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Observe here, The great character given of St. Stephen; a man full of the grace of God, full of faith, full of power to work miracles, mighty in word and deed; able to do all things, and to suffer all things through Christ that strengthened him.
Observe, 2. The violent opposition which this good man met with in the way of his duty.
He is, 1. Encountered by disputation with the heads of five colleges in Jerusalem, namely, Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians, and Asiaties.
Behold here, an admirable act kept, wherein St. Stephen was the respondent against whom opponents appeared from all parts of the then known world; but all too few to resist the wisdom and Spirit by which he spake. He asserted the truth so convincingly, that all his opposites had no power to oppose him. See here how faithful Christ was in fulfilling of his promise, I will give you a mouth and wisdom, Which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or oppose Luk_21:15.
2. His adversaries being baffled in their disputes, they burn with revenge; they hire men to accuse him falsely, that they might take away his life. The best arguments of a baffled adversary are ever found to be craft and cruelty: it has been and old artifice of the devil, to swear innocent men out of their lives: And therefore it is next to a miracle, that no greater number of innocent persons have been murdered in the world by perjury and false accusation; when so many thousands hate them, who make no conscience of false oaths.
Observe, 3. The charge and accusation brought against Stephen, that he spake dishonourably of the Jewish religion, that he was continually foretelling destruction to the temple, and threatening the change of all the Mosaic rites. It is very probable, that he told them the shadows and ceremonies were to vanish, now the substance was come; and that the Mosaic rites were to give place, that a more excellent and spiritual worship might succeed. For as God was worshipped aright four hundred years before either tabernacle or temple were built, or the Jewish rites instituted: So he might again be truly worshipped after they were abolished.
Observe, lastly, How almighty God, by a miracle, bears witness to the innocency of his holy servant St. Stephen; and to convince his accusers, that he had done no wrong to Moses, God makes his face to shine now as Moses's face had shined of old, and gave him an angelical countenance, in which appeared an extraordinary lustre and radiancy; not that an angel has a face, or shines visibly; but it intimates that amazing brightness of beauty which was instamped upon the face of Stephen. He now began to border upon heaven, and had received some beams of glory approaching: It pleaseth God sometimes to give his children and servants some prelibations and foretastes of heaven before they step into heaven, especially holy martyrs and confessors, who love not their live unto death: to his name and truth; and as they shall shine forth in the kingdom of their Father, so will God sometimes put a lustre upon their faces here: All in the council saw St. Stephen's face, as it had been the face of an angel.