ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Acts 7

Acts 7:1–53 Stephen’s defense is the longest speech in Acts. It is a selective summary of OT history that turned the charges on his accusers: they were the ones disobeying God because they rejected his appointed leaders.

Acts 7:6 four hundred years. That is, the time Israel spent in Egypt.

Acts 7:7 Combining Gen. 15:13–14 with Ex. 3:12, Stephen spoke of God’s assurances to Abraham that after 400 years his descendants would come to Canaan and worship God in this place.

Acts 7:9 The theme of Israel’s rejection of God’s chosen leaders (such as Joseph) runs throughout Stephen’s speech, culminating in their rejection of Jesus. God was with him. God’s presence with Joseph in Egypt shows that God can bless those outside the Promised Land. A physical temple is not needed for his saving purposes.

Acts 7:14 When Stephen cites the number of Jacob’s kindred at seventy-five instead of seventy, he follows the Greek translation of the OT rather than Hebrew text for Ex. 1:5. The different texts were apparently based on different decisions regarding whether to include Jacob and his wife and the additional descendants born to Ephraim and Manasseh in Egypt.

Acts 7:16 the tomb that Abraham had bought . . . from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. It was actually Jacob who bought land “from the sons of Hamor” in Shechem (Gen. 33:19), and this is where Joseph was buried (Josh. 24:32). Stephen may have been using the name “Abraham” to refer to all of Abraham’s family or descendants, including Jacob (compare Heb. 7:9–10). Another possible explanation is that Abraham had earlier bought the same piece of land when he built an altar in Shechem (Gen. 12:6–7), but Jacob later had to repurchase it (compare Gen. 21:27–31 with Gen. 26:23–33).

Acts 7:20 Stephen’s recital of the story of Moses is in three parts, covering 40 years each: birth and years in Pharaoh’s court (vv. 17–22), flight from Egypt and stay in Midian (vv. 23–29), and divine call at Sinai and leading Israel in the wilderness (vv. 30–43).

Acts 7:22 Moses’ education in Egyptian wisdom is not mentioned in the OT, but it was well established in Jewish tradition.

Acts 7:23 The rejection of Moses’ attempt to reconcile two quarreling Israelites (Ex. 2:11–15) illustrates Israel’s constant rejection of its God-sent leaders (see Acts 7:35).

Acts 7:35–36 Stephen presents Moses as a type of Christ: both were men whom God sent, both served as a redeemer (see Luke 24:21), and both performed wonders and signs (see Acts 2:22).

Acts 7:37 Christ is the prophet whom Moses predicted (see Deut. 18:15; Acts 3:22).

Acts 7:38 congregation. The characteristic NT word for “church.” The idea that the law was mediated by angels was well established in Judaism. It is repeated in v. 53, in Gal. 3:19, and Heb. 2:2.

Acts 7:40–41 The golden calf incident illustrates the Israelites’ continuing rejection of Moses’ leadership and their idolatry.

Acts 7:42–43 Stephen continues his description of Israel’s idolatry during their occupation of the Promised Land, when they worshiped stars and planets (the host of heaven). To establish this fact he quotes the Greek version of Amos 5:25–27. Moloch was the Canaanite sun god. The identity of Rephan is uncertain, but it may be Repa, the Egyptian name for Saturn.

Acts 7:44 Stephen turned to the charge made against him regarding the temple (6:12–14). He contrasted the tabernacle (or tent) with the temple. The temple is not necessary for God’s purposes, for in the wilderness God was worshiped in the tabernacle. In distinction from the temple, it was movable, and yet it contained the witness, the stone tablets inscribed with God’s law. His point was not to make too much of the temple.

Acts 7:48 Stephen quotes Isa. 66:1–2 to establish that God does not dwell in houses. Israel’s error was in confining God to the temple. Further, Stephen suggests that neither the tabernacle nor the temple were intended to last forever. Both pointed to something greater that was to come.

Acts 7:51 Stephen concludes with a direct attack on Israel for rejecting the Messiah. This seems harsh, but Luke will soon say that Stephen was “full of the Holy Spirit” (v. 55; see 6:10; 15) and so his accusation was also led by the Spirit. Using the OT, he accused his Jewish listeners of being stiff-necked (see Ex. 34:9), uncircumcised in heart and ears (Deut. 10:16; Jer. 6:10), and resisting the Holy Spirit (Isa. 63:10).

Acts 7:52 Like Jesus, Stephen accused his Jewish listeners of killing the prophets (compare Luke 11:47–51; 13:34) and of rejecting their ultimate God-sent deliverer, the Righteous One (see Acts 3:14–15).

Acts 7:58 It is debated whether Stephen was stoned on the Sanhedrin’s order or killed by mob violence. The fact that he was appearing before the Sanhedrin (6:12) favors the former, but the fast nature of the stoning suggests mob behavior. Also, the Sanhedrin did not have the legal right to execute without Roman permission (see John 18:31).

Acts 7:59–60 Stephen’s dying prayer recalls Jesus’ words during his crucifixion (Luke 23:34, 46). Fell asleep is a Christian expression for death, reflecting assurance of a future resurrection.