DEFENCE AND MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN 1-53. Speech of Stephen. There is every reason to believe that this speech was really delivered by St. Stephen, and not composed by St. Luke; for, (1) the speech does not (in any direct manner) answer the charges alleged (Acts 6:14), as a speech composed by the hist... [ Continue Reading ]
MEN, etc.] RV 'Brethren and fathers'; i.e. Israelites, and Sanhedrists. IN MESOPOTAMIA] Genesis says nothing of an appearance in Mesopotamia, but such an appearance is implied, Joshua 24:2; Nehemiah 9:7; (cp. Genesis 15:7), and affirmed by Philo.... [ Continue Reading ]
See Genesis 12:1, which is mistranslated by the AV, to harmonise with this passage.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHARRAN] i.e. Haran, or Carrhæ, an ancient city of N. Mesopotamia. Here Crassus, the Roman general, was disastrously defeated by the Parthians 53 b.c. See Genesis 11:8; Genesis 12:4; Genesis 12:5. WHEN HIS FATHER WAS DEAD] According to Genesis (see Genesis 11:26; Genesis 11:32; Genesis 12:4), Terah... [ Continue Reading ]
See Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15, etc.... [ Continue Reading ]
See Genesis 15:13; Genesis 15:16. FOUR HUNDRED YEARS] so Genesis 15:18 more precisely 430 years, Exodus 12:40. But there was another tradition which made the 430 years of Exodus 12:40 refer to the sojourn of the patriarchs in Palestine and Egypt. This is found in some MSS of the LXX (Exodus 12:40);... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THIS PLACE] in Canaan, not Sinai, as is the case in Exodus 3:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
CIRCUMCISION] Genesis 17:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
See Genesis 37:4. ENVY] Stephen sees in Joseph a type of Jesus, and in the envy of his brethren, a type of the envy of the chief priests and scribes which caused the death of Jesus.... [ Continue Reading ]
THREESCORE AND FIFTEEN SOULS] Stephen follows LXX of Genesis 46:27; Exodus 1:5. The Hebrew makes the number seventy.... [ Continue Reading ]
There are two errors in this v: (1) Jacob was not buried at Sychem (Shechem), but at Hebron, in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 50:13). (2) It was not Abraham, but Jacob, who bought a sepulchre at Shechem, from the sons of Emmor (Hamor), Genesis 33:19; Joshua 24:32. Either St. Stephen is following a... [ Continue Reading ]
KNEW NOT JOSEPH] i.e. knew not the history of Joseph and of his great services to his adopted country.... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THAT] rather, 'that they might cast out their babes,' etc.... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS EXCEEDING FAIR] lit. 'fair unto God,' i.e. fair even in the eyes of God: cp. Genesis 10:9, 'a mighty hunter before Jehovah.'... [ Continue Reading ]
LEARNED] i.e. taught. Undoubtedly true, though not mentioned in the OT. 'The wisdom of the Egyptians' consisted of natural science, magic, astronomy, medicine, and mathematics, and was mainly in the hands of the priesthood. MIGHTY IN WORDS] not inconsistent with Exodus 4:10, for Moses' eloquence was... [ Continue Reading ]
FORTY YEARS OLD] His age is derived from tradition.... [ Continue Reading ]
FORTY YEARS] Another tradition. The rabbis said, 'Moses lived in Pharaoh's palace 40 years, in Midian 40 years, and ministered to Israel 40 years.' AN ANGEL] in Exodus 3:2; 'the angel of Jehovah,' who is afterwards identified with Jehovah Himself.... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL SEND] rather, 'let me send.'... [ Continue Reading ]
A RULER AND A DELIVERER] lit. 'a ruler and redeemer.' Moses' 'redemption' of the people from the bondage of Egypt was a type of Christ's greater redemption of them from the bondage of sin and Satan.... [ Continue Reading ]
A PROPHET] The importance of Moses, according to Stephen, is that he is the type and forerunner of a greater than himself, whose coming he foretold: see Deuteronomy 18:15; Deuteronomy 18:18 and cp. Acts 3:22. Christ is the second and greater Moses, and, like him, a redeemer (Acts 7:35), lawgiver (Ac... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE CHURCH] i.e. in the congregation or assembly of all Israel at Mt. Sinai when the Law was given and the Covenant made and ratified. On this occasion Moses again typified Christ by acting as Mediator. He was with God (or God's angel) on Mt. Sinai holding converse with Him: he was also with the... [ Continue Reading ]
Israel's rebellion against Moses is a type of their later rebellion against Jesus. EGYPT] i.e. the Egyptian way of life, especially Egyptian idolatry (bull-worship). In Egypt Apis was worshipped at Memphis, and Mnevis at Heliopolis under the form of a bull: see Exodus 32:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BOOK OF THE PROPHETS] The twelve minor prophets formed one roll or book. O ye house, etc.] freely quoted from LXX of Amos 5:25; Amos 5:26. Stephen, following LXX, supposes that the worship of Moloch and of the stars took place in the wilderness. This is not expressly mentioned in the Pentateuch,... [ Continue Reading ]
YE TOOK UP] viz. to carry in a religious procession, or, to carry from one halting-place to another. THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH] a profane imitation of the tabernacle of Jehovah. Moloch (Molech, or Milcom) was an idol of the Ammonites to whom children were offered. His image is said to have been hollo... [ Continue Reading ]
Stephen's reference to the movable tabernacle in the wilderness is probably intended to show that the worship of God is not necessarily confined to one place (Jerusalem), and that for adequate cause (e.g. the persistent rejection of Christ by the Jews) the privilege of Jerusalem may be taken away.... [ Continue Reading ]
Stephen's words do not indicate that the building of Solomon's Temple was a mistake, but they do indicate that God's worship is not necessarily tied to one place, and that the divine choice of Jerusalem as a place of worship is not irreversible. Solomon himself recognised this truth, 1 Kings 8:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE SLAIN] referring especially to Isaiah and Jeremiah, who both, according to tradition, suffered martyrdom. THE JUST ONE] i.e. Jesus: see Acts 3:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE DISPOSITION OF ANGELS] RV 'as it was ordained by angels'; RM 'as the ordinance of angels.' The precise meaning is uncertain, but some kind of mediation of angels in the giving of the Law is probably meant: see Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2. 7:54-8:3. Martyrdom of Stephen. Saul's persecution of... [ Continue Reading ]
STANDING] Jesus rises from the throne on which He is represented as eternally sitting (Matthew 26:64; Mark 16:19, etc.) to succour the martyr in his extremity, and to welcome his soul into bliss.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SON OF MAN] Here only is this title applied to Jesus by any one except Himself. It indicates that Stephen saw Him in human form: see on Matthew 8:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
STOPPED THEIR EARS] because they regarded his words as blasphemous.... [ Continue Reading ]
OUT OF THE CITY] see 1 Kings 21:13; Leviticus 24:14. AND STONED _him_] 'After a man has been condemned to be stoned, they bring him good strong wine, and give him to drink, that he may not feel too great horror of a violent death. Then come the witnesses, and bind his hands and feet, and lead him to... [ Continue Reading ]
CALLING UPON _God_] RV 'calling upon the Lord' (i.e. Jesus). RECEIVE MY SPIRIT] A direct prayer to Jesus, and, therefore, a proof that the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus was already established in the Church. It is not a prayer to a mere saintly intercessor ('Jesus, pray for me'), but a direct pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Like his Master, Stephen dies praying for his enemies: cp. Luke 23:34 ACTS 8:1. AT THAT TIME] RV 'on that day.' EXCEPT THE APOSTLES] The apostles still wished to achieve the conversion of Jerusalem. Besides, as leaders of the flock, they disdained flight.... [ Continue Reading ]