God’s Trustworthiness

Introduction:

We should permit the scriptures to teach us about God, and we should let them be a negative example so that we learn what we should not do.

Stephen will emphasize God.

He will also demonstrate a pattern of rebellion.

Stephen is before the Council where his opponents from the Hellenized synagogues have bribed false witnesses to lie about what they have heard him say.

While much of what they claim resonates, it is not Luke’s intention for the reader to work back and figure out what Stephen said to them.

Instead, he wants to recount the turn of public sentiment against Stephen, and by extension, to the remainder of the congregation. He wants Theophilus to understand how conditions changed in Jerusalem for the church there.

It was Stephen, not one of the apostles, who ended up causing the turn. It was a synagogue of Hellenized Jews, not the Jewish leadership, who changed the attitude of the people. Now, the Council no longer has the obstacle of the people between them and the believers.

The Initial Question

Luke has shown the role, especially early on, the priests had in opposing the message of Jesus.

Yet again, the high priest interrogates one of Jesus’ followers.

He, now, questions Stephen treating the false witness as though it were true.

“He said, if these things are existing thus?”

I.e. “Are these things true?” “Are they what these men report?”

Stephen will address the Council in response to that question.

Stephen’s Response (Part 1):

Like the Apostles before him, Stephen addresses everyone listening to him in a polite manner.

He is not attempting to be disrespectful or hostile.

He wishes to be heard.

He wants them to share his sense of urgency about the problem of disobedience.

To understand the severity of the rebelliousness, they need to understand the faithfulness of God.

Stephen begins there.

God takes the active role in phase one.

Acts 7:2 - He appeared to Abraham.

Acts 7:3 - He told/spoke to Abraham.

Stephen then quotes from the LXX from Gen. 11:31-12:5.

He also relies on Gen. 15:7.

Acts 7:5 - He did not give to Abraham and inheritance in the land.

Acts 7:5 - He promised to give him the land for a possession and to his offspring after him while Abraham did not have a child. (Hence the events of Genesis 15:1-5.

Acts 7:6 - He again spoke to Abraham that his offspring would be a resident/temporary alien in a foreign land, they will enslave his offspring, they will harm them four hundred years.

Gen. 15:13-16.

Ex. 3:12.

Acts 7:8 - He gave him a covenant of circumcision.

It was in light of God’s promise to Abraham that he practiced circumcision, a rite followed by Isaac, Jacob, and the patriarchs.

Stephen makes the occasional application or reference to his audience.

Acts 7:4 - Stephen refers to Abraham as a resident alien in “this land in which you all yourselves now reside.”

Would Abraham have been welcome among Stephen’s generation of Jews?

Rather than blaspheming God (Acts 6:11), Stephen demonstrates a sound understanding of the high importance of God, His trustworthiness, and His faithfulness.

Introduction (Part 2):

We should begin by looking at where Stephen takes his argument.

Acts 7:51-53.

He challenges his contemporaries’ understanding of their own relationship with God.

God has been gracious to Abraham and his progeny despite the history of disobedience and rebelliousness they have exhibited toward Him.

We might also consider, at the outset, the depth of knowledge that Stephen has of the basic narrative about Abraham, Egypt, David, and Solomon.

We have to be very cautious about our understanding of our own history.

The Bible exposes us for who we are.

Stephen makes a similar argument for Israel.

Israel in Egypt

Given the point Stephen will make at the end, we might should consider the overlay of God’s promise coming to pass with the sinfulness of the forefathers.

How did Israel end up in Egypt, though?

This is an important part of the narrative.

Genesis 37:5-11

God’s promise was fulfilled despite the sinfulness of the fathers.

Stephen follows the basic narrative.

God gave Joseph grace and brought him out of tribulation giving himm favor and wisdom in Pharaoh’s sight.

Gen. 39:2-6

Gen. 41:37-40

Acts 7:17: The time neared for the fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham.

Exodus 1:6-22.