How To Get Yourself Killed Series

Verses 17-44 – Since they had accused Stephen of speaking against Moses and the ways of Moses, Stephen spends the bulk of his defense by citing the well-known events of Moses’ life. After being raised into adulthood with the best privileges and training that Egypt could offer, Moses tried to take the deliverance of a Hebrew slave into his own hand and, as a result, had to flee for his life. I wonder if Stephen intended the irony of pointing out that it was a Hebrew brother who rejected Moses in verse 27, just like the leaders of the synagogues were rejecting him now?

Yet, Stephen continues his account with the story of the burning bush and concludes the recitation of Moses’ return to Egypt with verse 35 saying, “This Moses, whom they refused…” and set the stage for talking about the Jesus they were refusing as they refused him. The very Stephen who was accused of opposing Moses not only reminds his hearers that their ancestors opposed Moses, but goes on to quote Moses in verse 37 about a prophet like unto him that God would raise up. And he underscores the rejection motif by reminding them again in verse 39 that the ancestors of those sitting in judgment upon him were not obedient to Moses.

Stephen who was accused of being against the temple reminds them of the tabernacle in the wilderness as the foundational institution for the existence of the temple and interwove the idea of the tabernacle/presence of God into the account of the conquest under Joshua in verse 45 and the desire of King David to build the temple (verses 45-46). He reminds them of Solomon desiring to build a house in verse 47, but gives them the words of God about how no human edifice or habitation could hold the glory of God (verses 48-50). In short, as Jesus used the Scripture to refute Satan, so Stephen was using the Scripture to build the foundation of his case.

In verses 51-53, though, Stephen moves from the defensive to the offensive. He calls his listeners “stiffnecked and uncircumcised.” He accuses them of being the equivalent of their ancestors rebelling in the wilderness and NOT to be in synch with the plan God started with Father Abraham. He sharpens (v. 52) the persecution motif by asking which of the prophets were not persecuted and charges them (v. 53) with not even keeping the law that they claim to be defending. By the way, that’s a pretty good rule of thumb. Usually the ones making the most noise about laws and the rule of law are the very ones trying to get around it. They think it applies to everyone but them. We see this “above the law” nature in politicians in the secular world, but it is also present among the self-righteous of the church and clergy, as well.

Verse 54 is the turning point. Stephen’s defense didn’t go so well. People don’t want to hear the Truth—especially any Truth that makes them uncomfortable with themselves. And the fact is, God is always going to make us uncomfortable with ourselves because He wants to help us CONFORM to Him. To conform us to Him rather than comfort us without Him.