_THE APOSTLES DESIROUS TO HAVE THE POOR REGARDED FOR THEIR BODILY SUSTENANCE, AS ALSO CAREFUL THEMSELVES TO DISPENSE THE WORD OF GOD, THE FOOD OF THE SOUL, APPOINT THE OFFICE OF DEACONSHIP TO SEVEN CHOSEN MEN: OF WHOM STEPHEN, A MAN FULL OF FAITH AND OF THE HOLY GHOST, IS ONE: WHO IS TAKEN OF THOSE... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE AROSE A MURMURING OF THE GRECIANS, &C.— Or, _the Hellenists._ There is not all the light which some have wished for concerning the distinction of the Jews into _Hebrews_ and _Hellenists;_ but the following appears the most probable account. The Jews who inhabited Judea, and those of the easter... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MULTITUDE OF THE DISCIPLES— That is, the whole body of Christian converts; they being the persons to whom satisfaction was then due. _And serve tables,_ is in the Greek δικκονειν τραπεζαις, to _minister to,_ or _take care of_ the tables, that is, of the poor;—to attend to the distribution of cha... [ Continue Reading ]
OF HONEST REPORT,— _Of good credit._ Heylin.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY CHOSE STEPHEN,— Some have thought that Stephen was one of the _seventy;_ but it seems a precarious conjecture. The, termination of most of these names makes it probable that they were Hellenists;—a supposition which agrees very well with the occasion of their election. _Nicolas_ was not a J... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A GREAT COMPANY OF THE PRIESTS— We learn from Ezra 2:36 that 4289 priests returned from the captivity; the number of whom was now probably very much increased. It is certainly wonderful that a great multitude of the priests should embrace the gospel, considering what peculiar resentments they mu... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SYNAGOGUE OF THE LIBERTINES,— These were Jews born at Rome, whose grandfathers had been in slavery there, and then made free. Great numbers of Jews taken captive by Pompey, and carried into Italy, were set at liberty, and obtained their freedom from their masters. Their children, therefore, woul... [ Continue Reading ]
BLASPHEMOUS WORDS AGAINST MOSES, &C.— There is no reason to believe that Stephen knew the mystery of the abolition of the Mosaic law, which the apostles do not seem immediately to have understood: and it is much less probable, that he openly taught what St. Paul himself, many years after, insinuated... [ Continue Reading ]
SAW HIS FACE, &C.— Many commentators interpret this as a proverbial expression of the majesty and beauty of his countenance, arising from the transport of inward joy in the consciousness of his innocence, and the expectation of glory, though he had so cruel a sentence and execution in view. And upon... [ Continue Reading ]