Acts 6:11 Meaning Explained

Acts 6:11

Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”

English Standard Version (ESV)

The accusers didn't just twist Stephen's words; they hired people to make up accusations of blasphemy. This wasn't just misinterpreting him, but actively fabricating charges against Moses and God to silence him, revealing their desperate attempt to discredit the truth.

What Acts 6:11 means

Having failed to win the argument, Stephen's opponents resort to a dishonest tactic: they secretly hire people to falsely accuse him of speaking blasphemously against Moses and God. These instigators twist Stephen's teachings about Jesus, accusing him of undermining the Law and the sacred Temple.

The Art of Twisting Words

Ever felt like your words were twisted into something you never meant? That's exactly what happened to Stephen.

The accusers didn't necessarily invent outright lies. Instead, they suborned men – meaning they secretly hired and instructed individuals to twist Stephen’s teachings into accusations.

How it Works:

Distortion, Not Invention: They took what Stephen actually said and warped its meaning. Think of it like taking a clear photograph and subtly altering it to make the subject look bad.
The "Inference" Trap: Often, they presented their own inferences and conclusions from Stephen’s words as if Stephen himself had explicitly stated them. They claimed he spoke blasphemy not just by his direct words, but by what they thought his words implied.
Targeting Core Beliefs: The accusation of speaking against Moses and God struck at the heart of Jewish identity and faith. Moses was seen as divinely appointed, and any challenge to his law was seen as a challenge to God Himself.

Sacred Cows and Shifting Ground

Stephen's accusers felt he was attacking the very foundations of their faith. But was he attacking the foundations, or revealing a deeper truth?

The charge of blasphemy against Moses and God was incredibly serious. Moses was the divinely appointed lawgiver, and his teachings were considered unchangeable.

What Stephen's Accusers Believed:

Moses is Final: They believed Moses’ Law was the ultimate and final word from God, meant to stand forever.
Temple and Law are Sacred: Any suggestion that the Temple’s importance would fade or that the Law of Moses was temporary was seen as direct blasphemy.

Understand the original words

Original language

blasphemous wordsβλάσφημος

blasphēmos · Greek Adjective/Noun

Speech that insults, dishonors, or defames God or what is holy, claiming divine authority or attributes that do not belong to the speaker or claiming against God's character. In the Old Testament, it was a capital offense punishable by stoning.

Mosesמֹשֶׁה

Mosheh · Hebrew Proper Noun

The great prophet, lawgiver, and mediator of the Old Covenant through whom God delivered the Torah to Israel. He is often used as the representative figure for the entire body of the Law and the Jewish national identity.

Historical context

Written: Likely mid-50s AD, during the period of the early church's expansion.
Author: Traditionally attributed to Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke.
Location: Jerusalem, where the events of Stephen's trial unfold.
Genre: Narrative history, employing vivid descriptions and dialogue to recount the spread of the gospel and the challenges faced by its followers.

Historical background

The accusation against Stephen wasn't about mere disagreement but a deliberate distortion of his teachings about Jesus, twisting them into blasphemy against the revered figures of Moses and God to incite religious and political opposition. This tactic mirrored how Jesus himself was accused, highlighting a pattern of using religious fervor to silence the early Christian message.

c. 30-33 AD
Jesus Crucified and Resurrected
The foundational events of Christianity, including Jesus' death and resurrection, sparking initial debate among Jews about his claims.
c. 33-34 AD
Pentecost and Early Church Growth
The Holy Spirit empowers the apostles, leading to rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem and increasing friction with Jewish authorities.
c. 34 AD
Stephen's Ministry Begins
Stephen, one of the seven chosen deacons, begins performing signs and wonders and debating in the synagogues.
c. 34 AD
Stephen Arrested
Stephen is arrested by members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen and others, who are unable to defeat him in debate.

Key themes

01False accusation and slander
02Misrepresenting divine truth
03Persecution for challenging tradition

Cross-references

John 5:18

This passage shows the Jewish leaders' outrage at Jesus, interpreting His words about God as blasphemy, mirroring the charge against Stephen who was accused of similar blasphemy against God and Moses.

Matthew 26:60-61

Here, false witnesses were found against Jesus, accusing Him of saying He would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, a tactic similar to the 'suborning' of witnesses against Stephen.

Deuteronomy 18:15-19

This prophecy of a prophet like Moses, whom the people should listen to, provides a conceptual backdrop for Stephen's message about Jesus, which his accusers twisted into blasphemy against Moses and God.

Hebrews 8:6-13

This passage explains how Jesus established a new covenant, making the old Mosaic system, including the temple, a shadow of things to come, which Stephen likely taught and his accusers twisted into blasphemy.

Scholarly commentary

Acts 6:11: "Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God."

Then they suborned men - To suborn in law means to procure a person to take such a false oath as constitutes perjury (Webster). It has substantially this sense here. It means that they induced them to declare what was false, or to bring a false accusation against him. This was done, not by declaring a palpable and open falsehood, but by "perverting" his doctrines, and by st…
barnes

Acts 6:11-15: "Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God."

Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard this man speak blasphemous words against Moses and God. 12. And they moved the people, and the elders, and the scribes. And invading him, they took him and brought him into the council. 13. And they brought forth false witnesses) which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and t…

calvin

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Original language

blasphemous wordsβλάσφημος

blasphēmos · Greek Adjective/Noun

Mosesמֹשֶׁה

Mosheh · Hebrew Proper Noun

Historical context

Written: Likely mid-50s AD, during the period of the early church's expansion.
Author: Traditionally attributed to Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke.
Location: Jerusalem, where the events of Stephen's trial unfold.
Genre: Narrative history, employing vivid descriptions and dialogue to recount the spread of the gospel and the challenges faced by its followers.

Historical background

c. 30-33 AD

Jesus Crucified and Resurrected

The foundational events of Christianity, including Jesus' death and resurrection, sparking initial debate among Jews about his claims.

c. 33-34 AD

Pentecost and Early Church Growth

The Holy Spirit empowers the apostles, leading to rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem and increasing friction with Jewish authorities.

c. 34 AD

Stephen's Ministry Begins

Stephen, one of the seven chosen deacons, begins performing signs and wonders and debating in the synagogues.