1. How did Saul consent? Acts 26:10. Was the church at Jerusalem a very large church? (Acts 2:41-47; 4:4-32; 5:14; 6:7). What became of them all? Did that injure the work of God? Who were excepted?

      2. Is it proper to sorrow over the loss of loved ones? John 11:35. How must we not sorrow? 1 Thess. 4:13.

      3. Why did Saul do all this? Acts 26:9. Did that make it right? 1 Tim. 1:13-15.

      Only a small part of the lesson is appointed to be printed; but the lesson itself covers the whole seventh chapter of Acts; Stephen's speech before the council.

      In order to understand the drift of Stephen's speech we must note first of all what he was accused of. The charge was that he had spoken "against this holy place (the temple) and the law;" and that they had heard him say, "that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change [95] the customs which Moses delivered unto us." (Acts 6:13, 14). The high priest therefore said, "Are these things so?" in answer Stephen goes back to the beginning of their history, the call of Abraham, and traces it down to Solomon's day and beyond. As he goes along he points out two things: 1. As to the "holy place"--that God was never confined to any locality. He communicated with Abraham in Chaldea; he owned Israel in Egypt; he commissioned Moses in the desert; he spoke to the nation from Mount Sinai; he journeyed with Israel through the wilderness forty years in the Tabernacle which was moved from place to place, and manifesting his presence in the pillar of cloud and fire. When at last Israel entered the land, and David wanted to build him a house of habitation, it was granted to Solomon to do so; but even then it was understood, as their prophets also showed (vs. 47-50) that God "dwelleth not in temples made with hands." Why then, in view of such facts would it be blasphemous in Stephen to declare that the temple should be abolished? 2. As to Moses, their lawgiver and deliverer; they had from the first rejected the messengers and deliverers God sent them. Their fathers prompted by jealousy, sold Joseph into Egypt; they rejected Moses himself, and would not understand nor accept his mission. And even after he had become their leader they would not be obedient but thrust him from them and in their hearts turned back into Egypt. (V. 39). That was the way they treated the Moses for whom they were now professing so much zeal. Now Moses himself had predicted another prophet whom God would raise up unto them like unto himself, to whom they should hearken in all things. (If perfection had come through the Mosaic law, why should God afterward send another such supreme prophet? Compare Heb. 7:11). And, as they had rejected Moses, and all the prophets who foretold the coming of Christ, so now they had filled up their measure by becoming the betrayers and murderers of the Righteous One. Their forefathers and they themselves were all of a piece, a perverse generation. (Matt. 23:29-36; Deut. 32:53).

      Now a few additional points in Acts 7--1. Note that Abraham himself got no inheritance in the land of promise. (v. 5). The only spot he owned (the field and cave of Machpelah) he bought, for a burying place. But see the carefully worded promise of God; Genesis 13:14-17; 17:8. Read also Heb. 11:8-16. We may be not always able to see the how or when, but we need not be uncertain that God will fulfil his word of promise to the very letter. (Ps. 12:6).

      2. Note the secret of Joseph's success, Vs. 9, 10. Does Psalm 1 bear on this?

      3. Note how the darkest hour came before the dawn. Vs. 17-19. It will again be so, 2 Tim. 3:1.

      4. When people try to divide their worship and service between God and something else, what happens? (Vs. 41, 42; Matt 6:24; 12:30). Does God recognize all worship that is outwardly offered to Him? (Vs. 42, 43). No. (Zech. 7:5, 6). It must be offered to God himself and alone, in sincerity and truth.

      5. Note how they resisted the Holy Spirit. Because God's prophets and messengers spake by the Spirit (2 Peter 1:21) it was resisting the Spirit to reject and persecute them.

      6. While a man should never needlessly irritate his hearers, and should always speak the truth in love, yet if he speaks the truth itself in simple directness he will bring opposition upon himself sooner or later; and sometimes arouse the fiercest anger. The only way to avoid that is to speak to please men, (1 John 4:5) and to become as the false prophet who said, "Peace, peace," when there was no peace. (Luke 6:26). Much of what is called "tact" is only compromise and cowardice.

      7. It has been said that the blood of martyrs is the seed of the church. It proved so in this case. The gospel now leaves Jerusalem and goes out far and wide. One man among the persecutors, upon whom Stephen's death must have made a deep impression, became God's chief messenger to the Gentiles later. [96]

["The Lord's Day Lesson 10: The Death of Stephen." Word and Work 9 (February 1916): 95-96.]

      The electronic version of R. H. Boll's "The Lord's Day Lesson 10: The Death of Stephen" has been produced from microfilm of Word and Work for 1916.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 95:        [ THE DEATH OF STEPHEN.
            crown of life. [ crown of life."
            65 and said, Behold [ 56 and said, Behold
            4:4-32; 5:14; 6, 7). [ 4:4-32; 5:14; 6:7).
            werse excepted? [ were excepted?
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 9 February 2002.
Ypdated 22 June 2003.