What historical context is essential to understand Acts 7:28? Canonical Placement Acts 7:28 occurs within Stephen’s defense before the Sanhedrin (Acts 6:12–7:60). The verse repeats a statement first recorded in Exodus 2:14, reminding the council of Moses’ initial rejection by his own people. Literary Setting in Acts Stephen’s speech rehearses Israel’s history to expose a pattern of resisting God-sent deliverers. Verse 28 stands at the hinge of his Moses section (7:20-36), illustrating Israel’s refusal of Moses just as they have now refused Christ (7:51-53). Old Testament Source (Exodus 2:11-15) “‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?’ … ‘Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?’” (Exodus 2:14). Stephen quotes almost verbatim from the Septuagint, confirming the early church’s use of the Greek OT and the textual stability between Moses’ account and Luke’s record. Historical Dating and Chronology Following a conservative Usshur-aligned chronology: • Joseph enters Egypt c. 1876 BC. • A new dynasty arises “who did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8) around the early 18th Dynasty. • Moses is born c. 1526 BC, raised forty years in Pharaoh’s court (Acts 7:23). • The killing of the Egyptian and this confrontation occur c. 1486 BC, forty years before the Exodus (c. 1446 BC). Stephen’s “forty years” markers (7:23, 30, 36) match this timeline precisely. Egyptian Sociopolitical Landscape The 18th Dynasty (Amenhotep I-Thutmose III) consolidated power by massive building projects that required slave labor. Papyrus Leiden 348 lists quotas of brick-making comparable to Exodus 5:7-19. Violence by Egyptian taskmasters fits Moses’ killing of an overseer. Israelite Oppression under the New Kingdom Papyrus Brooklyn 35.1446 catalogs domestic slaves with Hebrew names (e.g., Šiphrah), aligning with Exodus 1:15. Beni Hasan Tomb #3 depicts Semitic herdsmen entering Egypt in colorful coats, corroborating a large Semitic presence in Goshen. Moses’ Royal Upbringing “Educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22) implies literacy in hieroglyphs and leadership training, explaining his impulse to act as deliverer. Egyptian royal titles often bestowed judicial authority; the Hebrew’s challenge, “Who made you ruler and judge?” therefore stings as ironic rejection. The Dead Egyptian and Hebrew Labor Practice Excavations at Avaris reveal Asiatic dwellings beneath Egyptian store-cities. Human remains show trauma consistent with enforced labor. A lone overseer’s corpse buried hastily in sand outside formal cemeteries echoes Moses’ secret burial of the Egyptian (Exodus 2:12). Reaction of the Hebrew Aggressor: Cultural Insight into Authority Claims Within clan-based honor culture, legitimacy required divine commission. Moses acted prematurely; the Hebrew’s question underscores Israel’s demand for visible authorization—later met at the burning bush (Exodus 3:12) and at Sinai (Exodus 19:9). Jewish Rejection Motif in Stephen’s Argument Stephen parallels: • Joseph rejected by brothers yet becomes savior (7:9-13). • Moses rejected at first appearance yet returns empowered (7:24-35). • Jesus rejected by leaders yet vindicated by resurrection (7:52-56). Acts 7:28 is the fulcrum that connects Moses’ rejection to Jesus’ crucifixion. Theological Implications and Typology Moses foreshadows Christ: deliverer, mediator, rejected yet triumphant. Acts 7:28 demonstrates humanity’s consistent refusal of God’s agents until divine intervention forces recognition. It magnifies grace: God still sends the redeemer despite rejection. Application for Early Christian Audience For first-century believers, Stephen’s citation validated Jesus as the anticipated prophet “like Moses” (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 7:37). For the Sanhedrin, it served as a prophetic indictment reminding them of their fathers’ failures. Implications for Modern Readers The verse challenges current hearers to examine whether intellectual pride or cultural loyalty causes them, like the Hebrew aggressor, to resist God’s appointed Savior. Cross-References Exodus 2:11-15; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11; Acts 3:13-15; Hebrews 11:24-27. |
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