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Post by Admin on Mar 31, 2019 5:52:33 GMT -6
Study Begins: March 31, 2019
Discussion Begins: April 07, 2019
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Post by For His Service on Mar 31, 2019 12:06:44 GMT -6
I’m sorry I didn’t post last week, ran out of time however, for the purposes of this post let’s assume that I did because this chapter is basically and chronological continuance of chapter six. To support this I am adding to this post a very short brief on chapter six.
Chapter Six: The Apostles desired to care for the poor and those in need however they placed a higher priority on themselves to preach and to teach. This goes back to the command of Acts 1:8. Therefore the Apostles directed the people to choose seven Godly men full of the Spirit to manage this so that they (the Apostles) could concentrate on preaching, teaching, and prayer. The Church agreed and chose seven men to the office of deacon for this task. Then the Word of God increased, and many were added to the Church. Then Stephen a man full of the Spirit and mighty in the scriptures taught and did mighty wonders and miracles in the presence of all. He disputed with all comers out of the scriptures proving that Christ was the Messiah and none could stand against him. Then those with whom he disputed got “unsavory” men together to lie about him to the people and he was caught up and brought to the council under false charges that he blasphemed the holy places. But all on the council whose eyes were on Stephen saw his face as that of an angel.
Chapter Seven: Now Stephen is given the opportunity to defend himself before the council (the rulers of the people). Stephen proceeds to give a historical account of Israel starting with Abraham and how Abraham worshipped God rightly, and how God chose the fathers of the nation. Stephen precedes right through to Jacob and the twelve patriarchs up to Moses. He expounds how Moses was brought up in the house of Egypt and how he murdered an Egyptian that was mistreating an Israelite and ran away. How God called Moses to lead the people from bondage. In verse 37 Stephen shows that Moses himself foretold of Jesus’ coming. He also expounded upon how the Law was but only for a period of time. Then after coming into the Promised Land and suffering much adversity due to disobedience David was raised up king over Israel and that he desired to build God a house, but it was Solomon who built the house of God. But, Stephen reminds them that God dwells in Heaven and the earth is His footstool as God himself says “hath not my hands made all these things” (verse 50). Then Stephen rebuked the council (Jews) for being stiff necked and always resisting God and reminds them that they all persecuted all the prophets and that it was them that received the Law and did not keep it. Whereupon all the people could not stand to hear the truth and rushed Stephen as one accord and dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death, for he had claimed to see Jesus at the right hand of God. But Stephen before passing prayed to the Lord not to lay this sin upon the people and then he died. And Saul of Tarsus held the clothing of those who stoned Stephen.
A deeper breakdown:
The main connection here is Saul, who held the clothing of those that martyred Stephen. Saul is later converted by Jesus in Chapter 9. It is noted that it is at this point (Stephen’s martyr) that great persecution fell upon the Church, as a whole, and not just specific individuals.
The Hellenistic Jews accused Stephen of speaking against the Temple and the Law. These accusations were not true (6:11, 13-14). They basically got others to lie about Stephen.
Stephen proceeds to answer the charges and gives his testimony in 7:2-53. The pattern in Jewish history that Stephen traced is through Joseph (7:9-16), Moses (7:17-39), and Jesus (7:51-52). There was a similarity among these men and their experiences with the Jews (7:9-10, 25-29, 35-39, 51-52). The Jews consistently were “stiff necked” refusing to be obedient and refusing to accept the authority of God throughout their history. They were selfish and more concerned with themselves than with worshipping and honoring God. The Jews had a cruel master in Egypt and were saved to worship a benevolent master, God. But they refused.
Then Stephen implied what was wrong with the Jews’ attitude toward the Temple (7:48-51). Stephen implied that they didn’t get it. God cannot be contained in some structure built by man. God created everything. God dwells in Heaven. The Jews failed to realize that the Temple was a representation only and not God’s dwelling place.
The Jews thought their Temple in the Holy City was the holiest place on earth, the center of God’s dealings with His people. However, Stephen’s account of Israel’s history subtly exploded that myth. (7:2, 9, 30-34, 36, 38.) Stephen was able to show that God appeared in several “holy places” during Israel’s history.
Stephen also repeatedly mentioned God’s promises to Abraham (7:2-8, 17, 32, 34-37). God’s promises were relevant to Stephen’s view of the Jewish laws. Stephen was able to show that the Jewish laws were always pointing to redemption by Jesus Christ. In other words, Jewish laws had a forward motion towards something; they were not the end all in and of themselves. God’s Law brought sin out in clear fashion showing that no one was able to keep the Law and therefore the need for a savior.
Stephen’s defense clearly addressed several issues in detail. (7:1).
a. Moses and Law (7:22,35-39, 53). Whom the Jews resisted was given the Law to give to the Jews.
b. The Temple (7:41-50). The Jews were quick to disobey God and make their own temple and their own Gods. Stephen was pointing out that the Jews were unfaithful always to the one True God.
Stephen did not just answer the charges against him; he responded with charges of his own (7:51-53). Stephen rebuked their consistent rebellion of God, the fact that they persecuted the prophets who foretold of Christ and finally exposing the fact that they conspired and murdered the Just One and finally, that they had received God’s Commandments and had not kept them. This was such an exposing truth that they just couldn’t bear it. The Truth of God cuts to the heart as it should.
Stephen’s words in 7:55-56 moved his audience to riot and stone him for blasphemy (7:57-58). Why? Because he spoke the truth that he saw Jesus at the right hand of God. The Jews did not accept Jesus. Again, God’s truth pierces the heart as it should.
Stoning is an agonizing death. The significance about Stephen’s response to it (7:59-60) was that it duplicated Jesus’ response on the cross “Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Stephen prayed for his murderer’s forgiveness.
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JB
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Dedicated TruthSeeker
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Post by JB on Apr 9, 2019 8:10:44 GMT -6
Something happened to the study I posted last week, so I created a new one and am posting it here.
Acts 7:1
The Jews had accused Stephen of speaking against the Temple and the Law in Chapter 6, so the High Priest grilled him: “Are these accusations true?” (7:1)
Rather than answering “yes” or “no,” Stephen redirected the conversation and seized an opportunity to share the gospel with them. His sermon was twice as long as the sermon Peter delivered on Pentecost in Acts 2:14-36.
Remember, the charges against Stephen were given through false witnesses:
“Then they secretly induced men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.’ … “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law… for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us” (Acts 6:11-14).
They may have feared breaking the First Commandment (“You must have no other gods before me”) if they worshipped Jesus Christ.
But they repeatedly broke the Ninth Commandment (“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”) by bringing these false charges.
In Stephen's day, the Jews were fully committed to Israel, to its capital city Jerusalem, and to their temple as the only legitimate place to worship God.
So in his sermon, Stephen repeatedly demonstrated that God has always worked in many places and in many ways through the centuries. Worship is not limited to the land of Palestine or to the Jerusalem temple.
Also, remember Peter’s and John’s prayer back in chapter Acts 4:29:
“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus”
Jesus prepared His disciples for this day:
“When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:11-12)
Luke had the privilege of recording those words of Christ in his gospel and also of recording their fulfillment here in Acts.
Acts 7:2-3
Stephen began his sermon by establishing his brotherhood with them. He called them brothers and fathers (“Fathers” were the leaders). He showed them that he knew God’s Word very well. He was not some heretical outsider who denied the Holy Scripture. He was one of them. He too was a child of Abraham and an heir to YHWH’s promises. He too was a beneficiary of the Law given by God through Moses. Eight times in Chapter 7 Stephen referred to the patriarchs as used the phrase “our Fathers.” He also acknowledged four key tenets of the Jewish faith:
• God revealed his glory to Abraham (7:2)
• God appointed Moses (7:34);
• God gave The Law (7:8, 38, and 44); and
• Jerusalem and its temple are holy (vv. 7, 45, and 47).
But notice what he did next. He continued by showing that God’s promises were not completely filled in the Old Testament, and how God’s people kept losing patience and faith that God would deliver on His promises, and how they kept drifting away, and how God kept pulling them back.
Stephen hoped in all of this to connect with their hearts and their knowledge of scripture so that they would be more prepared to accept what followed.
What follows is their indictment. We are all indicted unless we get a get out of jail free card through Jesus’ death and resurrection. In what follows, Stephen shows the accusations made against them.
You and I have known (and maybe are?) people who, when accused of wrongdoing - even with impeccable logic, become bitter, angry, defensive, retributive and vindictive. That’s what happened here. Stephen’s logic in what follows was without flaw. All the ingredients for repentance or retaliation were there.
Acts 7:4-5
Although Abraham was originally from Ur, he lived in Haran until he was 75 years old (Genesis 11:31-32). Haran was his home. When his father died, God relocated Abraham to the land of Jacob, which would become known as Israel. The name “Israel,” interestingly, translates in English as “Fighting with God.”
But even through God moved him there, he never gave Abraham even one foot of it as his inheritance. Instead, he promised to give it to Abraham’s offspring. Even though he didn’t have any children, Abraham believed God’s promise. God credited righteousness to Abraham because of that faith (Gen 15:6).
Acts 7:6-8
God further told Abraham that his children would live in the land as oppressed foreign slaves before they became heirs of the land. Then God would punish the nation that oppressed them.
Acts 7:9-16
The fulfillment of the first part of God’s promise (oppression) came. Isaac’s offspring - by trying to sell their brother Joseph into Egyptian slavery - ended up becoming Egyptian slaves themselves and giving Joseph the opportunity to become the second highest official in the land.
Having no bitterness toward them (after all, they meant it for evil but God meant it for good), Joseph arranged for his father and brothers to come to Egypt to live until Jacob died and was buried in the grave Abraham had purchased.
Acts 7:17-22
Abraham’s / Isaac’s clan continued to grow in Egypt – that is until a new ruler took over Egypt and killed the babies of God’s people. But Moses, through human sin and divine providence, was spared.
Acts 7:23-29
Moses visited Israel and saw one of his cousins being mistreated by an Egyptian. In order to ensure God’s promise would be fulfilled, Moses beat up the Egyptian. The next day he saw children of Israel fighting amongst themselves. This baffled him, so he asked what was going on. They obviously didn’t know that Moses himself saved them from the Egyptian for their own preservation. Afraid for his own life, Moses fled. Israel now, for the first (but not last) time, had rejected the first person of their own blood who tried to save them – their first ruler and redeemer (if those words seem too strong, see v.35).
Acts 7:30-34
So Moses was on his own in the wilderness, rejected by Israel. Forty years later he sees the burning bush, and God tells him through that bush that He is ready to alleviate the Israel’s suffering... And He’s going to do that through Moses, the redeemer they rejected.
Let’s get back to Stephen and the rulers of the temple for a moment. Stephen began by telling them the innocuous things that he had in common with them.
By recounting Israel’s history, he is continuing to show he is one of them, but he’s getting down to the uncomfortable part of their national story. In their own scriptures they can see that they rejected the redeemer God sent to them.
Acts 7:35-36
Stephen is now establishing from their (and his) own scriptures that Israel has a history of rejecting the ones God sent to them. He sent them prophets and they killed the prophets. He sent them a redeemer (Moses) and they refused their redeemer.
Yet despite their rejection of him, Moses led them out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. Through Moses, God continued to sustain them for 40 years in the desert.
Acts 7:37-38
Moses also received the 10 commandments and other oracles from God for Israel, and Moses promised that God would raise up someone like himself, but even greater than himself. We’re getting closer to talking about the Messiah – the one like Moses – whom they crucified.
Acts 7:39-42
God promised them the Promised Land, but they desired Egypt. To demonstrate this, they made idols with their own hands and worshipped them (just as the Egyptians did). So when they turned away from God, God turned away from them.
Acts 7:43
"You don’t want the land I Promised to your father Abraham", God said. "You wanted Egypt instead. So you’ll get neither. I’ll send you to suffer in Babylon."
Acts 7:44-48
Thanks to Moses, they did have the Tent of Witness in the Wilderness. God had not completely abandoned them. His patience is great!
Acts 7:49-50
The Promised Land had become an idol. We know God demands no other gods/idols/things before Him. In fact, that was the very first line written on the tablets of the Law, they just couldn’t see it.
Alright, Stephen has laid it bare to his accusers. Their people – who are also his own people – have a history of rejecting the ones (such as Jacob and Moses) God gave to lead them in His path.
So he brings it down to the altar call...
Acts 7:51-54
This Christ/Messiah, whose earthly name was Jesus, was given to you just as Moses was. You rejected the other prophets, and you have now rejected the Messiah to Whom they all pointed you.
Acts 7:55-58a
So, with Stephen, they once again killed the messenger. That is apparently easier than changing your entire perspective on God, and easier than accepting the fact that you killed God’s fulfillment of His promises to you.
Acts 7:58b-60
Stephen, like Jesus on the cross, begged that his murderers’ sins not be held against them, and his garments were laid at the feet of one of them, who would soon become one of God’s own. What a way to set up the next story!
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