The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

54 Stephen's speech. To put the issue in different terms, "Is Stephen's speech meant to refute the charges against him completely, in part or not at all?" 24 While Stephen's speech must stand on its own we can attempt to answer how Luke portrays Stephen's innocence. Luke first informs the reader that certain men were "secretly induced" (unl– ~CXAov , 6: 11) to bring charges against him. When they are put forward to testify, Luke again labels them as "false witnesses" (µapTupac; \jJ EU8E1c;, 6: 13). Further, very similar charges occasionally surface in Acts suggesting that Luke considered them to be a common misunder– standing of the Christian faith. 25 In 21:28 Paul is accused as "the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people, and the Law, and this place," a charge he had taken definitive measures to defeat (21: 20-26). Elsewhere he is credited with attacks on the Mosaic Law (18: 13-15; 24:5-9) which he carefully refutes (24: 10-18) before Felix. Luke also records that the charge involves Jesus, "for we have heard him ay that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us" (6: 14). These are the same false charges brought against Jesus at hi trial (Matt 26:60- 61 ; 27:40; Mark 14:57-59; 15:29) . 26 "And some stood up and bore false witnes again t him, replacement of the Mosaic system, including the Temple, by Chri t. Mar hall, Acts, 130. Tou saint agrees, "The other half of the allegation again t Stephen involved the t mp rar nature of the Mosaic ystem. Undoubtedly he aw the theological impli ation of ju tifi ati n by faith and the fulfillment of the Law in Chri t. Furthermore, if the go p l wa f r the h 1 world (Act 1:8), the Law had to be a temporary arrangement," Tou aint, Act , 6 -6 . 24 Lenski i more direct, "After n fa hion or another mmentat r determine exactly wherein the Ii of the fal witne e c n i ted , and down the lie to very mod rate prop rti n . ortunat l , ha t ph n' n r pl . H ta e up th e ch rge in d tail and fir t r fut th harg th t h bl ph m d d; ndl , he l ph m d M and th l ; thirdl , that h bl ph m d th T mpl . In f t, h pr that h d the pp ite" L n ki , Mn m,"7 6 B i m rd t 1 p 11 I dr 11 in th md1 tm nt l n again t , t ph 11 nd J u (th m ntl n , th h rm b f r th nh dr m