The response to change that involves loss.
You have likely heard that people resist change. This is only partially true. People resist change when there is loss involved. For instance, if your boss told you that you were going to receive a 20% raise and 5 more days of vacation, it would be unlikely that you would resist this change. No, you see, people resist change when there is some loss involved such as losing salary or vacation days.
This truth of resisting change when loss is involved seems to be what is occurring in Acts 6. The people and leaders of Jerusalem cannot "withstand the wisdom and The Spirit" of a follower of Jesus: Stephen. Nor can they deny the "great wonders and signs among the people." So, some of the members of "the synagogue of the Freedmen" rise up and "instigated men" to lie about Stephen. They are able to also 'stir up the people, elders and the scribes so as to bring him to the council. Instead of accepting this change, which is likely to create loss of authority and status, they conspire to kill Stephen.
Stephens defense of himself is unassailable but the people and the religious leaders have him driven out of Jerusalem and kill him. They could not accept that there was a change that would mean the loss of their authority and status as religious leaders or a religious system that is being changed by Jesus as Messiah.
What is so shocking about this are the tactics of religious people in their opposition to loss. Is it possible that even religious people could be this deceptive when facing loss? It is a sad fact that religious leaders and people have done terrible things to "save" their position. They are unwilling to change because there will be some loss.
REFLECT: How have you seen religious people be unwilling to change simply because it will mean loss in their position or practices? Are we willing to admit that we resist change because of some loss that may be personal?