What does Acts 7:21 mean?
While slaves in Egypt, the Israelites continued to grow in number. First, Pharaoh forced them into hard labor. Then he ordered the midwives to kill all the newborn baby boys. When they claimed the Hebrew women gave birth before they could get there, Pharaoh order the Egyptians to throw the Hebrew baby boys into the Nile (Exodus 1:8–22).This would have been Moses' fate, but God led his parents to first hide him for three months and then place him in the river in a waterproofed reed basket. The pharaoh's daughter found him and raised him as her own (Exodus 2:1–10). In her household, Moses was educated like the finest of Egyptians.
Although Moses grew up as an Egyptian, he knew he was a Hebrew. When he was forty years old, he defended one of his people and killed an Egyptian. He then ran to Midian, which is presently western Saudi Arabia and southern Jordan along the Gulf of Aqaba, fearful the pharaoh would kill him (Exodus 2:11–15).
Some of the Jews from outside Judea have come to Jerusalem to worship at the temple. They have accused Stephen, a Jesus-follower, of disrespecting Moses (Acts 6:9–11). This story about Moses' early life is part of Stephen's defense. Yes, Moses is one of the greatest Jews ever. But he also lived an undeservedly privileged early life and ran away in fear after committing murder. Better to give glory to God than a man.
Acts 7:17–22 continues Stephen's defense against charges that he speaks against Moses, the Mosaic law, and the temple (Acts 6:11–14). In this part, he subtly shows that God's work is not confined to a building, city, or even nation. God used a hostile foreign government to prepare the greatest prophet of the Old Testament and the bringer of the Law that made the Israelites a nation. Solomon admitted during the dedication of the temple that even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain God, much less a building made by human hands (2 Chronicles 6:18). The truth is, neither can a single nation, or even the world.
Stephen is a Greek-speaking Jewish Christian and one of the first deacons in the church in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1–7). He's also a skilled apologist and has been debating Jews from outside Judea about the proper place of the Mosaic law and the temple (Acts 6:8–15). His opponents cannot counter his arguments so they resort to lies. They tell the Sanhedrin that Stephen wants to destroy the temple and repeal the Mosaic law. Stephen counters that his accusers don't respect Moses or the Law, and the temple isn't necessary to worship God. This enrages the mob, and Stephen is stoned, becoming the first Christian martyr.
