When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died. And Saul approved of their killing him.
May 10, 2006
Acts 7:54-8:1a
A note on the passage limits. This section - based on the section divisions in the NRSV ends mid-point through the verse 8:1 and leaves the second half of the verse for the next section. Hence my reference 8:1a with the next section beginning 8:1b.
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At 6:23 PM, Larry said...
Luke had given an extremely detailed account of Stephen's message; now he gives a very cursory account of the action that follows.
Re the context of Acts the most significant verses must be what he says here about the part that Saul (Paul) played, especially since the career of Paul will take about 90% of the remainder of the book.
Going from one extreme to the other is a fairly common form of personal behavior: Saul was an extreme and zealous upholder of the law. With his conversion (coming soon) he converted to a radical exponent of freedom from the law.
He reminds me of my friend George. A zealous Catholic in his youth; then he became a zealous Quaker, but he's still the same George, bless his heart.
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