Acts 7:48-50

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 7:42-50

Two things we have in these verses:? I. Stephen upbraids them with the idolatry of their fathers, which God gave them up to, as a punishment for their early forsaking him in worshipping the golden calf; and this was the saddest punishment of all for that sin, as it was of the idolatry of the Gentile world that God gave them up to a reprobate mind. When Israel was joined to idols, joined to the golden calf, and not long after to Baal-peor, God said, Let them alone; let them go on (Acts 7:42):... 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 7:48

Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands ,.... Such an one as Solomon's was; he did indeed dwell in his temple, but he was not confined to it, nor included in it, or circumscribed by it; and so much Solomon himself suggests, when he expresses his wonder at his dwelling on earth, seeing the heaven of heavens could not contain him, and still less the house which he had built, 1 Kings 8:27 , עליון , "the most High", is one of the names of God, Genesis 14:18 the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:49

Heaven is my throne ,.... There is the seat of the divine Majesty; there his glory is most conspicuous; there he keeps his court, that is his palace; and there are his attendants, the angels; and from thence are the administrations of his regal power and government, over the whole world: and earth is my footstool ; which is under his feet, is subject to him, and at his dispose, and which he makes use of at his pleasure: these things are not to be literally understood, but are images and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:50

Hath not my hand made all these things ? The heaven, and the earth, and all that is in them; the Arabic version renders it, "all these creatures"; and therefore what can be made for God? or what house built for him? in Isaiah the words are read without an interrogation, and affirm that his hand had made all these things, and therefore nothing could be made for him suitable to him, by the hands of men. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:48

The Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands - Here St. Stephen evidently refers to Solomon's speech, 1 Kings 8:27 . But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house that I have builded? Both Solomon and St. Stephen mean that the majesty of God could not be contained, not even in the whole vortex of nature; much less in any temple which human hands could erect. As saith the prophet - The place... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:50

Hath not my hand made all these things? - Stephen certainly had not finished his discourse, nor drawn his inferences from the facts already stated; but it is likely that, as they perceived he was about to draw conclusions unfavourable to the temple and its ritual, they immediately raised up a clamor against him, which was the cause of the following very cutting address. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:49

Verse 49 49.For whereas he saith, that heaven is his seat, and the earth his footstool, it must not be so understood as if he had a body, or could be divided into parts, after the manner of men; but because he is infinity, therefore he saith that he cannot be comprehended within any spaces of place; therefore, those men are deceived who esteem God or his worship according to their own nature; and because the prophet had to deal with hypocrites, he doth not only dispute about the essence of God,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:50

Verse 50 50.Hath not mine hand? The prophet telleth the people in these words, that God hath no need either of gold, either of precious furniture of the temple, either of the sacrifices; whereupon it followeth that his true worship is not contained in ceremonies. For he desireth none of all these things which we offer unto him, for his own sake, but only that he may exercise us in the study of godliness; which argument is handled more at large, Psalms 1:0. For although this be a shameful... 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

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