translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: ACT

label: NET study note

text: The care of widows is a major biblical theme: Deut 10:18; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12-13; 27:19 ; Isa 1:17-23 ; Jer 7:6 ; Mal 3:5 .


text: The twelve refers to the twelve apostles.


text: Seven. Jewish town councils often had seven members (Josephus, Ant. 4.18.14 [4.214]).


text: Philip. Note how many of the names in this list are Greek. This suggests that Hellenists were chosen to solve the problem they had been so sensitive about fixing (cf. 6:1 ).


text: A s ynagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41 ). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).


text: They were not able to resist. This represents another fulfillment of Luke 12:11-12; 21:15 .


text: This holy place is a reference to the temple.


text: The law refers to the law of Moses. It elaborates the nature of the blasphemy in v. 11 . To speak against God’s law in Torah was to blaspheme God ( Deut 28:15-19 ). On the Jewish view of false witnesses, see Exod 19:16-18; 20:16 ; m. Sanhedrin 3.6; 5.1-5. Stephen’s speech in may indicate why the temple was mentioned.


text: His face was like the face of an angel. This narrative description of Stephen’s face adds to the mood of the passage. He had the appearance of a supernatural, heavenly messenger.