Who Killed Stephen?

Then they dragged him out of the city ...

 - From Acts 7

Who were these people that dragged Stephen out of the city? The same ones that then began to stone him? The ones that, when Stephen began to preach the gospel - - - which, simply, is sharing what he has witnessed with his own eyes, and ears - - - plugged their ears and cursed him?

We could spend some time discussing the sick, childish behavior of Stephen's persecutors.

But for now, let's consider who they were.

Well, they were led on by their leaders. But who were their leaders? Yes, the Scribes and Pharisees, of course. And yes, the Romans. So, the religious leaders and the government wanted to silence Stephen. The wealthy? Yes. 

And of course there are exceptions to all of the above.

But where are the Scribes, the government, and the wealthy (I should have added "the learned" as well), in this narrative? Notice that, when the crowds begin to act erratically, and violently, the "leaders" always seem to disappear from center stage. The person(s) actually inciting crowd violence are invisible handlers at the scene. They are probably financed, and encouraged, by the nominal leaders. But we certainly do NOT see the Scribes, the Pharisees, the wealthy, and the learned, denouncing the crowds. They do not try to rein them in. They are silent. 

There's a lot of psychology there. When people are silent in time of social unrest, perhaps it is because they all fear (we all fear) coming under the power of a random and angry mob. 

"Whew! I'm glad they're not coming after me! I'll just lay low." So that, if you can influence a crowd against someone else, you have the assurance that, at least for now, they're not coming after you. 

A lot of psychology, indeed.

I heard a preacher, just yesterday, explain that the Scribes and Pharisees, and the Romans; the very people that killed Christ and persecuted His followers; were the "political Conservatives" of their day.

Huh?

Thanks, preacher. Our society really needs influential people dividing us even more.

Could it be that the persecutors were actually what they actually were? Not a political group. Not a philosophical group. But rather, a group with power that feared a changing order. Could it be that it was the government, and the clergy (people with fancy titles and colorful robes) that loved their influence and have a lot to lose if a movement started by uneducated people, takes root?

The bad guy is never us. It's always The Other.

Who killed Stephen? Who wanted him silenced . . . to a violent degree?

Who wants the Church silenced today? Who looks the other way when crowds get violent?