Acts 7: Stephen's Sermon

I’ve just started my study of Acts 7 and have only gotten through a couple of verses. However, I did read the whole chapter (verses 1 – 60) to get a feel for what Luke was going to tell us in Acts 7. Basically, Luke gave an account of Stephen’s sermon before the Sanhedrin after Stephen was publicly accused of blasphemy in four ways (Acts 6:11, 14). The accusations were partially true, but warped the intent of Stephen’s preaching.

The four blasphemes are listed as such:

1.  Blasphemed Moses by making Christ greater thn Moses.

2.  Blasphemed God by exalting Christ greater than the temple or the law.

3.  Blasphemed the temple by saying that Christ would destroy it.

4.  Blasphemed the law by sying that Christ had abolished the law and made a new covenant.

Did Stephen defend himself regarding these charges? No he didn’t. Instead of going on the defense Stephen went on the offense. His sermon to the Sanhedrin by telling them “you are doing just as your fathers did.” What did the “fathers” do? First a side note, when the New Testament preachers (and the Old Testament, too) refer to the “fathers” they are saying “those who came before you in the faith” i.e. the patriarchs. The basic point of Stephen’s speech is highlighted in the Ryrie Study Bible in the footnotes like this: “Stephen recited the privileges of the nation Israel and their rejection of God’s messengers; then he laid blame for the slaying of Jesus squarely on his hearers.”

Stephen quoted Scripture (Old Testament) and recounted several of the foundational stories of Israel’s forefathers. I will be interested in exploring those passages more carefully in the coming weeks. He started right off in verse 2 discussing the calling of Abraham (before there was the covenant, the law, or the temple). He started with the foundational beliefs of Jewish history.

I’m not sure starting off with Jewish history would be beneficial today with the populations I regularly come in contact with; as a matter of fact, I think it would turn modern Americans off and cause them to discount the message as something for the Jews but not for them. However, I am challenged to use appropriate Scripture as I interact with people, especially those passages (mostly in the New Testament) that explain the human condition without Christ leading to the passages that promote Christ as the Savior of everyone.

I’m sure more will be revealed to me as I continue the study in Acts 7. I’m looking forward to what will be revealed and how I can apply the concepts to my own life.