The Meaning of Acts 7:44 Explained

Acts 7:44

KJV: Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

YLT: 'The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen;

Darby: Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen;

ASV: Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he should make it according to the figure that he had seen.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Our  fathers  had  the tabernacle  of witness  in  the wilderness,  as  he had appointed,  speaking  unto Moses,  that he should make  it  according  to the fashion  that  he had seen. 

What does Acts 7:44 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Stephen pointed out that it was the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness that God had ordered built, not the temple. God even gave Moses blueprints to follow in constructing it because its design had instructive value. The tabernacle of testimony was important primarily because it contained God"s revealed will and it was the place that God"s presence dwelt in a localized sense. The "testimony" was the tablets of the Mosaic Law that rested in the ark of the covenant.

Context Summary

Acts 7:30-46 - Stephen's Defense: Disobedience In The Wilderness
The angel who appeared in the bush that burned with fire was the angel of God's presence, who saved the Israelites and bare them and carried them all the days of old. See Isaiah 63:9. Who could this be save our Lord Himself? Only He could speak of Himself as I am. Remember the use our Lord made of that present tense, as carrying with it evidence that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all of them living, though centuries had passed since their bodies had been deposited in Machpelah's cave. See Luke 20:38. It is very helpful to note that reference to the hand of the angel in Acts 7:35; Acts 7:38. It reminds us of Acts 11:21. Would that, in our service for God, we were always conscious of the co-operating hand of the Savior!
The prophet referred to in Acts 7:37 is, of course, our Lord, and the parallel between Him and Moses is very apparent during our Lord's human ministry-for meekness, for reference in all things to the sending of God, for the work they did, as negotiating the Law from Sinai and the Mount of Beatitudes. But the difference in their posthumous ministry is emphasized in Hebrews 3:1-6. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 7

1  Stephen, permitted to answer to the accusation of blasphemy,
2  shows that Abraham worshipped God rightly, and how God chose the fathers,
20  before Moses was born, and before the tabernacle and temple were built;
37  that Moses himself witnessed of Christ;
44  and that all outward ceremonies were ordained to last but for a time;
51  reprehending their rebellion, and murdering of Christ, whom the prophets foretold
54  Whereupon they stone Stephen to death,
59  who commends his soul to Jesus, and humbly prays for them

Greek Commentary for Acts 7:44

The tabernacle of the testimony [η σκηνη του μαρτυριου]
Probably suggested by the mention of “the tabernacle of Moloch” (Acts 7:43). See note on Matthew 17:4 for discussion of skēnē (from skia shadow, root σκηνη — ska to cover). This first sanctuary was not the temple, but the tent in the wilderness. “Stephen passes on from the conduct of the Israelites to his other argument that God is not necessarily worshipped in a particular spot” (Page). [source]
According to the figure [σκια]
According to the type or pattern. σκα — Tupos is from κατα τον τυπον — tuptō to strike, to smite, and is the print of the blow (John 20:25), then the figure formed by a blow or impression like our type, a model or example. Quoted from Exodus 25:40. Common word in the old Greek. That he had seen (Τυπος — hon heōrakei). Past perfect active of τυπτω — horaō to see (double reduplication). [source]
That he had seen [Τυπος]
Past perfect active of τυπτω — horaō to see (double reduplication). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 7:44

John 20:25 We have seen the Lord [εωρακαμεν τον κυριον]
The very language in the plural that Mary Magdalene had used (John 20:18) when no one believed her. Except I shall see Negative condition of third class with εαν — ean and second aorist active subjunctive and so as to βαλω — balō (from βαλλω — ballō) “and put.” The print The mark or stamp made by the nails, here the original idea. Various terms as in Acts 7:44; 1 Timothy 4:12. Finally our “type” as in Romans 5:14. Clearly the disciples had told Thomas that they had seen the τυπον — tupon of the nails in his hands and the spear in his side. I will not believe Strong refusal with ου μη — ou mē (doubtful negative) and first aorist active subjunctive (or future indicative). [source]
1 Thessalonians 1:7 An ensample [τυπον]
So B D, but Aleph A C have τυπους — tupous (plural). The singular looks at the church as a whole, the plural as individuals like υμας — humās Τυπος — Tupos is an old word from τυπτω — tuptō to strike, and so the mark of a blow, print as in John 20:25. Then the figure formed by the blow, image as in Acts 7:43. Then the mould or form (Romans 6:17; Acts 23:25). Then an example or pattern as in Acts 7:44, to be imitated as here, Philemon 3:17, etc. It was a great compliment for the church in Thessalonica to be already a model for believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Our word type for printers is this same word with one of its meanings. Note separate article with both Macedonia (τηι Μακεδονιαι — tēi Makedoniāi) and Achaia (τηι Αχαιαι — tēi Achaiāi) treated as separate provinces as they were. [source]
Hebrews 8:5 Serve [λατρευουσιν]
Present active indicative of λατρευω — latreuō for which verb see note on Matthew 4:10. A copy Dative case after λατρευουσιν — latreuousin See note on John 13:15 and note on Hebrews 4:11 for this interesting word. Shadow Dative case. Old word for which see note on Matthew 4:16; note on Mark 4:32; and note on Colossians 2:17. See same idea in Hebrews 9:23. For difference between σκια — skia and εικων — eikōn see Hebrews 10:1. Here “copy and shadow” form a practical hendiadys for “a shadowy outline” (Moffatt). Is warned of God Perfect passive indicative of χρηματιζω — chrēmatizō old verb (from χρημα — chrēma business) for which see note on Matthew 2:12, note on Matthew 2:22, and note on Luke 2:26. The word “God” is not used, but it is implied as in Acts 10:22; Hebrews 12:25. So in lxx, Josephus, and the papyri. For saith he Argument from God‘s command (Exodus 25:40). See that thou make Common Greek idiom with present active imperative of οραω — horaō and the volitive future of ποιεω — poieō without ινα — hina (asyndeton, Robertson, Grammar, p. 949). The pattern The very word used in Exodus 25:40 and quoted also by Stephen in Acts 7:44. For τυπος — tupos see note on John 20:25; note on Romans 6:17, and etc. The tabernacle was to be patterned after the heavenly model. [source]
Revelation 15:5 Of the testimony []
See Acts 7:44. The tabernacle was called “the Tabernacle of the Testimony” because it contained the ark with the law of God which testifies against sin. See Exodus 25:16, Exodus 25:21; Exodus 30:36; Exodus 34:29; Exodus 38:21. Compare Revelation 11:19. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 7:44 mean?

The tabernacle of the testimony was with fathers of us in the wilderness just as had commanded the [One] speaking - to Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen
σκηνὴ τοῦ μαρτυρίου ἦν τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καθὼς διετάξατο λαλῶν τῷ Μωϋσῇ ποιῆσαι αὐτὴν κατὰ τὸν τύπον ὃν ἑωράκει

σκηνὴ  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: σκηνή  
Sense: tent, tabernacle, (made of green boughs, or skins or other materials).
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μαρτυρίου  testimony 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: μαρτύριον  
Sense: testimony.
πατράσιν  fathers 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἐρήμῳ  wilderness 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἔρημος  
Sense: solitary, lonely, desolate, uninhabited.
καθὼς  just  as 
Parse: Adverb
Root: καθώς  
Sense: according as.
διετάξατο  had  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διατάσσω  
Sense: to arrange, appoint, ordain, prescribe, give order.
  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
λαλῶν  speaking 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Μωϋσῇ  to  Moses 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Μωσεύς 
Sense: the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion.
ποιῆσαι  to  make 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
κατὰ  according  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
τύπον  pattern 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: τυπικῶς 
Sense: the mark of a stroke or blow, print.
ὃν  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἑωράκει  he  had  seen 
Parse: Verb, Pluperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.