Unsung Heroes: The Devout Men Who Buried Stephen

Text, Acts 8:1-2, KJV: 1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

Introduction: Stephen was one of the original seven men, sometimes called deacons, who were chosen to assist the Apostles in distributing food (see Acts 6). The second part of Acts 6 describes how Stephen witnessed to many people, was called before the Council (Sanhedrin), and was accused of various items. Stephen, in Acts 7, made his reply to them. The Council members didn’t like what Stephen said and condemned him to death by stoning. Even in his last moments, Stephen prayed for the ones who were stoning him. Should any believer face death for being a believer, may that person display the same grace that Stephen did.

After this, Stephen’s soul went to be with Jesus, but his body still remained in Jerusalem. What was going to happen to his body, and who was going to give his body a burial?

He, the other believers, and we too can be grateful that there were some “devout men” carried Stephen’s body to a burial site (the location was never specified). Then, Luke records they “made great lamentation” over him. How long they did this is never specified either.

But what makes these men unsung heroes? First, they took action to find Stephen’s body and “carried (it) to his burial”. If they were believers, they risked the wrath of the Council, too, and could have been sentenced to death like Stephen. If they were not believers—the text does not say one way or the other—at the very least they showed common decency by allowing Stephen’s body to be abandoned somewhere in Jerusalem to decay or to be eaten by scavenger animals.

Second, they “made great lamentation” over Stephen. This mirrors the pattern of mourners who came to the house of the one who died in order to try and comfort the remaining family. Mourners were at Jairus’ house when his daughter died (see Matthew 9:18, Matthew 9:23-26; Mark 5:22-43; and Luke 8:41-56 for the accounts) and other comforters came to Bethany, to the house of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus after Lazarus had died (John 11).

Third, they faded away, not seeking nor receiving any glory or praise except for this single and singular act of compassion. They will surely be rewarded for this deed.

Whoever they were, we can rejoice that they stood up when needed and took care of a problem. Should you or I ever be in a position to do a good deed, I hope we’ll do it.

Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV)