Testament (2025): And Tomorrow [s1e06]

This post is part of a series looking at Testament. Spoilers throughout

The sixth episode of Testament opens with a medium close-up of Stephen with his eyes closed. The camera smoothly pans back to reveal he is standing in a circle of Christians praying outside. "Keep me safe my God" we hear him pray in his head "for in you I take refuge".

Given the fact that Stephen's fate is well known, this opening strikes an ominous tone. Stephen has been easily the most likeable character in the entire series. Moreover, as the audience's way in the the mechanics of the early church, we've looked at all these events unfolding through his eyes. We've been encouraged to identify with him; and now we hear his inner monologue. A cry for safety taken from Psalm 16:1, which we already know will not work out for Stephen in the way in which anyone who prays such a prayer hopes it will.

The focus in this episode shifts quite markedly to Stephen, to the extent that "the twelve" barely feature, aside from an episode (pictured below) where they decide it's time to start to take Jesus' message further afield. This in itself is quite an interesting change. In the Bible, this decision is recalled in the immediate aftermath of Stephen's (Acts 8:1) death, which is either read as a reaction based, at least in part, around safety concerns, or as God encouraging them to increase in boldness, or follow Stephen's bravery. This relocation makes their decision a bit more strategic, but it also highlights the point that the disciples did seem to take a while before they cracked on with fulfilling the Great Commission.

Incidentally, the composition of this scene is fantastic. The below still doesn't really do justice to its balance, but at least gives a sense of the composition and tenebrist lighting. I love the way the eye is drawn to Barnabas on the far right of the screen (goodness knows the church will need his encouragement after this episode) and then to John's white shirt in the centre of the screen.

As ever we're introduced to new characters. Ade emerges from the fringes of the story in this episode, not only as someone who encourages Stephen, but also as someone who is trying and failing to tell the difference between the crazy stuff that God does and the crazy things that God doesn't do. "I tried to jump over the members" Ade confesses sheepishly. "Jump?" Simon queries: "...Fly..." Ade explains "...like 'Fly on wings like eagles'". There's a knowing smirk from Simon Peter, a man who walked on water and who ultra-conveniently caught a fish with a coin in its mouth and who can apparently see some kind of fundamental difference.

The two most significant 'new' characters in this episode are Abdiel – the leader of the Libertine Synagogue in Jerusalem (wordplay on Acts 6:9's "Synagogue of the Freedmen", or rather its title in the Greek Libertinon) – and his daughter Talia. Talia is a former school friend of Stephen. We're first introduced to her through a conversation she's having with a friend in a café. As it happens it's the café where Stephen's mum works, so Esther listens in, both out of curiosity and fear for her son's safety.

Talia is one of those in Salem who is becoming increasingly interested in what the followers of Jesus have to say. In her conversation in the café she talks about them going to synagogue and answering everyone's questions about Jesus. Later is reunited with Stephen and encourages him to keep going to the meeting and keep doing what he's doing.

Her father, on the other hand, could not be more opposed to what is happening. Abdiel is becoming increasingly unhappy about the way the apostles are muscling in on the meetings he is running and promoting these beliefs that he finds utterly at loggerheads with his community's beliefs. Moreover, his preacher, Minister Noam, has become a follower of Jesus leaving the synagogue without a lead teacher.

Perhaps surprisingly, it's Saul who steps up to fill this vacancy. Having been marginalised by the temple Saul is at something of a loose end. Abdiel and others from around the city who feel the same are starting to agitate and protest near the temple. "Let them join their messiah" one of them cries. Saul and Mara observe one such protest. "They're reporting that their places of worship have been invaded by heretics" Mara explains, "more and more people are complaining each day".

Saul knows he wants to do something about the followers, so his frenemy Minister Ananias suggests he take on the vacancy. He attends another meeting at Libertine and comes away seething. Between him, Abdiel and those who share their views, they hatch a plan to deal with Stephen at the next meeting which Talia unwittingly encourages Stephen to attend, despite the twelve having instructed their followers not to put themselves in danger by speaking at synagogue meetings.

As Stephen makes his way there, we once again hear his inner monologue. "Keep me safe my God, for in you I take refuge. Do not leave me. Without you God nothing makes sense. Give me the courage to speak. Give me the right words. Remind me to love like you and when I lose my words, do not leave me God. Don't leave me" "

It's fascinating watching how quickly things escalate once he arrives at the meeting. Stephen is unaware of what awaits him. He goes along determined not say anything during the meeting and just to speak to anyone who wants to chat afterwards. But the plan against him has already been agreed and set in motion. "This is a synagogue", Abdiel declares, "there will be no more questions for him". The accusations and lies gush out and suddenly Stephen is overwhelmed and out of his depth.

Saul and his mob drag Stephen off to the Sanhedrin. It's a bit unclear why they think that is the best course of action. Abdiel and his associates have been annoyed by the temple authorities' perceived failure to take firm enough action with Jesus' followers. They are already making false accusations and seem ready to physically attack Stephen. Are they hoping to persuade them to change course or giving them one last chance to endorse their preferred course of action before they take things into their own hands?

On an emotional level this is a fantastic episode. I've only gradually clocked-on to the fact that the writers credited for each episode vary between the director/show-runner Paul Syrstad, his wife Faith Syrstad and Kenneth Omole (who plays John in the series). Here, only Faith Syrstad is credited with writing the episode. It's excellent, something which is confirmed by the fact that, at the time of writing, the episode has a perfect 10 rating at IMDb, which I've never encountered before. Admittedly that's unlikely to last (scores there usually dip a little after some initial enthusiasm) but it's a good indicator of how strong this episode is.

I think what I admire most about this episode is its honesty. Stephen prays for protection, as David did before him and millions of Jews and Christians have done ever since, and he seems to trust in that. And yet the difference between Stephen and David is that David lived a long enough to die in his bed of old-age. In contrast, Stephen is about to be cut down in his prime. While some will make the claim that his prayers are answered in an eternal sense, that's doesn't seem to be the way his prayers were intended. Stephen appears to have a naïve expectancy that just as the apostles were freed by an angel in episode 5, so too will he also be safe. And, of course, even today there are Christians in various parts of the world who are killed for their faith. They too trust in God and pray for safety (and are too often forgotten by Anglo-American Christians complaining about 'persecution' because of things like workplaces asking them to use people's preferred pronouns).

Yet many Christians live with that dichotomy of trusting their God, but knowing that, aside from an eternal sense God may not protect them in the way that they desire, be that at moments of life-threatening persecution or during minor elements of their normal, everyday lives. Yet so often in Christian storytelling, this dichotomy is absent. Too many reach for dishonest platitudes rather than truth. By having us watch Stephen's decisions and hear his prayers when we already know his tragic fate the Syrstads transform the story of Christianity's first martyr into a searing honest examination of the life of faith.