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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_7:44-50
44Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen. 45And having received it in their turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the nations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David. 46David found favor in God's sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. 48However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says: 49"Heaven is My throne, And 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 repose? 50Was it not My hand which made all these things?"
Act_7:44 This account is found in Exodus, chapters 25-31; 36-40. These detailed plans of the tabernacle were revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The NT book of Hebrews talks about a heavenly tabernacle or sanctuary (cf. Act_8:5-6; Act_9:11; Act_9:23) of which the earthly one was a copy. As Stephen dealt previously in this chapter with the charge of chapter 6 that he was against Moses (cf. Act_6:11), now he begins to deal with the second charge that he was against the Temple (cf. Act_6:13).
▣ "the pattern" See Special Topic at Act_7:43.
Act_7:45 This covers a period of time from the conquest (either 1400 or 1250 b.c.) to the time of David (+ 1011 b.c. to 971/70 b.c., Harrison; 973 b.c., Young; 961 b.c., Bright).
Act_7:46 This reflects 2 Samuel 7, which is such a significant passage. It is the divine establishment of the Davidic kingship.
Act_7:47 "Solomon who built a house for Him" This account is found in 1 Kings 6-8 and 2 Chronicles 1-6.
Act_7:48 This statement is similar to Solomon's statement in 1Ki_8:27 and 2Ch_6:18.
Act_7:49-50 This quote is taken from the Septuagint of Isa_66:1-2. T he point is that even Solomon recognized that a building could not contain the God of creation!
Do these verses imply an argument for the inclusion of Gentiles? If so, it seems somewhat veiled. However, Solomon himself saw the temple as a place for the world to come to YHWH (cf. 1Ki_8:41-43). It was the Greek-speaking Jews (i.e., the seven in Acts 6) who saw and proclaimed the worldwide mission even before the Apostles recognized this aspect of Jesus' teachings (cf. Mat_28:18-20; Act_1:8). Stephen may have been asserting this by implication in Act_7:50.