Commenting on Stephen’s comment about God not dwelling in temples “made with hands” (χειροποιητος) in Acts 7 as a reference to idolatry, not physical structures per se, Valerie Stein noted:
First of all, in
describing the golden incident Stephen’s language is similar: “They made (ποιεω) a calf in those
days and offered a sacrifice to the idol, and they celebrated over the works
of their own hands” (τοις εργοις των χειρων αυτων) (7:41). His use of χειροποιητος is frequently used in reference
to what is considered idol worship, translating a variety of Hebrew words. For
example, the LXX reads χειροποιητος for Hebrew words for idol (גלל in Lev 26:30 and אליל, which also
means worthlessness, in Lev 26:1). In addition, the LXX uses χειροποιητος to translate the Hebrew word for
sanctuary in a situation when it is not a sanctuary belonging to Yahweh (מקדשׁ in
Isa 16:12 refers to a sanctuary in Moab). Furthermore, it occasionally uses
this word to translate the Hebrew word for god/gods (אל, in Isa 46:6, is a god
made of gold).
Finally, a comparison between
Stephen’s speech and Paul’s speech to the Athenians in Acts 17 offers further
indication that Luke intends Stephen’s use of χειροποιητος in reference to the temple as an
accusation of idolatry. Acts 17 clearly uses χειροποιητος in reference to idolatry: the
speech is in response to seeing a city full of idols. In addition to its use of
χειροποιητος,
Acts 17 echoes Acts 7 in a reference to God as creator that recalls Stephen’s
use of Isa 66:1-2a:
The God who made the world and
all that is in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not inhabit (κατοικεω) temples made by hands (χειροποιητος) (17:24)
The parallel suggests a common
Hellenistic criticism of temple worship as idolatrous.
An examination of Acts 7:48-49 in
the context to the rest of the speech, the book as a whole, and in light of the
LXX, suggest that the speech in Acts 7 is equating the temple with idolatry.
Following the condemnation of the temple with an attack on his audience as “uncircumcised
in heart” (απεριτμητοι καρδιαις) drives
this point home. The uncircumcised are Gentiles, the vast majority of whom are
idol worshipers . . . An examination of the speech within the larger context of
Acts suggests the possibility the speech is not functioning as anti-cultic
rhetoric for Luke. First of all, Luke’s introduction to the speech presents it
in the context of accusations that Stephen is speaking “against this holy place
and the law.” (6:13) Luke tells the reader, however, that these accusations are
made by false witnesses. Furthermore, the Jerusalem temple is not criticized in
the rest of Acts. Quite the contrary, Luke presents Jesus’ followers as
seemingly active participants in the temple (2:46, 3:1). Paul even claims that
Jesus appeared to him while praying in the temple (9:17-18). This is in
accordance with Luke’s favorable presentation of the temple in his gospel (for
example, Luke 2:25-38, 41-52). (Valerie A. Stein, Anti-Cultic Theology in
Christian Biblical Interpretation: A Study of Isaiah 66:1-4 and Its Reception
[Studies in Biblical Literature 97; New York: Peter Lang, 2007], 26-27, 29)