Meaning of Acts 7:35

This verse, spoken by Stephen during his defense before the Sanhedrin, highlights a profound irony and a recurring theme in Israel's history: the rejection of God's chosen deliverers by the very people they were sent to save. Stephen is reminding his accusers that Moses, the lawgiver and leader they now implicitly acknowledge (by their very presence and the tradition they represent), was initially met with the same kind of questioning and resistance that they are now directing towards Stephen and Jesus. The people, in their moment of crisis in Egypt, did not recognize or accept Moses when God appointed him, even though his authority was divinely sanctioned through the miraculous encounter at the burning bush, mediated by an angel. This rejection underscores a pattern of human stubbornness and a failure to discern God's hand in leadership and salvation.

Context and Background

Stephen is delivering his speech in Acts 7, a lengthy recounting of Israel's history from Abraham to the present. He is on trial for blasphemy, accused of speaking against the Temple and the Law. His speech is a powerful indictment of the Jewish leadership and people for consistently opposing and rejecting God's messengers and the Messiah. This particular verse is part of his recounting of the Exodus narrative, specifically the initial phase of Moses' leadership after his return from Midian. The Israelites, suffering under Egyptian oppression, were not immediately receptive to Moses' assertion of divine authority, questioning his legitimacy and right to rule. This rejection foreshadowed a broader pattern of resistance to God's will throughout Israel's history, a theme Stephen emphasizes throughout his discourse.

Key Themes and Messages

• Divine Appointment vs. Human Rejection: The core message is the contrast between God's clear appointment of Moses and the people's defiant rejection of him. God's choice is sovereign, but human will can actively oppose it.
• The Pattern of Resistance: Stephen is illustrating a consistent historical pattern where God sends deliverers, and the people, due to their hardened hearts, resist them. This pattern extends to prophets and ultimately to Jesus.
• The Symbolism of Moses: Moses represents a pivotal figure in Israel's identity, a divinely appointed leader and lawgiver. His initial rejection is a stark reminder that even those held in high esteem were once cast out.
• The Role of Angels: The mention of the angel at the bush underscores the supernatural and divinely mediated nature of Moses' commission, emphasizing that his authority was not self-proclaimed.

Spiritual Significance and Application

This verse serves as a cautionary tale about spiritual blindness and the dangers of rejecting God's appointed means of salvation and leadership. It challenges individuals and communities to examine their own receptivity to divine guidance and to the messengers God sends. Just as the Israelites failed to recognize God's hand in Moses, people today can fail to recognize God's work in their lives, in the Church, or in the world. The spiritual application lies in cultivating humility, discernment, and a willingness to submit to God's authority, even when it comes in unexpected or challenging forms.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This incident with Moses is a foundational example of Israel's unfaithfulness that permeates the Old Testament. The prophets repeatedly rebuked Israel for their stubbornness and their rejection of God's messengers. This pattern culminates in the New Testament with the rejection of Jesus, the ultimate deliverer. Stephen's speech is designed to show that the very traditions and leaders the Sanhedrin represent have a history of opposing God's plans, mirroring their present opposition to Jesus and his followers. The rejection of Moses foreshadows the rejection of Jesus, the new Moses, who is also sent by God to deliver His people.

Analogies

• A Parent's Gift: Imagine a parent meticulously choosing a perfect gift for their child, wrapping it beautifully, and presenting it with love. The child, however, throws a tantrum and refuses to accept it, perhaps even throwing it away, because they don't understand its value or believe their parent knows best.
• A Doctor's Prescription: A doctor carefully diagnoses an illness and prescribes a life-saving medication. The patient, distrusting the doctor or the medicine, refuses to take it, thereby prolonging their suffering and risking their life.

Relation to Other Verses

• Exodus 2:14: This verse directly reflects the sentiment of the Israelites when Moses first intervened in an injustice: "But Moses said to the man, 'Who appointed you to be an official and a judge over us? Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'" This shows the immediate questioning of Moses' authority.
• John 1:11: "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him." This New Testament verse directly parallels the rejection of Moses with the rejection of Jesus by his own people, a central theme in Stephen's argument.
• Acts 7:51-53: Stephen directly accuses his audience of a similar rejection: "You stiff-necked people!你们顽固不化! With uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit. As your ancestors did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and you now have become his betrayers and murderers—you who received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it." This explicitly links the historical pattern to their present actions.
• Hebrews 3:12-13: "See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if we hold firmly till the end the original confidence." This passage warns against the same hardened hearts that rejected Moses and Jesus.