Bible Study series: Acts 7:9-19. Stephen’s overview speech is polemical. He’s going on offense, while defending himself. This is his apologia (defense) of the new Christian Movement.
I write to learn. Let’s learn together and apply these truths to our lives.
I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many other translations, please click on this link:
At the link to the original post, next, I write more commentary and dig a little deeper into the Greek. I also offer a section titled Observations for Discipleship at the end. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided in the commentary section for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Acts 7:9-19
9 And the patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and lifted him out of all his tribulation and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he appointed him leader over Egypt and his entire household.
11 Then a famine and great tribulation came upon all of Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors did not find any food. 12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors the first time; 13 on the second time Joseph allowed himself to be recognized to his brothers, and it became clear to Pharaoh that this was Joseph’s family. 14 Joseph sent for and summoned his father and all his relatives, 75 persons, and 15 Jacob went down into Egypt. Both he himself and our other ancestors died, 16 and they were brought back to Shechem and buried in a tomb which Abraham purchased with a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 As the time of promise drew nearer, which God promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18 until ‘a different king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph’ [Ex. 1:8] 19 This king cunningly exploited our family and mistreated our ancestors by making them throw out their babies so they would not live to the next generation. (Acts 7:9-19)
Comments:
The main message in Stephen’s sermon / speech / discourse before the Sanhedrin is that the ancient Hebrews—their ancestors and kindred and family and stock—lived a simple life without the multiplication of religious entrapments seen right outside the Sanhedrin’s council room in the temple. No doubt sacrificial animals bleated and mooed within hearing distance.
9-10:
“God was with him”: That’s the greatest promise of all. When you succeed and your family grows jealous of you, realize that God is with you.
“tribulation”: in Greek it is the noun thlipsis (pronounced th’leep-sees, and be sure to say the p in ps). It can be translated as “affliction” or “oppression” or “hardship.”
“favor”: it is the Greek word charis (pronounced khah-rees or khah-ris) and has these meanings, depending on the context: graciousness, attractiveness; favor, gracious care, help or goodwill, practical application of goodwill; a gracious deed or gift, benefaction. In some contexts, it means “exceptional effects produced by divine grace,” in other words, empowerment to accomplish a task.
Let’s go deeper, by repeating part of what I wrote in the post Do I Really Know God? He Is Gracious. Mounce in his Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words teaches us about the Hebrew and Greek words. The Hebrew noun ḥen (pronounced khen) “describes that which is favorable or gracious, especially the favorable disposition of one person to another” (p. 302). The Greek noun further means “the acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain” (p. 303). The verb in Hebrew is ḥanan (pronounced khah-nan) and means to be gracious, “to show mercy favor, be gracious” (ibid.).
Here is a quick definition. God’s grace means he gladly shows his unmerited goodness or love to those who have forfeited it and are by nature under a sentence of condemnation.
Good news! We do not have to suffer condemnation for our past sins because God hands us his grace.
Here, however, it means “favor.”
“wisdom”: Let’s define it broadly and biblically. BDAG is considered the authoritative Greek lexicon, and it translates the noun sophia (pronounced soh-fee-ah and used 51 times) as “the capacity to understand and function accordingly—wisdom.”
So biblical wisdom is very practical. It is not like the wisdom of the Greek philosophers, which was very abstract. But let’s not make too much of the differences. In the classical Greek lexicon, sophia can also mean: “skill in handcraft and art … knowledge of, acquaintance with a thing … sound judgment, intelligence, practical wisdom.” In a bad sense it can mean “cunning, shrewdness, craft” (Liddell and Scott).
Leaders in Egypt were attracted to Joseph because of his wisdom.
God’s favor will make a way for you too, for it can settle on you in tough times and raise or lift you up.
11-16:
Shechem was in Samaria, and Philip the deacon – evangelist will begin an evangelistic in the Samaria of his day, which the apostles Peter and John will endorse (Acts 8:4-25).
“great tribulation”: thlipsis megalē (see v. 10, and the adjective is pronounced meh-gah-lay), which can occur at any time in history. For other references to a “great tribulation,” see Matt. 24:21; Rev. 2:22; 7:14.
Matthew 24:4-35 Predicts Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
This section is a speedy overview of the generations, hitting the highlights.
In v. 13, “the family of Joseph” could be translated as “Joseph’s racial background.” Parsons and Culy suggest this latter one.
17-18:
“promise”: It primarily means that promises made to the patriarchs recorded in the OT are now fulfilled in Yeshua ha-Meshiach or Jesus the Messiah (here and Acts 7:17). Abraham would have many descendants (Gal. 3:14-29). David received the promise of a special descendant fulfilled in Jesus (Acts 13:22-23). Paul goes on to say the Jesus’s resurrection is proof of the good news that he preaches (Acts 13:32-33). John proclaims that the promise is connected to eternal life—which is begun to be lived down here and then never ending in heaven (1 John 2:25). All the promises in the OT are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ in Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20).
3. Titles of Jesus: The Son of David and the Messiah
Another use of promise is the gift of the Holy Spirit. In Luke 24:49, Jesus tells the disciples that he is sending the “promise of the Father” to them (Acts 1:4). And it is fulfilled in Acts 2:1-4, where the Holy Spirit descends on the 120 in the upper room. Peter tells his audience that this is the promise of the Father (Acts 2:33). Paul links the promise of the Holy Spirit to the blessing of Abraham (Gal. 3:14). And believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit of the promise (Eph. 1:13).
Questions and Answers about Spirit-Inspired Languages
Are ‘Tongues’ the Sign of Baptism with Spirit in Acts?
Still another use of the word promise is that it forms the foundation of righteous living. Paul appeals for purity on God’s promises (2 Cor. 7:1). Children are told to honor their parents because the Fifth Commandment has a promise in it (Eph. 6:2; Exod. 20:12). Paul writes to Timothy that godliness is profitable both in this life and the next because of the promise of life (1 Tim. 4:8). The author of Hebrews encourages believers to persevere (hang in there) because of God’s promises (Heb. 4:1; 10:36). Don’t doubt, Peter says, that God will keep his promise of the second coming, even though some mock (2 Pet. 3:4, 9) (Mounce, pp. 541-42).
“promised”: The promise to Abraham is that his descendants would grow as numerous as the stars (Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 26:4). Sometimes it takes a long, long time before God’s promise is fulfilled. In fact, let’s hope it gets fulfilled while you are still alive! If not, be assured it is still living on in the next generations.
19:
This verse is not directly about abortion because we don’t leave infants out to expose them, as they did back then. Today we throw away babes before they are born. Abortion is a bad business. If you had one (or more), God forgives you on your repentance. Abortions do not disqualify you from joining the kingdom of God and receiving his acceptance.
What the Bible Really Says about Abortion and Prenatal Life
Spiritual Sonograms: God Loves You and Your Baby
GrowApp for Acts 7:9-19
1. God was with Joseph and favored him. How does it strike you that God is with you and shows you favor?
2. Verse 19 speaks of disposable children. Has God called you to speak out about needy children?
RELATED
The Historical Reliability of the Book of Acts
Book of Acts and Paul’s Epistles: Match Made in Heaven?
SOURCES
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