Acts 7:50

KJV

Hath not my hand made all these things?

KJV (with Strong's)

Hath {G4160} not {G3780} my {G3450} hand {G5495} made {G4160} all {G3956} these things {G5023}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Didn’t I myself make all these things?’

Berean Standard Bible

Has not My hand made all these things?’

American Standard Version

Did not my hand make all these things?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
A potent rhetorical question from Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin, "Hath not my hand made all these things?", serves as a climactic declaration of God's absolute sovereignty, transcendence, and uncontainable creative power. Quoting Isaiah 66:1-2, Stephen challenges the prevailing Jewish emphasis on the physical Temple as the exclusive dwelling place of God, asserting that the Creator of the universe cannot be confined by human constructions, thereby redirecting worship from the edifice to the boundless God Himself.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Acts 7:50 concludes Stephen's lengthy and impassioned sermon, delivered as his defense against accusations of blasphemy against the Temple and the Law. His speech systematically traces Israel's history, highlighting God's faithfulness despite the people's persistent rebellion, culminating in their rejection of Jesus. Stephen's argument builds from God's presence with Abraham outside the land, through the Tabernacle in the wilderness, to Solomon's Temple. Crucially, he emphasizes that even Solomon acknowledged God's transcendence [Acts 7:48](/acts/7-48 "Acts 7:48 - God Does Not Dwell in Temples Made by Hands"), setting the stage for the direct quotation from Isaiah 66:1-2 in [Acts 7:49-50](/acts/7-49-50 "Acts 7:49-50 - Heaven is My Throne"). This rhetorical question powerfully underscores his central point: God is not limited to a building, no matter how sacred, but is the Creator of all things, infinitely greater than any human edifice.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Stephen, a Hellenistic Jew, was accused by members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen of speaking against "this holy place" (the Temple) and the Law [Acts 6:13](/acts/6-13 "Acts 6:13 - False Witnesses Against Stephen"). In first-century Judaism, the Temple in Jerusalem held immense religious, cultural, and national significance, often being seen as the very dwelling place of God. The accusations against Stephen touched the core of Jewish identity and worship. By quoting Isaiah 66, a passage that challenges the notion of God being confined to a physical structure, Stephen directly confronted the prevailing Temple-centric theology, which had, for some, become an end in itself rather than a means to worship the transcendent God. His words were perceived as a radical challenge to the established religious order and contributed to the fury that led to his martyrdom.

* **Key Themes:** Stephen's use of [Acts 7:50](/acts/7-50 "Acts 7:50 - God as Creator") powerfully reinforces several key themes. Foremost is **God's Transcendence and Omnipresence**, asserting that the Almighty Creator cannot be contained or limited by any human-made structure, whether the Tabernacle or the magnificent Temple. This directly counters any attempt to localize or domesticate God, emphasizing His boundless nature. Secondly, it highlights **God as the Ultimate Creator**, reminding his audience that "my hand made all these things," underscoring God's direct, personal, and comprehensive involvement in bringing all of existence into being, as seen in [Genesis 1:1](/genesis/1-1 "Genesis 1:1 - In the Beginning, God Created"). Finally, the verse serves as a **Critique of Misplaced Worship**, subtly challenging the excessive reverence for the physical Temple that had arguably overshadowed reverence for God Himself. It calls for a recognition that true worship extends beyond physical locations and focuses on the boundless nature of the Divine, echoing themes found in [John 4:24](/john/4-24 "John 4:24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **hand (Greek, _cheír'_):** This term, often used anthropomorphically in biblical texts, symbolizes God's active power, authority, and creative agency. In [Acts 7:50](/acts/7-50 "Acts 7:50 - God's Creative Hand"), it underscores that God's creative work is not passive but a direct, intentional act of His divine will and power, extending to every part of existence. It signifies the direct involvement and efficacy of God in bringing things into being.
* **made (Greek, _poiéō'_):** This verb carries a very wide application, meaning "to make or do." In the context of creation, it emphasizes the act of forming, constructing, or bringing into existence. Here, it denotes God's active role as the originator and fashioner of all things, from the cosmos to humanity, reinforcing His role as the ultimate architect and sustainer.
* **all (Greek, _pâs'_):** This word signifies totality, universality, and comprehensiveness. When applied to "all these things," it emphasizes the exhaustive scope of God's creative work, leaving nothing outside of His direct origination. It reinforces the idea that God is the sole and complete source of everything that exists, underscoring His unrivaled supremacy.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Hath not my hand made":** This opening phrase functions as a powerful rhetorical question, designed not to elicit an answer but to affirm an undeniable truth. The "my hand" is an anthropomorphism for God Himself, emphasizing His personal agency and power. The use of "made" (from _poiéō_) highlights the active, intentional, and comprehensive nature of His creative work. The rhetorical "Hath not" structure implies that the answer is self-evident and overwhelmingly affirmative: Yes, indeed, God's hand has made all things.
* **"all these things?":** This concluding phrase refers to all of creation, encompassing the heavens and the earth, and by direct implication, the very materials and principles by which human structures like the Temple are built. Stephen's point is that if God made "all these things," then He cannot be confined by any part of His creation, especially something made by human hands. It asserts God's transcendence over His own creation and, by extension, over all human attempts to contain or define Him.

#### Literary Devices
The verse "Hath not my hand made all these things?" is rich in literary devices that amplify its theological impact. The most prominent is the **Rhetorical Question**, which Stephen employs not to seek information but to make an emphatic statement. The expected answer is a resounding "Yes," thereby asserting God's undeniable creative power and transcendence over all human constructs, including the Temple. Secondly, the phrase "my hand" is a clear example of **Anthropomorphism**, attributing a human physical characteristic (a hand) to God. This device makes God's action relatable while symbolizing His power, agency, and direct involvement in creation. It underscores that God's work is not abstract but concrete and personal. Finally, the verse functions as a direct **Allusion/Quotation** from [Isaiah 66:1-2](/isaiah/66-1-2 "Isaiah 66:1-2 - God's Throne and Footstool"), demonstrating Stephen's profound knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures and lending prophetic authority to his argument. By quoting this specific passage, Stephen connects his defense to a long-standing prophetic tradition that critiques an overemphasis on physical structures and highlights God's uncontainable majesty.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Acts 7:50 stands as a profound theological statement, echoing the consistent biblical truth of God as the ultimate, uncreated Creator. It asserts His absolute sovereignty over all existence, from the vast cosmos to the intricate details of life, and challenges any notion that He can be limited or contained by human efforts or structures. This verse reinforces the concept of God's transcendence – His otherness and superiority to all creation – while simultaneously affirming His immanence through His active involvement in making "all these things." Stephen's quotation of Isaiah serves as a powerful reminder that true worship is not bound by physical location or grand edifices, but by acknowledging and revering the boundless nature of the One who made everything.

* [Genesis 1:1](/genesis/1-1 "Genesis 1:1 - God Creates Heaven and Earth"): Establishes God as the singular Creator of all things.
* [Psalm 24:1](/psalms/24-1 "Psalm 24:1 - The Earth is the LORD's"): Declares God's ownership and sovereignty over the entire earth and everything in it by virtue of creation.
* [John 4:24](/john/4-24 "John 4:24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth"): Jesus teaches that true worship is not confined to a specific place (like Jerusalem or Samaria) but is "in spirit and truth," aligning with Stephen's emphasis on God's transcendence over physical locations.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Acts 7:50 profoundly challenges our modern tendencies to confine God, whether to church buildings, specific rituals, or even our own theological frameworks. It calls us to recognize that the God we worship is infinitely greater than any structure we can build, any tradition we can uphold, or any concept we can fully grasp. This verse encourages a posture of profound humility and awe, reminding us that our faith must be rooted in the boundless, transcendent Creator, not in the tangible expressions of our faith, however beautiful or meaningful they may be. It compels us to examine where we might inadvertently be limiting God or placing our trust in human constructs rather than in the Living God who made all things. True worship, then, becomes an expansive, all-encompassing response to the One who fills heaven and earth, inviting us to encounter Him not just in sacred spaces, but in the vastness of His creation and the depths of our hearts.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I be inadvertently limiting God in my understanding or practice of faith?**
* **How does recognizing God as the Creator of "all these things" impact my sense of awe and worship?**
* **Am I prioritizing physical structures, traditions, or human-made systems over a direct, unmediated relationship with the transcendent God?**
* **How can I cultivate a deeper sense of God's omnipresence and boundless nature in my daily life?**

### FAQ
**Why does Stephen quote Isaiah 66:1-2 in Acts 7:50?**

Answer: Stephen quotes [Isaiah 66:1-2](/isaiah/66-1-2 "Isaiah 66:1-2 - God's Throne and Footstool") to powerfully counter the accusations that he was speaking against the Temple. By citing this revered prophetic text, Stephen demonstrates that the idea of God's transcendence over any physical dwelling place was not a new, radical Christian concept, but a long-standing truth within Israel's own prophetic tradition. Isaiah 66:1-2 declares that "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is a house that you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?" This passage directly undermines the notion that God could be confined to the Temple in Jerusalem, emphasizing His boundless nature as the Creator of "all these things." Stephen uses this quote as a climactic point in his argument to show that God's presence is not limited to human-built structures, thereby challenging the misplaced reverence for the Temple that had overshadowed the worship of the transcendent God Himself.

**What does the phrase "my hand" signify when referring to God?**

Answer: The phrase "my hand" when referring to God is an example of **anthropomorphism**, a literary device where human characteristics are attributed to God to help us understand His actions and nature. In [Acts 7:50](/acts/7-50 "Acts 7:50 - God's Creative Power"), as in many Old Testament passages, "God's hand" symbolizes His active power, authority, and direct agency. It signifies that God is personally involved in His creative work, not merely as a distant architect, but as the one who actively forms and sustains all things. It conveys the idea of divine power in action, demonstrating His ability to bring things into existence and to control them. It underscores that creation is a deliberate, intentional act of God's will and might, rather than a passive or accidental occurrence.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Acts 7:50, with its declaration of God as the Creator of "all these things," finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Testament. The transcendent God, whose "hand made all these things," is revealed to us most fully in Jesus Christ. The Apostle John declares that "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made" [John 1:3](/john/1-3 "John 1:3 - All Things Made Through Him"), and Paul affirms that "by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him" [Colossians 1:16](/colossians/1-16 "Colossians 1:16 - Christ, Creator of All Things"). This establishes Jesus as the active agent of the Father's creative power, the very "hand" through whom all things came into being. Furthermore, Stephen's critique of the Temple's limitation finds its ultimate resolution in Christ. Jesus himself declared, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," speaking of the temple of His body [John 2:19-21](/john/2-19-21 "John 2:19-21 - Jesus Speaks of His Body as the Temple"). Through His death and resurrection, Christ became the new and ultimate Temple, the true dwelling place of God among humanity, ushering in an era of worship not confined to physical structures but "in spirit and truth" [John 4:24](/john/4-24 "John 4:24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth"). Thus, the God who made all things, and cannot be contained by human hands, is the very God who, in Christ, chose to dwell among us, making Himself accessible and establishing a new covenant where His presence is found not in stone, but in the Spirit and in the redeemed community of believers [Ephesians 2:21-22](/ephesians/2-21-22 "Ephesians 2:21-22 - Built into a Holy Temple in the Lord").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 32:17

Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, [and] there is nothing too hard for thee:

Acts 14:15

And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

Psalms 33:6

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Psalms 33:9

For he spake, and it was [done]; he commanded, and it stood fast.

Isaiah 45:12

I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, [even] my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

Isaiah 45:7

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].

Isaiah 45:8

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.