Acts 7:1
IS THIS REALLY SO? That is, "What do you have to say in your own defence?... [ Continue Reading ]
IS THIS REALLY SO? That is, "What do you have to say in your own defence?... [ Continue Reading ]
STEPHEN ANSWERED. His answer is to give an outline of Jewish history, from Abraham to Christ. This is to show that the "spiritual temple" which is the church of Christ [the messianic community] is the fulfillment of the Jewish Age. A true child of Abraham will listen to the prophecies of Moses and t... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD DID NOT THEN GIVE. Abraham had only the promise by faith.... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL LIVE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY. Egypt. See Genesis 15:13-16. FOUR HUNDRED years. From the birth of Isaac to the Exodus. It was four hundred and thirty years from the calling of Abraham (Galatians 3:16-17; Exodus 12:40).... [ Continue Reading ]
AS A SIGN OF THE COVENANT. _Genesis 17._ All Jewish male babies received this sign. See notes on Colossians 2:11-12 for a contrast between this and spiritual circumcision.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PATRIARCHS WERE JEALOUS. Joseph's brothers. As they rejected Joseph, their descendants rejected Christ. BUT GOD WAS WITH HIM. God raised him to an honored position in Egypt.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THERE WAS A FAMINE. _Genesis Chapter s 39-50_ tell about Joseph.... [ Continue Reading ]
SO JOSEPH SENT A MESSAGE. Joseph, the rejected brother, becomes the savior of his kinfolk! THERE WERE SEVENTY-FIVE PEOPLE IN ALL. Stephen quotes from the Septuagint [Greek translation of the Old Testament], as did Christ and the apostles who used this version almost exclusively. Genesis 46:27 in tha... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR BODIES WERE MOVED TO SHECHEM. The bodies of Joseph and his brothers (Joshua 24:32). Jewish tradition says the brothers were buried there also, Jerome, in the fourth century, said their graves could still be seen. WHICH ABRAHAM HAD BOUGHT. Abraham built an altar to God at Shechem (Genesis 12:6-... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE TIME DREW NEAR. For the people of Israel to come out of Egypt. (Acts 7:7).... [ Continue Reading ]
18-21. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT MOSES WAS BORN. _Exodus Chapter s 1-2_ tells about this.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS TAUGHT ALL THE WISDOM OF THE EGYPTIANS. He was raised as the son of Pharaoh's daughter (Hebrews 11:24).... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN MOSES WAS FORTY YEARS OLD. Exodus 2:11-15. The point Stephen brings out, is that Israel rejected Moses, just as they did Joseph and Jesus. Yet they knew how God had chosen both Joseph and Moses to be their leaders and saviors. This implies God had chosen Jesus also.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER FORTY YEARS HAD PASSED. God's choosing and sending Moses is told in Exodus 3:1-10.... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES IS THE ONE WHO WAS REJECTED. He comes down hard on this fact! He does this to reach the climax of Acts 7:37.... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD WILL SEND YOU A PROPHET. This prophecy destroys the charge against Philip, which accused him of blaspheming Moses. Since Moses spoke about a prophet who would supersede himself, the one who truly gives honor to Moses honors the One whom Moses spoke about.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS THE ONE. That is, Moses. Stephen still shows them their ancestors did not honor Moses. THE ANGEL WHO SPOKE TO HIM. Compare Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19. GOD'S LIVING MESSAGE. The Law. Compare Romans 7:12-14.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT OUR ANCESTORS REFUSED TO OBEY HIM. These verses sum up the disobedience of Israel. Stephen shows that the rejection of Jesus has roots deep in their own past. Compare Exodus 16:3; Exodus 17:4; Exodus 32:1-14. BUT GOD TURNED AWAY FROM THEM. Stephen condenses many centuries into this record of rej... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR ANCESTORS HAD THE TENT OF GOD'S PRESENCE. [_Tabernacle_ is an old word for _tent._] This tent was a "portable temple," and served to focus the worship of God and act as a witness to the Covenant. Compare Hebrews 9:1-10. Stephen contrasts God's tent with the "tent of Moloch" (Acts 7:43) which mus... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW STUBBORN YOU ARE! Stephen now makes the application of all he has said. [Remember: the Holy Spirit is directing him.] They are _stubborn_ like the ox that has to be _driven_ to pull his load. Their hearts are _heathen_ [alien and cut off from God]. They are _deaf to_ God's message. They are just... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS THERE ANY PROPHET? Compare Matthew 23:29-36. THAT WAS HANDED DOWN BY ANGELS. Compare Hebrews 2:1-5. The Jews had an unhealthy interest in angels. [Compare note on Colossians 2:18-19.]... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY BECAME FURIOUS. Satan uses their own sense of guilt to drive them insane with anger! Compare notes on _Revelation 9_.... [ Continue Reading ]
LOOKED UP TO HEAVEN. _"Happy are the dead who from now on die in the service of the Lord!"_ (Revelation 14:13). For the Christian, death is _graduation_ from the school of life.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SON OF MAN STANDING. Compare notes on Matthew 26:64-65.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH A LOUD CRY. Some seventy-two solemn councilmen, who are official guardians of the Law, become a "howling mob." _McGarvey_ says: "But the maddest pranks ever played upon this mad earth are witnessed when wicked men set themselves in uncompromising opposition to God and his holy truth.... [ Continue Reading ]
THREW HIM OUT OF THE CITY. Even though they are committing murder, they are very careful to do it outside the "holy city" (Leviticus 24:14). AND STONED HIM. The Romans crucified; the Jews stoned. THE WITNESSES. They had to throw the first stones (Deuteronomy 17:7). A YOUNG MAN NAMED SAUL. This is th... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD JESUS, RECEIVE MY SPIRIT! This shows his confident faith! HE KNELT DOWN. The point is, that like Jesus, he prayed for his enemies. AND DIED. Stephen's death was murder because: (1) no vote was taken in the Council; (2) The Roman governor's consent was not obtained (see note on John 18:31).... [ Continue Reading ]