Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)
First Reading:
From: Acts 6:8-15
Stephen's Arrest
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[8] And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. [9] Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. [10] But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. [11] Then they secretly instigated men, who said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." [12] And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him, and brought him before the council, [13] and set up false witnesses who said, "This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law; [14] for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us." [15] And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
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Commentary:
8-14. From the text it would appear that Stephen preached mainly among Hellenist Jews; this was his own background. Reference is made to synagogues of Jews of the Dispersion (Diaspora). These synagogues were used for worship and as meeting places. The very fact that these Hellenist Jews were living in the Holy City shows what devotion they had to the Law of their forebears.
No longer is it only the Sanhedrin who are opposed to the Gospel; other Jews have been affected by misunderstanding and by misrepresentation of the Christian message.
The charge of blasphemy--also made against our Lord--was the most serious that could be made against a Jew. As happened in Jesus' case, the accusers here resort to producing false witnesses, who twist Stephen's words and accuse him of a crime the penalty for which is death.
15. St. John Chrysostom, commenting on this verse, recalls that the face of Moses, when he comes down from Sinai (cf. Exodus 34:29-35), reflected the glory of God and likewise made the people afraid: "It was grace, it was the glory of Moses. I think that God clothed him in this splendor because perhaps he had something to say, and in order that his very appearance would strike terror into them. For it is possible, very possible, for figures full of Heavenly grace to be attractive to friendly eyes and terrifying to the eyes of enemies" ("Hom. on Acts", 15).