AND IN THOSE DAYS, WHEN THE NUMBER OF THE DISCIPLES WAS MULTIPLIED,.... From an hundred and twenty to three thousand more, from thence to five thousand more, and after that a multitude of men and women were added, and still they were increasing; see Acts 1:15 Acts 2:41. This increase of the disciple... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE TWELVE,.... The twelve apostles, as the Syriac version reads; for their number was now complete, Matthias being chosen in the room of Judas: these being informed of the murmur there was between the two sorts of believers, the Hebrew and thc Hellenistic Jews, CALLED THE MULTITUDE OF THE DIS... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE BRETHREN LOOK YE OUT AMONG YOU,.... Or "choose out among you", as the Syriac version adds, and as the Arabic and Ethiopic versions render it; which shows that this sort of officers, deacons, must be members of the church, and of the same church to which they are ordained deacons; and that... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WE WILL GIVE OURSELVES CONTINUALLY TO PRAYER,.... Both in private for themselves, and the church; and in the houses and families of the saints, with the sick and distressed;. and in public, in the temple, or in whatsoever place they met for public worship: AND TO THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD; the p... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SAYING PLEASED THE WHOLE MULTITUDE,.... The speech the apostles made took with them; all things they proposed were universally approved of; the whole body of the church came into it at once unanimously; they all judged it highly reasonable, that the apostles should be eased of the burden in... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOM THEY SET BEFORE THE APOSTLES,.... They did not barely nominate and propose them to them, but they brought them into their presence, and placed them before them, as the persons whom they had chosen, in order to be ordained by them. AND WHEN THEY HAD PRAYED; for these seven men set before them,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WORD OF GOD INCREASED,.... This stratagem of Satan did not succeed to divide the church, but issued in the better decorum and discipline of it, and in the spread and success of the Gospel; God thus making all things to work together for good; AND THE NUMBER OF THE DISCIPLES MULTIPLIED IN JE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND STEPHEN, FULL OF FAITH AND POWER,.... The historian proceeds to give a narrative of Stephen particularly, the first of the seven deacons; of his faith and miracles, of his elocution and wisdom, of his courage and intrepidity, of his constancy, and of his suffering martyrdom. He is said to be ful... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THERE AROSE CERTAIN OF THE SYNAGOGUE,.... Being filled with indignation at the doctrine of Stephen, and with envy at his miracles, they rose up in great wrath, and warmly opposed him: and they be longed to that synagogue WHICH IS CALLED THE SYNAGOGUE OF THE LIBERTINES; or free men: it is a Rom... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO RESIST THE WISDOM,.... In Beza's most ancient copy, and in another manuscript it is added, "which was in him"; that divine wisdom, which the Spirit of wisdom gave him; they were not a match for him with respect to the knowledge of divine things; they could not answer the wi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THEY SUBORNED MEN,.... Hired false witnesses, which seems to have been commonly done by the Jews; so they did in the case of Christ: WHICH SAID, WE HAVE HEARD HIM SPEAK BLASPHEMOUS WORDS AGAINST MOSES, AND AGAINST GOD; that is, against the law of Moses, and so against God, who gave the law to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY STIRRED UP THE PEOPLE,.... The common people, who were easily wrought upon, and soon incensed and provoked, when at any time it was suggested to them that the rituals and ceremonies of the law of Moses were treated with any neglect or contempt; see Acts 21:27. AND THE ELDERS AND THE SCRIB... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SET UP FALSE WITNESSES,.... Having hired them, they brought them and set them before the sanhedrim, to bear witness against Stephen: WHICH SAID, THIS MAN; meaning Stephen, who was now before the council, at whom they pointed, and whose name, through contempt, they would not mention: CEASETH NO... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE HAVE HEARD HIM SAY,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "besides"; but rather these words are a reason, giving evidence to, and supporting the general charge: THAT THIS JESUS OF NAZARETH; Stephen spoke of, and whom they so called by way of contempt: SHALL DESTROY THIS PLACE; meaning the temple,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THAT SAT IN THE COUNCIL,.... The whole sanhedrim, LOOKING STEADFASTLY ON HIM; to observe whether his countenance altered, his tongue stammered, or he trembled in any part of his body, neither of which appeared; but on the contrary, they SAW HIS FACE, AS IF IT HAD BEEN THE FACE OF AN ANGEL.... [ Continue Reading ]