Acts 7

     7:1-53.  Stephen, a Hellenistic Jew, defends himself and the gospel brilliantly (but not safely) with a wonderful overview of the history of God’s faithful dealings with Israel, and the sad history of Israel’s sin and rebellion.  They and their fathers are the ones who are guilty of the very crimes of which Stephen is accused.  God sent the promised Righteous One, and they betrayed and murdered him (51-53).  

     See Jesus’ words to the same effect: John 6:45-47; 7:19; 8:39-40; Mt.12:6-7.

     7:54-60.  They put Stephen on trial, but he convicted them.  Conviction did not bring repentance.  They suffered a flesh wound to hearts covered with fat (cf. Ps.119:70), not the kind of mortal wound that brings repentance, as in Acts 2:37.  But what brought them to full fury was Stephen’s vision of Christ standing at God’s right hand (56).  Were they reminded of Jesus’ words at his own trial?  (Mt.26:64; cf. Dan.7:13ff.; Ezek.20:33).

     The false witnesses (6:11), if the law were obeyed, would have been required to cast the first stones (58).  But they were in defiance of the true law of God, and the law of Rome as well.  How important to Saul  (apparently an observer of the trial, and perhaps Luke’s source) was this cry of Stephen’s that their sin not be held against them!  In imitation of his Lord (Luke 23:34), he used the keys of the kingdom to loose sins (Mt.16:19, 18:18; John 20:23), and Saul, “the chief of sinners,” would soon become a prey of the Hound of Heaven.