirety! The working out of that over the course of your life is a constant reality, but the eternal truth is that you are a new creation!
So we can learn here, about ourselves. We will hear the word sometimes, and with a fervency perhaps we were not aware of in ourselves, reject it. Oh, it has happened to me! The imagination is full of things we hold on to, things with no value to us or God, but we are so attached to them. And we react, we accuse the messenger, we squirm and squeal like little pigs up for slaughter.
But He is there. When you see the peace and glow on the messengers face. When you sense that foreboding emptiness. That withdrawal of comfort in your heart. It is time. Time to fall down on your knees, prostrate yourself before God. Claim Jesus as your sacrifice. Embrace the spiritual reality of what He did for you. Oh the transformation! And the amazing outpouring of grace.
Our natural man is a foreigner in this place. We dwell in the New Kingdom. The natural man can not enter. But he can experience transformation! And at times this becomes critical, but God is there to hold our hand, to carry us over. Praise God!
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