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St Stephen, the First Martyr
[See Acts vi. vii., and Tillemont,, t.. ii.
p.. I, Cave, &c.]
THAT St. Stephen was a Jew is unquestionable, himself
owning that relation in his apology to the people. But whether he was of
Hebrew extraction and descended of the stock of Abraham, or whether he was
of foreign parents incorporated and brought into that nation by the gate of
proselytism, is uncertain. The name Stephen, which signifies a crown, is
evidently Greek; but the priest Lucian, in the history of the discovery of
his relics, and Basil of Seleucia,[1] inform us, that the name Cheliel,
which in modern Hebrew signifies a crown, was engraved on his tomb at
Caphragamala. It is generally allowed that he was one of the seventy-two
disciples of our Lord; for immediately after the descent of the Holy Ghost,
we find him perfectly instructed in the law of the gospel, endowed with
extraordinary measures, both of the interior and exterior gifts of that
divine Spirit which was but lately shed upon the church, and incomparably
furnished with miraculous powers. The church of Christ then increased
daily, and was illustrious for the spirit and practice of all virtues, but
especially for charity. The faithful lived and loved one another as
brethren, and were of one heart and one soul.
The rich sold their estates to relieve the necessities of the poor and
deposited the money in one common treasury, the care whereof was committed
to the apostles, to see the distribution made as everybody's necessity
required. Heaven alone is free from all occasions of offence, and the
number of converts being very great, the Greeks (that is, the Christians of
foreign countries, who were born and brought up in countries which spoke
chiefly Greek or at least were Gentiles by descent, though proselytes to the
Jewish religion before they came over to the faith of Christ) murmured
against the Hebrews, complaining that their widows were neglected in the
daily ministration. The apostles, to provide a speedy remedy, assembled the
faithful, and observed to them that they could not relinquish the duties of
preaching and other spiritual functions of the ministry, to attend to the
care of tables; and recommended to them the choice of seven men of an
unblemished character, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, who might
superintend that affair, that so themselves might be freed from distractions
and incumbrances, the more freely to devote themselves without interruption
to prayer and preaching the gospel. This proposal was perfectly agreeable
to the whole assembly, who immediately pitched on Stephen, "a man full of
faith
and the Holy Ghost," and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and
Nicholas, a proselyte of Antioch. All these names are Greek; whence some
think they were chosen among the Greeks in order to appease the murmurs that
had been raised. But it frequently happened that Hebrews changed their
names into Greek words of a like import when they conversed with Greeks and
Romans, to whom several names in the Oriental languages sounded harsh, and
were difficult to pronounce. Stephen is named first of the deacons, as
Peter is of the apostles, says St. Austin. Hence he is styled by Lucian,
archdeacon.
St. Stephen had the primacy and precedence among the deacons newly elected
by the apostles, as St. Chrysostom observes, and being filled with the Holy
Ghost, preached and pleaded the cause of Christianity with undaunted
courage, confirming his doctrine by many public and unquestionable
miracles. The number of believers were multiplied in Jerusalem, and a great
multitude, even of the priests, obeyed the faith. The distinguished zeal
and success of our holy deacon stirred up the malice and envy of the enemies
of the gospel, who bent their whole force and all their malice against him.
The conspiracy was formed by the Libertines (or such as had been carried
captives to Rome by Pompey, and had since obtained their freedom), those of
Cyrene in Lybia, of Alexandria, Cilicia, and Lesser Asia, who had each a
distinct synagogue at Jerusalem. At first they undertook to dispute with
St. Stephen; but finding themselves unequal to the task and unable to resist
the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke, they suborned false witnesses to
charge him with blasphemy against Moses and against God. The indictment was
laid against him in the Sanhedrim, and the saint was hauled thither. After
the charge was read, Caiphas, the high priest, ordered him to make his
defence. The main point urged. against him was that he affirmed that the
temple would be destroyed, that the Mosaic sacrifices were but shadows and
types, and were no longer acceptable to God, Jesus of Nazareth having put an
end to them. It pleased God to diffuse a heavenly beauty and a shining
brightness on the saint's face, whilst he stood before the council, so that
to all that were present it seemed as if it had been the countenance of an
angel. According to the licence given him by the high priest to speak for
himself, he made his apology, but in such a manner as boldly to preach Jesus
Christ in the Sanhedrim itself. He showed that Abraham, the father and
founder
of their nation, was justified, and received the greatest favours of God
without the temple; that Moses was commanded to erect a tabernacle, but
foretold a new law and the Messiah; that Solomon built the temple, but it
was not to be imagined that God was confined in houses made by hands, and
that the temple and the Mosaic law were temporary ministrations, and were to
give place when God introduced more excellent institutions. The martyr
added, that this he had done by sending the Messiah himself; but that they
were, like their ancestors, a stiff-necked generation, circumcised in body
but not in heart, and always resisting the Holy Ghost; and that as their
fathers had persecuted and slain many of the prophets who foretold the
Christ, so they had betrayed and murdered Him in person, and though they had
received the law by the ministry of angels, they had not observed it.
This stinging reproach touched them to the quick and kindled them into a
rage, gnashing with their teeth at the holy martyr and expressing all the
symptoms of unbridled passion. The saint, not heeding what was done below,
had his eyes and heart fixed on higher objects, and being full of the Holy
Ghost and looking up steadfastly to the heavens, saw them opened, and beheld
his divine Saviour standing at the right hand of his Father appearing by
that posture ready to protect, receive, and crown his servant. With this
vision the saint was inexpressibly ravished, his soul was inspired with new
courage, and a longing to arrive at that bliss a glimpse of which was shown
him. His heart overflowed with joy and in an ecstasy, not being able to
forbear expressing his happiness in the very midst of his enemies, he said,
"Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right
hand of God." The Jews became more hardened and enraged by hearing the
saint's declaration of this vision; and calling him a blasphemer, resolved
upon his death without any further process. In the fury of their blind zeal
they stayed not for a judicial sentence nor for the warrant of the Roman
governor, without which no one could at that time be legally put to death
amongst them. But stopping their ears against his supposed blasphemies,
they with great clamour rushed upon him, furiously hauled him out of the
city, and with a tempest of stones satiated their rage against him. The
witnesses who, according to the Levitical law, were to begin the execution
in all capital cases,[2] threw their clothes at the feet of Saul, who thus
partook of their crime.[3] In the meantime the holy martyr prayed, saying,
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling on his knees, he cried with a
loud voice and the greatest earnestness, "Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge." When he said this he had fell asleep in the Lord. This word is
used by the Holy Ghost elegantly to express the sweetness of the death of
the just, which is to them a test after the toils of this painful life a
secure harbour after the dangers of this mortal pilgrimage and the gate to
eternal life. The edification and manifold advantages which the church
received from the martyrdom of this great and holy man compensated the loss
which it sustained in him. Certain devout men took order to inter him in a
decent manner and made great mourning over him, though such a death was his
own most glorious triumph and unparalleled gain. The priest Lucien, who
recounts the manner of the miraculous discovery of his relics in
the fifth century, informs us that they were depositied about twenty miles
from Jerusalem, by the direction of Gamaliel and at his expense.[4] St.
Stephen seems to have suffered towards the end of the same year in which
Christ was crucified.
In the whole life of our divine Redeemer we have the most perfect pattern of
meekness. During his ministry he meekly bore with the weakness, ignorance,
and prejudices of some; with the perverseness, envy, and malice of others;
with the ingratitude of friends, and the pride and insolence of enemies. How
affecting is the most patient silence which he held in the courts of unjust
judges, and through the whole course of his passion! How did he confirm
this example which he had given us by spending his last breath in fervent
prayer for his murderers! With what ardour and assiduity did he press upon
us the practice of this virtue of meekness, and inculcate its indispensable
obligation and unspeakable advantage! St. Stephen inherited more perfectly
this spirit in proportion as he was more abundantly replenished with the
Holy Ghost. No one who is passionate, unforgiving, and revengeful, can be a
follower of the meek and humble Jesus. In vain do such assume to themselves
the honour of bearing his name. In charity, meekness, and humility,
consists the very spirit of Christianity; and scarce anything dishonours
religion more than the prevalence of the opposite spirit in those who make a
profession of piety.
ENDNOTES
1 Basil Seleuc. Or. de St Stephano.
2 Deut. xvii. 7.
3 Acts xxii. 20, and vii. 57.
4 See on the 3rd of August.
(Taken from Vol. IV of "The Lives or the Fathers, Martyrs and Other
Principal Saints" by the Rev. Alban Butler.)
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