Stephen and the Sanhedrin

Stephen was a good man, a pure man. He was filled with the wheat of the Kingdom. His understanding of God grew each day. Just before he was stoned to death he could see the Lord Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

The members of the Sanhedrin, supposedly the most devout men of Israel, were filled with rage, with the spirit of Satan. This is an awesome picture. It reveals how otherwise righteous men can be so deceived by evil.

The Orthodox Jews to this day are extreme in their devotion to the Torah. The grandfather of a member of our congregation is said to have risen at 2:00 each morning and sat with his feet in a bucket of ice water as he studied the Torah. He did this to keep from falling asleep.

The religious Jew is very diligent, very sincere in his worship of God. He will do anything to please God. And yet, here was the Sanhedrin of Israel judging a servant of God. The spirit of Satan, of murder, filled the members of the court. At this point the leaders of Israel were sons of the wicked one.

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. (Acts 7:54)

Let us all take heed because any one of us could be as deceived as they. Let us search our heart to see if any of the four characteristics of Satan are active in us.

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