College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Acts 7:1-53
c.
Stephen's defence. Acts 7:1-53.
And the high priest said, Are these things so?
And he said,
Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
and said unto him, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.
Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Haran: and from thence, when his father was dead, God removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell:
and he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: and he promised that he would give it to him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
And God spake on this wise, that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and treat them ill, four hundred years.
And the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.
And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.
And the patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt; and God was with him,
and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time.
And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's race became manifest unto Pharaoh.
And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, three score and fifteen souls.
And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, himself and our fathers;
and they were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver of the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
But as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
till there arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live.
At which season Moses was born, and was exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father's house:
and when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works.
But when he was well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, smiting the Egypttian:
and he supposed that his brethren understood that God by his hand was giving them deliverance; but they understood not.
And the day following he appeared unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
Wouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?
And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons.
And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord,
I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them: and now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
THE DAMASCUS GATEBAB EL AMUD (GATE OF THE COLUMN).
The northern entrance to Jerusalem.
Out of the northern gate of the ancient city of Jerusalem went the proud Pharisee on his way to Damascus to bring back bound to Jerusalem all those of the Way. But he himself came back through the same gate bound to the one he went to persecute. There are multitudes of persons who go in and out of glory than Saul of Tarsus gate with no more thought of the king of glory than Saul of Tarsus in the long ago. Through the northern entrance came Paul and Barnabas with the offering for the poor saints in Jerusalem. (Acts 11:27-30) Once again they must have come with an offering for the poor. (Acts 21:17) As Paul returned to the city of Zion from time to time did these familiar places call to his heart the events associated with them? Have you traveled the Damascus road? Have you gone through the northern gate?
This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? him hath God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.
This man led them forth, having wrought wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
This is that Moses, who said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me.
This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living oracles to give unto us:
to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,
saying unto Aaron, Make us gods that shall go before us: for as for this Moses, who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.
But God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacrifices Forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch,
And the star of the god Rephan,
The figures which ye made to worship them:
And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he should make it according to the figure that he had seen.
Which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered on the possession of the nations, that God thrust out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.
But Solomon built him a house.
Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet,
The heaven is my throne,
And the earth the footstool of my feet:
What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord:
Or what is the place of my rest?
Did not my hand make all these things?
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers;
ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.
Acts 7:1-57 Remember as we consider this defense that Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin to answer the charge of blasphemy. He evidently thought it would be best to approach this charge in an indirect manner. He did this because of the terrible antagonism against Jesus already existing in the Sanhedrin.
Thus this Grecian Jew who was full of wisdom evidently felt that if he used an analogy the rulers would see the evident application and yet would not be offended, thus giving them the greatest opportunity to accept the Messiahship of Jesus. With this thought in mind Stephen devoted his discourse to a review of Jewish history. He could not have selected a more appropriate subject, for these men were exceedingly proud of their heritage. Note this: Throughout the entire history of the Jews he weaves the thought that every man whom God sent to the nation of Israel was rejected and mistreated; that there was not one man sent from God who was accepted for what he was. In the case of Joseph, the Patriarchs refused him and sold him into Egypt. Moses was twice rejected. The application of this narrative should have been self-evident. The application that fairly shouts from Stephen's account is that the rulers of the Jews in his day were doing with Jesus exactly what their fathers did with Joseph, Moses and all the prophets.
While the above comments contain a brief resume of Stephen's message it is well to point out here that Stephen did not close his sermon without giving a direct answer to the charge of speaking against the temple. He answered the accusation by saying that God did not dwell in temples made with hands. It was even as Isaiah had said: The heaven is my throne, for all these things hath my hands made. The earth is the footstool of my feet. What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord. Or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hands make all of these things? So, if the temple was to be destroyed (and it was), this would not destroy the dwelling place of Jehovah.
221.
In what manner did Stephen approach the charge of the blasphemy?
222.
How did the method used by Stephen give to the Sanhedrin the greatest opportunity to accept Jesus as the Christ.
223.
What thought is interwoven throughout the entire message of Stephen?
224.
What is the self-evident application of Stephen's sermon?
As the young Grecian Jew looked into the faces of those before him, he saw as he drew near the end of his narrative that all of his wisdom and earnestness was not going to avail in convincing these Jews that they should accept Jesus as the Messiah. There was nothing they could say against it but they were not going to accept it. The response of those before him must have been one of cool indifference mingled with self-righteous judgment. To see this expression upon the faces of those before whom you were pleading for life would have filled with icy fear the heart of one less brave than Stephen. In the heart of this noble soul there was aroused nothing but a great passionate indignation that these men could face the truth and yet refuse it, these who above all others were to be devoted to a search for and acceptance of the truth. Stephen could no longer forebear. If these men would make the application he would make it for them. It was not that they did not see, nor that they did not understand, it was only that they would not. From his pent-up heart there burst forth these words:
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed them that showed before the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers; ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels and kept it not.
We do not deem it necessary to give an extended explanation of each of the verses contained in Stephen's address. Most of these verse are self-explanatory.
Here is an outline of Stephen's defense for careful study: Introduction:
The life of Abraham. Acts 7:2-8.
1)
First called by God in Ur of the Chaldees. Acts 7:2-3.
2)
Removed to Canaan from Haran following the death of his father. Acts 7:4-5.
3)
His seed to be in bondage four hundred years. Acts 7:6.
4)
The judgment of Egypt and the return to Canaan. Acts 7:7.
5)
The covenant of circumcision and the birth of Isaac, Jacob and the twelve patriarchs. Acts 7:8.
225.
How did Stephen answer the charge of blasphemy?
226.
What must Stephen have perceived in the faces of those to whom he spoke? What was the result?
227.
Why would it have been reasonable for Stephen to expect these men to accept Jesus as the Messiah? Why didn-'t they do so?
228.
What did Stephen do for these men that they would not do for themselves?
IThe case of Joseph. Acts 7:9-19.
1.
The rejection and ill treatment of Joseph. Acts 7:9.
2.
God was with Joseph and gave him favor in the sight of Pharaoh. Acts 7:10.
3.
The famine resulting in the ending of the fathers. Acts 7:11-12.
4.
At their second visit Joseph manifests himself to his brethren, Acts 7:13.
5.
Joseph sends for his father and all his kindred. Acts 7:14.
6.
Jacob dies in Egypt. The Patriarchs also die and are carried over into Shechem and buried in the tomb which Jacob purchased from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. Acts 7:15-16.
IIThe case of Moses. Acts 7:20-43.
1.
Moses born at the time of the slaying of the infants; was nourished three months at home, when put out was found by the daughter of Pharaoh and reared in her court. Acts 7:20-21.
2.
He was instructed in all the wisdom of Egypt and became mighty in word and work. Acts 7:22.
3.
At forty years of age he attempted to deliver his people from bondage but was rejected. Acts 7:23-28.
4.
Killed an Egyptian in his zeal for his people; lest he be found out he fled to Midian. Acts 7:29.
5.
Having been in Midian forty years and having begotten two sons he was called by God through the burning bush to deliver the children of Israel. Acts 7:30-34.
6.
The very Moses whom they rejected at first was now the one to perform wonders and signs and to lead them out of Egypt through the Red Sea into the Wilderness. Acts 7:35-36.
7.
This was the Moses who spoke of the prophet to come who would be like unto him; this was the man who was in the wilderness and with the angel that spoke to him in the mount and with the fathers who received the living oracles. Acts 7:37-38.
8.
But the fathers were not obedient but longed for Egypt and asked for a Golden Calf while Moses was in the mount. Acts 7:39-40.
9.
The calf was made and they worshiped it. God gave them up to fulfill the prophesy of Amos. Acts 7:41-43.
229.
What were the thoughts of Stephen's introduction and first divisions?
230.
Give from memory three facts about Moses.
IIIThe direct answer of Stephen to the blasphemy charge, Acts 7:44-50.
1.
The tabernacle was movable and perishable in nature. Acts 7:44-45.
2.
The temple was built through David and Solomon but the prophet Isaiah said that even it was infinitely too small to contain the living God. Acts 7:46-50.
3.
Hence, it would not be blasphemy to say that this temple was yet to be set aside and destroyed.
Conclusion:
Stephen makes the application of his message. Acts 7:51-53.
1. Considering the manner in which they received his message they are called stiffnecked like an ox that would not bow its head to receive the yoke. Uncircumcised in heart and ears: this was as much as to say that their hearts and ears were unclean. (cf. Leviticus 26:41; 1 Samuel 17:26; Jeremiah 6:10).
2 He states the evident application of his message. Acts 7:52.
3. Another privilege that was theirs: they had received the law as it was ordained (or given) by angels. But they kept it not. This only added to their guilt. Acts 7:53 (cf. Hebrews 2:2; Galatians 3:19).
d.
The results. Acts 7:54-57.
Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord;
Stephen reached the hearts of his listeners but they were hearts of stone. There was not the spirit of inquiry and honesty that would allow them to receive the word with meekness. There was only the spirit of pride and self-righteousness. Hence, when Stephen let them see themselves as God did they were full of anger and literally ground their teeth at him. They bared their teeth in rage as a dog or any other carnivorous animal.
God gave to Stephen in this hour a vision of his home. Jehovah drew aside the curtain and let Stephen look for this fleeting moment into His very presence. The scripture here paints a beautiful scene. There in front of that angry mob stands Stephen with his face uplifted to God. The Holy Spirit floods his soul, his spirit is totally yielded to the spirit of God. There, as he gazes into the heavens the limitations of material sight are removed and he looks into that spiritual realm. As he looks into the glory that surrounds God he sees Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Luke has told us that Jesus sat down at the right hand of God, but here He stands to welcome home the first martyr to His cause. Speaking under the ecstasy of the vision Stephen cries out to his would-be murderers, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Surely this touching word should stop them in their purpose.
But when pride is injured there is no reason in the actions, They did the only thing they could do; they would hear no more of this, so they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears so as to drown out and hold out these words of truth that were cutting so deeply their stubborn ego, and rushed upon him with one accord, We might observe that this was not a very dignified way for seventy pious elders, lawyers and priests to act,
231.
What two points did Stephen give in answer to the charge of blasphemy?
232.
How could their ears be uncircumcised?
233.
What is the meaning of the phrase gnashed on him with their teeth?
234.
What thought is given as to why Jesus was standing on the right hand of God?