Bible Commentaries

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.

Then there was a famine. Genesis chapters 39-50 tell about Joseph.

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 that version says Joseph had nine sons, which would make the seventy-five.

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 12:6-7), Yet Jacob is the one who bought the grave-site (Genesis 33:18-20). McGarvey thought this was a copyist's error, but the very oldest manuscripts have Abraham. Stephen evidently had some information which we do not have.

When the time drew near. For the people of Israel to come out of Egypt. (Acts 7:7).

It was at this time that Moses was born. Exodus chapters 1-2 tells about this.

He was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was raised as the son of Pharaoh's daughter (Hebrews 11:24).

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.

After forty years had passed. God's choosing and sending Moses is told in Exodus 3:1-10.

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.

God will send you a prophet. This prophecy destroys the charge against Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19. God's living message. The Law. Compare Romans 7:12-14.

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 rejection which led to their captivity in Babylon. The stars of heaven. Compare Deuteronomy 17:3. People of Israel! The quotation in Acts 7:42-43 is from Amos 5:25-27. The animal sacrifices were offered to God, yet the people really intended them for their "star gods." Moloch. Sakkuth. Babies were burned as human sacrifices to this god (Leviticus 18:21). Rephan. Kaiwan [= Saturn?]. Perhaps the Ashtoreth of the O.T, who would be worshiped in immoral ways. [The quotation follows the Septuagint.] And so I will send you away. Stephen shows that Israel has always been rebellious, and God has punished them for it. [Probably two million Jews came out of Egypt (compare Numbers 1:45-46), yet during the forty years in the desert, all perished except Joshua and Caleb.]

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 must have been a small "model" which they carried with them. When they went in with Joshua. [Joshua and Jesus are the same name in Hebrew.] They took God's tent with them into Canaan. To provide a house for the God of Jacob. David wanted to build a temple to replace the tent, but God would not allow him to do it See 2 Samuel 7:1-17; 1 Chronicles 22:7-8; 2 Chronicles 6:1-11. But the Most high God. The tent was superseded by the temple, as God commanded. But God does not confine himself to any human construction (2 Chronicles 6:18); therefore the temple itself would be superseded. [This would make them insane with anger!] But Jesus had predicted this (John 4:21-24; Matthew 23:38-39); and the Christians preached it (compare Acts 17:24-25). Acts 7:49-50 quote Isaiah 66:1-2 from the Septuagint.

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 like their ancestors, whom Stephen has just described as rebels. They resist the Holy Spirit. Compare Romans 2:25-29.

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.]

They became furious. Satan uses their own sense of guilt to drive them insane with anger! Compare notes on Revelation 14:13). For the Christian, death is graduation from the school of life.