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

56 emphasis upon the blessings of God on people outside the land as an important element in his speech. Movement outside of Palestine One possible unifying factor may be the emphasis upon geographical movement outside of Palestine. This is understood not only as a rebuke to nationalistic Judaism with its selfish and provincial attachment to the Temple but also as the basis for a universal movement beyond the bounds of Palestine and Judaism. Scott writes: The Judaism of Stephen's day had become increasingly 'place-conscious ,' provincial and localized in its view of God. Palestine in general, and Jerusalem in particular, had come to be looked upon as the only places where God could be found and as the full extent of his earthly activity and concern.... for many first-century Jews, for all practical purposes, God was little more than a tribal deity of the Hebrews. Stephen's speech attempts to show that this notion was both historically and theologically incorrect. He reminded his listeners of numerous important events of the history of Israel in which God had appeared and acted outside the geographical borders o( Canaan, the promised land. 28 qu'acquiescer," Dupont, "La structure oratoire du discours d'Etienne (Actes 7) ," 157. ' In form it is a lengthy recital of Old Testament history, discussing in detail what appear to be insignificant points and culminating in a bitter attack on the speaker's hearers. What i the speaker trying to do? Is the speech rally a defence to the charges brought against him (6: 11, 13 f .)?" Marshall, Acts, 131. Neil concurs, "it is not designed to secure Stephen' acquittal of the charges brought against him, but to proclaim the essence of the new faith" Neil, The Acts, 116. 28 cott, " tephen's Defense and the World Mission," 133. Cf. al o T . L. Donald on, "Moses ypology and the Sectarian Nature of Early Chri tian Anti-Judai m: tud in t 7," Journal for the Study of the New Testament 12 (1981): 31. Tou aint nn t teph n ' empha i on "ble sing out ide the land" with the univer al nature of hri tianit , ummariz– ing the thru t of tephen' peech, " tephen' three main point in thi di our fit t geth r. ince there i progre ion in God' program and ince Hi ble ing ar not limit d t th temple, I ael had b tter b careful not to ' re i t' (Act 7:51) Hi rking a th h d in th pa t They ould ith tand od' purpo b refu ing to Hi rk in the hur h nd Hi bl m out 1de the borde~ of 1 rael," Tou aint, A t. , 70 ( mph i min ) . M r h 11 uld n t go o f r, It m doubtful in parti ular h th r an attribut t t ph n f th odd m1 ion o th church n th ba i f thi p h . What i umqu i th riti 1 a taude to the t mple, h1ch had e id ntl not b n d rli r .... " r h 11 , t. , 1