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Commentary on Acts 7 verses 1–16
Stephen is now at the bar before the great council of the nation, indicted for blasphemy: what the witnesses swore against him we had an account of in the foregoing chapter, that he spoke blasphemous words against Moses and God; for he spoke against this holy place and the law. Now here,
I. The high priest calls upon him to answer for himself, Act 7:1. He was president, and, as such, the mouth of the court, and therefore he saith, "You, the prisoner at the bar, you hear what is sworn against you; what do you say to it? Are these things so? Have you ever spoken any words to this purport? If you have, will you recant them, or will you stand to them? Guilty or not guilty?" This carried a show of fairness, and yet seems to have been spoken with an air of haughtiness; and thus far he seems to have prejudged the cause, that, if it were so, that he had spoken such and such words, he shall certainly be adjudged a blasphemer, whatever he may offer in justification or explanation of them.
II. He begins his defence, and it is long; but it should seem by his breaking off abruptly, just when he came to the main point (Act 7:50), that it would have been much longer if his enemies would have given him leave to say all he had to say. In general we may observe,
1.That in this discourse he appears to be a man ready and mighty in the scriptures, and thereby thoroughly furnished for every good word and work. He can relate scripture stories, and such as were very pertinent to his purpose, off-hand without looking in his Bible. He was filled with the Holy Ghost, not so much to reveal to him new things, or open to him the secret counsels and decrees of God concerning the Jewish nation, with them to convict these gainsayers; no, but to bring to his remembrance the scriptures of the Old Testament, and to teach him how to make use of them for their conviction. Those that are full of the Holy Ghost will be full of the scripture, as Stephen was.
2.That he quotes the scriptures according to the Septuagint translation, by which it appears he was one of the Hellenist Jews, who used that version in their synagogues. His following this, occasions divers variations from the Hebrew original in this discourse, which the judges of the court did not correct, because they knew how he was led into them; nor is it any derogation to the authority of that Spirit by which he spoke, for the variations are not material. We have a maxim, Apices juris non sunt jura - Mere points of law are not law itself. These verses carry on this his compendium of church history to the end of the book of Genesis. Observe,
(1.)His preface: Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken. He gives them, though not flattering titles, yet civil and respectful ones, signifying his expectation of fair treatment with them; from men he hopes to be treated with humanity, and he hopes that brethren and fathers will use him in a fatherly brotherly way. They are ready to look upon him as an apostate from the Jewish church, and an enemy to them. But, to make way for their conviction to the contrary, he addresses himself to them as men, brethren, and fathers, resolving to look on himself as one of them, though they would not so look on him. He craves their attention: Hearken; though he was about to tell them what they already knew, yet he begs them to hearken to it, because, though they knew it all, yet they would not without a very close application of mind know how to apply it to the case before them.
(2.)His entrance upon the discourse, which (whatever it may seem to those that read it carelessly) is far from being a long ramble only to amuse the hearers, and give them a diversion by telling them an old story. No; it is all pertinent and ad rem - to the purpose, to show them that God had no this heart so much upon that holy place and the law as they had; but, as he had a church in the world many ages before that holy place was founded and the ceremonial law given, so he would have when they should both have had their period.
[1.]He begins with the call of Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees, by which he was set apart for God to be the trustee of the promise, and the father of the Old Testament church. This we had an account of (Gen 12:1, etc.), and it is referred to, Neh 9:7, Neh 9:8. His native country was an idolatrous country, it was Mesopotamia, (Act 7:2), the land of the Chaldeans (Act 7:4); thence God brought him at two removes, not too far at once, dealing tenderly with him; he first brought him out of the land of the Chaldeans to Charran, or Haran, a place midway between that and Canaan (Gen 11:31), and thence five years after, when his father was dead, he removed him into the land of Canaan, wherein you now dwell. It should seem, the first time that God spoke to Abraham, he appeared in some visible display of the divine presence, as the God of glory (Act 7:2), to settle a correspondence with him: and then afterwards he kept up that correspondence, and spoke to him from time to time as there was occasion, without repeating his visible appearances as the God of glory.
First, From this call of Abraham we may observe, 1. That in all our ways we must acknowledge God, and attend the directions of his providence, as of the pillar of cloud and fire. It is not said, Abraham removed, but, God removed him into this land wherein you now dwell, and he did but follow his Leader. 2. Those whom God takes into covenant with himself he distinguishes from the children of this world; they are effectually called out of the state, out of the land, of their nativity; they must sit loose to the world, and live above it and every thing in it, even that in it which is most dear to them, and must trust God to make it up to them in another and better country, that is, the heavenly, which he will show them. God's chosen must follow him with an implicit faith and obedience.
Secondly, But let us see what this is to Stephen's case. 1. They had charged him as a blasphemer of God, and an apostate from the church; therefore he shows that he is a son of Abraham, and values himself upon his being able to say, Our father Abraham, and that he is a faithful worshipper of the God of Abraham, whom therefore he here calls the God of glory. He also shows that he owns divine revelation, and that particularly by which the Jewish church was founded and incorporated. 2. They were proud of their being circumcised; and therefore he shows that Abraham was taken under God's guidance, and into communion with him, before he was circumcised, for that was not till Act 7:8. With this argument Paul proves that Abraham was justified by faith, because he was justified when he was in uncircumcision: and so here. 3. They had a mighty jealousy for this holy place, which may be meant of the whole land of Canaan; for it was called the holy land, Immanuel's land; and the destruction of the holy house inferred that of the holy land. "Now," says Stephen, "you need not be so proud of it; for," (1.) "You came originally out of Ur of the Chaldees, where your fathers served other gods (Jos 24:2), and you were not the first planters of this country. Look therefore unto the rock whence you were hewn, and the holy of the pit out of which you were digged;" that is, as it follows there, "look unto Abraham your father, for I called him alone (Isa 51:1, Isa 51:2) - think of the meanness of your beginnings, and how you are entirely indebted to divine grace, and then you will see boasting to be for ever excluded. It was God that raised up the righteous man from the east, and called him to his foot. Isa 41:2. But, if his seed degenerate, let them know that God can destroy this holy place, and raise up to himself another people, for he is not a debtor to them." (2.) "God appeared in his glory to Abraham a great way off in Mesopotamia, before he came near Canaan, nay, before he dwelt in Charran; so that you must not think God's visits are confined to this land; no; he that brought the seed of the church from a country so far east can, if he pleases, carry the fruit of it to another country as far west." (3.) "God made no haste to bring him into this land, but let him linger some years by the way, which shows that God has not his heart so much upon this land as you have yours, neither is his honour, nor the happiness of his people, bound up in it. It is therefore neither blasphemy nor treason to say, It shall be destroyed,"
[2.]The unsettled state of Abraham and his seed for many ages after he was called out of Ur of the Chaldees. God did indeed promise that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, Act 7:5. But, First, As yet he had no child, nor any by Sarah for many years after. Secondly, He himself was but a stranger and a sojourner in that land, and God gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on; but there he was as in a strange country, where he was always upon the remove, and could call nothing his own. Thirdly, His posterity did not come to the possession of it for a long time: After four hundred years they shall come and serve me in this place, and not till then, Act 7:7. Nay, Fourthly, They must undergo a great deal of hardship and difficulty before they shall be put into the possession of that land: they shall be brought into bondage, and ill treated in a strange land: and this, not as the punishment of any particular sin, as their wandering in the wilderness was, for we never find any such account given of their bondage in Egypt; but so God had appointed, and it must be. And at the end of four hundred years, reckoning from the birth of Isaac, that nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, saith God. Now this teaches us, 1. That known unto God are all his works beforehand. When Abraham had neither inheritance nor heir, yet he was told he should have both, the one a land of promise, and the other a child of promise; and therefore both had, and received, by faith. 2. That 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. 3. That though the people of God may be in distress and trouble for a time, yet God will at length both rescue them and reckon with those that do oppress them; for, verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.
But let us see how this serves Stephen's purpose. 1. The Jewish nation, for the honour of which they were so jealous, was very inconsiderable in its beginnings; as their common father Abraham was fetched out of obscurity in Ur of the Chaldees, so their tribes, and the heads of them, were fetched out of servitude in Egypt, when they were the fewest of all people, Deu 7:7. And what need is there of so much ado, as if their ruin, when they bring it upon themselves by sin, must be the ruin of the world, and of all God's interests in it? No; he that brought them out of Egypt can bring them into it again, as he threatened (Deu 28:68), and yet be no loser, while he can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham. 2. The slow steps by which the promise made to Abraham advanced towards the performance, and the many seeming contradictions here taken notice of, plainly show that it had a spiritual meaning, and that the land principally intended to be conveyed and secured by it was the better country, that is, the heavenly; as the apostle shows from this very argument that the patriarchs sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, thence inferring that they looked for a city that had foundations, Heb 11:9, Heb 11:10. It was therefore no blasphemy to say, Jesus shall destroy this place, when at the same time we say, "He shall lead us to the heavenly Canaan, and put us in possession of that, of which the earthly Canaan was but a type and figure."
[3.]The building up of the family of Abraham, with the entail of divine grace upon it, and the disposals of divine Providence concerning it, which take up the rest of the book of Genesis.
First, God engaged to be a God to Abraham and his seed; and, in token of this, appointed that he and his male seed should be circumcised, Gen 17:9, Gen 17:10. He gave him the covenant of circumcision, that is, the covenant of which circumcision was the seal; and accordingly, when Abraham had a son born, he circumcised him the eighth day (Act 7:8), by which he was both bound by the divine law and interested in the divine promise; for circumcision had reference to both, being a seal of the covenant both on God's part - I will be to thee a God all-sufficient, and on man's part - Walk before me, and be thou perfect. And then when effectual care was thus taken for the securing of Abraham's seed, to be a seed to serve the Lord, they began to multiply: Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs, or roots of the respective tribes.
Secondly, Joseph, the darling and blessing of his father's house, was abused by his brethren; they envied him because of his dreams, and sold him into Egypt. Thus early did the children of Israel begin to grudge those among them that were eminent and outshone others, of which their enmity to Christ, who, like Joseph, was a Nazarite among his brethren, was a great instance.
Thirdly, God owned Joseph in his troubles, and was with him (Gen 39:2, Gen 39:21), by the influence of his Spirit, both on his mind, giving him comfort, and on the minds of those he was concerned with, giving him favour in their eyes. And thus at length he delivered him out of his afflictions, and Pharaoh made him the second man in the kingdom, Psa 105:20-22. And thus he not only arrived at great preferment among the Egyptians, but became the shepherd and stone of Israel, Gen 49:24.
Fourthly, Jacob was compelled to go down into Egypt, by a famine which forced him out of Canaan, a dearth (which was a great affliction), to that degree that our fathers found no sustenance in Canaan, Act 7:11. That fruitful land was turned into barrenness. But, hearing that there was corn in Egypt (treasured up by the wisdom of his own son), he sent out our fathers first to fetch corn, Act 7:12. And the second time that they went, Joseph, who at first made himself strange to them, made himself known to them, and it was notified to Pharaoh that they were Joseph's kindred and had a dependence upon him (Act 7:13), whereupon, with Pharaoh's leave, Joseph sent for his father Jacob to him into Egypt, with all his kindred and family, to the number of seventy-five souls, to be subsisted there, Act 7:13. In Genesis they are said to be seventy souls, Gen 46:27. But the Septuagint there makes them seventy-five, and Stephen or Luke follows that version, as Luk 3:36, where Cainan is inserted, which is not in the Hebrew text, but in the Septuagint. Some, by excluding Joseph and his sons, who were in Egypt before (which reduces the number to sixty-four), and adding the sons of the eleven patriarch, make the number seventy-five.
Fifthly, Jacob and his sons died in Egypt (Act 7:15), but were carried over to be buried in Canaan, Act 7:16. A very considerable difficulty occurs here: it is said, They were carried over into Sychem, whereas Jacob was buried not in Sychem, but near Hebron, in the cave of Machpelah, where Abraham and Isaac were buried, Gen 50:13. Joseph's bones indeed were buried in Sychem (Jos 24:32), and it seems by this (though it is not mentioned in the story) that the bones of all the other patriarchs were carried with his, each of them giving the same commandment concerning them that he had done; and of them this must be understood, not of Jacob himself. But then the sepulchre in Sychem was bought by Jacob (Gen 33:19), and by this it is described, Jos 24:32. How then is it here said to be bought by Abraham? Dr. Whitby's solution of this is very sufficient. He supplies it thus: Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers; and (our fathers) were carried over into Sychem; and he, that is, Jacob, was laid in the sepulchre that Abraham brought for a sum of money, Gen 23:16. (Or, they were laid there, that is, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.) And they, namely, the other patriarchs, were buried in the sepulchre bought of the sons of Emmor, the father of Sychem.
Let us now see what this is to Stephen's purpose. 1. He still reminds them of the mean beginning of the Jewish nation, as a check to their priding themselves in the glories of that nation; and that it was by a miracle of mercy that they were raised up out of nothing to what they were, from so small a number to be so great a nation; but, if they answer not the intention of their being so raised, they can expect no other than to be destroyed. The prophets frequently put them in mind of the bringing of them out of Egypt, as a aggravation of their contempt of the law of God, and here it is urged upon them as an aggravation of their contempt of the gospel of Christ. 2. He reminds them likewise of the wickedness of those that were the patriarchs of their tribes, in envying their brother Joseph, and selling him into Egypt; and the same spirit was still working in them towards Christ and his ministers. 3. Their holy land, which they doted so much upon, their fathers were long kept out of the possession of, and met with dearth and great affliction in it; and therefore let them not think it strange if, after it has been so long polluted with sin, it be at length destroyed. 4. The faith of the patriarchs in desiring to be buried in the land of Canaan plainly showed that they had an eye to the heavenly country, to which it was the design of this Jesus to lead them.
"And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into a land which I shall show thee." "And from thy kindred." How then saith the Scripture, that Abraham's father was willing to go out? Hence we learn, that it was in consequence of Abraham's vision, that his father was moved to join in the migration. "Get thee out of thy kindred." Here he shows how far these men are from being children of Abraham, how obedient he was. "And from thy kindred." Uncomfortable reflections, both, that he endured the labors, while ye reap the fruits, and that all your ancestors were in evil case.
[Paphnutius said,] “We read that the Lord commanded Abraham to do these three things all at once when he said to him, ‘Leave your country and your kinsfolk and your father’s house.’ ” First he spoke of “your country,” namely, of the resources of this world and of earthly wealth; second, of “your kinsfolk,” namely, of the former way of life and behavior and vices that have been related to us from our birth by a connection as it were of a certain affinity or consanguinity; third, of “your father’s house,” namely, of every vestige of this world which the eyes gaze upon.
"Leave your country and your kindred and come into the land I will show you." Then he left the land, etc. The land and kindred of Abraham refers to the homeland and race of the Chaldeans, from where he had long since left, who now lived in Mesopotamia, but because he left with hope of returning and longing, he hears from the Lord: "Leave your country." Not to physically move himself, which he had already done, but to remove the love of it from his mind. Therefore, what follows: Then he left the land of the Chaldeans, does not signify a physical departure, but a departure of the mind, by which he separated himself forever from the conversation and people of the Chaldeans. Because according to the belief of the Chroniclers, in the same year he left Chaldea, entered Mesopotamia, stayed in Haran, and was led into the promised land.
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SUMMARY
Acts 7:3 presents God's foundational command to Abraham, initiating a radical call to depart from his homeland and family. This pivotal divine instruction, recounted by Stephen in his defense before the Sanhedrin, underscores God's sovereign initiative in establishing a covenant relationship, demanding profound obedience and trust from Abraham as he embarked on a journey to an as-yet-unrevealed land, setting the trajectory for the entire history of Israel.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Acts 7:3 employs several powerful literary devices. The most prominent is Imperative Mood, as God issues direct commands ("Get thee out," "come") to Abraham. This highlights the divine authority and the non-negotiable nature of the call, demanding immediate and absolute obedience. There is also clear Contrast between Abraham's current state ("thy country," "thy kindred") and the promised future ("the land which I shall shew thee"). This contrast emphasizes the radical break from the familiar and secure to embrace the unknown, divinely-ordained future. Furthermore, the phrase "which I shall shew thee" utilizes Divine Revelation and Progressive Guidance, indicating that God's plan unfolds incrementally, requiring ongoing faith rather than complete foreknowledge. This sets a pattern for God's interaction with His people throughout history, where trust in His leading is paramount. Finally, the narrative of Abraham's call serves as a Typology or Foreshadowing, establishing a pattern for subsequent divine calls to separation and pilgrimage, including the exodus of Israel from Egypt and the spiritual journey of believers in Christ.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Acts 7:3 encapsulates profound theological truths that reverberate throughout Scripture. It underscores the concept of God's sovereign election and His initiative in calling individuals into covenant relationship. Abraham's radical obedience, leaving behind all human security, sets a paradigm for faith that trusts God's unseen provision and unknown destination. This call to separation from the world's systems and allegiances for a divine purpose is a recurring biblical theme, from Israel's distinctiveness as a nation set apart to the New Testament's call for believers to live as aliens and strangers, pilgrims on a journey towards a heavenly city. The promise of a "land" foreshadows not only the physical inheritance of Israel but also the spiritual inheritance and eternal dwelling promised to all who walk by faith.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Acts 7:3 serves as a timeless reminder that God continues to call His people to radical obedience and trust. Just as Abraham was called to leave the familiar and secure for an unknown, divinely-guided future, believers today are often called to step out of their comfort zones, relinquish control, and surrender to God's leading. This might involve leaving behind old habits, destructive relationships, worldly ambitions, or even deeply ingrained cultural norms that conflict with God's will. The verse challenges us to examine where our ultimate security lies – in our "country" (our possessions, careers, social status) or our "kindred" (our family expectations, peer pressure, human approval) – versus our complete reliance on God. True spiritual growth often begins with a willingness to embrace the discomfort of the unknown, trusting that God will "shew" us the way, providing for our needs and guiding us to His perfect purpose. Our pilgrimage of faith requires daily surrender, listening for His voice, and moving forward even when the path ahead is not fully clear, knowing that the One who calls is faithful to lead.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of Stephen quoting Acts 7:3 in his sermon?
Answer: Stephen's quotation of Acts 7:3 from God's original command to Abraham in Genesis 12:1 is highly significant. It serves as the foundational point of his historical narrative, demonstrating God's consistent pattern of initiating relationships and calling His people out of their existing circumstances. By starting with Abraham's call, Stephen highlights that God's presence and work are not confined to the Temple or the Law, but began with a personal, radical call to an individual in a foreign land. This implicitly challenges his audience's rigid, institutionalized faith, suggesting that true faith involves a dynamic, obedient response to God's direct revelation, much like Abraham's, rather than mere adherence to tradition. It sets the stage for Stephen to argue that Israel, throughout its history, has resisted God's Spirit and His chosen messengers, culminating in their rejection of Jesus, the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Acts 7:3, recounting God's call to Abraham, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in several ways. Just as Abraham was called to leave his earthly country and kindred to follow God's unseen leading to a promised land, so too are believers called to leave behind their "old self" and worldly allegiances to follow Christ. Jesus Himself embodies the ultimate obedience to the Father, leaving the glory of heaven to enter human history and fulfill God's redemptive plan, becoming the "Lamb of God" who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). His call to discipleship is a radical summons to "deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24), echoing Abraham's complete surrender. Furthermore, the "land which I shall shew thee" finds its ultimate reality not merely in a physical territory but in the spiritual inheritance and eternal dwelling offered through Christ. He is the one who "shows" us the way to the Father, declaring "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). Through Christ, believers become Abraham's spiritual offspring, heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29), embarking on a spiritual pilgrimage towards the "heavenly country" and the "city whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10), which is ultimately realized in the new heavens and new earth where God dwells with His people (Revelation 21:1-4).