Paul tells us how and what to fight (Eph. 6:11, 12). We must show the scholars clearly the two great battles Stephen fought and the victory he won as described in today's lesson. The charges made against Stephen were made by "false witnesses." This does not mean men who invented false words, but men who took isolated statements, distorted them and by innuendo used them for their own ends. Stephen was charged with three things: (a) blasphemy against God (6:11-13), (b) That he had said Jesus would return and destroy the temple (6:14), (c) That he claimed that Jesus would destroy or abrogate the law (6:14). This great passage of Scripture is so profound and so closely connected that we hesitate in trying to separate it into divisions or sections. We much prefer to note the logical argument and presentation Stephen the Spirit anointed deacon made to the Sanhedrin.
I. Stephen's Defense. Stephen was a Grecianized Jew, whose name means "a crown." He answered the charges of these foreign accusers, made before the Sanhedrin, seriatim. His point of contact was to respectfully remind the council that he was an orthodox Jewish believer and worshipper (v. 2). He called the council "Men, brethren and fathers." They were common believers and all were standing before the God-appointed leaders of Israel. Stephen in his reply showed that he reverenced God and God's prophet Moses, thereby answering the first charge (v. 11), and while he reverenced the temple he showed that it was  Not essential to worship (7:47:49). This last was in answer to their second charge (6-14). 