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Acts 7:1-53 Stubborn Denial (HBH) Stephen's speech was an important part of Luke's narrative. On the one hand, the speech explained Stephen's execution and showed him to be an eloquent and effective speaker. The speech also provided the theological foundation for the gospel's movement into the Gentile world. Stephen did not address the charges as such but used them as a springboard for this message so important to the early church and to Acts.
Three main ideas were addressed by Stephen. The first was the Jewish reverence for the "holy land". Most Jews were convinced that the land was GOD's greatest gift to them, and they considered Palestine to be the place where GOD lived and worked. Stephen denied that GOD was tied to the land, recounting the history of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel) and showing that GOD worked in their lives much more outside the promised land than within (7:2-36). Second, Stephen showed that Moses, the one venerated by the Jews as the great giver of the law, had been constantly disobeyed by the Jews. Stephen cited the idol worship of the Israelites at Mount Sinai as proof. Finally, Stephen noted that GOD allowed Solomon to build the temple because the Jews demanded it; GOD Himself was satisfied with the nomadic life of the tabernacle.
Stephen's speech climaxed in strong words toward the Jews. He termed them "stiff-necked" (a common Old Testament reference to stubbornness) and accused them of denying GOD's prophets, Spirit, and Messiah. In response to the charge that he had blasphemed against GOD, Moses, and the temple, Stephen accused the Jews of failing to obey the law of which they were so proud.
Acts 7:1-53 Stephen's long discourse is more than a simple refutation of the charges against him. Instead of defending himself, he pronounced an argument against his accusers. In place of manifesting a true zeal for the temple and the Law in their opposition to the gospel, the Jews were displaying the same rebellious and unbelieving spirit that characterized their ancestors who resisted GOD's purposes. In a careful summary of the history of Israel, Stephen came to the conclusion that the presence of GOD isn't limited to a geographical place or people in particular.
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Acts 7:5 promised, epangello; Strong #1861: To commit, profess, assert something about oneself, announce what one is about to do (an intention), render a service, make a commitment, assure that one is going to do something. Thus epangello is the assurance that GOD gave to Abraham that the land that he had been shown would one day belong to Him and his descendants.
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Acts 7:8 The covenant of circumcision sought to reflect the personal commitment of obedience to GOD's covenant, but the Jews made little distinction between the ritual and reality. The twelve patriarchs are Jacob's sons, who became the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel.
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Acts 7:33 holy, hagios; Strong #40: Compare "hagiography" and "hagiograph". Sacred, pure, without stain, consecrated, separated, properly reverenced, worthy of veneration, likeness of GOD, GOD's intimate nature, separated for GOD, reserved for GOD and his service. Since nothing that is contaminated can be hagios, purity comes to be a principal component of hagios. A holy GOD requires a holy people. | ||
Acts 7:44 The tabernacle of testimony: The stone tablets of the Ten Commandments were named "the witness" or "the testimony", and were deposited inside the Ark of the Covenant in the tabernacle of Moses.
Acts 7:47,48 Stephen didn't oppose the temple in itself, but the lifeless institutionalism that it had come to represent.
Acts 7:51-53 Stephen's impassioned affirmations led hi to a violent death. Uncircumcised of heart and ears describes those who feel secure because they have been circumcised. Ritualism doesn't place us in good standing with GOD. A change of heart through the new birth and a walk in the ways of faith are the real signs of a true relationship with GOD.
Acts 7:54-8:3 Prayer for Forgiveness By this time the scene had ceased to resemble a trial. The crowd reacted to Stephen's words with hostility and anger. Stephen was filled with the Spirit and had a vision of Jesus in heaven. At this the crowd rushed at Stephen, "dragged him out of the city, and began to stone him" (7:58). Paul witnessed and approved this "execution" (7:58; 8:1). Stephen died with the words of Jesus on his lips, asking GOD to receive his spirit and to forgive the crowd.
This speech is important as one attempts to understand the way in which the gospel moved from its Jewish beginnings to a Gentile world. That the Jews rejected the gospel should be no surprise. Stephen's speech asserted that they had rejected the will of GOD throughout their history as chosen people.
Acts 7:55,56 Son of Man: See the introduction to Matthew, "Christ Revealed". Jesus, who is seated at the right hand of the Father (Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3,13; 10:12), was thus to testify against Stephen's accusers and to receive him into the kingdom of heaven.
Acts 7:58 Saul, who would become the Apostle Paul, was from Tarsus, a locality situated in Cilicia. He may have assisted in the synagogue where Stephen preached (6:9).
Acts 7:60 Stephen's prayer is reminiscent of the one Jesus pronounced at his crucifixion (Luke 23:43).
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Acts 8:1 Church, ecclesia; Strong #1577: It was used in secular Greek to refer to an assembly of citizens and, in the Septuagint, for the congregation of Israel. The New Testament uses the word in the first sense in 19:32,39,41, and in the second sense, in 7:38; and Hebrews 2:12. The dominant usage in the New Testament describes an assembly or company of citizens in the following forms: 1) the total Christian body; 2) a local church integrated by a group of Christians who gather to worship, share with each other and for teaching: 3) the churches of a district. Other terms that are linked to the concept of Church are "spiritual house", "chosen lineage" and "people of GOD". (See "ecclesiastic"). The survival of the Christian church in the face of all its opposers is assured in the words of Jesus that we read in Matthew 16:18: "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it". | ||
Acts 8:4 GOD transforms bad into good (Rom. 8:28). The first official persecution of the Church drove the Christians out of Jerusalem and they preached the gospel wherever they went.
Acts 8:4-8 In Samaria (HBH) In the face of the persecution following Stephen's death, the Christians were scattered. As they spread throughout the area, they also spread the gospel. Philip, one of the seven, found his way into Samaria. As with Stephen, the power of the Holy Spirit was present in the work of Philip. Philip's words and deeds produced a tremendous outpouring of faith among the Samaritans.
Jews and Samaritans did not like each other. Their rivalry had its roots during the time when David's kingdom split into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The captivity of Israel by Assyria and resulting intermarriage between Assyrians and northern Jews produced the racial mix known as Samaritans. The Samaritans worshiped on Mount Gerazim and accepted only the first five books of the Old Testament. The conflict between Jews and Samaritans had religious and political overtones. The two groups simply avoided each other. Philip's work in Samaria was a bold step in the spread of the gospel.
Acts 8:5,6 Philip, like Stephen, wasn't one of the apostles either (6:8), but that didn't constitute an obstacle to his miraculous ministry. Miracles in themselves don't bring salvation, but often attract people to the message. The miracles of the Bible are "signs", each one of which hold an important message, at the same time serving to confirm the veracity of the words of the gospel (Mark. 16:20).
Acts 8:9-25 Ineffective Magic (HBH) Simon the Sorcerer (sometimes called Simon Magnus) stands in contrast to Philip and his works. Simon had held power in Samaria "for some time" as a result of his ability to do miracles (8:9-11). Simon was a magician, and magic was a significant form of religious expression in the ancient world. AS a result of Philip's ministry, many Samaritans came to faith, including Simon. The first portion of this passage reveals the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome any other kind of religious expression. Philip's miracles were done by the power of the Spirit, not through the power of magic or pagan religions.
In order to make the Samaritans full members of the Christian church, the apostles prayed and laid hands on them. The Samaritans received the Holy Spirit, an activity portrayed as separate from baptism. This separation has provided a mandate for the tradition of separating baptism from confirmation and the Pentecostal doctrine of a baptism of the Holy Spirit subsequent to water baptism. In context, however, Luke seems to have focused more on the significance of the Holy Spirit's manifestation than on the chronological order of the events. The animosity that characterized the relationship between Samaritans and Jews would have hindered the acceptance of Samaritan converts by the church in Jerusalem. Peter and John, pillars of the Jerusalem church, were sent to investigate the reports of Samaritan converts. Their approval of Philip's evangelistic efforts would effect a smooth entry of Samaritan converts into the fellowship of the Christian church. The outpouring of the Spirit in this passage (Probably manifested by their speaking in tongues) added the witness of the Spirit to the validity of their salvation.
Not all of the Samaritans had experienced a valid salvation. Certainly Simon, even though he had been baptized (8:13), was not a model Christian. Seeing the power of the apostles to confer the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, Simon offered to buy that power. Perhaps he considered it to be another kind of magic. Peter's response was harsh; he consigned Simon and his money to hell. We are left to draw our own conjectures about Simons future actions and eternal destiny. This passage provided the name for the practice of buying offices within the hierarchy of the church. "Simony" was common enough to be outlawed at many points during the history of the church.
Acts 8:14 Due to the fact that the Samaritans were the first non-Jews to receive the gospel, the Jerusalem church sent Peter and John to Samaria as an official apostolic delegation to investigate (see John 4:9 about Jewish-Samaritan relations. This was the direct fulfillment of 1:8.
Acts 8:15-17 This passage has been subject to unnecessary debate. The sequence of events narrated in verse 12 leaves little doubt that the Samaritans had converted to Christianity. They had already gone through the experience of conversion thanks to the Holy Spirit, evidenced by their baptism in water (verses 12,16). Now, through the ministry of the apostles, they were being led into another significant experience with the Holy Spirit, also described by Luke with the phrase, Received the Holy Spirit", which included allowing him to "descend upon them". (To appreciate the fluidity of Luke's terms, see the introduction to Acts, "The Holy Spirit in Action".) This should be seen as their initial baptism with the Holy Spirit. See the note for 1:5.
Acts 8:18-25 Simon evidently say some external phenomenon that convinced him that the converted Samaritans had received the Holy Spirit...by the laying on of the apostles' hands. Although Luke doesn't identify any external manifestation, some commentaries indicate that it had possible been speaking in tongues. Your money perish with you: Simon's proposal to buy the ability to dispense the power of the Spirit was an evident sin; but more subtle was the sin of desiring the power of GOD to utilize it for selfish ends. The word "simonry", which refers to the buying and selling of ecclesiastical offices and influence, has its origin here. Some ask, was Simon really saved? "Simon himself also believed" and "was baptized" (v.13), but Peter's cutting rejection leaves some doubt about Simon's real position before GOD. Even more, the first writings of ecclesiastical history continued considering Simon as the father of heresies.
Acts 8:26-40 Salvation for a Eunuch (HBH) Philip's evangelistic activity did not end with Samaria. He was also chosen to participate in another advance of the gospel beyond the precincts of the Jewish people. In response to the prompting of an angel, Philip went to a certain road in the desert and met an Ethiopian traveling home from a visit to Jerusalem. Philip was offered the chance to explain Scripture to the Ethiopian, witness to him about Jesus, and baptize him before being transported to another region by the power of the Spirit. On the surface this passage seems an inspiring narrative about the power of the gospel.
The Ethiopian was called a eunuch. This name was used of highly placed bureaucratic officials as well as those with the actual physical deformity, since eunuchs had traditionally filled the most sensitive spots within governments. This person's physical condition is unclear. Our uncertainty about the physical condition of the eunuch (was he really emasculated or merely described that way because he was a high official?) leads to uncertainty about his spiritual standing. The Jewish law did not allow eunuchs to enter the temple to worship (Deut. 23:1), although Isaiah 56:3-5 mitigated the law somewhat by referring to eunuchs as recipients of GOD's love.
Perhaps the context of this story gives us the clearest indication of its importance. The conversion of the Ethiopian is situated between Philip's work in Samaria (in which one racial barrier is overcome) and the conversion of Cornelius in Acts 10. From a literary standpoint we could assume that these stories serve as steps in the gospel's transition from the Jews to Gentiles. If this were the case, then we would consider the Ethiopian to have been a true eunuch, whose ability to worship GOD would always be limited by his physical deformity under the Jewish law. The Spirit, having broken down the racial barrier that denied Samaritan half-breeds religious access to GOD, now had broken down a physical barrier to faith as well. None will be judged based on racial or physical characteristics; entry into the kingdom depends solely on spiritual relationship with GOD.
Stephen and Philip might be overlooked in deference to the importance of the apostles, but Luke set the stage through them for the conversion of the first Gentiles. The gospel has been proclaimed through the power of the Spirit "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria" by the twelve and the seven (1:8). Preparations were being made to carry the gospel unhindered to the "ends of the earth."
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Acts 8:26 Angels as messengers, ANGELS. With the Word of GOD as our source of information, we see that angels can actively help the advance of the Church around the world by transmitting messages. Phillip had evangelized in Jerusalem and Samaria, but an angel-messenger told him to go out on a desert road, where he would encounter the Ethiopian eunuch. Acts 10 also reveals the angelic intervention on behalf of Cornelius, which contributed to the evangelization of the Gentiles. As with the supernatural gifts of the Spirit, angelic activities didn't cease after apostolic times. Angels are still actively involved in what is referred to as the edification of the Kingdom of GOD on Earth. Nevertheless, we should heed Paul's advice, "But if we, or an angel from Heaven should preach a different gospel than the one that we preach, let him be anathema" (Gal. 1:8). Any angelic message should be judged in light of GOD's eternal Word of truth. (Dan. 10:13/Psa. 91:11,12) M. H. |
Acts 8:27 The Ethiopian was a functionary of high rank in the official entourage of the queen of Ethiopia, a man who feared GOD, a Gentile who worshiped the GOD of the Jews.
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Acts 8:27 functionary (KJV-of great authority), dunastes; Strong #1413: An official of high rank, an important personage, a court official, someone invested with power, a government, a sovereign, a prince, a royal minister, a potentate. (Compare "dynasty".) Luke 1:52 suggests that the dunastes of the world systems will be replaced by the Prince of Peace. In Acts 8:27, the dunastes exists only during the reign of Candace, the queen of Ethiopia. The reign of Jesus is a perpetual dunastes, without end.
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Acts 8:28 Reading: in the ancient world was almost always done out loud. During his stay in Jerusalem, this man probably heard talk of the resurrection of Christ and the extraordinary events of Pentecost, and was now reading the scroll of Isaiah, precisely the fragment that spoke of the sacrificial death of the Messiah (verses 32,33).
Acts 8:28 READING ALOUD (Manners & Customs of the Bible by James M. Freeman; pub. 1972 by Logos International)
From verse thirty it is evident that the eunuch was reading aloud. It is still a common custom of the "Orientals generally to read aloud, even when they do it for their own instruction only, and without any intention of being heard by others. They swing the head, and even the entire upper part of the body, from one side to the other as they perform the act, and utter the words with a tone which comes nearer to singing or cantillation than to our unimpassioned mode of reading". - HACKETT'S Illustrations of Scripture, p. 224.
Acts 8:39,40 Philip was miraculously transported by the Spirit of the LORD. He turned up twenty years later, still in Caesarea (21:8).
Introduction to Acts - Ch. 1 - Ch. 2 - Ch. 3 - Ch. 4 - Ch. 5 - Ch. 6 - Ch. 7 - Ch. 8 - Ch. 9 - Ch. 10 - Ch. 11 - Ch. 12 - Ch. 13 - Ch. 14 - Ch. 15 - Ch. 16 - Ch. 17 - Ch. 18 - Ch. 19 - Ch. 20 - Ch. 21 - Ch. 22 - Ch. 23 - Ch. 24 - Ch. 25 - Ch. 26 - Ch. 27 - Ch. 28 - Truth in Action throughout Acts
Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Numbers - Deuteronomy - Joshua - Judges - Ruth - I Samuel - II Samuel - I Kings - II Kings - I Chronicles - II Chronicles - Ezra - Nehemiah - Esther - Job - Psalms - Proverbs - Ecclesiastes - Song of Songs - Isaiah - Jeremiah - Lamentations - Ezekiel - Daniel - Hosea - Joel - Amos - Obadiah - Jonah - Micah - Nahum - Habakkuk - Zephaniah - Haggai - Zechariah - Malachi
Matthew - Mark - Luke - John - Acts - Romans - I Corinthians - II Corinthians - Galatians - Ephesians - Philippians - Colossians - I Thessalonians - II Thessalonians - I Timothy - II Timothy - Titus - Philemon - Hebrews - James - I Peter - II Peter - I John - II John - III John - Jude - Revelation
Chapter 7: Stephen's Defense and Death ("Exploring the New Testament" by Earle, Blaney and Hanson; published 1955)
When Stephen was given the opportunity to speak he presented a resume of GOD's dealings with His people. He spoke at length of Abraham (vv. 2-8), Joseph (vv. 9-16), and Moses (vv. 17-44). Then very briefly he mentioned Joshua, David, and Solomon. This brevity may have been due to the fact that he sensed a growing opposition to his message. The abrupt change of tone at verse 51 - "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit" - seems to reflect a sudden outbreak of hostility on the part of the Sanhedrin. As Peter had already twice done, Stephen charged these Jewish leaders with the murder of Christ, "the Righteous One."
The scene that followed is a sad commentary on the Judaism of Jesus' day. Like a pack of hungry, snarling wolves that "gnashed on him with their teeth." But Stephen, "full of the Holy Spirit," looked up to Heaven, where he saw Jesus waiting to receive him. When he testified to what he saw, the members of the Sanhedrin "cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him."
What a contrast is Stephen's conduct! Kneeling down, with the death-dealing stones flying around his head, he prayed GOD to forgive his persecutors. Then he "fell asleep." The Greek word gives us our name "cemetery" - strictly speaking, a place where the bodies of those who sleep in Jesus await the resurrection day.
Thus died the first Christian martyr, in a truly Christian Spirit. Appropriately his name, Stephen, means "crown". He was the first, but not the last, to receive a martyr's crown.
Acts 8:1-25 Philip the Evangelist ("Exploring the New Testament" by Earle, Blaney and Hanson; published 1955)
Saul, whose name appears for the first time in 7:58, in connection with the stoning of Stephen, consented to the latter's death. That would seem to suggest that, though a young man, he was a member of the Sanhedrin.
The aftermath of Stephen's stoning is rather amazing. One would have thought that the sanctimonious Sadducees and Pharisees after acting as beasts of the jungle would have slunk away in shame. Instead there arose "on that day" (v.1) a great persecution against the Jerusalem church.
This persecution resulted in a dispersion of the believers from Jerusalem to the neighboring territories of Judea and Samaria. Saul, like a wild boar in a vineyard, "laid waste the church," even entering private homes and "dragging men and women, committed them to prison" (v.3).
But those who were scattered abroad went "preaching the Word" (v.4). Because it is stated in verse 1 that the apostles stayed at Jerusalem, this has been called "the laymen's missionary movement" of the first century.
Stephen, one of the seven deacons, had turned preacher. Now another of that group, Philip, takes his place as evangelist.
Caught in this dispersion, Philip "went down to the city of Samaria" (v.5). Anywhere from Jerusalem was "down", though Samaria was forty-five miles north of Jerusalem and at about the same altitude.
The Samaritans were a mixed race, largely Gentile. They worshiped the GOD of Israel, accepting only the Pentateuch (Torah) as their Scripture. The Jews despised them as half-breeds and treated them with scorn. Yet to these people Philip preached Christ. There were many conversions and, as always in such cases, "there was much joy in that city" (v. 8).
When word of this great revival reached Jerusalem the apostles Peter and John were sent to Samaria. They prayed for the new converts, "laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit" (vv. 15,17). Here is one of the clearest examples of two distinct experiences of grace to be found in the Book of Acts. Under the preaching of Philip these Samaritans were converted to Christ; under the ministry of Peter and John they received the Holy Spirit. No one can deny two works of grace in this passage.
Simon Magus ("the sorcerer") wanted to purchase the power to confer the Holy Spirit. Thus he gave his bname to that deplorable practice calledf "simony", the buying and selling of offices in the church. It is interesting to note that when Peter called on him to repent, Siimon asked for prayer for his protection from evil consequences of his sin, not for salvation from sin. There are many like him today.
Acts 8:26-40 ("Exploring the New Testament" by Earle, Blaney and Hanson; published 1955)
Perhaps the greatest test that ever came to Philip was when he was instructed by the LORD to leave Samaria, with its great revival meeting, and go far south to a wilderness road. Many a lesser man might have argued the folly of such a move. Not so Philip. The aorist tenses - "he arose and went" (v.27) - suggest prompt obedience. And because he obeyed at once, he met his man. A few hours of dawdling or argument and he would have missed him.
It was an Ethiopian eunuch, treasurer of the queen of Ethiopia. ("Candace" was a title for a dynasty, like "Pharaoh" of Egypt.) He was a proselyte to Judaism, who had just been up to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage to the Temple. Riding back in his chariot, he was reading the prophecy of Isaiah.
Guided by the Spirit, Philip approached the chariot. Hearing the man reading aloud, he asked, "Understandest thou what thou readest?" Invited into the chariot, Philip explained the meaning of the passage from the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, where the eunuch was reading. There could have been no better place in the Old Testament from which to preach Jesus as the Messiah.
The eunuch's heart was open to receive the new truth. Soon he was baptized and went on his way rejoicing. Philip, meanwhile, was caught away by the Spirit, and proceeded to Caesarea.