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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 7:30-41

Stephen here proceeds in his story of Moses; and let any one judge whether these are the words of one that was a blasphemer of Moses or no; nothing could be spoken more honourably of him. Here is, I. The vision which he saw of the glory of God at the bush (Acts 7:30): When forty years had expired (during all which time Moses was buried alive in Midian, and was now grown old, and one would think past service), that it might appear that all his performances were products of a divine power and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 7:37-53

7:37-53 "It was this man who said to the sons of Israel, 'God will raise up a prophet from among your brothers, like me.' It was this Moses who was in the gathering of the people in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in Mount Sinai, and with your fathers. It was he who received the living oracles to give to you. But your fathers refused to be obedient to him. They rejected him. In their hearts they turned back to Egypt. They said to Aaron, 'Make us gods who will go before us, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:38

This is he that was in the church in the wilderness ,.... Which must be understood of the children of Israel, who were the then church of God, whom he had chosen and separated from the rest of the world, to be a peculiar people to himself, to whom were given the word and ordinances, the service of God, and the promises; and God always had, and will have a church, though that is sometimes in the wilderness; which has been the case under the Gospel dispensation, as well as before; Revelation... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:38

With the angel which spake to him - Stephen shows that Moses received the law by the ministry of angels; and that he was only a mediator between the angel of God and them. The lively oracles - Λογια ζωντα , The living oracles. The doctrines of life, those doctrines - obedience to which entitled them, by the promise of God, to a long life upon earth, which spoke to them of that spiritual life which every true believer has in union with his God, and promised that eternal life which those... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:38

Verse 38 38.Stephen proceedeth to set forth the frowardness (440) of the people, who though they were provoked [stirred up] with so many benefits of God, yet did they never cease maliciously to reject him. If they had been disobedient and unthankful to God before, yet this so wonderful a deliverance ought to have brought them into a better mind; but he declareth that they were always like themselves. It was meet that so many miracles should not only have stuck fast in their minds, but also have... 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 7:20-39

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 7:35-43

Moses, and Israel's bearing towards him: a figure of Christ. I. THE REJECTED OF MEN WAS IN EACH CASE THE HONOURED OF GOD . The Israelites refused Moses as their ruler and judge; and God sent him as ruler and as emancipator to the people. Moses went into exile, and there was honored by a revelation of the glory of God; and with a special mission Jesus had been slain in Jerusalem, and in that very city had come back in the power of the Spirit, to clothe the... read more

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