Acts 7:2

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,

'BRETHREN'-'perhaps shows that. crowd of bystanders lined the walls of the judgement hall.' (Reese p. 271)

'FATHERS'-'out of respect to the elder and more dignified portion of the Sanhedrin.' (P.P. Comm. p. 214) Carefully note that God expects us to keep our cool, and to continue to speak respectfully, even when faced with false accusations and lies.

'THE GOD OF GLORY'-The God characterized by glory, whose visible glory was seen by their ancestors (Exodus 2:18). This statement quickly answers any charge of blasphemy against God.

'APPEARED UNTO OUR FATHER ABRAHAM'-Stephen starts with Abraham because for all practical purposes the Jewish nation, and Jewish history began with Abraham. Reese notes, 'A recitation of the history of the Jews as. favorite topic among the Jews, and would secure their rapt attention. They loved to hear their history recounted.' (p. 272)

'WHEN HE WAS IN MESOPOTAMIA'-The word "Mesopotamia" means the land between the rivers, i.e. between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

'BEFORE HE DWELT IN HARAN'- Genesis 12:1 ff records God calling Abraham out of Haran, after the death of his father. But additional O.T. passages reveal that. previous revelation from God had called him out of Ur of the Chaldees (Nehemiah 9:7; Genesis 15:7; Joshua 2:3). Therefore those critics who charge Stephen or Luke with being historically inaccurate on this point, are in reality the poor students of the O.T.