Acts 7

2. The God of glory. God who manifests His glory among us (see Exod. xiii. 21, 22; Rom. ix. 4; ver. 55) in the Shekinah. But this display of that glory was made to Abraham in Mesopotamia, before he was circumcised.

Charran. “Haran.” See notes on Gen. xi. 31. This first call of Abraham is alluded to in Gen. xv. 7; Neh. ix. 7. The call (related Gen. xii. 1) was given to him in Haran.

3 the land which I shall show thee. Rather, “whatsoever land I shall show thee”; an abbreviation of the LXX of Gen. xii. 1: cp. Heb. xi. 8.

4 when his father was dead. On the dates of these events, see note on Gen. xi. 26.

6. And God spake on this wise. To Abraham (see Gen. xv. 13, 14), and to Moses (see Exod. iii. 12). Both quotations are made freely from the Septuagint.

Your hundred years. See Gen. xv. 13; Exod. xii. 40; Gal. iii. 17, and notes.

8 covenant of circumcision. The covenant of which circumcision was the outward sign and confirmation (see Gen. xvii. 1-14, and notes) came after the great promise and covenant (see Gen. xii. 1-3, and notes), and therefore could not be essential to them: see a similar line of argument in Gal. iii. 6-18.

9. God was with him. “God was with him” whom our fathers hated and sold.

12 first. That is, before he himself went.

14 threescore and fifteen souls. See note on Gen. xivi. 27, which Stephen (“as a Hellenistic Jew, naturally,” Plumptre) quotes from the Septuagint; the variations in numbers not affecting his argument.

15. So Jacob went down into Egypt, etc. This may mean, “Jacob and our fathers (his twelve sons) died in Egypt; and they (i.e., our fathers) were removed to Shechem.” Jacob himself was buried at Machpelah (see Gen. i. 13). Jerome says that in his day the tombs of the twelve were shown at Shechem.

16. Emmor. Or, “Hamor.” It was Jacob who made this purchase (see Gen. xxxiii. 19; Josh. xxiv. 32). Some suppose that Abraham had bought the land for his altar at Shechem (Gen. xii. 6, 7), and that Jacob recovered it by force (Gen. xviii. 22), and bought more. Some regard the name “Abraham” as a mistake of an early transcriber; others suppose that Stephen followed some traditional account, which is not corrected, as the error does not affect his argument. Professor Stokes (Expositor’s Bible) says that if there are minor inaccuracies in Stephen’s speech, it is to be remembered that it was an extempore address. The very inaccuracies in the speech constitute an argument for the truthfulness of the writer of the Acts.

17 when. Rather, “as,” or “in proportion as.”

19 so that they cast out. Lit., as R.V., “that they should cast out.” The result of Pharaoh’s cruel oppression.

20. In which time. Just at the time of their severest oppression.

exceeding fair. Lit., “fair unto God,” a Hebraism; “divinely beautiful” (Moffatt).

22 was learned. Rather, “was instructed,” R.V. (the word learn being sometimes in Old English used actively, equivalent to teach), being brought up as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter. The “wisdom” of Egypt was proverbial: see I Kings iv. 30; Isa. xix. 11-13.

23 visit. This word almost always includes the idea of assisting. Cp. Gen. 1. 24, 25.

25 for (and) he supposed his brethren would have understood, etc. They “understood” his claims, but not God’s intention respecting him. So the Jews understood not our Lord’s authority: see iii. 17, and note.

would deliver them. Rather, as R.V., “was giving them deliverance”; the process having actually begun.

29. Madian. Or, “Midian”: see Exod. ii. 15, and note.

30-34. See Exod. iii. 1-10, and notes. 30 an angel. See Gen. xvi. 7; Isa. lxiii. 9; Mal. iii. 1, and notes.

35. This. The word here rendered “this,” is emphatically repeated through vers. 35-38. “This Moses whom they rejected,” “this man God commissioned,” “This man led them out by doing wonders,” etc.; “This is the Moses who said,” etc.; “This it is who was in the Church in the wilderness.” Stephen reminds his hearers that their fathers treated the ancient deliverer just as they have treated the Great Prophet (37) whom Moses predicted.

37. This is that Moses, which said, etc. Not Stephen, therefore, but those who rejected Jesus, dishonoured Moses: cp. John v. 46, 47.

38 the church. Or, “the congregation”; i.e., of Israel; as in Deut. xviii. 16; xxiii. 1-3, LXX.

the lively oracles. Rather, “living words or utterances”; not dead letters, but living and operative; partly because the Law awakens the conscience, partly because its threatenings and promises are sure of fulfilment.

39 into Egypt. See Exod. xxxii. 4; and cp. Numb. xi. 5, 6.

42 turned. In anger: see Isa. lxiii. 10; Rom. i. 28.

2. F

44 tabernacle of witness. See Numb. xvii. 8. They had “the tabernacle of the testimony” (R.V.), but they preferred the tabernacle of Moloch (43).

45. Which also our fathers that came after. Or, “Which also our fathers, receiving (it) in succession, ‘in their turn’ (R.V.), brought in with Jesus,” i.e., Joshua.

unto the days of David. To be connected with “brought in,” i.e., the tabernacle was brought in by Joshua, and retained until the days of David.

46 desired to find. Rather, “asked for himself [permission] to find a habitation.” The tabernacle existed already; David desired to build a temple: see Psa. xxxiii., and notes.

48 temples made with hands. The builder of the Temple himself declared at its dedication (see 1 Kings viii. 27, and note) that the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as likewise saith the prophet, “Heaven is my throne,” etc.: see notes on Isa. lxvi. 1, 2, here freely quoted. The omission of the word temples in the original (according to best authorities), suggests that God dwells not in anything which man can construct. R.V. supplies houses.

51 stillnecked and uncircumcised. In language taken from reproofs and appeals to ancient Israel by Moses (Deut. ix. 6, 13; x. 16), and the prophets (Jer. vi. 10; ix. 26), Stephen charges the council with heathenish ignorance, and obstinate disobedience.

as your fathers did. Referring, perhaps, to Isa. lxiii. 10.

52. Which of the prophets, etc.? Cp. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16; Matt. xxiii. 31-36; Luke xiii. 31-35, and notes.

53 by the disposition of angels. Rather, “as the ordinances of angels,” “as it was transmitted by angels” (Moffatt); not Moses only, but angels also being employed to communicate these Divine arrangements and precepts: see Deut. xxxiii. 2; Psa. lxviii. 17; Gal. iii. 19. This aggravates the guilt of those who broke them: see Heb. ii. 2, 3.

54 cut to the heart. See note on v. 33.

55 being full of the Holy Ghost. Not only at this time. The word used in original for being, denotes what was habitual and permanent.

standing. The word seems to imply active interposition to help, as Mediator and King, or readiness to receive His persecuted servant. Generally the representation is that of Jesus seated at the right hand of God, in calm and glorious repose (Psa. cx. 1; Matt. xxvi. 64). “To sit,” says Augustine, “is the mark of one who reigns and judges; to stand, of a warrior, helper, and advocate.”

56. Son of man. This appellation, which our Lord’s disciples do not elsewhere apply to Him, is used here perhaps with reference to His own claim and prediction before the same unrighteous tribunal (Luke xxii. 69). There is a suggestion of the tenderest sympathy in this revelation of Christ in His human nature to the dying saint.

57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, etc.

Stephen’s concluding words, like those of our Lord (see Matt. xxvi. 65, 66, and note), gave colour to the charge of blasphemy; and upon this he was immediately (perhaps even without a formal sentence) stoned as a blasphemer, in the manner prescribed by the Law (Lev. xxiv. 10-14). See, for a full account of the process of trial and stoning, Dr. John Lightfoot’s Horæ Hebraicæ.

58 the witnesses. See vi. 13. The witnesses were required by the law to begin the execution: see Deut. xvii. 7. To do this they threw off their loose outer garments.

Saul. See ch. xxii. 20.

59 they stoned Stephen. The punishment prescribed for blasphemy (Lev. xxiv. 16; Deut. xvii. 3). The act was illegal (John xviii. 31); but wild outbreaks of the kind were not unusual, especially in the absence of the governor. Pilate was probably in Rome at the time.

calling upon [God] and saying. Rather, “invoking and saying,” etc.; for the prayer is addressed to the Lord Jesus (cp. i. 24, and note): cp. ix. 21, and note on i. 24.

receive my spirit. Cp. Luke xxiii. 46, and note. Stephen expresses the same confidence in our Lord, as our Lord had expressed in the Father.

60. Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Cp. Luke xxiii. 34. No parallel to this prayer can be found out of Christian history. One answer to it is recorded in ch. ix. “The Church owes Paul to the prayer of Stephen” (Augustine).

fell asleep. This term seems to be used in touching contrast with all the outward circumstances of the occasion.