NOTES for Act 7:55-56

What really happened? A man, pronouncing a long speech on Israel’s history, goes into ecstasy, has a vision and tells it. It would seem like what of special, are there not different visions? But the consequences are more tragic: it is particularly after these words about vision that people will fall on Stephen to kill him! What so repugnant did he say?

Stephen speaks of Israel’s way, how this way leads to the coming of the Messiah - everything is normal; when he accuses the spiritual leaders of the people of murdering the Just One, they gnashed teeth, but there is still no crime here. And everything goes to the fact that he should be released. But at that same moment Stephen is being full with Holy Ghost, Who doesn’t only open a wonderful vision to him, but also incites him to testimony about it {the vision}. Calling Jesus Just one, or even Messiah isn’t a crime, but an expression of opinion, while saying that you see Him in the heavens on the right hand of the Father is either truth, either blasphemy. The Holy Spirit doesn’t put up with the incompleteness of choice of the members of the Sanhedrin, quite as He doesn’t put up with our indecision; - He puts people then and now in front of the necessity of giving a concrete and unambiguous answer to the question: Who is a Jesus for me?