In his purposely selective account of Jewish history (which kept the attention of the Council members, for they loved their own story), Stephen was making his defense against the accusations that he had blasphemed Moses, God, the Temple, and the Law. In doing so, he was also (unknown to them, at first) building his case of indictment against his Jewish audience! He was exposing their unjustified physical obsession with the land (Israel), the Law, and the Temple. Rather than humbly acknowledging these were great privileges to be used wisely for God's glory in their witness of Him to the rest of the world, they proudly turned them into their false triune "god"! They had come to view them as pillars of proof for their heavenly security!
The most important thing Stephen was accomplishing (yet unknown) in his powerful sermon was presenting the High Council of Israel with evidence for faith in Jesus! He did this by using several key figures from Israel's history: Joseph and Moses. In this lesson, which is Stephen's jet-tour account of the life of Joseph, the Council members heard for the first time the Biblical account of Joseph used as a graphic illustration of their own evil, envious betrayal and murder of Jesus!
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