It’s good to see how many of these include Saul (later Paul) holding the coats of the killers. I’ve heard some preachers say that Paul had some kind of physical disability that prevented him from participating more directly (”this thorn in my side”).

Also...”lapidation”

I learned a new world today!

Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen

Author: John Mason Neale (1853)

Tune: TEMPUS ADEST FLORIDUM

1 Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gath’ring winter fuel.

2 “Hither, page, and stand by me, if you know it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes’ fountain.”

3 “Bring me food and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither,
You and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither.”
Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together,
Through the cold wind’s wild lament and the bitter weather.

4 “Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger,
Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer.”
“Mark my footsteps, my good page, tread now in them boldly,
You shall find the winter’s rage freeze your blood less coldly.”

5 In his master’s steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, while God’s gifts possessing,
You who now will bless the poor shall yourselves find blessing.

It is from the same root as ‘lapidary’.............

So, Saul was on the Injured List, which kept him from doing what he really wanted: being another chucker.

'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

54 garzi shows an angel reaching down to him with the crown in his hand (as do other depictions of the scene as well), and I wonder if he had at this point he same peace and absence of pain that the martyrs in Rome had when boiled alive they were singing praise to God and likely also praying that their tormentors be forgiven too. Hopefully Steven was so fixed on what he was about to encounter (heaven) that he stoning was inconsequential to him- thus robbing th3 cretins of their ‘joy’ of seeing him suffer.

People on their deathbed who have suffered terribly have described seeing Jesus right before they pass, reaching out to the person, and being calm and assured, which resulted in easing their transition into the afterlife- i think at that point, the peace of God reigns in Hat moment and in the person- the peace that passeth all understanding.

When it is time, may Jesus make up our dying beds so that we can die easy, no matter what the circumstances are, as the old blues song goes.

Lovely post, Bob. My pastor described sitting at the bedside of many believers who were at the point of death, and they often said to him, "I must go now. Jesus is calling me."

Have you noticed how 'ugly' these scenes appear? - especially #56, Reichlich, and Dore captures its violence and cruelty well.

In #48, Strobel paints Paul - looking out at us.

Even if an artist wanted to, there is no way to sugarcoat a stoning.

Hello Dan, and good mid-week to all.

A great deal of art is devoted to this topic; and wonderful windows too.

The power of grace, led by the energy of the Holy Spirit; may we give as much grace as Stephen did.

Thank You Dan.

Stephen’s noble example is well-commemorated by Scripture. Much like the woman whom Jesus predicted would be remembered forever for her meritorious act, so Stephen joins the blessed few Scripture remembers.

Brutal!
Thank you for the stained glass windows!

Rocks and glass....

Die fenster are well protected by yours truly....

Alba Fensterguard

In #73 Stephen is not cowering or pleading for his life, but he appears to be reaching up to the joy that awaits him in heaven.

The books Foxes Book of Martyrs and Jesus Freaks are filled with accounts of the dying being wrapped in peace and not suffering in pain.
In all His mercy, God buffers the pain.

Years ago I was in a very bad automobile accident and did not feel a thing for about six hours, however I was very lucid...because I was in shock. Maybe the same kind of mechanism?

especially the ones with rocks lodged in Stephen's cranium

Yes, that book is why i wondered if he was not conscious of the pain-