Acts 7:56Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Even if he had spoken falsely, they ought to have released him as one beside himself. But he said this in order to turn them. Since he had spoken only of Christ's death and had said nothing of the resurrection, he now fittingly adds teaching on this subject too. He says that Christ appeared to him just as he relates, so that, even in this way, he might dispose them to receive his words. To say that He sits at the right hand of God would have been unbearable for them. Therefore he proclaims only the resurrection and says that Christ stands at the right hand of God. I think that his face also was glorified by this vision. Through the very thing at which they were indignant, the God Who loves mankind wished to call them to Himself, even if there were nothing more.

“And Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Standing signifies firmness and immovability. Moreover, they themselves had already allowed this. By that time they already considered Him to be standing.

After these words Stephen could no longer expect mercy for himself. It pleased the Lord to strengthen his courage by a vision of the opened heavens and of his Savior in the form of the Son of Man, standing at the right hand of God. Stephen was not afraid to confess this before his enemies and judges, who were growing savage with malice. After this, his judges could no longer restrain their fury. They led him outside the city as a blasphemer, to stone him. In accordance with the requirement of the Mosaic Law (Deut 17:5), the witnesses began to throw the first stones. For convenience they took off their garments and laid them for safekeeping at the feet of Saul, who took a most active part in Stephen's murder (Acts 8:1).

Carried above every thought of danger by this wondrous theophany, he seemed to desire that even his enemies might share in the vision. He cried out: “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

"Being filled with the Holy Spirit," and so forth. The more the hearts of the unjust judges burned with evil passion, and the more they were filled with the evil demonic spirit, the more the soul of Christ's faithful witness was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit overshadowed him with special power, embraced him, and caught him up to the things above. In spite of his furious and malicious judges, Stephen lifts his gaze to heaven, as Christ did in the most solemn moments before His sufferings (Jn 17:1). Enfolded by the Holy Spirit, in prophetic ecstasy and in a vision, he sees what bodily eyes cannot see. No one present with him saw it except him. He saw the glory of God (cf. v. 2, "the God of glory"), the heavenly light in which God especially manifests His presence.

Saint Stephen's vision of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, in human form, standing in the heavens at the right hand of God, was a worthy conclusion to his speech, glorious in zeal and inspiration. Here, one may say, all divine powers and means were displayed before a human tribunal. The Holy Spirit spoke in Saint Stephen, and through him said everything that could be said to the members of the Sanhedrin. Finally, the glorified Messiah Christ Himself and God the Father Himself were manifested, as the seer of God related. But the stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart gave another explanation to everything. Hearing, they heard nothing. The vision was evident, for Saint Stephen, looking up to heaven, saw the heavens opened, that is, illumined with light without limit.