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Acts 7:1–5
“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you’” (vv. 2–3).
Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jews in Jerusalem, after his arrest. The authorities charged him with blasphemy, for they considered his preaching of Jesus and the new covenant era to be an affront “against Moses and God” and “against this holy place”—the temple—“and the law.” Their view arose from either a misunderstanding or an outright twisting of Jesus’ words concerning the destruction of the temple and changes to Jewish customs (Acts 6:8–15; see Mark 7:18–19; 13:1–2). These ideas offended the Sanhedrin because the council members did not understand the temporary nature of the old covenant, which had to be replaced by a new covenant with a new administration (Jer. 31:31–34). Furthermore, their anger at the idea that the temple would come to an end reflected a mistaken view that went back at least to Jeremiah’s era six centuries before. In Jeremiah’s day, many Judahites so closely identified God’s presence with the temple and the land that they considered the fall of the sanctuary and dispersion of the Jews unthinkable (see Jer. 7).
Today’s passage begins the account of the trial of Stephen for his alleged blasphemy. Having heard the charges, the high priest (probably Caiaphas) asked Stephen whether the allegations against him were true (Acts 7:1). This prompted Stephen to defend himself in a speech that combines a sermon on the history of redemption with charges that the real figures guilty of blasphemy were the members of the Sanhedrin.
Stephen began with Abraham, who was called by God out of the land of Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the promised land of Canaan. Abraham obeyed, sojourning in Haran on the way to Canaan until his father died (Acts 7:2–5; see Gen. 12:1–9; 15:7). With this account, Stephen introduced a key element of his defense and a refutation of the idea that God’s relationship to His covenant people was somehow bound up absolutely with the temple or promised land. Stephen refers to the Lord as the “God of glory.” This is an exalted title for the Creator, revealing that Stephen was no blasphemer. Calling Abraham “our father,” Stephen appealed to his common heritage with the rest of the Jews, revealing his intention not to denigrate the true religion of their forefathers but to continue in it. Finally, through references to God’s speaking to Abraham outside Canaan, Stephen showed that the Lord’s presence with His people could not be limited to the temple.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
In describing Abraham’s journey to Canaan, Stephen noted that Abraham did not come into possession of the promised inheritance but his descendants did (Acts 7:5). Matthew Henry comments, “God’s promises, though they are slow, are sure in the operation of them; they will be fulfilled in the season of them, though perhaps not so soon as we expect.” God will always keep His promises to us, but not always according to our timing.
For further study
- Genesis 23
- Joshua 24:1–3
- Galatians 3:9
- Hebrews 11:8–16
The bible in a year
- Deuteronomy 2–4
- Mark 11:15–33