Howbeit, &c. Read, "But not the Most High in hand-made temples dwelleth". The "not"stands first by Figure of speech Anastrophe. App-6 . the Most High. Greek. hupsistos. This, as a title of Deity, occurs nine times. See Luke 1:32 . Temples. The texts omit. made with hands. Greek. cheiropoietos. Here, Acts 17:34 .Mark 14:58 . Ephesians 2:11 .Hebrews 9:11 , Hebrews 9:24 . read more
earth. Greek. ge, as in Acts 7:3 . My footstool = the footstool of my feet, as in Acts 2:35 . Compare Matthew 5:35 , and see note on Matthew 22:44 . what = what kind of. rest. Greek. katapausis. Only here; Hebrews 3:11 , Hebrews 3:18 ; Hebrews 4:1 , Hebrews 4:3 , Hebrews 4:3 , Hebrews 4:5 , Hebrews 4:10 , Hebrews 4:11 . read more
not. Greek. ouchi. App-105 . Freely quoted from Isaiah 66:1 , Isaiah 66:2 . read more
Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet, The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet: What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things?Stephen summed up his argument by this appeal to the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 66:1f), which set forth the impossibility of Almighty God's actually dwelling in any house made by human hands. The great temple of the Jews had... read more
Acts 7:46-50. And desired to find a tabernacle, &c.— 'Ητησατο, made it his petition. From the account which the Scripture gives of David, it appears how greatly he longed to find out a place for the Lord,—an habitation,—which is a properer word than tabernacle in this place. Comp. 2 Samuel 7:2. &c. and Psalms 132:1-5. However, as he was a man of war, and had shed blood, he was not allowed to build the temple; which was deferred to the peaceful reign of his son; and hence the plain... read more
2. Stephen’s address 7:2-53As a Hellenistic Jew, Stephen possessed a clearer vision of the universal implications of the gospel than did most of the Hebraic Jews. It was this breadth of vision that drew attack from the more temple-bound Jews in Jerusalem and led to his arrest. His address was not a personal defense designed to secure his acquittal by the Sanhedrin. It was instead an apologetic for the new way of worship that Jesus taught and His followers embraced."On the surface it appears to... read more
Stephen’s view of the temple 7:44-50Stephen effectively refuted the general charges that he blasphemed God and Moses (Acts 6:11; cf Acts 7:2-16) and spoke against the Law (Acts 6:13; cf. Acts 7:17-43). He next addressed the charge that he spoke against the temple (Acts 6:13). The charges that he had said Jesus would destroy the temple and alter Jewish customs (Acts 6:14) were really specific accusations growing out of Stephen’s view of the temple.The Jewish leaders of Stephen’s day attached... read more
Stephen hastened to clarify that the Most High God, for whom a suitable house was certainly a reasonable desire, does not restrict Himself to a habitation constructed by humans. Solomon himself had acknowledged this when he dedicated the temple (cf. 1 Kings 8:27; Isaiah 66:1-2)."Judaism never taught that God actually lived in the temple or was confined to its environs but spoke of his ’Name’ and presence as being there. In practice, however, this concept was often denied. This would especially... read more
7:48 High (d-4) See Luke 1:32 . prophet, (e-15) See Isaiah 66:1 ,Isaiah 66:2 . read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Acts 7:1-60
Stephen before the Sanhedrin (7:1-60)The defence that Stephen made before the Sanhedrin was not designed to win its approval. He outlined Israel’s history to demonstrate two main points. First, God had never shown himself to be limited to one dwelling place, or even one locality (therefore the Jews were mistaken in attaching such importance to the temple in Jerusalem). Second, the people of Israel had always rejected the messengers of God (therefore their rejection of the Messiah Jesus was not... read more