Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 7]
are in reality opposing Moses. It was a neat turn.
7:38 {In the church in the wilderness} (\en t•i ekkl•si•i en t•i
er•m•i\). Better rendered "congregation" here as in Heb 2:12
(Ps 22:22), the people of Israel gathered at Mt. Sinai, the
whole nation. Moses is here represented as receiving the law from
an angel as in Heb 2:2; Ga 3:19 (De 33:2, LXX) and so was a
mediator (\mesit•s\) or middle man between the angel and the
people whereas Jesus is the Mediator of a better covenant (Heb
8:6). But Exodus does not speak of an angel. {Living oracles}
(\logia z•nta\). A \logion\ is a little word (diminutive of
\logos\). Common in the old Greek, LXX, Philo, in ecclesiastical
writers for sayings of Christ, Papias (for instance) saying that
Matthew wrote in Hebrew (Aramaic) "Logia of Jesus." Oxyrhynchus
papyri fragments called "Logia of Jesus" are of much interest
though only fragments. The Greeks used it of the "oracles" or
brief sayings from Delphi. In the N.T. the word occurs only four
times (Ac 7:38; Ro 3:2; Heb 5:12; 1Pe 4:11). Here the
participle \z•nta\, living, is the same used by Peter (1Pe
2:4f.), stone (\lithos\) of Christ and Christians. The words
from God to Moses are still "living" today. In 1Pe 4:11 the
word is applied to one who speaks \logia theou\ (oracles of God).
In Ro 3:2 Paul refers to the substance of the law and of
prophecy. In Heb 5:12 the writer means the substance of the
Christian religious teaching.
7:39 {To whom} (\h•i\). That is Moses, this Moses. {Would not be}
(\ouk •thel•san genesthai\). Aorist active, negative aorist, were
unwilling to become (\genesthai\) obedient. {Thrust him from
them} (\ap•santo\). Indirect middle of the very verb used of the
man (verse 27) who "thrust" Moses away from him. {Turned back}
(\estraph•san\). Second aorist passive indicative of \streph•\,
to turn. They yearned after the fleshpots of Egypt and even the
gods of Egypt. It is easy now to see why Stephen has patiently
led his hearers through this story. He is getting ready for the
home-thrust.
7:40 {Gods which shall go before us} (\theous hoi proporeusontai
h•m•n\). Ex 32:1. As guides and protectors, perhaps with some
allusion to the pillar of fire and of cloud that had gone before
them (Ex 13:21). The future indicative here with \hoi\
(relative) expresses purpose. {Ye wot not} (\ouk oidamen\). We do
not know. How quickly they had forgotten both God and Moses while
Moses was absent in the mount with God. {Become of him} (\egeneto
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