Lesson 356

(Lesson 356)(08-05-12) Acts 6:9-15, "Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."

This lesson depicts the circumstances leading up to the last sermon Stephen preached. It was a message to the leadership of the Jews after they had forcefully taken him and accused him of blaspheming their synagogue and the law of Moses.
The latter portion of this lesson says Stephen appeared to have the face of an angel. I'm not sure I know what that means. The word "angel", as it appears here, is taken from the Greek word "aggelou", and according to Strong's bible dictionary, 'aggelou' means, "a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God".

Stephen's appearance must have, in some way, been altered by the Holy Ghost that surrounded him. I suppose, those of us who are saved, will find out what those physical changes were when the Lord comes back. But for now, we'll just have to wonder.~