Yes — Rome conceded to Judaism and gave the Jews permission to put their own people to death in religious matters, so they could stone Stephen unattended.
Les Feldick teaches that Rome, though pagan, respected ancient religions like Judaism. Therefore, they permitted Jews to manage their own religious affairs, including executing their own people for religious offenses. Since Stephen was a Jew and his case was religion-based, Rome did not interfere when the Jews cast him out and stoned him. In contrast, Rome would never have allowed that to happen to a Gentile.
Acts 7:54-60 — This is the actual stoning of Stephen, where the Jews, without any Roman interference, cast him out of the city and stoned him.
Acts 7:56 — Stephen says, 'I see the Son of man standing on the right hand of God,' which Les says provoked the Jews' anger because it implied Christ was ready to return.
In Acts 7:54-60, the Bible records that the Jewish religious leaders, after hearing Stephen's message, 'were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth' (Acts 7:54). Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, looked up and said, 'Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God' (Acts 7:56). The narrative then shows the Jews reacting with extreme violence: 'Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul' (Acts 7:57-58). The Bible simply records this stoning without mentioning any Roman intervention, showing that the Jews carried out their own form of punishment. Also in verse 52, Stephen had told them, 'which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers' (Acts 7:52). The Bible records the violence as part of Israel's ongoing rejection of God's messengers.
Les Feldick teaches that Rome allowed the Jews to stone Stephen because Rome condescended to Judaism as an ancient religion. He says, 'Rome sort of almost condescended to Judaism, and they even gave them permission to put their own people to death.' Les contrasts this with Christianity, which was not an ancient religion, so Rome tried to stamp it out (Clip 6). Les also explains that Stephen's stoning was the crescendo of Israel's rejection of the King. He teaches that when Stephen said he saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God, the Jews understood from the Old Testament that Christ was ready to return to deal with His enemies (Clip 4). Rather than repent, they were furious and killed him (Clip 0, Clip 1). Furthermore, Les frames this as the third rejection: Israel had killed the prophets, killed the Son, and now in Acts 7 they stoned the Holy Spirit's messenger Stephen (Clip 2). Thus, the stoning was not just a legal anomaly—it was Israel reaching the crescendo of their rejection, after which God turned to the Gentiles (Clip 5).
Les Feldick explains that Rome had respect for ancient religions, and Judaism was an ancient religion. Therefore, Rome 'sort of almost condescended to Judaism' and even gave the Jews permission to put their own people to death. This is why Stephen, being a Jew, could be stoned without Roman interference. Les clarifies that Rome would never have allowed that to happen to a Gentile.
Les Feldick teaches that Rome, though pagan, respected any ancient religion—including their own mythologies and Judaism. Christianity, however, was something new, not an ancient religion. Therefore, Rome tried every way to stamp it out. This explains why Christians faced massive persecution under Rome while the Jews did not. The stoning of Stephen happened before this Christian persecution escalated, and Rome saw it as an internal Jewish religious matter.
Les explains that the Jews knew that Christ was to sit at the Father's right hand until His enemies were made His footstool, and then He would 'arise' or stand, ready to come and deal with His enemies. So when Stephen said he saw Jesus standing, the Jews understood it as a sign that Christ was ready to return. This aroused their anger and caused them to stone him.
Les Feldick teaches that Israel reached the 'crescendo of their rejection' when they stoned Stephen in Acts chapter 7. After that, Israel slid down into dispersion, lost the temple in 70 A.D., and God turned to the Gentiles. Les also frames it as Israel killing the prophets, then the Son, and now stoning the messenger of the Holy Spirit—the third rejection.
Stephen's Vision of Christ Standing
Les explains that the Jews understood from Psalm 67 and 68 that Christ's standing at God's right hand meant He was ready to rule the nations as King, which aroused their anger against Stephen.
Israel's Downward Future After Stephen
Les connects the stoning of Stephen to the point from which the nation of Israel's future goes all downhill in the Book of Acts.
Stoning the Messenger of the Holy Spirit
Les teaches that after Israel killed the prophets and the Son, in Acts 7 they stoned Stephen, thus rejecting the Holy Spirit's witness.
Rome's Respect for Ancient Religions
Les explains that Rome tolerated Judaism because it was ancient, but opposed Christianity because it was new, which clarifies why the Jews could act without Roman interference.
Christ Standing Meant Ready to Return
Les teaches that the Jews knew Christ was to be seated until His enemies were His footstool, and that His standing meant He was ready to return—this sparked their violent rejection of Stephen.
Crescendo of Israel's Rejection
Les says that Israel reached the crescendo of their rejection when they stoned Stephen, after which God turned to the Gentiles.
Rome Gave Jews Permission to Execute Their Own
Les directly states that Rome condescended to Judaism and gave the Jews permission to put their own people to death, which is why Stephen could be stoned without Roman interference.
Introducing Paul: Why God Stopped the Prophetic Clock
So you come down now, and Stephen is approaching Israel by way of the work of the Holy Spirit, and he says, they have slain them, in verse 52, who showed before the coming of the just one of whom now you have been the betrayers, and what's the word? Murderers. I mean, it's as plain as you can put it. They killed him. They murdered him.
Acts 7:54: When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
This shows the Jews' violent reaction to Stephen's message, setting the stage for the stoning.
Acts 7:56: And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Stephen's declaration of Jesus standing is what Les says inflamed the Jews because it implied Christ's imminent return to deal with His enemies.
Acts 7:57: But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
The Jews rejected Stephen's testimony with deliberate violence, stopping their ears to his words.
Acts 7:58: And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
This records the actual stoning outside the city without any Roman intervention.
Acts 7:60: And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Stephen's final prayer mirrors Christ's forgiveness, showing his own heart even in the midst of Israel's rejection.
Psalm 110:1: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
This verse underlies Les's teaching that the Jews knew Christ would sit until His enemies were subdued, making His standing a sign of imminent action.
Les Feldick teaches that Rome had given the Jews permission to put their own people to death within their religious system. Since Stephen was a Jew and the matter was religious, Rome did not interfere. However, this was not a Roman execution—it was carried out by the Jewish religious leaders.
No. Les specifically says Rome would never have allowed that to happen to a Gentile. The Romans permitted Judaism to administer its own penalties only among the Jews themselves.
Les explains that when Stephen said he saw Jesus standing at God's right hand, the Jews understood this as a sign that Christ was ready to return to deal with His enemies. This stirred their anger because they did not want Christ to rule over them.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Rejected Moses — And Then Rejected Christ