The Acts of the Apostles
Acts 7
Chapter VII · Vol. IV, pp. 262–266
1 Stephen, permitted to answer to the accusation of blasphemy, 2 showeth that Abraham worshipped God rightly, and how God did choose 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 according to the heavenly pattern, to last but for a time: 51 reprehending their rebellion, and murdering of Christ, the Just One, whom the prophets foretold should come into the world. 54 Whereupon they stone him to death, who commendeth his soul to Jesus, and humbly prayeth for them.
1 Then said the high-priest, aAre these things so?
A.M. cir. 4038. A.D. cir. 34.
a ch.6.13,14. Mat.26.62.
2 And he said, bMen, brethren, and fathers, hearken;1 Thec God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, dwhen he was in Mesopotamia,2 before he dwelt in Charran,Cited in WLC 7 · WCF 2.2
b ch.13.26;22.1.
1 See note * below.
d Ge.11.28,31. Jos.24.2. Ne.9.7.
2 Mesopotamia signifies 'the country between the rivers,' the Euphrates and Tigris.—C.
* Stephen's speech was an apology (1) for his own conduct, and (2) for his faith. He was charged with breaking the Mosaic law; he shows that he was honouring and fulfilling its spirit. He was charged with speaking against the temple; he shows the true object of the temple, and the true character of worship. Along with these things he proves that the Old Testament Scriptures point to Christ; and that the gospel is the real spiritual development of the Mosaic ritual. By his skilful reasoning he shows that his accusers themselves were the men who had really opposed the truth of Scripture, and spoken against and rejected God.—P.
3 And said unto him, eGet thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.
4 Theng came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
5 Andh he gave him none inheritance3 in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: iyet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
6 And God spake on this wise, jThat his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.4
j Ge.15.13,16;50.24. 1 Pe.2.11. Ex.i.-v.;12.40,41. Ga.3.17.
B.C. cir. 1911.
4 The Israelites were neither 'evil-entreated' nor 'in bondage' during four hundred years. The difficulty, however, is easily removed by a parenthesis, thus:—'That his seed should sojourn in a strange land (and that they should bring them into bondage, and evil-entreat them) four hundred years.' For reconciling the four hundred years quoted by Stephen from Ge.15.13, with the four hundred and thirty recorded in Ex.12.40, and Ga.3.17, see note on Ex.12.40.—C.
7 And kthe nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and lserve me in this place.
8 Andn he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve 5patriarchs.
9 Ando the patriarchs, moved with 6envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,Cited in WLC 132
o Ge.xxxvii.xxxix.-xli. Ps.105.17-22;34.19.
6 The envy of his brethren against Joseph their deliverer, is evidently intended to prepare the minds of his audience for the similar rejection of Jesus, of whom Joseph was an eminent type.—C.
10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
11 Nowp there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
B.C. cir. 1715.
p Ge.41.53-57. Ps.105.16.
12 Butq when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
q Ge.xlii.-xlv.
13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.
14 Thenr sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, 7threescore and fifteen souls.8
B.C. cir. 1706.
r Ps.105.15. Ge.45.9-28.
7 Including his brethren's wives, Ge.46.26,27. De.10.22.
8 For reconciling the enumerations of Moses and Stephen, see on Ge.46.27.—C.
16 And were carried over into Sychem,9 and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham1 bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
17 Butt when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil-entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
20 Inv which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair,2 and nourished up in his father's house three months:
22 Andy Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.3
3 There is no direct statement to this effect in the Old Testament; but from the fact that Moses was trained at court, and that the Egyptians were at that period the most learned people in the world, it might be safely inferred that Moses received the best training. There was doubtless also an authentic Jewish tradition to the same effect.—P.
23 And zwhen he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
25 Fora he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
26 Andb the next day he showed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, cye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, dWho made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
d ch.4.7. Mat.21.23.?
28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday?
29 Thene fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.
e Ex.2.14-22;18.1-6. Nu.12.1.
30 Andg when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina5 an hangel of the Lord6 in a flame of fire in a bush.
g Ex.3.1-10, with 19.1-3. 1 Ki.19.8.
5 Moses says Horeb, Ex.3.1, but Horeb was the name for the whole mountain range; Sina, for one particular elevation.—C.
h Ex.3.2,6. Mal.3.1. Is.63.9. Ge.48.16. De.33.16. Ge.15.13. Ps.66.12. Is.43.2. De.4.20. Da.3.27. Jn.1.14. Zec.13.7. Tit.2.14.
6 An angel of the Lord. A manifestation of Jehovah.—Note, By examining Ex.3.2,6, it will appear that the angel (messenger or manifestation) of the Lord, is JEHOVAH, the God of Abraham: and by comparing that passage with Ac.7.31-33, and with Re.1.10,11,13,17, it will also appear that this angel, or manifestation, was, in the fulness of time, Jesus, 'the Son of man'—'God manifest in the flesh,' as the almighty Saviour of sinners.—C.
31 When Moses saw it, ihe wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, jthe voice of the Lord came unto him,
32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. kThen Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
33 Then said the Lord to him, lPut off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
34 In have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. oAnd now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
35 This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? pthe same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer qby the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.
o ver.27. Ps.105.26;77.20. Mi.6.4.
* As a typical Mediator between 'the Angel of the LORD,' 'the God of Abraham,' 'God manifest,' and the rebellious congregation, who disobeyed at once both Moses and the LORD who sent him.—Note, 'The Angel that spake with him' (Ex.3.2) was 'THE LORD,' ver. 4; 'THE GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,' ver. 6; the great 'I AM THAT I AM,' ver. 14; 'The LORD GOD of the Hebrews,' ver. 17; than whom the Scriptures reveal no other God. Wherefore they who still deny the Godhead of Christ 'would not believe though one rose from the dead,' seeing they will not believe him 'that came down from heaven.'—C.
A.M. cir. 4038. A.D. cir. 34.
q Ex.14.19. Nu.20.16. See ver.30-32. He.12.25,26. 1 Co.10.9.
36 He brought them out, after that he had rshowed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
r Ex.vii.-xx. Nu.xi.xiv.xvi.xvii.xx. De.iv.viii.ix.xi. Ps.lxxviii.cv.cvi.cxxxvi. Ne.9. Is.63.7,14.?
37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, sA Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me;7 him shall ye hear.
s De.18.15-19. ch.3.22. Mat.17.5.
7 Or, as myself.
38 Thist is he that was in the church8 in the wilderness, with the Angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers; who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
t Jos.5.14. Ex.19.3,17,20. Is.63.9. Ga.3.17,19. He.2.2. ver.53.
8 See note * in first column.
u De.5.27,31;32.47;30.19,20;4.8. Jn.6.63;20.31. Ro.3.2;9.4. Ps.78.5-7.
39 Tov whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts xturned back again into Egypt,
40 Sayingy unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
42 Thenz God turned,9 and gave them up to worship athe host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, bO ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts, and sacrifices, by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
z Ps.81.11,12. Is.66.4. Ho.4.17. Ro.1.24,26,28. 2 Th.2.11,12. 2 Ch.15.2. Eze.20.25,39.
9 Then God turned from leading them in his ways, and judicially 'gave them up.' See Ps.81.12. Ro.1.24,28.—C.
a De.4.19;17.3. 2 Ki.17.16;21.3,5. Je.8.2;19.13. Am.5.25,26.
b Am.5.25-27. Ps.95.10.
43 Yea, cye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made, to worship them: and I dwill carry you away beyond Babylon.
44 Our fathers had ethe tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking1 unto Moses, gthat he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
45 Whichh also our fathers that came 2after brought in with Jesus3 into the possession of the Gentiles, iwhom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
h Jos.3.11-14;18.1. Ju.18.31. 1 Sa.4.1-11.?
2 Or, having received.
3 i.e., Joshua. [Joshua is here, and He.4.8, called Jesus, both words signifying a 'Saviour.'—The possession of the Gentiles—that is, 'a land possessed by Gentiles.'—Whom God drave out. Rather, 'continued to drive out,' as the word signifies, and the history requires.—C.]
i Ne.9.24. Ex.34.24. De.4.38;7.1,22. Ps.44.2,3;78.55. ch.13.19.
46 Who jfound favour before God, kand desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
j Ps.78.70,71;89.19,20. 1 Sa.16.1,12,13. ch.13.22.
48 Howbeit, nthe Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,4Cited in HC 48
n ch.17.24. 1 Ki.8.27. 2 Ch.2.6. Je.7.4.
4 Stephen's object here is to show that the great principle which lies at the foundation of the gospel is clearly set forth in the Old Testament. It is not a new or strange dogma, therefore. It was enunciated by the prophets; it was divine in its origin. The unity of revelation in spirit and in fundamental dogma is proved in this speech. In the Old Testament the very same grand truths are developed by symbol, type, and prophecy, which in the New Testament are embodied in historic facts and doctrinal teaching.—P.
49 Heaveno is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?Cited in HC 48
51 Yeq stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always rresist the Holy Ghost:5 ass your fathers did, so do ye.Cited in WLC 105
q Ex.32.9;33.3,5. Is.48.4. Zec.7.11,12. Le.26.41.?
A.M. cir. 4038. A.D. cir. 34.
r Lu.7.30. ch.6.10.
5 Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost—speaking by Moses and the prophets of old, and in these last days by Jesus Christ and his apostles.—Note, It is probable some signs of impatience and tumult had commenced in the assembly that drew forth this severe but righteous charge.—C.
s ver.9,25,37,40,41. Ps.78.8.
52 Whicht of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the uJust One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
t 2 Ch.36.16. Ne.9.26. Mat.5.12;23.31,34,37;21.34-39;22.6. 1 Th.2.15. ch.3.13-15;4.10,27;5.30.
54 When they heard these things, they were ycut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
y ch.5.33;13.45;22.22,23. Pr.2.4,5.
55 But he, being zfull of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw athe glory of God, and Jesus bstanding on the right hand of God,Cited in HC 80
56 And said, Behold, I see cthe heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.7Cited in WLC 145 · HC 80
57 Thend they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,Cited in WLC 145
d See ver.54. Pr.27.4,5. ch.13.45;14.5;22.22,23. Mat.27.22-25.
58 Ande cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses8 laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
e Le.24.14,16. De.13.9;17.5,7. 1 Ki.21.10,13. Lu.4.29. ch.6.11,13;8.1,3;22.20. He.13.12,13.
8 The mention of 'witnesses' renders it probable that there was some brief & extemporaneous trial, in show but in mockery of justice.—C.
Notes
Ver. 16. Here are two difficulties:—(1) According to Ge. 33. 19 and Jos. 24. 32, the sepulchre of Sychem was bought by Jacob, and not by Abraham. (2) Jacob was buried, not in Sychem, but in Machpelah, before Mamre, Ge. 49. 30; 50. 13. To reconcile the first, it is generally admitted by expositors, that 'Abraham' has, by the oversight of a transcriber, been substituted for 'Jacob;' but while nearly all MSS. have 'Abraham,' and none 'Jacob,' the substitution of 'Jacob' seems totally unauthorized. May not both difficulties be solved by filling up the ellipses thus:—'But Jacob went down into Egypt, and died there, he and our fathers; and they were all carried over (our fathers) to Sychem, and buried (he, Jacob) in the tomb which Abraham had purchased, for a sum of money, and (they the fathers) in the tomb that Jacob had purchased from the sons of Emmor, the father of Sychem.' A similar construction, in which the nouns are all placed in the beginning, and the verbs in the end of the sentences, may still be frequently found in legal documents and in Latin epitaphs. And to the Jews, who were perfectly familiar with the history of their fathers, the statement of Stephen would thus be understood.—C.
Ver. 35. The object of this statement is to show, that as the refusal of Moses as a ruler and judge was no evidence against his divine legation, so the refusal of Jesus as a Saviour was no evidence against his personal dignity and authority.—C.
Ver. 59. The word 'God' is not in the original, but is erroneously supplied by the translators. From comparing this passage with Re. 22. 20, it will be evident that the dying prayer of the noble proto-martyr was addressed directly to the Lord Jesus. Which prayer, compared with that of our Lord himself, Lu. 23. 34, furnishes an evidence of the Godhead of Christ which nothing but blinded and hardened prejudice can possibly resist.—C.
Reflections.—If we are called to account for our faith and hope in Christ, let the oracles of God be our sole defence: they all relate to him. In them he is represented as the God of glory; as the angel JEHOVAH who appeared to the patriarchs; and as the worker of wonders for, and giver of laws to, his people. He was prefigured by Moses and Joshua, David and Solomon, their distinguished rulers, and by the tabernacle and temple; and is now exalted to the right hand of God as the object of all religious adoration.—Infinitely faithful is God to his gracious promises: all are fulfilled in their season. But very mixed and mysterious is the conduct of his providence. Great perplexity and distress often usher in the most remarkable deliverances. And God's people are in general tried before they are honoured. It is a distinguishing mercy to be, even in our ancestors, early taken into his love, and to be always under his special direction, government, and care. And thrice happy are they who not only have his ordinances established among them, but are themselves made his meet habitation through the Spirit!—But notwithstanding all his awful or delightful providences towards his church, many hypocritical professors are more fond of rites and ceremonies, or of their own idolatrous inventions, than of either his law or his gospel. Obstinately they revolt from him, resist his Spirit, persecute his servants, and reject him and his salvation, to their own everlasting perdition.—Kindly and honourably Jesus stands by his faithful confessors; fills them with the Holy Ghost, and grants them clear and seasonable manifestations of his glory. If enemies cast them out and murder them, he stands ready to embrace, support, comfort, and carry them to heaven. With the greatest confidence of faith may they therefore commit their departing souls to him; and imploring forgiveness to their murderers, with glory and triumph fall asleep in his arms.