Act 7:53 | Abbott | STEP | Here Stephen's historical narrative suddenly terminates. It is somewhat difficult to say how he considered such a summary of the Jewish history available for the purposes of his defence. Some portions have an indirect bearing upon the circumstances of his case, especially those relating to the Israelites' rebelling against, and rejecting Moses, ( , ,) from which he may have intended to deduce a warning for his hearers, against rejecting Christ. The general applicability of the discourse, however, is not obvious. To account for the abrupt change which here takes place, from an unfinished historical review to severe reproach and invective, commentators have supposed him to have been interrupted by indications of tumult and violence in the assembly.

Acts 7:53

Here Stephen's historical narrative suddenly terminates. It is somewhat difficult to say how he considered such a summary of the Jewish history available for the purposes of his defence. Some portions have an indirect bearing upon the circumstances of his case, especially those relating to the Israelites' rebelling against, and rejecting Moses, (v. 39, 40,) from which he may have intended to deduce a warning for his hearers, against rejecting Christ. The general applicability of the discourse, however, is not obvious. To account for the abrupt change which here takes place, from an unfinished historical review to severe reproach and invective, commentators have supposed him to have been interrupted by indications of tumult and violence in the assembly.