7:54
The correct response would have been to acknowledge their sin and repent, but instead they chose to react with anger. Initially this was internal anger with their gnashing of teeth, but it quickly manifested as external anger in the stoning of Stephen. The same pattern can be observed in the gospels. When God speaks it often brings a conviction of sin. This is part of the work of the Holy Spirit, and we need to recognise that it is. We need to recognise it for our own lives, sometimes God will need to correct us. We also need to recognise it as part of His work in the world. The world will not always react well to the word of God, and the word is not always nice.
7:55,56
Stephen seems to be in a bad position, and outwardly his situation is about to get much worse. But inwardly he is doing well! He was full of the Spirit, and saw the glory of God, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God. What do we want out of life? The approval of men, a feeling of self-righteousness, or do we want to see the glory of God? This is also one of many parts of the New Testament that give the lie to the notion that the divinity of Jesus was something that was only dreamt up many years after Christ’s life on earth. The church knew Jesus was God from the very beginning.
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