Study of the Congregation Book, Week of February 19 to 25, 2024, Chapter 6, paragraphs 1 to 8 and introduction to section 2, “Stephen, full of divine favor and power”, Responses.

Study of the Congregation Book, February 19-25, 2024, Chapter 6, paragraphs 1 to 8 and introduction to the section, “Stephen, full of divine favor and power”, Answers.

Congregation Bible study (30 mins.) bt chap. 6 paras. 1-8 and introduction to section 2.

1-3. a) What difficult situation did Stephen face, and how did he react?

Stephen faced a difficult situation when he was brought before the Sanhedrin, made up of 71 powerful and influential judges who did not sympathize with him. Despite the hostility and danger he faced, Esteban reacted with courage, peace and calm, reflecting on his face the serenity of an angel. His trust in God and his unwavering faith enabled him to maintain his composure despite adverse circumstances.

Esteban's reaction showed remarkable calm and courage, reflected in his face, which according to the description looked like that of an angel. This serenity can be interpreted as a sign of confidence in divine protection and the justice of his cause. Although the judges were blinded by hatred, Esteban's tranquility was evident to them.

b) What questions are we going to examine?

The questions we are going to examine are: How had Stephen previously defended his faith? How can we imitate Esteban's attitude in critical situations?

“They stirred up the people” (Acts 6:8-15)

4, 5. a) Why was Stephen such a valuable brother to the first-century congregation?

Stephen was such a valuable brother to the first-century congregation because he was humble, willing to serve and help the apostles, and full of divine favor and power. His valuable contribution to the Christian congregation was reflected in his helpful attitude, his wisdom in speaking, and his dedication to the work of God.

b) Why does the biblical account in Acts 6:8 state that he was “full of divine favor and power”?

The biblical account of Acts 6:8 states that Stephen was “full of divine favor and power” because God had given him the ability to perform great miracles and impressive things, thus demonstrating divine presence and support in his life. This special grace and supernatural power that Stephen possessed made him stand out as a valuable and powerful servant in the work of God.

Furthermore, it is said that he was full of power because he humbly allowed himself to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Instead of boasting about his gifts and abilities, Stephen recognized that everything he did was thanks to divine intervention and gave all the glory to Jehovah. His genuine interest in people and his focus on serving God and the community rather than seeking personal recognition from him distinguished him and made him stand out as a true servant of God.

6-8. a) What two things did Stephen's enemies accuse Stephen of, and why?

First, they accused him of blaspheming God because he had supposedly spoken against the temple in Jerusalem, considered a holy place by the Jews. Secondly, they accused him of blaspheming Moses because, according to them, he criticized the Mosaic Law and tried to change the customs transmitted by Moses. These accusations were serious for Jewish society at the time, leading to Stephen being presented as a danger deserving of death.

And speaking of the accusation of blaspheming Moses by criticizing the Mosaic law and supposedly trying to change the customs that Moses had transmitted. This accusation was based on the belief that Stephen had defied the teachings and practices established by Moses, which was considered extremely serious for the Jews of the time who greatly valued the law and religious traditions.

These accusations were serious in the eyes of Jewish society at that time, as they involved challenging fundamental aspects of their religion and tradition. Therefore, they presented Stephen as a dangerous heretic who deserved the death penalty.

b) Why will the example of this disciple help us a lot?

Stephen's example will help us a lot because it teaches us how to remain calm and courageous in difficult situations, how to trust in divine power instead of our own abilities, and how to face persecution and false accusation with faith and firmness, because Their testimony inspires us to remain faithful to our beliefs, despite opposition and adversity.

This example also helps us understand how to react when we face false accusations for our faith. First of all, his case shows us that it is common for religious people to use similar strategies to complicate the lives of God's servants. This prepares us to face the possibility of persecution and unjust accusations because of our faith.