Page 42 - Acts Student Textbook

Study Section 8: Acts 7:1-53 - Stephen’s Defense

8.1 Connect.

At this point Stephen has already been accused of blaspheming against Moses, against
God, and the temple. And he has already been brought to the Sanhedrin to answer the
charges. Stephen will spend the rest of this chapter giving his defense. What is of great
importance is the content of his response. Let’s join the rulers in hearing Stephen….

8.2 Objectives.

1. The student should be able to describe the greatest summary of the Old Testament history
in the New Testament told in one peace.

2. The student should be able to explain how Stephen is actually in agreement with Moses,
God, and the Temple.

3. The student should be able to state how the rulers were actually guilty of the very charges they
were laying against Stephen.

4. The student should be able to discuss how the children of Israel have always rejected God’s
prophets including Stephen.

8.3: 7:1-53 - Stephen’s Defense

The high priest calls on Stephen to answer the charges against him (7:1)

Steven’s defense consisted of one of the best overviews of Jewish history to be found
anywhere. His goal was to show how, throughout their history, the Israelites had wickedly
disobeyed God’s commands and rejected His prophets. The application was that the Jews
who confronted Stephen were guilty of the same error as their ancestors, for they had rejected God’s
own Son and killed Him. Interestingly, they reacted by committing the very error that Stephen had
accused them of: they rejected Stephen’s message and killed him!

Stephen begins from the call of Abraham (7:2, 3). He gets to Israel in Egypt; its rise and the 400 years
of oppression (7:6-19). He gets to narrate the birth, education and the call of Moses (7:20-35). He
then explained the deliverance of Israelites from Egypt (7:36).

But what did Moses say about Jesus? (7:37)

Stephen here began to draw his main points more to the open. Everyone in the audience agreed that
Moses was from God, but Moses had predicted another prophet similar to himself that the people
should listen to. This was predicted in Deuteronomy 18:15ff. Peter had used this prophecy as proof
for Jesus in Acts 3:22, 23. Jesus was clearly the one predicted by Moses. Note the things Moses did as
listed just in this context, which were similar to what Jesus did: Both were lawgivers (vv 35, 38). Both
were judges (v35). Both delivered God’s people from bondage (vv 34, 35). Both wrought great signs
& wonders (v36). Both began a “church” (v38; cf. Matt. 16:18). Both were prophets (v37). Both were
rejected by the people (verses 35, 39-41, 52).

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