Acts 7

Acts 7:1-60

Acts 7:1-60 THE PROMISE IS FOR ALL:LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF ACTSNotes For Lesson Seven: Understanding History Through Jesus (Acts 7:1-60)This chapter presents the lengthy discourse made by Stephen when he was brought before the Sanhedrin on the false charge of blasphemy. While the chapter is most remembered for the climax - the first martyrdom of a Christian recorded in the New Testament - it is even more significant for the lesson. While similar in some respects to the other gospel proclamations we have already seen, it also establishes several deeper themes. History Lesson (Acts 7:1-43)Stephen begins his answer with a detailed historical review of the age of the patriarchs and the events of the Exodus. He thus answers the charges against him (see Acts 6:11-14) by identifying his ministry in Christ as the true fulfillment of Moses and the law. He shows that, understood properly, there is no conflict between Jesus and Moses. His discourse also establishes some important themes from Israel’s history that have often defined God’s relationship with his people.

The speech begins with the age of the patriarchs (Acts 7:1-16). Stephen starts with God’s appearance to Abraham for some very good reasons, not least of which was the Jews’ view of him as the founder of their people. Stephen reminds them of the inheritance that Abraham was promised, noting that Abraham saw the fulfillment of only a tiny fraction of the promises God made to him*. The Jews had historically been fixated on the geographic aspects of their inheritance, but God’s promises to Abraham went far beyond the Promised Land. Looking ahead to the era of Joseph and his brothers, Stephen demonstrates that Israel remained God’s people even when none of them lived in the land of “Israel”. Amongst other implications, this demonstrates that physical locations (such as the temple) are of lesser importance to God than are spiritual relationships. Stephen’s statement in Acts 7:5 that Abraham received “no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground” may seem to be something of an exaggeration in one sense, in that Abraham did live much of his life in Canaan, the Promised Land. Yet, as Hebrews 11:9 tells us, “he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country”, that is, he never took permanent possession of any part of the land. And his descendants would have to wait many generations before taking lasting possession of Canaan. Stephen next refers to the period of oppression in Egypt (Acts 7:17-29). For many years, the Jews had to endure hardship and slavery. Persecution is one of the constant themes in the history of God’s people. Note that God’s true people have always been the ones patiently enduring, never the ones doing the persecuting. To this theme, Stephen adds the account of the birth and youth of Moses, against whom Stephen is charged with blaspheming. The story of God’s raising up of Moses to lead his people out of bondage combines several important ideas.

Those Jews who trusted that God would deliver them would have expected the deliverer to come from within, not from the royal house of Egypt. In fact, when Moses made his first efforts to help his own people, he was rejected and despised. Stephen shows that he understands Moses and his call better than do these Jews who claim to honor Moses. Their reasons for rejecting Jesus would most likely have led them to reject Moses, had they been part of that generation. Stephen is establishing an important and unpopular theme, by demonstrating how often God’s people have rejected the leaders God has chosen for them because those leaders do not fulfill the people’s worldly expectations.

Eventually, of course, Moses led the people in the Exodus from Egypt (Acts 7:30-38), and this is the next topic in the speech. Moses was not made the leader because of popular will or because of his own decision or his own talents, but because he was called by God. Moses himself was most reluctant to accept this responsibility, but the true leaders of God’s people are always those whom God has chosen, not those who have chosen themselves. The leadership and legacy of Moses were very often thought little of in his own lifetime, but later generations of Jews revered his memory. Yet they were no better, and Stephen is in fact warning his listeners that they are about to reject Jesus, who is worthy of even greater honor and obedience than Moses was.

Even the Jews who accepted the leadership of Moses in the Exodus soon launched a rebellion in the desert (Acts 7:39-43), rejecting not only Moses but God himself. Spoiled by the very blessings God had given them, that generation could never enter the Promised Land. And though their descendants did obey and enter Canaan under Joshua, in time they would make their own mistakes. Eventually the time came when God had to send his people into exile, to discipline them. Since they would not accept the teachings of the prophets, instead rejecting and even persecuting them, God had to take more drastic steps. This too is a theme in the history of God’s people. God gives us every chance to listen to his gentle whispers, but should we prove hard-hearted, his love for us dictates that he must discipline us firmly enough to get our attention. For Discussion or Study: How does this account of Israel’s history answer the charges against Stephen? If any of his hearers had been truly interested in hearing the truth, what would they have gotten out of Stephen’s lesson? What lessons are we meant to get from it? A Call to Understand (Acts 7:44-53)Stephen concludes his lesson with a ringing challenge, calling the Jewish leaders to understand the implications of their own history, rather then being blind and short-sighted by rejecting Jesus. It was not too late for them to repent, if they could only have humbled themselves. Stephen’s tone, though, suggests that their hearts may already be too hardened for them to reconsider their ways.

Referring to another important theme from Israel’s history, Stephen calls them to reconsider their perspectives on God’s House (Acts 7:44-50). From the tabernacle in the desert to Solomon’s temple, to the rebuilding of the temple after the exile and the renovation done shortly before Jesus’ lifetime, much of Jewish life and worship centered on a physical place of worship. Part of this was at God’s command, since only there could acceptable sacrifices be made. And yet the Jews had added to its function an unhealthy focus on the temple as a physical site, rather than emphasizing its more important function as a symbol of God’s presence. Stephen quotes from Isaiah 66, where God points out the folly of thinking that God is constrained to a physical site of human making. God’s true house is not made by human hands, but rather is found in the temple of the Holy Spirit, in the hearts of all those who believe and obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Having answered the charges against himself, by showing that the gospel of Jesus is the true fulfillment of all that Moses taught and did, Stephen then makes a counter-charge against his accusers (Acts 7:51-53). They were the ones who were rebelling against God, or as Stephen refers to it, resisting the Holy Spirit. Because they had allowed their emotions to cloud their judgment, because their traditional practices were more important to them than obeying God himself, because they were jealous of their own worldly influence and position, they could not hear what the Spirit was saying to them. Indeed, most of them did not even want to hear it. This is an unfortunate trend in the history of God’s people, both in the Bible and ever since. Those people who consider themselves “religious” are often the most resistant to the Spirit’s guidance, because it is such a temptation for them to feel that they already know everything.

These Jews clung to the law, not realizing that rejecting Jesus meant rejecting the law, because Jesus was the fulfillment of the law. So too, we must always be ready to acknowledge that the habits and customs that are familiar or comfortable to us are not in themselves the essence of the gospel. For Discussion or Study: What was wrong with the Jews’ focus on the temple and other historical places and practices? If these things caused a problem, why did God institute them in the first place? How could they have used these things in a more appropriate way in their relationship with God? Consider what lessons these ideas hold for us. An Inevitable Conclusion (Acts 7:54-60)It comes as no real surprise that Stephen’s audience does not appreciate his lesson. To accept the truths he is revealing, even from their own law, would mean turning from years of pretense and phony religion. While this would have been spiritually healthy, their pride and insecurity made it impossible. They literally refuse to listen to Stephen speak any more, and the confrontation ends in violence. For the first time in the book of Acts, a believer is actually killed for teaching the gospel.

At the end of Stephen’s lesson, he sees a vision that will sustain him in what is about to happen (Acts 7:54-56). There is a remarkable contrast in this scene that bears thinking about. The audience has now become restless, hostile, and angry. Acts describes them as “gnashing their teeth”, a graphic way of illustrating the intense agitation they are feeling. And yet Stephen himself - though he is the one in grave danger, while the crowd can take safety in its numbers - is calm and joyful, looking into the sky and seeing the glory of God. He quite literally sees what they cannot see. His vision is clear in every respect, whereas their vision is completely faulty.

The confrontation ends with Stephen’s death (Acts 7:57-60). The crowd’s rage leads them to abandon all rational behavior, along with any pretense of listening to another point of view. Luke’s description of them would be quite amusing if it had not led to such a violent result. Their insecurity is so deep that they cannot listen to another word of Stephen’s convicting message, so they make noise and cover their ears like immature children. Without responding to any of Stephen’s carefully developed points, they drag him outside the town and stone him without further delay. Yet, far from retaliating or demonstrating anger or even self-righteousness, Stephen’s calm last words echo Jesus’ words at his own death.

While a painful and fearful outcome, this is yet a victory for the believers, who have now shown their willingness to teach the truth regardless of the response. They have also seen an example of truth, security, and love in the face of mindless hatred and violence.

For Discussion or Study: What enabled Stephen to face a painful death? What can we learn from him to enable us to endure our own comparatively minor trials? What has happened to the crowd to cause them to lose control of themselves so badly? What dangers do we learn from them, against which we should guard ourselves?

• Mark W. Garner, April 2002

Acts 7:54-60

Acts 7:54-60 STEPHEN’ S DEATHAct_7:54-60 and Acts 8:1-2 54 Now when they heard these things,—“ These things” refer to what Stephen had said in his defense, and especially to the things that he had said in verses 51-53. “ They were cut to the heart,” which literally means “ sawn through,” as in Acts 5:33. They were not convicted of their sin; they hardened their heart and turned from the truth. This was the effect that Stephen’ s speech had on them; he became the occasion for their hardening their hearts. “ They gnashed on him with their teeth.” This was an expression of the frenzy of rage, only restrained by a brute-like grinding of the teeth. Stephen’ s address had the same effect on his auditors that Peter’ s address had on the Sadducees. Stephen had sent a saw through the hearts of the Pharisees, and they with a loud noise, and a grinding and gnashing of their teeth, like a pack of hungry, snarling wolves, rushed upon Stephen. No uglier sight could be pictured than we have here of these frenzied, religious people. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit,—There is a wide contrast in the spirit manifested by Stephen and that of the members of the Sanhedrin. Again it is stated that Stephen was “ full of the Holy Spirit,” and what he said and did was guided by the Holy Spirit. Stephen “ looked up stedfastly into heaven.” He turned his face heavenward and away from such ugly expressions as could be seen on the faces of these frenzied people. As he looked into heaven he “ saw the glory of God,” which was a vision of God and his glory. Stephen also saw “ Jesus standing on the right hand of God.” At this time Jesus was “ standing” as if he had arisen to encourage Stephen in his contention for Christ. This is the only reference to the attitude of Jesus as “ standing” after he ascended to heaven.

Jesus is usually represented as “ sit-ting” in the majesty and sovereignty of his glory. No one else saw the vision but Stephen, and there is no use to speculate as to the reality of it. 56 Behold, I see the heavens opened,—Stephen described his vision there to this frenzied people. Some think that Stephen here referred to the words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 26:64. Stephen here refers to Christ as “ the Son of man” ; this was a name frequently used by Christ when speaking of himself, but never by any other speaker or writer, save Stephen. Such a vision must have comforted Stephen and enabled him to receive with meekness the affliction of stoning. 57-58 But they cried out with a loud voice,—The charge that Stephen had made against them, that they had killed Jesus, was made very irritating now by the declaration that Stephen saw Jesus so exalted. It was an offensive proclamation of the doctrine of the resurrection, which the Sadducees denied; it was also reasserting that the crucified Jesus was coequal with God. They must have regarded this statement of Stephen as one of the strongest examples of blasphemy, spoken here in the presence of the Sanhedrin; hence, they “ stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord.” The word for “ stopped” literally means to hold their ears together with their hands, as if to say that they would not listen to such blasphemous words. No trial was had; no vote was taken; no question was raised about what was the right thing to do; they rushed upon him as the hogs did down the cliff when the demons entered them. (Luke 8:33.) They rushed him out of the city with their wild violence “ and stoned him.” They were scrupulous to observe the letter of the law with murder in their hearts. (Leviticus 24:10-16; Numbers 15:35-36; 1 Kings 21:13; Hebrews 13:12.) “ Witnesses” laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. This is the first mention that we have of Saul. The witnesses had to cast the first stone. (Deuteronomy 17:7; John 8:7.) They laid aside the outer garments to have free access with their arms. 59 And they stoned Stephen,—As Stephen prayed, he was stoned; the witnesses against him had taken off their outer garments and Saul had kept the clothes of those who did the preliminary stoning. (Deuteronomy 17:7.) It has been discussed frequently as to whether the Sanhedrin passed sentence on Stephen; some think that there was no decision or judgment rendered, and that the Sanhedrin with others became infuriated at Stephen’ s speech and rushed upon him, took him out of the city, and stoned him without any formal trial or decision. Others think that a decision was rendered hastily and the execution as hastily carried out. Another difficulty has been discussed, and that is that the Jews could not put to death anyone they tried; the Sanhedrin could pass the judicial sentence of death, but could not carry it out. (John 18:31.) They could pass the sentence of death (Matthew 26:66; Mark 14:64), and were as guilty as if they had executed their sentence. Stephen’ s prayer was made to Jesus to receive his spirit. The prayer to Jesus was equivalent to calling on the Lord. (Acts 9:21 Acts 22:16; 1 Corinthians 1:2.) Jesus had encouraged his disciples to expect mansions of rest. (John 14:2.) He had also spoken of everlasting habitations (Luke 16:9), or “ eternal tabernacles.” This is similar to Jesus, as he expired on the cross. “ Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, he gave up the ghost.” (Luke 23:46.) 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice,—Again Stephen’ s prayer is similar to that of his Lord’ s (Luke 23:34), “ Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” The spirit of Christ is a spirit of forgiveness; it leads us to love our enemies and to bless them that curse us, and to pray for them who despitefully use us. (Matthew 5:44.) As they pelted his body with stones, Stephen took the posture of kneeling in prayer. His last moments were spent in prayer; “ and when he had said this, he fell asleep.” “ Fell asleep” is from the Greek “ ekoimethe,” which is used to denote “ to put to sleep” ; our English word “ cemetery” comes from this Greek word, and means “ the sleeping place of the dead.” This is an appropriate figure for the death of the saints. Jesus used the term “ sleep” for “ death.” (Matthew 9:24; Mark 5:39; John 11:11-12.) Paul also used the term “ sleep” for death. (1 Corinthians 15:18 1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14.)Questions on ActsBy E.M. Zerr Acts Chapter 7· Who questioned Stephen? · What is referred to by “these things”? · By what titles does Stephen address the hearers? · To whom did God appear? · Where was he living at this time? · In what place did he dwell next? · State what caused him to move. · To what country did he next go? · After what event did he make his move? · How much of the land did Abraham possess? · What did God give him? · How many children did he have at this time? · Tell what sojourning was then predicted. · For how long would this sojourn last? · Name the country referred to. · While there what was to be their treatment? · What would happen to this country? · After that, what? · What covenant was given Abraham? · Who are meant by “twelve patriarchs in the " 8th verse? · How did they fulfill prediction made to Abraham? · What support did Joseph have in his trials? · State the favor shown him at this time. · What condition arose now? · Tell what countries were affected. · Hearing of food in Egypt what did Jacob do? · When was Joseph identified? · What further introduction was made? · Next, what did Joseph do? · According to this account how many came into Egypt? · Where did Jacob die? · What was !Ione with his body? · From whom was this burying place obtained? · Did all the Israelites leave Egypt at this time? · What promise was made to draw nigh? · As it did what occurred among the people? · State what sort of new king arose. · How did he deal with the servant nation? · In what way did he attempt to reduce their number? · Who was born about this time? · Describe his appearance. · Where was his first nursery? · And where was the next? · Tell something of his training. · What accomplishments did he come to have? · What idea came into his heart? · At what age had he arrived? · Did God tell him to take this action? · What defense did he volunteer? · How far did he carry his defense? · What supposition was Moses acting upon? · Was it correct? · What did he see next day? · How did this case differ from the day before? · How was his action here received? · Which of the two men objected to Moses? · Of what act did he accuse Moses? · At this what did Moses do? · How many sons did he beget? · How long was it until the next call? · Name the site of this experience. · How did God identify himself at this time?· Describe the effect on Moses’ emotions. · What was he commanded to do here and why? · Tell what subject was then introduced? · What was God coming to do about it? · Who was to be his agent in the work? · Was he the same who had been previously refused? · How long required to get them into Canaan? · What prophecy of Moses did Stephen quote? · What other facts showed Moses’ importance here? · Did Stephen’s hearers profess to believe Moses? · Should this have affected their faith in Christ? · How did ancient Israel feel about Egypt? · What did they do as result? · To what did God then abandon them? · To what final threat does Stephen then refer? · What institution is meant in the 44th verse? · To what country did they carry this building? · State what building took place of this one. · Was this the real dwelling place of God? · How does Stephen now describe his hearers? · Of whose death does he accuse them? · How had the law been given to them? · What had been their use of it? · How did all this speech affect them? · How did their rage affect Stephen? · What was he permitted to see? · Tell what he said to the people there. · Did they try to disprove it? · How did they manage to hear no more? · To what place did they take Stephen? · When there what did they do? · Who took charge of the clothes? · While being stoned what was Stephen doing? · Repeat his last words. Acts Chapter SevenRalph Starling

The high priest asked Stephen, “ Are these things so?” Stephen replied, “ This is what our history shows.” He began with Abraham, considered number one, Joseph, Moses and Solomon, David’ s own son.

God moved Abraham to where we now stand, To you, his seed, the “ promised land.” To your fathers the covenant of circumcision To be a sign of a special relation.

Later the 12 Patriarchs moved with envy Sold Joseph into Egyptian bondage. 400 years his descendants suffered ill treatment, Then God sent Moses to relieve them.

This Moses was their leader for 40 years, Until a new generation could appear. Moses was the prophet Christ would be like, But the people refused Moses and turned back.

In like manner you refused the prophesied Christ, You have betrayed and murdered Him outright. You had a heart and ears but wouldn’ t listen, And had the Law by Angel’ s disposition.

When they heard these things they gnashed with their teeth, They stoned him, laying his clothes at a young man’ s feet. Stephen prayed the Lord his spirit to keep, When he had prayed he fell asleep.