23 And G1161 when G5613 he G846 was full G4137 forty years G5063 old, G5550 it came G305 into G1909 his G846 heart G2588 to visit G1980 his G846 brethren G80 the children G5207 of Israel. G2474
And it came to pass in those days, H3117 when Moses H4872 was grown, H1431 that he went out H3318 unto his brethren, H251 and looked H7200 on their burdens: H5450 and he spied H7200 an Egyptian H4713 H376 smiting H5221 an Hebrew, H5680 one of his brethren. H251 And he looked H6437 this way H3541 and that way, H3541 and when he saw H7200 that there was no man, H376 he slew H5221 the Egyptian, H4713 and hid H2934 him in the sand. H2344
By faith G4102 Moses, G3475 when he was come G1096 to years, G3173 refused G720 to be called G3004 the son G5207 of Pharaoh's G5328 daughter; G2364 Choosing G138 rather G3123 to suffer affliction G4778 with the people G2992 of God, G2316 than G2228 to enjoy the pleasures G2192 G619 of sin G266 for a season; G4340 Esteeming G2233 the reproach G3680 of Christ G5547 greater G3187 riches G4149 than G2233 the treasures G2344 in G1722 Egypt: G125 for G1063 he had respect G578 unto G1519 the recompence of the reward. G3405
And Moses H4872 went H3212 and returned H7725 to Jethro H3500 his father in law, H2859 and said H559 unto him, Let me go, H3212 I pray thee, and return H7725 unto my brethren H251 which are in Egypt, H4714 and see H7200 whether they be yet H5750 alive. H2416 And Jethro H3503 said H559 to Moses, H4872 Go H3212 in peace. H7965
And they came, H935 every one H376 whose H834 heart H3820 stirred him up, H5375 and every one whom his spirit H7307 made willing, H5068 and they brought H935 the LORD'S H3068 offering H8641 to the work H4399 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and for all his service, H5656 and for the holy H6944 garments. H899
The children H1121 of Israel H3478 brought H935 a willing offering H5071 unto the LORD, H3068 every man H376 and woman, H802 whose H834 heart H3820 made them willing H5068 to bring H935 for all manner of work, H4399 which the LORD H3068 had commanded H6680 to be made H6213 by the hand H3027 of Moses. H4872
I know H3045 also, my God, H430 that thou triest H974 the heart, H3824 and hast pleasure H7521 in uprightness. H3476 As for me, in the uprightness H4339 of mine heart H3824 I have willingly offered H5068 all these things: and now have I seen H7200 with joy H8057 thy people, H5971 which are present H4672 here, to offer willingly H5068 unto thee. O LORD H3068 God H430 of Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and of Israel, H3478 our fathers, H1 keep H8104 this for ever H5769 in the imagination H3336 of the thoughts H4284 of the heart H3824 of thy people, H5971 and prepare H3559 their heart H3824 unto thee: And give H5414 unto Solomon H8010 my son H1121 a perfect H8003 heart, H3824 to keep H8104 thy commandments, H4687 thy testimonies, H5715 and thy statutes, H2706 and to do H6213 all these things, and to build H1129 the palace, H1002 for the which I have made provision. H3559
Also in Judah H3063 the hand H3027 of God H430 was to give H5414 them one H259 heart H3820 to do H6213 the commandment H4687 of the king H4428 and of the princes, H8269 by the word H1697 of the LORD. H3068
Now in the first H259 year H8141 of Cyrus H3566 king H4428 of Persia, H6539 that the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 by the mouth H6310 of Jeremiah H3414 might be fulfilled, H3615 the LORD H3068 stirred up H5782 the spirit H7307 of Cyrus H3566 king H4428 of Persia, H6539 that he made a proclamation H5674 H6963 throughout all his kingdom, H4438 and put it also in writing, H4385 saying, H559
Then rose up H6965 the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of Judah H3063 and Benjamin, H1144 and the priests, H3548 and the Levites, H3881 with all them whose spirit H7307 God H430 had raised, H5782 to go up H5927 to build H1129 the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 which is in Jerusalem. H3389
Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 God H430 of our fathers, H1 which hath put H5414 such a thing as this in the king's H4428 heart, H3820 to beautify H6286 the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 which is in Jerusalem: H3389
The king's H4428 heart H3820 is in the hand H3027 of the LORD, H3068 as the rivers H6388 of water: H4325 he turneth H5186 it whithersoever he will. H2654
And G1161 some G5100 days G2250 after G3326 Paul G3972 said G2036 unto G4314 Barnabas, G921 G1211 Let us go again G1994 and visit G1980 our G2257 brethren G80 in G2596 every G3956 city G4172 where G1722 G3739 we have preached G2605 the word G3056 of the Lord, G2962 and see how G4459 they do. G2192
But G1161 thanks G5485 be to God, G2316 which G3588 put G1325 the same G846 earnest care G4710 into G1722 the heart G2588 of Titus G5103 for G5228 you. G5216
Wherefore, G5620 my G3450 beloved, G27 as G2531 ye have G5219 always G3842 obeyed, G5219 not G3361 as G5613 in G1722 my G3450 presence G3952 only, G3440 but G235 now G3568 much G4183 more G3123 in G1722 my G3450 absence, G666 work out G2716 your own G1438 salvation G4991 with G3326 fear G5401 and G2532 trembling. G5156 For G1063 it is G2076 God G2316 which G3588 worketh G1754 in G1722 you G5213 both G2532 to will G2309 and G2532 to do G1754 of G5228 his good pleasure. G2107
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 7
Commentary on Acts 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
When our Lord Jesus called his apostles out to be employed in services and sufferings for him, he told them that yet the last should be first, and the first last, which was remarkably fulfilled in St. Stephen and St. Paul, who were both of them late converts, in comparison of the apostles, and yet got the start of them both in services and sufferings; for God, in conferring honours and favours, often crosses hands. In this chapter we have the martyrdom of Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian church, who led the van in the noble army. And therefore his sufferings and death are more largely related than those of any other, for direction and encouragement to all those who are called out to resist unto blood, as he did. Here is,
Act 7:1-16
Stephen is now at the bar before the great council of the nation, indicted for blasphemy: what the witnesses swore against him we had an account of in the foregoing chapter, that he spoke blasphemous words against Moses and God; for he spoke against this holy place and the law. Now here,
But let us see how this serves Stephen's purpose.
Let us now see what this is to Stephen's purpose.
Act 7:17-29
Stephen here goes on to relate,
Now let us see how this serves Stephen's purpose.
Act 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,
Act 7:42-50
Two things we have in these verses:-
Act 7:51-53
Stephen was going on in his discourse (as it should seem by the thread of it) to show that, as the temple, so the temple-service must come to an end, and it would be the glory of both to give way to that worship of the Father in spirit and in truth which was to be established in the kingdom of the Messiah, stripped of the pompous ceremonies of the old law, and so he was going to apply all this which he had said more closely to his present purpose; but he perceived they could not bear it. They could patiently hear the history of the Old Testament told (it was a piece of learning which they themselves dealt much in); but if Stephen go about to tell them that their power and tyranny must come down, and that the church must be governed by a spirit of holiness and love, and heavenly-mindedness, they will not so much as give him the hearing. It is probable that he perceived this, and that they were going to silence him; and therefore he breaks off abruptly in the midst of his discourse, and by that spirit of wisdom, courage, and power, wherewith he was filled, he sharply rebuked his persecutors, and exposed their true character; for, if they will not admit the testimony of the gospel to them, it shall become a testimony against them.
We have reason to think Stephen had a great deal more to say, and would have said it if they would have suffered him; but they were wicked and unreasonable men with whom he had to do, that could no more hear reason than they could speak it.
Act 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 taken upon his case, and that by the majority he was found guilty, and then condemned and ordered to be stoned to death, according to the law, as a blasphemer; but, it is likely, so it was, and that it was not by the violence of the people, without order of the council, that he was put to death; for here is the usual ceremony of regular executions-he was cast out of the city, and the hands of the witnesses were first upon him.
Let us observe here the wonderful discomposure of the spirits of his enemies and persecutors, and the wonderful composure of his spirit.