Acts 7:27

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 7:17-29

Stephen here goes on to relate, I. The wonderful increase of the people of Israel in Egypt; it was by a wonder of providence that in a little time they advanced from a family into a nation. 1. It was when the time of the promise drew nigh?the time when they were to be formed into a people. During the first two hundred and fifteen years after the promise made to Abraham, the children of the covenant were increased but to seventy; but in the latter two hundred and fifteen years they increased to... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 7:17-36

7:17-36 "When the time for the fulfillment of the promise which God had told to Abraham drew near, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until there arose another king in Egypt who had no knowledge of Joseph. He schemed against our race and treated our fathers badly by making them cast out their children so that they would not survive. At this point Moses was born and he was very comely in God's sight. For three months he was nurtured in his father's house. When he was put out... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:27

But he that did his neighbour wrong ,.... Who seems to be the same person whom Moses had defended the day before; and, according to the Jews, must be Dathan F1 Targum Jon. in Exod. ii. 14. Debarim Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 237. 1. : the same thrust him away ; from them, when he went to part them, and persuade them to be good friends: saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge over us ? which was very ungrateful, if he was the man he had delivered the day before; and very impertinent,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 7:1-53

The recital of a nation's spiritual pedigree—its leading suggestions. Technically the description of a defense may very justly be applied to the long stretch of these verses. They no doubt do stand for Stephen's formal defense. He has been very mildly challenged by the high priest to say whether the "things" laid to his charge "are so." And he loses not a minute in replying. He replies, however, in his own way. That way is somewhat indirect. His tone betrays some sense of his being in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 7:1-60

The first martyrdom. When we look at the Lord Jesus as our Exemplar, though we are conscious that all his excellences of life and character were strictly human, and within the range of those human faculties which we possess in common with our Lord, yet are we also conscious that the transcendent perfection of his human life is what we can never reach. Our Lord's goodness was the goodness of man, and yet it is a goodness that we never can attain to. Where his feet stood firm, our feet will... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 7:2-53

Stephen's defense. It was usual in the court of the Sanhedrim to allow an accused person to plead guilty or not guilty, and to speak in his own defense. As this address of Stephen's is his defense, we must know of what he was accused. Generally it may be said that he was a blasphemer of God and the Law; but, to understand how such a charge could possibly be made, we must appreciate the intense and superstitious feeling concerning Mosaism which characterized the rulers of that day. The more... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 7:17-29

Israel in Egypt: the rise of Moses. We may view these events as typical of the Christian time or as expressive of an inner meaning, a Divine logic of history. We may learn, then, from this passage— I. THAT DIVINE BEGINNINGS IN HISTORY ARE NEVER WITHOUT STRUGGLES , The people grew and increased, but a sudden check was given to their prosperity by the accession of a new king. Israel might have settled in Egypt and have achieved no great thing for the world, had not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 7:20-39

The Divine and the human. I. DIVINE INTERVENTION . The hand of God is sometimes visible though it is usually unseen. We see the Divine working in II. HUMAN NOBLENESS . ( Acts 7:23-28 ; see Hebrews 11:24-26 .) It was" in Moses' heart to visit his brethren," and he took their cause in hand in a very practical and decisive way ( Acts 7:24 ). He may have been mistaken in the method which he adopted, but that is of very small moment. The great thing is that it was in his heart... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 7:23-29

Marks of the born reformer. Conversion does not by any means purport to create new powers of mind or to substitute new qualities of heart, but to direct aright the powers which are already the gifts of nature or creation—to direct them to right and worthy objects, and to fill them with right and worthy energy. So also inspiration does not purport to override natural sources of knowledge and natural gifts, so as to obliterate the prevailing marks of individual character and even individual... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Acts 7:27

But he that did ... - Intent on his purpose, filled with rage and passion, he rejected all interference, and all attempts at peace. It is usually the man that does the injury that is unwilling to be reconciled; and when we find a man that regards the entreaties of his friends as improper interference, when he becomes increasingly angry when we exhort him to peace, it is usually a strong evidence that he is conscious that he has been at fault. If we wish to reconcile parties, we should go first... read more

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