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“You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. 

- Acts 7:51-58

In Matthew's description of Jesus' trial, the high priest orders Jesus to say whether he is the Messiah. Jesus' response is fascinating, not least because he doesn't say, "Yes - I'm the Messiah".

First, he says - "that's what you say"! Why would you call a duck a duck? If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, etc. Why would you call someone the Messiah?

Second, he says, "I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven". This tips the high priest over the edge, who considers the language blasphemous, and tears his holy robes.

In Stephen's trial, it's that same claim that finally ignites a volatile situation - "I see the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God". It is this kind of talk which condemns both Jesus and Stephen to death.

Why was Son of Man talk was worse even than Messiah talk? All over the Bible, 'Son of Man' is just a poetic way of saying 'human'. The answer lies in Daniel 7, where the prophet has a Son of Man vision. In that vision, the arrogant beast-kingdoms of the earth are judged and thrown down. A human figure is led into the presence of God and given an everlasting kingdom, and all the people of the earth serve him.

The Jews hoped for a King-Messiah, a human saviour from the line of David who would bring about national redemption through political and military means, but Son of Man vision takes things to a different level. This is not about any mere human, but The Human - sharing in 'Ancient of Day's' authority over all things. Jesus' claim was to be more-than-Messiah. And Stephen's vision was a confirmation that Jesus death, resurrection and ascension meant that he had been enthroned not as a human king, or the 'king of our hearts', as the songs say, but the Lord of everything.   

Times of suffering come to us all. When they do, it is worth remembering it was this revelation of a reality more real than everything which he could see and hear around him - the stones, the fists, the curses - that sustained Stephen through fear and pain and into the presence of Jesus. It's not politicians, influencers, despots, bankers, generals, judges or tech-entrepreneurs that are in control. Jesus, Son of Man, is on the throne.