But the Most
High does not live in dwellings made by human hands
ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὁ ὕψιστος ἐν χειροποιήτοις κατοικεῖ (7.48)
The force of
this statement [is] reinforced by the fact that in the Septuagint the word here
used for a dwelling made by hands (χειροποιητος) is reserved
exclusively for pagan idols, and that it is reminiscent of the words Stephen
has just used of the golden calf (7.41). (Philip Francis Esler, Community
and Gospel in Luke-Acts: The Social and Political Motivations of Lucan Theology
[Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series 57; Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1987], 134)
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)
Χειροποιητος in the LXX (English translation used: New English
Translation of the Septuagint):
I am the Lord
your God. You shall make for yourselves nothing made by hand nor (χειροποιητος) carved, neither erect a stele of your own, nor shall
you place a stone as a look-out in your land, to do obeisance to it; it is I
who am the Lord your God. (Lev 26:1)
And I will
strip bare your steles and utterly destroy your wooden handcrafted (χειροποιητος) objects, and I will place your limbs on the limbs of
your idols. And my soul will be very angry with you. (Lev 26:30)
"For
there has not appeared among our generations, nor is there in this day, either
a tribe or a clan or a district or a city from among us, who do obeisance to
handmade (χειροποιητος) gods, as happened in former days;
(Judith 8:18)
but the
handmade (χειροποιητος) idol is accursed, and the one who made
it, because he worked it, and the corruptible thing was named a god. (Wisdom of
Solomon 14:8)
They will hide
all the works of their hands (χειροποιητος)-- (Isa 2:18)
For as I did
to Samaria and to the works of her hands (χειροποιητος), thus will I do also to Ierousalem and to her idols (Isa 10:11)
And it will be
for your shame, because Moab has become weary at the altars, and she will enter
the works of her hands (χειροποιητος) in order to
pray but will not be able to deliver him. (Isa 16:12)
A vision
concerning Egypt. See, the Lord is sitting on a swift cloud and will come to
Egypt, and the handiworks (χειροποιητος) of Egypt
will be shaken at his presence, and their heart will be dismayed within them.
(Isa 19:1)
And look, he
himself comes, a rider of a pair of horses!" Then he answered and said,
"Babylon has fallen, and all her images and the works of her hands (χειροποιητος) have been crushed to the ground." (Isa 21:9)
because on
that day people shall disown their handiworks (χειροποιητος) of silver and gold, which their hands have made. (Isa 31:7)
those who
contribute gold from a bag and silver in a balance will set it on a scale, and
after hiring a goldsmith, they made handiwork (χειροποιητος), and bowing down they do obeisance to them! (Isa 46:6)
And they
blessed their handmade (χειροποιητος) idols, and
they did not bless the eternal God who had authority over their spirit. (Dan
5:4)
O King, you
made a feast for your Friends, and you were drinking wine, and the vessels of
the house of the living God were brought to you, and you were drinking with them,
you and your nobles. And you praised all the idols made by human hands (χειροποιητος), and you did not bless the living God. And your
spirit is in his hand, and he himself gave to you your reign, and you did not
bless him nor praise him. (Dan 5:23)
I, Darius,
will do obeisance and be subject to him all my days, for the handmade (χειροποιητος) idols are not able to save as God redeemed
Daniel." (Dan 6:27)
So he
answered, "Because I do not revere idols made with hands (χειροποιητος), but the living God, who created heaven and earth
and has dominion over all flesh." (Bel and the Dragon 1:5)
