Acts 6:8-15 Arrest of Stephen
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 Cyre′nians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cili′cia 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.
It is traditional to regard “the Seven” as the first deacons, and they are usually depicted as such in icons. But Saint John Chrysostom and others saw that the ministry of the Seven extended far beyond the social and liturgical roles we normally associate with deacons. As here with Stephen, they could function more as inspired presbyters, preachers, healers, missionaries and articulate defenders of the faith. It was precisely Stephen’s success in debate with his fellow diaspora Jews and their humiliating defeat (as they saw it) which provoked his arrest. But what was equally infuriating to his opponents, Stephen was calm and unperturbed by their accusations, lies and threats.
Jerusalem was filled with zealous Greek-speaking Jews (Hellenists) who had returned to Judea from places of slavery, immigration or exile across the Roman Empire. And there were numerous “ethnic” synagogues to give them a sense of home. Jews from Cyrene (Libya), Alexandria (Egypt), Cilicia in Asia Minor (this included Tarsus, Saul/Paul’s home town) each had their own synagogue. So did “the Freedmen.” Libertinos is a loan word from Latin libertini, who were freed slaves. It’s likely that the Jews who met there had lived in Rome as slaves and then upon receiving their freedom returned to Judea.
As often happens with immigrants, they hold on even more tenaciously and conservatively to their customs than those who remain behind. So Stephen’s opponents would have been especially enraged by their perception that he was introducing novelties. Indeed, they connect God, the Law of Moses and their customs so intimately that any change is seen as a blasphemous threat to the holiness of the faith they have inherited. And in combating this threat there are no holds barred.
Update
Yesterday His Beatitude and the officers had an informative meeting with the RBO leadership. Apart from this, as we were giving a tour of the Chapel and Chancery we discovered several connections of living history. Venerating the relics of Saint Alexis of Wilkes-Barre RBO Vice-President Basil Russin noted that his own father, aunts and uncles had been baptized by Saint Alexis. And in a photo of Metropolitan Leonty from the 1950’s, he recognized his father standing in the congregation of Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre (where Basil still attends). Additionally, as we were looking at a large group photo of the 1955 9th All-American Sobor at Holy Protection Cathedral in New York (at which Metropolitan Leonty presided), RBO President John Wanko pointed to himself sitting there as a young man.