1
2
3
sn The Greek-speaking Jews were the Hellenists, Jews who to a greater or lesser extent had adopted Greek thought, customs, and lifestyle, as well as the Greek language. The city of Alexandria in Egypt was a focal point for them, but they were scattered throughout the Roman Empire.
4
5
6
7
sn The daily distribution of food. The early church saw it as a responsibility to meet the basic needs of people in their group.
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
sn Who prayed. The prayer indicates their acceptance and commissioning for ministry (cf. Deut 34:9).
24
25
26
27
sn A large group. Many Jews, even some religious leaders, were responding.
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
sn Will destroy this place and change the customs. Stephen appears to view the temple as a less central place in light of Christ’s work, an important challenge to Jewish religion, since it was at this time a temple-centered state and religion. Unlike Acts 3-4, the issue here is more than Jesus and his resurrection. Now the impact of his resurrection and the temple’s centrality has also become an issue. The “falseness” of the charge may not be that the witnesses were lying, but that they falsely read the truth of Stephen’s remarks.
43
44
45
46