a paraphrased study
Stephen, first Christian martyr, continues his history lesson, saying - 38 - “This (Moses) is the one who was with the people in the wilderness, and with our fathers and the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai. He received the living oracles to be given to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey, they thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt. 40 They said to Aaron (Moses’ brother, first priest) ‘Make for us gods who will lead us. As for this Moses, who led us out from Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a molten idol, a calf, offered a sacrifice and made merry to it, a work of their own hands. 42 But God turned away and he gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it’s written in the prophets - ‘Did you bring to me whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” (ultimately representing our heart and days) “during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 You took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Rephan, images you made to worship, so I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’”
44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness/testimony in the wilderness, just as he directed Moses to make it, according to the pattern he showed him. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before them.” (Canaanite cannibals?) “And so it was until the days of David, 46 who, as we know, found favor in the sight of God, and asked to build a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High doesn’t dwell in houses made by man, as the prophet says, 49 ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the LORD (YHVH) or what is the place of my rest? 50 Did I not make all these things?’”
51 “You stiff-necked people.” Stephen said to them. “Uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One. Who you have now betrayed and murdered. 53 You (we) who received the law delivered by angels, but didn’t keep it.”
54 Now when they heard this they (the leaders at council) were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at his right hand (Rev.12:5). 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they became all the louder, covered their ears, and they rushed together at him, 58 and dragged him out of the city and stoned him. The participants laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep [koimaó - sleep, fall asleep, sometimes the sleep of death].
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