Rejecting God’s Truth Brings Judgment

Acts 7:51–53 (NASB95) 

51“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 52“Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; 53you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.” 

Stephen concludes his defense by accusing his accusers: “You stiff-necked people!... You always resist the Holy Spirit!” The phrase “stiff-necked” alludes to Israel’s rebellion in the wilderness (Ex. 32:9; Deut. 9:6), while “uncircumcised in heart and ears” highlights God’s call for genuine devotion over mere ritual (Deut. 10:16). Stephen directly connects the patriarchs’ rejection of Joseph and Moses to his audience’s rejection of Jesus—a resistance driven not by ignorance, but by hearts hardened against God’s voice. By opposing Stephen, who speaks “full of the Spirit,” they also reject the Spirit Himself—a grave sin. 

Stephen’s accusation intensifies: “Your ancestors killed the prophets… and now you have betrayed and murdered the Righteous One.” This “Righteous One” (ὁ Δίκαιος) connects Jesus to Isaiah’s Suffering Servant (Isa. 53:11). The murder of Jesus, similar to the killing of prophets, reveals a pattern: God’s messengers are condemned by those they came to save. Stephen’s use of “your ancestors” does not exonerate his audience but implicates them in covenant unfaithfulness. Just as Moses’ people rejected their deliverer, Israel’s leaders betrayed Jesus—their promised Messiah. 

The coup de grâce: “You received the law… yet you have not obeyed it!” Stephen reverses the Sanhedrin’s accusation; his accusers—far from upholding it—transgressed its core command to love God and neighbor. Their legalism masked lawlessness, a hypocrisy Jesus condemned. 

What about us today? Don’t be like the Sanhedrin! Avoid using tradition or dogma to justify unrighteousness. Hold firmly to the full counsel of Scripture, not just the portions that are convenient or that you prefer. In a world hostile to absolute and objective truth, boldly declare the truth.  

Blessings, 

Ryan Goodnight