Acts 7:57-58 Angry at Stephen and cast him out

Good morning all. God is so good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO COMPLAIN!

   I say too blessed to complain, yea, I fall into the trap of complaining about something.  I do what I wish not to do, and do not do what I wish to do.  Think about Stephen.  He stood strong, powerful, and with conviction in his faith in Jesus Christ as the messiah and to spreading the word.  Even tho' the truth will cost him his life.  Let's look at verse    ⁵⁷ Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

These people could not hear the truth. Please understand that they were angry by the calm and quiet attitude of Stephen.  He did not rant and rave (as our modern politicians do), just presented the facts in a calm orderly manner. The people were not happy, they were upset, angry, to the point of being violent.

   They quit listening to Stephen because THE TRUTH HURTS.  When they ran upon him with one accord this means a mob mentality - they all attacked.

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.
 We never know God's plans and what he has laid out. Remember this verse and then realize how it comes in to play in the future. 
    These people took Stephen out of the city as they were filled with anger. He spoke the truth, but the truth was challenging who they were, what they believed, and their positions in the community.
  The Jewish form of death was to stone a person, it does appear that the Sanhedrin and members of the council provided the oversight for the murder of Stephen.  By Roman law, this was not legal, however, if Pilate, or the high ruler  at the time looked the other way, then, it didn't happen.  How often does this happen in modern society? 
  Anyway, the action was carried out. The witnesses cast the first stones. However, please note that whatever Biblical version you use it will say: the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
  No where does it say Saul (later Apostle Paul) participated in the death of Stephen, however, he did

consent to his death, he guarded the clothes of those who first stoned Stephen.  No where that I have searched did it indicate that Saul cast a stone.  But, he was part of the death mob.  Do you think this plagued him in later years?  Hmmm! Tomorrow, how Stephen reacted. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny