How does Acts 6:13 connect with the commandment against false testimony in Exodus? Setting the Stage in Acts 6:13 • “They presented false witnesses who testified, ‘This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.’ ” (Acts 6:13) • Stephen has been boldly preaching Christ in Jerusalem. Unable to refute his Spirit-empowered wisdom, his opponents resort to manufacturing testimony. • The entire scene revolves around deceit: inventing charges, twisting Stephen’s words, and rallying a crowd with lies. The Ninth Commandment Restated • “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16) • At its core, the command protects truth, justice, and neighbor-love. • It forbids: – Fabricating accusations – Misrepresenting facts – Slandering or perverting due process (Deuteronomy 19:15-19) How Acts 6:13 Violates Exodus 20:16 • False witnesses stand in direct, conscious defiance of the commandment. • The same law they claim Stephen blasphemes is the very law they trample by lying. • Their actions mirror earlier unlawful trials: – Israel’s elders against Naboth (1 Kings 21:13) – Chief priests against Jesus (Matthew 26:59-60) • Stephen’s accusers become living proof that sin blinds the heart, turning defenders of the Law into breakers of it (John 8:44). Ripple Effects of a Broken Command • Injustice spreads: an innocent man is dragged before the council. • Community trust fractures: if leaders lie, whom can the people believe? • God’s reputation is maligned: those who bear His name misrepresent His character (Leviticus 19:12). Stephen’s Christ-like Contrast • He walks in the light of truth (Acts 6:10). • His face shines “like that of an angel” (Acts 6:15), recalling Moses, the true giver of the Law, and pointing to the Law’s ultimate fulfillment in Christ (Matthew 5:17). • While lies aim to silence him, truth will amplify his witness all the way to Paul’s conversion (Acts 7:58; 22:20). Lessons for Today • Guarding truth is not optional; it reflects God’s own nature (Titus 1:2). • Bearing false testimony can happen in gossip, social media, or slanted “prayer requests.” • Upholding honesty, even under pressure, honors the same Lawgiver Stephen honored and points others to the Savior who is “the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6) |
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