Chapter 7:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 John Romans
Acts 7
Concise Complete
Stephen's defence. (1-50) Stephen reproves the Jews for the
death of Christ. (51-53) The martyrdom of Stephen. (54-60)
Verses 1-16 Stephen
was charged as a blasphemer of God, and an apostate from the church; therefore
he shows that he is a son of Abraham, and values himself on it. The slow steps
by which the promise made to Abraham advanced toward performance, plainly show
that it had a spiritual meaning, and that the land intended was the heavenly.
God owned Joseph in his troubles, and was with him by the power of his Spirit,
both on his own mind by giving him comfort, and on those he was concerned with,
by giving him favour in their eyes. Stephen reminds the Jews of their mean
beginning as a check to priding themselves in the glories of that nation.
Likewise of the wickedness of the patriarchs of their tribes, in envying their
brother Joseph; and the same spirit was still working in them toward Christ and
his ministers. The faith of the patriarchs, in desiring to be buried in the land
of Canaan, plainly showed they had regard to the heavenly country. It is well to
recur to the first rise of usages, or sentiments, which have been perverted.
Would we know the nature and effects of justifying faith, we should study the
character of the father of the faithful. His calling shows the power and
freeness of Divine grace, and the nature of conversion. Here also we see that
outward forms and distinctions are as nothing, compared with separation from the
world, and devotedness to God.
Verses 17-29 Let us
not be discouraged at the slowness of the fulfilling of God's promises.
Suffering times often are growing times with the church. God is preparing for
his people's deliverance, when their day is darkest, and their distress deepest.
Moses was exceeding fair, "fair toward God;" it is the beauty of holiness which
is in God's sight of great price. He was wonderfully preserved in his infancy;
for God will take special care of those of whom he designs to make special use.
And did he thus protect the child Moses? Much more will he secure the interests
of his holy child Jesus, from the enemies who are gathered together against him.
They persecuted Stephen for disputing in defence of Christ and his gospel: in
opposition to these they set up Moses and his law. They may understand, if they
do not wilfully shut their eyes against the light, that God will, by this Jesus,
deliver them out of a worse slavery than that of Egypt. Although men prolong
their own miseries, yet the Lord will take care of his servants, and effect his
own designs of mercy.
Verses 30-41 Men
deceive themselves, if they think God cannot do what he sees to be good any
where; he can bring his people into a wilderness, and there speak comfortably to
them. He appeared to Moses in a flame of fire, yet the bush was not consumed;
which represented the state of Israel in Egypt, where, though they were in the
fire of affliction, yet they were not consumed. It may also be looked upon as a
type of Christ's taking upon him the nature of man, and the union between the
Divine and human nature. The death of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, cannot break
the covenant relation between God and them. Our Saviour by this proves the
future state,
matthew
22:31 . Abraham is dead, yet God is still his God, therefore Abraham is
still alive. Now, this is that life and immortality which are brought to light
by the gospel. Stephen here shows that Moses was an eminent type of Christ, as
he was Israel's deliverer. God has compassion for the troubles of his church,
and the groans of his persecuted people; and their deliverance takes rise from
his pity. And that deliverance was typical of what Christ did, when, for us men,
and for our salvation, he came down from heaven. This Jesus, whom they now
refused, as their fathers did Moses, even this same has God advanced to be a
Prince and Saviour. It does not at all take from the just honour of Moses to
say, that he was but an instrument, and that he is infinitely outshone by Jesus.
In asserting that Jesus should change the customs of the ceremonial law. Stephen
was so far from blaspheming Moses, that really he honoured him, by showing how
the prophecy of Moses was come to pass, which was so clear. God who gave them
those customs by his servant Moses, might, no doubt, change the custom by his
Son Jesus. But Israel thrust Moses from them, and would have returned to their
bondage; so men in general will not obey Jesus, because they love this present
evil world, and rejoice in their own works and devices.
Verses 42-50
Stephen upbraids the Jews with the idolatry of their fathers, to which God gave
them up as a punishment for their early forsaking him. It was no dishonour, but
an honour to God, that the tabernacle gave way to the temple; so it is now, that
the earthly temple gives way to the spiritual one; and so it will be when, at
last, the spiritual shall give way to the eternal one. The whole world is God's
temple, in which he is every where present, and fills it with his glory; what
occasion has he then for a temple to manifest himself in? And these things show
his eternal power and Godhead. But as heaven is his throne, and the earth his
footstool, so none of our services can profit Him who made all things. Next to
the human nature of Christ, the broken and spiritual heart is his most valued
temple.
Verses 51-53
Stephen was going on, it seems, to show that the temple and the temple service
must come to an end, and it would be the glory of both to give way to the
worship of the Father in spirit and in truth; but he perceived they would not
bear it. Therefore he broke off, and by the Spirit of wisdom, courage, and
power, sharply rebuked his persecutors. When plain arguments and truths provoke
the opposers of the gospel, they should be shown their guilt and danger. They,
like their fathers, were stubborn and wilful. There is that in our sinful
hearts, which always resists the Holy Ghost, a flesh that lusts against the
Spirit, and wars against his motions; but in the hearts of God's elect, when the
fulness of time comes, this resistance is overcome. The gospel was offered now,
not by angels, but from the Holy Ghost; yet they did not embrace it, for they
were resolved not to comply with God, either in his law or in his gospel. Their
guilt stung them to the heart, and they sought relief in murdering their
reprover, instead of sorrow and supplication for mercy.
Verses 54-60
Nothing is so comfortable to dying saints, or so encouraging to suffering
saints, as to see Jesus at the right hand of God: blessed be God, by faith we
may see him there. Stephen offered up two short prayers in his dying moments.
Our Lord Jesus is God, to whom we are to seek, and in whom we are to trust and
comfort ourselves, living and dying. And if this has been our care while we
live, it will be our comfort when we die. Here is a prayer for his persecutors.
Though the sin was very great, yet if they would lay it to their hearts, God
would not lay it to their charge. Stephen died as much in a hurry as ever any
man did, yet, when he died, the words used are, he fell asleep; he applied
himself to his dying work with as much composure as if he had been going to
sleep. He shall awake again in the morning of the resurrection, to be received
into the presence of the Lord, where is fulness of joy, and to share the
pleasures that are at his right hand, for evermore.
Chapter 7:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 John Romans
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
