Jesus’ trial and Stephen’s trial

As we saw previously, the false witnesses accused Stephen of blaspheming the four foundations of Judaism (God, Moses, the Torah, and the temple). Before moving forward, let’s review the similarities and differences between the trials of Jesus and Stephen. (1) The similarities include the fact that the members present were almost the same, especially with High Priest Caiaphas presiding over both trials. Additionally, the charges were almost identical. (2) The difference is that Jesus remained silent, which was the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed and afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.” In contrast, Stephen spoke eloquently. We will be going into the content of his defense, but we must note that it is not a direct rebuttal of the accusations. Instead, he launched an attack against the Sanhedrin. As a result, he will die a martyr’s death.

Stephen’s defense

“Now the high priest said, ‘Are these things so?’” (1) The high priest, following Jewish law, gave the defendant an opportunity to defend himself. By asking, “Are these things so?” he was inquiring whether Stephen acknowledged the testimonies of the false witnesses, who claimed that Stephen had blasphemed God, Moses, the Torah, and the temple. (2) Stephen’s defense is the longest message in the Acts of the Apostles. Moreover, this defense is not merely a list of historical facts but a systematic theology of the Old Testament. Peter and Paul preached the gospel using the Old Testament, but Stephen’s defense does not present the gospel itself. The reason is that Stephen aimed to discuss the contents of the Old Testament and demonstrate that the universality of the gospel is rooted in the Old Testament. Here are the six points of Stephen’s defense (Acts 7:1-53):

① Abraham: the foundation of Judaism. (7:1-8)

② Joseph: the one rejected became exalted and a savior. (7:9-16)

③ Moses: the one rejected became a deliverer. (7:17-40)

④ Israel’s chronic sin: idolatry. (7:41-43)

⑤ The Temple: the universality of God’s presence. (7:44-50)

⑥ The condemnation of the people of Israel: for always resisting the Holy Spirit. (7:51-53)

In the time of the new covenant, we are not bound by the law of Moses but are being guided by the law of Christ. In Christ, we are free.