Daily Scripture Reading Acts 7:22-41
There are many critics of Christianity who contend the Bible contradicts itself. Sometimes Christians struggle to respond to those accusations because they can’t properly apply the doctrine of the inerrancy of Scripture. Inerrancy means the authors of Scripture accurately recorded what people said and did. Inerrancy allows the possibility that the authors of Scripture accurately recorded the fact that someone said something that is not true.
Today’s passage includes some statements by Stephen that appear to contradict Exodus 2. However, a proper understanding of inerrancy shows that is not the case.
The seventh chapter of Acts is a long chapter in which Stephen defended himself against charges that he had spoken blasphemous words against Moses and God. At the beginning of his defense, he recounted the history of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the patriarchs, explaining how the Israelites ended up living as slaves in Egypt, during which time Moses was born an Israelite, but was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter.
Acts 7:22 And Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and deeds.
Take note of the phrase “powerful in words”. The account of Moses’ upbringing is found in Exodus 2. That chapter does not describe Moses as being powerful in words. Later, according to Exodus 4, when Yahweh told Moses to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses claimed to be a poor speaker.
Some critics of Christianity use this to suggest the Bible contradicts itself. Many Christians struggle to respond to that accusation because they are not able to properly apply the doctrine of the inerrancy of scripture.
The Bible is inerrant in the original manuscripts. Inerrancy means the authors of scripture accurately and without error recorded what happened. It does not mean Bible characters always told the truth. Sometimes inerrancy means an author of scripture accurately recorded the fact that someone told a lie or said something that was not true.
In regards to Exodus 4, inerrancy means the author of Exodus accurately recorded the fact that Moses claimed to be a poor speaker. That does not mean Moses was being honest when he said that. In regards to Acts 7:22, inerrancy means the author of Acts accurately recorded the fact that Stephen claimed Moses was powerful in words and deeds. That does not mean Stephen was correct when he said that because inerrancy does not mean Stephen was inspired when he spoke in front of the Sanhedrin.
Acts 7:22 is not proof the Bible contradicts itself because the book of Exodus is not clear as to whether or not Moses was a powerful speaker. Furthermore, Stephen was not inspired when he spoke in front of the Sanhedrin meaning he did not necessarily accurately recount the history of Israel.
Acts 7:23 But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.
We have an expression that goes something like “blood is thicker than water”. The meaning of this statement is that every person has stronger bonds with their relatives than with their friends.
That explains what was going on with Moses. Moses had an Israelite mother and father, but he was raised by an Egyptian princess. His entire life was spent in Egyptian culture. However, when Moses was forty, his blood bonds with the Israelites were so strong he decided to visit them.
Something similar often happens with adopted children. There are children who are adopted at birth, they spend their entire lives being raised by their adoptive parents, but when they are teenagers they decide they want to find their birth mother. Their blood bond with their biological mother, whom they never met, is so strong it becomes more important to them than the bond with the father and mother in whose house they lived, were raised, and experienced great love.
Acts 7:24 And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took justice for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian.
Acts 7:25 And he supposed that his brothers understood that God was granting them salvation through him, but they did not understand.
Exodus does not tell us this was what Moses was thinking when he struck down the Egyptian. Again, Stephen was not inspired when he spoke; thus, he was not necessarily accurate in what he said about the life of Moses.
Acts 7:26 On the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers, why are you treating one another unjustly?’
Acts 7:27 But the one who was treating his neighbor unjustly pushed him away, saying, ‘WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND JUDGE OVER US?
Acts 7:28 DO YOU INTEND TO KILL ME AS YOU KILLED THE EGYPTIAN YESTERDAY?’
Acts 7:29 At this remark, MOSES FLED AND BECAME A SOJOURNER IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN, where he was the father of two sons.
Acts 7:30 ¶ “And after forty years had passed, AN ANGEL APPEARED TO HIM IN THE WILDERNESS OF MOUNT Sinai, IN THE FLAME OF A BURNING BUSH.
Acts 7:31 When Moses saw it, he was marveling at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord:
Acts 7:32 ‘I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB.’ Moses trembled with fear and would not dare to look.
Acts 7:33 BUT THE LORD SAID TO HIM, ‘REMOVE THE SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE ON WHICH YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY GROUND.
Acts 7:34 I HAVE SURELY SEEN THE OPPRESSION OF MY PEOPLE IN EGYPT AND HAVE HEARD THEIR GROANS, AND I HAVE COME DOWN TO DELIVER THEM; COME NOW, AND I WILL SEND YOU TO EGYPT.’
Acts 7:35 ¶ “This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND A JUDGE?’ is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
Up to this point, Stephen had been recounting the history of Israel. Now, he pointed out to the Sanhedrin that even though the Israelites had rejected Moses by asking who made him the ruler and judge, God made Moses the ruler and the judge.
Stephen did not say it at this point, but that is what happened with Jesus. The Sanhedrin had rejected Jesus, but the Father made Jesus Lord and Christ.
Acts 7:36 This man led them out, doing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.
Acts 7:37 This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BROTHERS.’
Acts 7:38 This is the one who, in the congregation in the wilderness, was with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai and with our fathers; the one who received living oracles to pass on to you.
Acts 7:39 Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
Acts 7:40 SAYING TO AARON, ‘MAKE FOR US GODS WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT—WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS BECOME OF HIM.’
Stephen pointed out that the Israelites did not obey Moses. That also happened to Jesus. Jesus is God, but the 1st century Jews did not obey Him.
Acts 7:41 At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.
Remember, all the words spoken by Stephen were spoken to defend himself against charges of blasphemy. Tomorrow, we will finish reading what he said in his defense and why he used a recitation of Israelite history in his defense.
Many Christians who believe in the inerrancy of Scripture have not thought deeply enough about what that means. They tend to assume everything spoken by the apostles or the early followers of Jesus was spoken without error. However, inerrancy means the authors of Scripture accurately recorded what was spoken. Inerrancy does not mean the apostles, followers of Jesus, or Stephen always spoke without error.
What are some examples of the authors of Scripture accurately recording the fact that someone told a lie?
What else did Stephen say to the Sanhedrin that is not necessarily in full agreement with what the Old Testament says about the history of Israel?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”