Acts 7:42-53 True vs False Religion

Stephen’s theme in reviewing the history of Israel was that God’s presence cannot be localized, and that the people have always rebelled against the will of God. He showed first of all that Abraham lived a pilgrim life, not inheriting the land promised to him (7:2–8). Then he demonstrated how Joseph likewise left Canaan, sold by his brothers through jealousy (vv. 9–16). A long section deals with Moses, against whom Stephen was alleged to have spoken (vv. 17–43). Moses also was shown to have been rejected by his brethren when he came to deliver them. Yet God vindicated him by sending him back to Egypt to bring his people out. Again they turned aside to idolatry in the wilderness and refused to obey Moses. This idolatry continued until the Babylonian Exile owing to their desire to have visible gods.

The next section (vv. 44–50) deals with the tabernacle and the Temple. The tabernacle was mobile and went with God’s people on their pilgrimage. The Temple was static and too easily gave rise to a localized view of God. But the Most High does not dwell in manufactured houses (cf. Mk. 14:58). The Jewish religion had become static and failed to move on towards the new Temple, the body of Christ.

The references to the tabernacle and the whole idea of the real but invisible Christian cultus is developed in the Epistle to the Hebrews, which has been seen to have close affinities with this speech. It is certain that Paul, too, worked out the principles stated by Christ and developed here by Stephen. When these principles were understood by the church there ensued a break with the old Temple worship (). The Christians saw in practice that they were not just a sect of the old Israel. They were the new people of God, with the true temple, altar and sacrifice, living the truly pilgrim life, and rejected, as the prophets and as Jesus had been, by the Jews. (The New Bible Dictionary)

should be compared with , for all of these verses describe the judgment of God when He “takes His hands off” and permits sinners to have their own way. When Stephen quoted , he revealed what the Jews had really been doing all those years: in outward form, they were worshiping Jehovah; but in their hearts, they were worshiping foreign gods! The form of the question in demands a negative reply: “No, you were not offering those sacrifices to the Lord!” (Wiersbe)

Stephen has made no exposition except by inference thus far. Now we see him more as preacher than chronicler. We see the direct correlation between the sins of the people in the wilderness and resistance of the leaders to whom he was speaking. He shifts tenses from the past to the present and changes pronouns from “they” and “them” to “you.” He exposes the false worship of the temple when God does not dwell in temples made with hands. Then he makes his direct confrontation: The leaders of Israel are like their fathers of old. They have persecuted the prophets and killed any who foretold the coming of the Just One. The term was clearly messianic, denoting the advent of the Messiah. And they have betrayed and murdered Him. They are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. Both invective terms are from Jeremiah and Ezekiel and are frequently used throughout the Old Testament (; ; ; ). (Preacher’s Commentary)