Acts 7:51-54
Read Acts 7:51-54
Helpful Background Information:
In Mark 12:1-12, Jesus states the Parable of the Vineyard, which precisely summarizes the redemptive story of Scripture up to this point. The parable presents God as the sovereign owner of Israel, who entrusted His people, especially their leaders, with stewardship rather than ownership. The servants represent the prophets, sent by God and consistently rejected. The beloved son points to Jesus Himself, whose coming is the climactic act of God’s redemptive plan and whose rejection exposes the depth of Israel’s hard-heartedness.
Jesus’ teaching on Israel’s hard-heartedness is affirmed elsewhere in the New Testament, as found here in Acts 7:51-54. At the end of Acts 6, Stephen, a Greek-speaking Jew who preached Christ in the synagogues, is dragged before the Sanhedrin and false witnesses on charges of blasphemy, in a similar fashion to Jesus’ trial.
In Acts 7, Stephen defends himself by recounting Israel’s history to his hearers. He reminds them that God gave Israel great promises and privileges, yet their ancestors repeatedly rejected God’s chosen deliverers. Joseph was persecuted by his brothers, but later exalted by God to save them. Moses was likewise rejected when he first tried to deliver Israel and was driven away, only to be sent back by God. Even then, the people continually rebelled against him, turning instead to idolatry, so God gave them over to their rebellion.
And then, finally, in our specific passage, Stephen applies his sermon to his listeners. Full of the Holy Spirit, he charges them with being stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart: those who killed the prophets and murdered the Son of God. Hence, it was not Jesus nor the Christians like Stephen, who were guilty of blasphemy, but the leaders of Israel.
Reflection Questions:
What similarities do you see in Jesus's and Stephen’s rebuke of Israel’s leaders?
How can you wisely apply Stephen’s boldness in how you speak about Christ, especially in difficult or hostile settings?
What specific charges does Stephen bring against the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:51–54? What language stands out to you, and how does this help us understand the seriousness of rejecting Jesus?