Acts 6:8-7:29

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

*August 6, 2010
<http://www.2rbetter.org/>*


   *VIII. ACTS 6:8-8:3 STEPHEN'S MARTYRDOM*

*A. 6:8-8:1 HISTORY OF ISRAEL'S PERSECUTIONS INCLUDE STEPHEN*


 *1. 6:8-15 STEPHEN ON TRIAL*

*a. 6:8 STEPHEN: A CHARISMATIC EVANGELIST*

STEpha-nos de, PL*E*r*e*s CHAri-tos kai duNAme-*o*s,

*And Stephen, full of grace and power,*

ePOIei TEra-ta [5059] kai s*e*MEIa [4592] meGAla en t*o* la*O*.

*did great wonders and signs among the people.*


 *b. 6:9 SYNAGOGUE MEMBERS DISPUTE WITH STEPHEN*

aNEst*e*-san DE ti-nes t*o*n ek t*e*s su-na-g*o*G*E*S [4864]

*But certain arose of those of the synagogue*

t*e*s le-goMEn*e*s Li-berTIn*o*n, kai Ku-r*e*NAI*o*n, kai A-le-xanDRE*o*n,

*:called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,*

kai t*o*n aPO Ki-liKIas kai A-SIas, sun-z*e*TOUNtes [4802] t*o* StePHAn*o*.

*and those of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with :Stephen.*


 *c. 6:10 STEPHEN'S WISDOM OVERPOWERS THEM*

kai ouk ISchu-on [2480] an-tiST*E*nai [436] t*e* soPHIa

*And they could not withstand the wisdom*

kai t*o* PNEUma-ti h*o* eLAlei.

*and the Spirit by which he spoke.*


 *d. 6:11 FALSE-WITNESSES RESORTED TO*

TOte huPEba-lon [5260] ANdras, LEgon-tas [HOti],

*Then they instigated men, who said [that],*

A-k*e*KOa-men [191] auTOU laLOUNtos 'R*E*ma-ta BLASph*e*-ma [989] eis M*o*
-uS*E*N, kai ton TheON.

*We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and :God.*


 *e. 6:12-14 SANHEDRIN RESORTED TO NEXT*

su-neKIn*e*SAN [4787] te ton laON kai tous pres-buTErous [4245],

*And they stirred up both the people and the elders,*

kai tous gram-maTEIS [1122], kai e-piSTANtes, suN*E*Rpa-san [4884],

*and the scribes, and came upon, seized,*

auTON kai *E*ga-gon eis to suNEdri-on [4892],

*and brought him into the Sanhedrin,*

ESt*e*SAN te MARtu-ras [3144] pseuDEIS [5571], LEgon-tas,

*13 and set up false witnesses, who said,*

Ho ANthr*o*-pos HAUtos ou PAUe-tai [4973] laL*O*N 'R*E*ma-ta [4487]

*This :man ceases not to speak words*

kaTA tou TOpou tou haGIou TOUtou, kai tou NOmou:

*against this :holy :place, and the law:*

a-k*e*KOa-men gar auTOU LEgon-tos,

*14 for we have heard him say,*

HOti 'I*e*SOUS ho Na-z*o*RAIos HOUtos ka-taLUsei [2647] ton TOpon TOUton,

*that this :Jesus the Nazorean shall destroy this :place,*

kai alLAxei [236] ta Eth*e* ha paREd*o*-ken [3860] h*e*MIN M*o*-uS*E*S.

*and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.*


 *f. 6:15 STEPHEN'S FACE: AS AN ANGEL'S *

kai, a-teNIsan-tes [816] eis auTON, PANtes hoi ka-theZOme-noi en t*o*su-neDRI
*o*,

*And all that sat in the Sanhedrin, fastening their eyes on him,*

EIdan to PROs*o*-pon auTOU h*o*SEI PROs*o*-pon anGElou [32].

*saw :his face as if an angel's face.*


 *2. 7:1-53 STEPHEN'S DEFENSE AND ACCUSATION*

*a. 7:1 HIGH PRIEST INVITES STEPHEN'S SELF-DEFENSE*

EIpen de ho ar-chi-eREUS [749], Ei TAUta HOUt*o*s Echei?

*And the high priest said, Whether these things are so?*


 *b. 7:2-3 STEPHEN STARTS WITH ABRAHAM'S CALL*

ho de Eph*e*, ANdres, a-delPHOI kai paTEres, aKOUsa-te:

*And he said, Men, brethren and fathers, hear:*

ho TheOS t*e*s DOx*e*s [1391] *O*PHth*e* [3700] t*o* paTRI h*e*M*O*N A-braAM

*The God of the Glory appeared to our :father Abraham*

ONti en t*e* Me-so-po-taMIa, prin *e* ka-toiK*E*sai [2730] auTON en CharRAN,

*when in :Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,*

kai EIpen pros auTON, Exel-the ek t*e*s g*e*s sou,

*3 and said unto him, Come out of your :land,*

kai t*e*s sug-geNEIas [4772] sou, kai DEUro eis t*e*n g*e*n h*e*n an soi
DEIx*o*.

*and your :kindred, and come hither into the land which I shall show you.*


 *c. 7:4-5 ABRAHAM IN CANAAN WITHOUT INHERITING IT*

TOte e-xelTH*O*N ek g*e*s ChalDAI*o*n,

*Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans,*

kaT*O*k*e*-sen [2730] en CharRAN: ka' 'KEIthen, meTA to a-po-thaNEIN
[599]ton paTEra auTOU

*and** dwelt in Haran: and from there, after his :father's death*

meT*O*ki-sen [3351] auTON eis t*e*n g*e*n tauT*E*N, eis h*e*n huMEIS nun
ka-toiKEIte:

*God** removed him into this :land, in which YOU now live:*

kai ouk Ed*o*-ken auT*O* kl*e*-ro-noMIan [2817] en auT*E*, ouDE, B*E*ma
[968] poDOS:

*5 and he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot
on:*

kai e-p*e*gGEIla-to [1861] DOUnai auT*O* eis kaTAsche-sin [2697] auT*E*N,

*and he promised to give it to him in possession,*

kai t*o* SPERma-ti [4690] auTOU met' auTON, ouk ONtos auT*O* TEKnou.

*and to his :seed after him, when yet he had no child.*


 *d. 7:6 EGYPTIAN CAPTIVITY FORETOLD*

eLAl*e*-sen de HOUt*o*s ho TheOS, HOti EStai to SPERma auTOU PAroi-kon
[3941]

*And :God spoke thus, that his :seed should be sojourner*

en g*e* al-loTRIa, kai douL*O*sou-sin [1402] auTO,

*in a strange land, and that they should bring it into bondage,*

kai kaK*O*sou-sin [2559] Et*e* te-traKOsi-a.

*and ill-treat for four hundred years.*


 *e. 7:7 EGYPT'S JUDGMENT: FOLLOWED BY INHERITANCE IN CANAAN*

kai to ETHnos h*o* an douLEUsou-sin [1398] kriN*O* [2919] eG*O*, ho TheOS
EIpen:

*And the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said :God:*

kai meTA TAUta e-xeLEUson-tai [1831] kai laTREUsouSIN [3000] moi en t*o* TOp
*o* TOUt*o*.

*and after these shall they come forth and serve me in this :place.*


 *f. 7:8 COVENANT OF CIRCUMCISION - DOWN TO THE 12 PATRIARCHS*

kai Ed*o*-ken auT*O* di-aTH*E*k*e*n [1242] pe-ri-toM*E*S [4061]:

*And he gave him the covenant of circumcision:*

kai HOUt*o*s eGENn*e*-sen [1080] ton 'I-saAK,

*and so Abraham begot :Isaac,*

kai pe-riEte-men [4059] auTON t*e* h*e*MEra t*e* ogDO*e*;

*and circumcised him the eighth :day;*

kai I-saAK ton IaK*O*B, kai 'IaK*O*B tous D*O*de-ka pa-triARchas [3966].

*and Isaac begot :Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.*


 *g. 7:9-10 JOSEPH'S TRIBULATIONS EMERGE INTO GOVERNOR OF EGYPT!*

kai hoi pa-triARchai, z*e*L*O*san-tes [2206] ton 'I*o*S*E*PH,

*And the patriarchs, jealous against :Joseph,*

aPEdon-to [591] eis AIgup-ton: kai *e*n ho TheOS met' auTOU,

*sold him into Egypt: and :God was with him,*

kai eXEIla-to [1807] auTON ek paS*O*N t*o*n THLIpse-*o*n [2347] auTOU,

*10 and delivered him out of all his :tribulations,*

kai Ed*o*-ken auT*O* CHArin kai soPHIan e-nanTIon Pha-ra*O* [5328] ba-siLE*o
*s AiGUPtou;

*and gave him grace and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt;*

kai kaTEst*e*-sen [2525] auTON h*e*GOUme-non [2233] ep' AIgup-ton kai HOlon
ton OIkon auTOU.

*and he made him governor over Egypt and all his :house.*


 *h. 7:11 THE FAMINE*

*E*Lthen de liMOS [3042], eph' HOl*e*n t*e*n AIgup-ton kai Cha-naAN,

*Now a famine came, over all :Egypt and Canaan,*

kai THLIpsis [2347] meGAl*e*: kai ouch H*E*Uri-skon chorTASma-ta [5527] hoi
paTEres h*e*M*O*N.

*and great tribulation: and our :fathers found no sustenance.*


 *I. 7:12 JACOB SENDS PATRIARCHS TO EGYPT*

aKOUsas de 'IaK*O*B ONta siTIa [4621] eis AIgup-ton,

*But when Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt,*

e-xaPEstei-len [1821] tous paTEras h*e*M*O*N PR*O*ton.

*he sent forth our :fathers the first time.*


 *j. 7:13 JOSEPH REVEALS SELF TO BRETHREN: PHARAOH KNOWS THEM*

kai en t*o* deuTEr*o*, eg-n*o*RISth*e* [319] 'I*o*S*E*PH tois a-delPHOIS
auTOU;

*And at the second, Joseph was made known to his :brethren;*

kai pha-neRON [5318] eGEne-to t*o* Pha-ra*O* to GEnos [1085] 'I*o*S*E*PH.

*and Joseph's :race became manifest to :Pharaoh.*


 *k. 7:14 JOSPEPH BRINGS 75 SOULS INTO EGYPT*

a-poSTEIlas de 'I*o*S*E*PH, me-te-kaLEsa-to [3333] 'IaK*O*B ton paTEra
auTOU,

*And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his :father,*

kai PAsan t*e*n sugGEnei-an, en psuCHAIS heb-doM*E*kon-ta PENte.

*and all his :kindred, seventy-five souls.*


 *l. 7:15-16 JACOB DIES AND IS BURIED IN SHECHEM*

kaTEb*e* de 'IaK*O*B eis AIgup-ton;

*And Jacob went down into Egypt;*

kai e-teLEUt*e*-sen [5053] auTOS, kai hoi paTEres h*e*M*O*N;

*and HE died, and our :fathers;*

kai me-teTEth*e*san [3346] eis SuCHEM,

*16 and they were carried over unto Shechem,*

kai eTEth*e*-san [5087] en t*o* MN*E*ma-ti [3418] ho *o*N*E*sa-to [5608]'AbraAM

*and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought*

tiM*E*S ar-guRIou paRA t*o*n hui*O*N HemMOR en SuCHEM.

*for a price in silver of the sons of Emmor in Shechem.*


 *m. 7:17-18 A KING STRANGE TO JOSEPH ARISES IN EGYPT*
 kaTH*O*S de *E*Ggi-zen [1448] ho CHROnos [5550] t*e*s e-pag-geLIas [1860]

*But as the time of the promise drew nigh*

h*e*s h*o*moLOg*e*-sen [3660] ho TheOS t*o* AbraAM,

*which :God affirmed to Abraham,*

*E*Ux*e*-sen ho laOS kai e-pl*e*THUNth*e* [4129] en AiGUPt*o*,

*the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,*

Achri hou aNEst*e* ba-siLEUS HEte-ros ep' AIgup-ton,

*18 till another king arose over Egypt, *

hos ouk *E*dei ton 'I*o*S*E*PH.

*who knew not :Joseph.*


 *n. 7:19 A NEW PHARAOH PERSECUTES ISRAEL*

HOUtos ka-ta-so-phiSAme-nos [2685] to GEnos h*e*M*O*N,

*The same dealt craftily with our :race,*

eKAk*o*-sen [2559] tous paTEras h*e*M*O*N, tou poiEIN

*and** ill-treated **our :fathers, as to make outcasts*

ta BREph*e* [1025] EKthe-ta auT*O*N eis to m*e* z*o*-o-goNEISthai [2225].

*of their :babes to the end they might not live.*


 *o. 7:20-21 MOSES BORN AND ADOPTED BY PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER*

en h*o* kaiR*O* [2540] e-genN*E*th*e* M*o*-uS*E*S, kai *e*n aSTEIos [791] t*
o* The*O*;

*At which season Moses was born, and was fair unto :God;*

hos a-neTRAph*e* [397] M*E*nas treis en t*o* OIk*o* tou paTROS:

*and** he was nourished three months in the house of **his :father:*

ek-teTHENtos [1620] de ouTOU, aNEIla-to [337] auTON h*e* thuGAt*e*r [2364]Pha-ra
*O*,

*21 and when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh*

kai a-neTHREpsa-to [397] auTON he-auT*E* eis huiON.

*took him up, and nourished him for her own son.*


 *p. 7:22 THE EDUCATION AND DEEDS OF MOSES*

kai e-paiDEUth*e* [3811] M*o*-uS*E*S PAs*e* soPHIa Ai-gupTI*o*n;

*And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians;*

h*e*n de du-naTOS en LOgois kai ERgois auTOU.

*and he was mighty in his words and works.*


 *q. 7:23 MOSES AT 40 VISITS HIS BRETHREN*

h*o*s de e-pl*e*ROUNto [4137] auT*O* tes-se-ra-kon-ta-eT*E*S CHROnos,

*But when he was forty years old, *

aNEb*e* ePI t*e*n karDIan auTOU

*it came into his :heart*

e-piSKEpsas-thai [1980] tous a-delPHOUS auTOU tous huiOUS Is-ra*E*L.

*to visit his :brethren the sons of Israel.*


 *r. 7:24-25 MOSES RESISTS OPPRESSION, BUT MISUNDERSTOOD*

kai iD*O*N ti-na a-diKOUme-non [91], *e*MUna-to [292],

*And seeing one being wronged, he defended him,*

kai ePOI*e*-sen ekDIk*e*-sin [1557] t*o* ka-ta-po-nouMEn*o* [2669], paTAxas
[3950] ton AiGUPti-on:

*and avenged the one oppressed, smiting the Egyptian:*

eNOmi-zen [3543] de su-niEnai [4920] tous a-delPHOUS

*25 and he supposed that his :brethren understood*

HOti ho TheOS diA cheiROS auTOU DId*o*-sin s*o*-t*e*RIan [4991] auTOIS;

*that :God by his hand was giving them deliverance;*

hoi de ou suN*E*kan.

*but they understood not.*


 *s. 7:26 MOSES SEEKS TO BE ISRAEL'S PEACEMAKER*

t*e* te e-piOUs*e* h*e*MEra *O*PHth*e* [3700] auTOIS ma-choMEnois [3184],

*And the day following he appeared to them as they strove,*

kai suN*E*Llas-sen [4900] auTOUS eis eiR*E*n*e*n, eiP*O*N,

*and would have set them at one again, saying,*

ANdres, a-delPHOI es-te; HIna te a-diKEIte [91] alL*E*lous?

*Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?*


 *t. 7:27 MOSES REJECTED BY ISRAEL AS JUDGE*

ho de a-diK*O*N ton pl*e*SIon [4139 aP*O*sa-to [683] auTON, eiP*O*N,

*But who did his :neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying,*

TIS se kaTEst*e*-sen [2525] ARchon-ta [758 kai di-kaST*E*N [1348] eph' h*e*M
*O*N?

*Who made you ruler and judge over us?*


 *u. 7:28 MURDER BY MOSES MISUNDERSTOOD*

m*e* a-neLEIN [337] me su THEleis, hon TROpon [5158] aNEIles echTHES ton
AiGUPti-on?

*Would you kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?*


 *v. 7:29 MOSES FLEES TO MIDIAN.*

Ephu-gen [5543] de M*o*-uS*E*S en t*o* LOg*o* TOUt*o*, kai eGEne-to
PAroi-kos [3941]

*And Moses fled at this :saying, and became a sojourner*

en g*e* Ma-diAM, hou eGENn*e*-sen [1080] huiOUS DUo.

*in Midian land, where he begot two sons.*



 *NOTE**: *We should take encouragement from this speech of Stephen. Jesus
had foretold to His disciples, the following words: *“Lo, I send you forth
as sheep amidst wolves: become therefore wise as the serpents, and harmless
as the doves. 17 But beware of :men: for they will deliver you up to
councils, and in their :synagogues they will scourge you: 18 yes before
governors and kings shall you be brought for my sake, for a witness to them
and to the nations. 19 But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or
what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that :hour what you shall
speak.20 For it not you that speak, but the Spirit of your :Father that
speaks in you” (Matthew 10:16-20). *Is this not an exact fulfillment of
these prophetic words of Jesus?


 Then note how the Spirit of the Father in Stephen carefully crafted his
argument - to show how God's people Israel and her leaders, constantly and
consistently resisted God and His servants. Then, just as Jesus showed to
the leaders in a parable, He foretold how they would take God's Son,
Himself, and crucify Him.


 This first part of this speech indeed lays the foundation for what follows,
and produces the first martyr for the church. Jesus Himself was *not* a
martyr. He *was born to die*. In the past eternity, the Father and the Son
worked out the plan for the Son to take on humanity, and as the Son of Man,
He would reconcile lost humanity to God through His great Redemptive act. He
embraced all 5 of the Levitical offerings in the first few chapters there,
and worked out on Calvary *plenteous Redemption* for you and me. J.A.W.












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