What was Stephen teaching about the King and the Kingdom that made the religious leaders accuse him?
Stephen was proclaiming the coming of the King and the Kingdom. He taught that when the King came, the Mosaic system of law and temple worship would fall by the wayside, the New Covenant would become reality, and everyone would be in right relationship with God. Religious leaders therefore charged him with blasphemy against Moses, the holy place, and the law.
Les explains that Stephen’s message was a continuation of the same Jewish program. The dispute arose because Stephen was talking about the coming of the King and the Kingdom. When the King would come, the whole format of the Mosaic system of law and temple worship would fall by the wayside, because the King would come in. The New Covenant would become a reality, and they would no longer have to study and witness; everybody would be in right relationship with God. When Stephen and the rest of these Jewish believers were proclaiming that, the religious section of Judaism said, “Hey, no way! We’re not going to let anything change the way we have always done things.” They stirred up the people, elders, and scribes, set up false witnesses, and accused Stephen of speaking blasphemous words against Moses, God, the holy place, and the law, claiming he said Jesus of Nazareth would destroy this place and change the customs Moses delivered.