Acts 7:54-58

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 7:54-60

We have here the death of the first martyr of the Christian church, and there is in this story a lively instance of the outrage and fury of the persecutors (such as we may expect to meet with if we are called out to suffer for Christ), and of the courage and comfort of the persecuted, that are thus called out. Here is hell in its fire and darkness, and heaven in its light and brightness; and these serve as foils to set off each other. It is not here said that the votes of the council were... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 7:54-60

7:54-60 As they listened to this their very hearts were torn with vexation and they gnashed their teeth at him. But he was full of the Holy Spirit and he gazed steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand. So he said, "Look now, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand." They shouted with a great shout and held their ears and launched themselves at him in a body. They flung him outside the city and began to stone him.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:54

When they heard these things ,.... How that Abraham, the father of them, was called before he was circumcised, or the law was given to Moses, or the temple was built, which they were so bigoted to, and charged with speaking blasphemously of; and how that Joseph and Moses were very ill treated by the Jewish fathers, which seemed to resemble the usage Christ and his apostles met with from them; and how their ancestors behaved in the wilderness when they had received the law, and what idolatry... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:55

But he being full of the Holy Ghost ,.... That is, Stephen, as Beza's ancient copy, and some others express it; and so the Ethiopic version; the Syriac version reads, "full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost", as in Acts 6:5 and so some copies; being under the influences of the Spirit of God, and filled with his divine comforts, and strong in the faith of Jesus Christ, and having a holy boldness, courage, and intrepidity of mind; instead of being discouraged and dejected, of being cast down... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:56

And said, behold, I see the heavens opened ,.... As they were at the baptism of Christ; see Gill on Matthew 3:16 , and the son of man standing at the right hand of God ; he calls Jesus "the son of man"; a name by which he often called himself in his state of humiliation; and that though he was now glorified, it being the name of the Messiah in Psalm 80:17 as was well known to the Jews; and this Stephen said to show that God was on his side, and to let them know what honour was done... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:57

Then they cried out with a loud voice ,.... These were not the sanhedrim, but the common people; the Ethiopic version reads, "the Jews cried out"; which, they did, in a very clamorous way, either through rage and madness, or in a show of zeal against blasphemy; and cried out, either to God to avenge the blasphemy, or rather to the sanhedrim to pass a sentence on him, or, it may be, to excite one another to rise up at once, and kill him, as they did: and stopped their ears ; with their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:58

And cast him out of the city ,.... Of Jerusalem; for the place of stoning was without the city. The process, when regular, according to the sentence of the court, was after this manner F16 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 6. sect. 1, 2, 3, 4. ; "judgment being finished, (or the trial over,) they brought him out (the person condemned) to stone him; the place of stoning was without the sanhedrim, as it is said, Leviticus 24:14 "bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp", when he was ten... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:54

They were cut to the heart - Διεπριοντο , They were sawn through. See the note on Acts 5:33 . They gnashed on him with their teeth - They were determined to hear him no longer; were filled with rage against him, and evidently thirsted for his blood. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:55

Saw the glory of God - The Shekinah, the splendor or manifestation of the Divine Majesty. And Jesus standing on the right hand of God - In his official character, as Mediator between God and man. Stephen had this revelation while in the Sanhedrin; for as yet he had not been forced out of the city. See Acts 7:58 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:57

They - stopped their ears - As a proof that he had uttered blasphemy, because he said, He saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. This was a fearful proof against them; for if Jesus was at the right hand of God, then they had murdered an innocent person; and they must infer that God's justice must speedily avenge his death. They were determined not to suffer a man to live any longer who could say he saw the heavens opened and Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God. read more

Group of Brands