Acts 7:1-53 Then said the high priest, Are these things so?… I. THE SOURCE OF HIS ARGUMENT. The sacred history of the Jews which accusers and accused alike revered. In doing this he secured their attention by giving them to understand — 1. That his faith in that history was as strong as theirs. 2. That he was thoroughly conversant with that history. II. ITS POINT — that all God's dealings with His people pointed to those very changes which he was accused of advocating. This position he makes good by showing — 1. That the external condition of the Church had undergone repeated changes. There was a change under (1) Abraham (vers. 2-8). (2) Joseph (vers. 9-16). (3) Moses (vers. 17-44). (4) David (vers. 45, 46). 2. That the present external state of the Church had no existence before Solomon; and that even this was intended from the beginning to be temporary (vers. 47-50). III. ITS APPLICATION (vers. 51-53). Mark — 1. The vile character he gives them. (1) "Stiffnecked" — contumacious, rebellious. (2) "Uncircumcised" — unsacred, impure. 2. The crimes he charges upon them — (1) Resistance to the Holy Ghost. (2) An hereditary persecuting spirit. (3) The betrayal and murder of the Son of God. (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then said the high priest, Are these things so? |
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