Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 7]
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7:1 {Are these things so?} (\ei tauta hout•s echei\). On this use
of \ei\ in a direct question see on ¯1:6. Literally "Do these
things hold thus?" A formal question by the high priest like our
"Do you plead guilty, or not guilty?" (Furneaux). The abrupt
question of the high priest would serve to break the evident
spell of the angelic look on Stephen's face. Two charges had been
made against Stephen (1) speaking against the holy temple, (2)
changing the customs which Moses had delivered. Stephen could not
give a yes or no answer to these two charges. There was an
element of truth in each of them and a large amount of error all
mixed together. So he undertakes to explain his real position by
the historical method, that is to say, by a rapid survey of God's
dealing with the people of Israel and the Gentiles. It is the
same method adopted by Paul in Pisidian Antioch (Ac 13:16ff.)
after he had become the successor of Stephen in his
interpretation of the universal mission of Christianity. If one
is disposed to say that Luke made up this speech to suit
Stephen's predicament, he has to explain how the style is less
Lukan than the narrative portions of Acts with knowledge of
Jewish traditions that a Greek would not be likely to know.
Precisely how Luke obtained the data for the speech we do not
know, but Saul heard it and Philip, one of the seven, almost
certainly. Both could have given Luke help about it. It is even
possible that some one took notes of this important address. We
are to remember also that the speech was interrupted at the end
and may not include all that Stephen meant to say. But enough is
given to give us a good idea of how Stephen met the first charge
"by showing that the worship of God is not confined to Jerusalem
or the Jewish temple" (Page). Then he answers the second charge
by proving that God had many dealings with their fathers before
Moses came and that Moses foretold the coming of the Messiah who
is now known to be Jesus. It is at this point (verse 51) that
Stephen becomes passionate and so powerful that the wolves in the
Sanhedrin lose all self-control. It is a great and masterful
exposition of the worldwide mission of the gospel of Christ in
full harmony with the Great Commission of Christ. The apostles
had been so busy answering the Sadducees concerning the
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Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Acts: Chapter 7)