Acts 7:49 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?

NIV: 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?

NASB: ‘HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND THE EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET; WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?’ says the Lord, ‘OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REST?

CSB: Heaven is my throne,and the earth my footstool.What sort of house will you build for me?says the Lord,or what will be my resting place?

NLT: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that?’ asks the Lord. ‘Could you build me such a resting place?

KJV: Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

NKJV: ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest?

Stephen continues his defense against charges that both he and Jesus wanted to tear down the temple (Acts 6:13–14). The accusers know it's a lie, just as the Sanhedrin knows Jesus never really threatened the temple (Mark 14:57–59). But in Roman law, destroying a place of religion carries the death penalty. If they can make this charge stick, they can get the Romans to execute Stephen. Never mind that their real problem is that they can't defend their beliefs against Stephen's truth (Acts 6:10).

Acts 7:49–50 is a quote from Isaiah 66:1 and the first line of verse 2. Stephen is pointing out that God created the stone, bronze, linen, gold, and wood from which the temple is made. The temple is only sacred if God dwells in it. When Solomon built and dedicated the Israelites' first temple, God consecrated it, coming down to fill it with such glory the priests couldn't even enter (2 Chronicles 7:1–2). More than 400 years before the temple was built, He had done the same to the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34–35).

Paul will use this same argument with Athenian philosophers, saying, "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything" (Acts 17:24–25). He will go on to quote a Greek philosopher who affirmed that God created humans (Acts 17:28).

At the time this commentary is being written, much of the world is under quarantine because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are coming to understand that with Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, the place where we worship isn't so important. The Holy Spirit indwells believers (Romans 8:9), not buildings. Believers are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). This is why Jesus could tell the Samaritan woman, "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23).

Acts 7:44–50 points out that while God accepted the temple, He never asked for it and it can't contain Him. Jews from northern Africa and modern Asia Minor have accused Jesus-follower Stephen of blaspheming Moses, the Mosaic law, and the temple (Acts 6:8–15). Stephen has already proved that the patriarchs worshiped God without a temple, the Law, or even a homeland (7:2–16). Even Solomon, who built the temple, knew it couldn't contain God. Moses, the Law, and the temple have effectively become idols to the Jews.

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.

Chapter 7 is one of the pivot points of the book of Acts. Until recently, the early church has seen favor from the people and indifference from the Sanhedrin. Now, the Sanhedrin has beaten the apostles and ordered them not to preach about Jesus (Acts 5:40), and the people are starting to realize how different Christianity is. In Jerusalem, a Hellenist Jewish Jesus-follower named Stephen has been in a debate with other foreign Jews who finally accuse him of wishing to destroy the temple, like Jesus (Acts 6:8–15). This is Stephen's defense, which leads to his death and the introduction of Paul.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.