Acts 7:54

Key Reflection

In Acts 7:54, Stephen is addressing the Jewish leaders who are listening to his powerful sermon from the steps of the temple. The phrase "You received the law as it was ordained by angels" would have struck a chord among the original audience because they believed that Moses received the law directly from God on Mount Sinai. However, Stephen is suggesting that they failed to keep the law, implying that even if it had been given through angelic mediation, their adherence to it was lacking. This accusation highlights the tension between divine revelation and human compliance, a theme that underscores the necessity of faith over mere ritual observance in Stephen's argument for Jesus' messianic role.