51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,” (Acts 7:51–52, NKJV)
As Stephen addressed the Sanhedrin council, he leveled the charge of stubbornness against them as the “betrayers and murderers” of Jesus Christ, the “Just One” (Jer. 23:5-6). They bore the outward sign of the covenant in the flesh (circumcision), but inwardly their hearts and ears were uncircumcised; covered and calloused by their rebellion against God. They were guilty of resisting the Holy Spirit by refusing the word of God that the Spirit delivered through the prophets. Then, they fully rejected the Son of God Himself. This should be our warning not to believe we can please God yet reject His word, the inspired Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Our heart and ears are uncircumcised when we resist and refuse the inspired word of God. Let us open our hearts and ears to God’s word every day, and follow Jesus Christ, who Himself is the Word (Jno. 1:1-3, 14).
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