To understand how someone such as Stephen could elicit such a violent response, we should move backward in this story to its beginning. We know nothing about Stephen's status in the community or about his previous vocations. We only know about him through his committed service to the Christian community. Stephen is first introduced as one of the seven laypeople chosen to help the apostles out of a bind.

Burdened by too many people demanding too many services, the apostles realized they must learn to delegate responsibility. Accordingly, seven men "of good standing" (Acts 6:3) were chosen to assist in serving tables filled with widows awaiting their daily rations of food. Stephen is noted as particularly "full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (6:5) among the seven men chosen to provide this ser…