Stephen’s contrast between Solomon, who builds a
“House for God” (v. 47) and a God who “does not dwell in houses made with human
hands” (7:48) is the very hub of the prophet’s criticism of his accusers (see
17:24-25). Read in the context of Acts, his intent is not to criticize
the Temple per se, since it continues to function as a worship center for the
faith community (see 2:46; 3:8; 5:12). Nor does Stephen demonize Solomon (or
even Herod) for building a Temple to worship God; in fact, Solomon merely realizes
his pious father’s heartfelt petition when building the Temple (v. 47; cf. 2
Sam 7:2-7). Stephen’s implied criticism is rather of any theological claim that
domesticates God’s transcendence, whether this obtains to the legalisms of
observing an oral Torah or following a priestly protocol for purification. That
is, God does not inhabit “houses” bound by space and time, since “the prophet
says ‘Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool’” (7:49).
Stephen’s use of Isa 66:1 LXX to conclude his retelling
of the Temple’s history repeats earlier references to Israel’s idolatry in the
wilderness, when “our ancestors” built an idol sacrifice by “the works of their
hands” (v. 41; cf. “made with human hands,” v. 48) and turned from God “to
worship the host of heaven” (v. 42; cf. “heaven is my throne,” v. 49). This
intertext clarifies the primary subtext of Stephen’s speech, which does not
polemicize against religious institutions (Temple, Torah) but again an
unrepentant people who persist in refusing to believe the word of God’s
prophets (see v. 39)—Moses, Messiah, his apostolic successors, and now Stephen.
(Robert W. Wall, “The Acts of the Apostles,” in The New Interpreter’s Bible,
12 vols. [Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002], 10:128-29)