Stephen does signs and wonders and unbelievers start arguments against him.

Acts 6:8-10

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“And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.” Acts 6:8-10

On the map below, it is seen where the “Freedmen” were from, also referred to as the “Libertines”. The places mentioned in the verse above are circled in red on the map below. Cyrene was within Libya and Alexandria within Egypt. Stephen was in Jerusalem at this time, which is east of Alexandria near Palestine. It is believed that the Freedmen/Libertines had a synagogue somewhere near Jerusalem.

Who were the Freedmen/Libertines? They were slaves who were granted their freedom, adopted the customs of the Jewish people, and built their own synagogue called, Synagogue of the Freedmen/Libertines. Apparently, that synagogue was built around Jerusalem. They were probably the slaves of Romans before granted their freedom. The Freedmen/Libertines were granted worldly freedom but were still in bondage to the written laws of Judaism. They were not able, or willing, to accept Stephen’s message that freedom and liberty came by serving God through faith in Jesus Christ not through the laws of Judaism. Also, after earning their freedom, they did not want to risk losing their freedom by angering the Romans nor the Jewish people. Therefore, by arguing with Stephen against Jesus Christ, they were proving their loyalty to the Jewish customs.

Today, people are granted worldly freedom by adopting the customs of the community culture. Those customs include living for the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. They prove their loyalty by their unbelief in God, their rejection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their unbelief, and by resisting the presence of the Holy Spirit. As we live for Jesus Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit, Holiness becomes our way of life. That Holiness is designed for glorifying God and lifting up the name of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is a process that weeds out ugly attitudes anything that causes doubt or scrutiny concerning Jesus as the Christ and Son of God, our Lord and Savior.

The Freedman/Libertines were filled with doubt and scrutiny towards the Gospel of Jesus Christ and inwardly they were filled with strife, conflict, debate, and hostility towards Stephen. They followed the teachings of the unbelieving Jewish leaders who said anyone using the name of Jesus was committing blaspheme and deserving of imprisonment and even death. Stephen did wonders and signs through the Spirit of God in the name of Jesus Christ, and this stirred up unHoly wrath towards Stephen. The Freedmen/Libertines purposely picked an argument with him, but they were not able to argue against the wisdom of Stephen, wisdom flowing from the Spirit and Holiness of God.

As followers of Jesus Christ, anytime we glorify God the Creator, speak of the need for the forgiveness of unbelief through Jesus Christ, and welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit, there is going to be debate, conflict, strife, and hostility from those of today’s culture. Our Lord Jesus says, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1