Acts 7:28 - Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ Exodus 2:14
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What does "Acts 7:28" mean?
The verse Acts 7:28 is a quote from Exodus 2:14 and appears within Stephen's speech in Acts 7. To understand its meaning, we need to consider both the original context in Exodus and Stephen's use of it in Acts.
Context in Exodus 2:14:
Background: Moses, raised as an Egyptian prince but aware of his Hebrew heritage, sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. He intervenes and kills the Egyptian, burying the body in the sand.
The Incident: The next day, Moses sees two Hebrews fighting. He tries to break up the fight, asking the offender why he's striking his fellow Hebrew.
The Response (Exodus 2:14): The Hebrew man replies, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?"
Meaning: This question reveals that Moses' act of killing the Egyptian was not a secret. It also shows the Hebrew man's rejection of Moses' authority and leadership. The man is challenging Moses' right to intervene and implicitly accusing him of acting outside the law. He sees Moses' action as a violent overreach. It highlights a lack of trust and acceptance from his own people.
Context in Acts 7:28 (Stephen's Speech):
Stephen's Speech: Stephen, a deacon, is on trial for blasphemy. He gives a long, detailed history of Israel, attempting to demonstrate that the Jews have always resisted God's messengers.
Stephen's Argument: Stephen uses the story of Moses as an allegory for Jesus. He argues that just as the Israelites rejected Moses, they also rejected Jesus.
Use of the Verse: Stephen quotes Exodus 2:14 to highlight the rejection Moses faced. By doing so, he's drawing a parallel: The Jews rejected Moses' leadership, just as they are now rejecting Jesus. This rejection, according to Stephen, is a recurring pattern in their history. They resist God's chosen leaders.
Implication: Stephen is implicitly accusing his audience (the Jewish leaders) of repeating the mistakes of their ancestors. They are rejecting Jesus, the Messiah, just as their forefathers rejected Moses. This is a powerful accusation that contributes to the anger that ultimately leads to Stephen's stoning.
In Summary:
Exodus 2:14: Shows the early rejection of Moses' authority and the fear it provoked among some Israelites who were aware of his actions. It reveals a lack of trust and acceptance.
Acts 7:28: Employs this rejection as a parallel to the rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leaders. Stephen uses it to argue that the Jews have a history of rejecting God's chosen messengers and leaders, culminating in their rejection of the Messiah.
Therefore, the verse's significance in Acts 7:28 lies in its illustrative power. It's not just a historical anecdote, but a pointed accusation aimed at exposing the pattern of rejection that Stephen sees in the history of the Jewish people. It's a key piece of his argument that their rejection of Jesus is not an isolated incident, but a continuation of a long-standing pattern of disobedience and resistance to God's will.
Acts 7:28 - Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ Exodus 2:14
What does "Acts 7:28" mean?
The verse Acts 7:28 is a quote from Exodus 2:14 and appears within Stephen's speech in Acts 7. To understand its meaning, we need to consider both the original context in Exodus and Stephen's use of it in Acts.
Context in Exodus 2:14:
Background: Moses, raised as an Egyptian prince but aware of his Hebrew heritage, sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. He intervenes and kills the Egyptian, burying the body in the sand.
The Incident: The next day, Moses sees two Hebrews fighting. He tries to break up the fight, asking the offender why he's striking his fellow Hebrew.
The Response (Exodus 2:14): The Hebrew man replies, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?"
Meaning: This question reveals that Moses' act of killing the Egyptian was not a secret. It also shows the Hebrew man's rejection of Moses' authority and leadership. The man is challenging Moses' right to intervene and implicitly accusing him of acting outside the law. He sees Moses' action as a violent overreach. It highlights a lack of trust and acceptance from his own people.
Context in Acts 7:28 (Stephen's Speech):
Stephen's Speech: Stephen, a deacon, is on trial for blasphemy. He gives a long, detailed history of Israel, attempting to demonstrate that the Jews have always resisted God's messengers.
Stephen's Argument: Stephen uses the story of Moses as an allegory for Jesus. He argues that just as the Israelites rejected Moses, they also rejected Jesus.
Use of the Verse: Stephen quotes Exodus 2:14 to highlight the rejection Moses faced. By doing so, he's drawing a parallel: The Jews rejected Moses' leadership, just as they are now rejecting Jesus. This rejection, according to Stephen, is a recurring pattern in their history. They resist God's chosen leaders.
Implication: Stephen is implicitly accusing his audience (the Jewish leaders) of repeating the mistakes of their ancestors. They are rejecting Jesus, the Messiah, just as their forefathers rejected Moses. This is a powerful accusation that contributes to the anger that ultimately leads to Stephen's stoning.
In Summary:
Exodus 2:14: Shows the early rejection of Moses' authority and the fear it provoked among some Israelites who were aware of his actions. It reveals a lack of trust and acceptance.
Acts 7:28: Employs this rejection as a parallel to the rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leaders. Stephen uses it to argue that the Jews have a history of rejecting God's chosen messengers and leaders, culminating in their rejection of the Messiah.
Therefore, the verse's significance in Acts 7:28 lies in its illustrative power. It's not just a historical anecdote, but a pointed accusation aimed at exposing the pattern of rejection that Stephen sees in the history of the Jewish people. It's a key piece of his argument that their rejection of Jesus is not an isolated incident, but a continuation of a long-standing pattern of disobedience and resistance to God's will.