Acts 7:1-4 Bible Teaching

Stephen’s Speech and Luke’s Authorship

In a recent teaching, we delved into the complexities surrounding the speech of Stephen in Acts 7, exploring how Luke, the author of Acts, might have captured Stephen’s words. The discussion opened with the question of how Luke, who wasn’t present at Stephen’s speech, could have recorded it so accurately. Several possibilities were considered, including divine inspiration and access to eyewitness accounts.

The teaching emphasized the unique position of Luke as a non-apostle whose writings were accepted into the New Testament canon. Despite not being an eyewitness, Luke’s close association with Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, lent credibility to his accounts. This relationship highlights the transition from the original apostles, who were firsthand witnesses of Jesus, to Paul and subsequently to Luke, who was inspired by the Spirit.

A significant portion of the teaching addressed the errors found in Stephen’s speech, as recorded in Acts 7. These discrepancies, such as the location of God’s call to Abraham and the number of Jacob’s family members who went to Egypt, were not glossed over. Instead, they were presented as evidence of the Bible’s authenticity, showing that it reports reality, even with human errors.

The lesson underscored the importance of focusing on the spirit of the message rather than the letter of the law. It cautioned against using scripture as a tool for division and emphasized the need for love and understanding in interpreting the Word. The teaching concluded with a call to view the Bible as a living map, guiding believers through the Spirit to where God wants them to be, rather than a strict manual of laws. This approach encourages personal discernment and spiritual growth, aligning with the broader message of living by the Spirit rather than the letter.