Words like these could not be forgiven. The growing irritation of the audience seems to have extorted those burning remonstrances, and to have hastened the final scene. But the storm that burst around Christ's faithful confessor and first martyr could not disturb his serenity. His heart was fixed, trusting in God, Psalms 108:1. The peace of God garrisoned his heart and mind. At the moment when his foes were fiercest, the presence of Jesus, who had risen from sitting to standing, in order to encourage and welcome him, was most vital. It will always be even so. You will never know the completeness of Christ's comradeship till you have weathered a storm in His company.
They were particular not to violate the sanctity of the Temple, but not so in respect to the pure temple of the young martyr's body. The dying Stephen did not forget the Lord's prayer for those who crucified Him, and he followed his Master's steps in this also. Amid the murderous flight of stones, he slept as a tired child on his mother's breast; and from that hour his patience, gentleness, and strength became as pricking goads in the heart of Saul of Tarsus. [source]
Chapter Summary: Acts 7
1Stephen, permitted to answer to the accusation of blasphemy, 2shows that Abraham worshipped God rightly, and how God chose the fathers, 20before Moses was born, and before the tabernacle and temple were built; 37that Moses himself witnessed of Christ; 44and that all outward ceremonies were ordained to last but for a time; 51reprehending their rebellion, and murdering of Christ, whom the prophets foretold 54Whereupon they stone Stephen to death, 59who commends his soul to Jesus, and humbly prays for them
Greek Commentary for Acts 7:57
Stopped their ears [συνεσχον τα ωτα αυτων] Second aorist active of συνεχω sunechō to hold together. They held their ears together with their hands and affected to believe Stephen guilty of blasphemy (cf. Matthew 26:65). [source]
Rushed upon him with one accord [ωρμησαν ομοτυμαδον επ αυτον] Ingressive aorist active indicative of ορμαω hormaō to rush impetuously as the hogs did down the cliff when the demons entered them (Luke 8:33). No vote was taken by the Sanhedrin. No scruple was raised about not having the right to put him to death (John 8:31). It may have taken place after Pilate‘s recall and before his successor came or Pilate, if there, just connived at such an incident that did not concern Rome. At any rate it was mob violence like modern lynching that took the law into the hands of the Sanhedrin without further formalities. Out of the city (εκ της πολεως ek tēs poleōs). To keep from defiling the place with blood. But they sought to kill Paul as soon as they got him out of the temple area (Acts 21:30.). Stoned Imperfect active indicative of λιτοβολεω lithoboleō began to stone, from λιτοβολος lithobolos The witnesses (οι μαρτυρες hoi martureōs). The false testifiers against Stephen suborned by the Pharisees (Acts 6:11,Acts 6:13). These witnesses had the privilege of casting the first stones (Deuteronomy 13:10; Deuteronomy 17:7) against the first witness for Christ with death (martyr in our modern sense of the word). At the feet of a young man named Saul Beside Gamaliel, as the Pharisaic leader in the Sanhedrin, was probably on hand to hear the accusations against Stephen by the Pharisees. But, if so, he does not raise his voice against this mob violence. Saul does not seem to be aware that he is going contrary to the views of his master, though pupils often go further than their teachers. [source]
Out of the city [εκ της πολεως] To keep from defiling the place with blood. But they sought to kill Paul as soon as they got him out of the temple area (Acts 21:30.). [source]
Stoned [ελιτοβολουν] Imperfect active indicative of λιτοβολεω lithoboleō began to stone, from λιτοβολος lithobolos The witnesses (οι μαρτυρες hoi martureōs). The false testifiers against Stephen suborned by the Pharisees (Acts 6:11,Acts 6:13). These witnesses had the privilege of casting the first stones (Deuteronomy 13:10; Deuteronomy 17:7) against the first witness for Christ with death (martyr in our modern sense of the word). At the feet of a young man named Saul Beside Gamaliel, as the Pharisaic leader in the Sanhedrin, was probably on hand to hear the accusations against Stephen by the Pharisees. But, if so, he does not raise his voice against this mob violence. Saul does not seem to be aware that he is going contrary to the views of his master, though pupils often go further than their teachers. [source]
The witnesses [οι μαρτυρες] The false testifiers against Stephen suborned by the Pharisees (Acts 6:11,Acts 6:13). These witnesses had the privilege of casting the first stones (Deuteronomy 13:10; Deuteronomy 17:7) against the first witness for Christ with death (martyr in our modern sense of the word). [source]
At the feet of a young man named Saul [παρα τους ποδας νεανιου καλουμενου Σαυλου] Beside Gamaliel, as the Pharisaic leader in the Sanhedrin, was probably on hand to hear the accusations against Stephen by the Pharisees. But, if so, he does not raise his voice against this mob violence. Saul does not seem to be aware that he is going contrary to the views of his master, though pupils often go further than their teachers. [source]
Luke 4:38Into the house of Simon [εις την οικιαν Σιμωνος] “Peter‘s house” (Matthew 8:14). “The house of Simon and Andrew” (Mark 1:29). Paul‘s reference to Peter‘s wife (1 Corinthians 9:5) is pertinent. They lived together in Capernaum. This house came also to be the Capernaum home of Jesus.Simon‘s wife‘s mother (πεντερα του Σιμωνος penthera tou Simōnos). The word πεντερα penthera for mother-in-law is old and well established in usage. Besides the parallel passages (Mark 1:30; Matthew 8:14; Luke 4:38) it occurs in the N.T. only in Luke 12:53. The corresponding word πεντερος pentheros father-in-law, occurs in John 18:13 alone in the N.T.Was holden with a great fever Periphrastic imperfect passive, the analytical tense accenting the continuous fever, perhaps chronic and certainly severe. Luke employs this verb nine times and only three others in the N.T. (Matthew 4:24 passive with diseases here; 2 Corinthians 5:14 active; Philemon 1:23 passive). In Acts 28:8 the passive “with dysentery” is like the construction here and is a common one in Greek medical writers as in Greek literature generally. Luke uses the passive with “fear,” Luke 8:37, the active for holding the hands over the ears (Acts 7:57) and for pressing one or holding together (Luke 8:45; Luke 19:43; Luke 22:63), the direct middle for holding oneself to preaching (Acts 18:5). It is followed here by the instrumental case. Hobart (Medical Language of Luke, p. 3) quotes Galen as dividing fevers into “great” (μεγαλοι megaloi) and “small” (σμικροι smikroi). [source]
Luke 4:38Was holden with a great fever [ην συνεχομενη πυρετωι μεγαλωι] Periphrastic imperfect passive, the analytical tense accenting the continuous fever, perhaps chronic and certainly severe. Luke employs this verb nine times and only three others in the N.T. (Matthew 4:24 passive with diseases here; 2 Corinthians 5:14 active; Philemon 1:23 passive). In Acts 28:8 the passive “with dysentery” is like the construction here and is a common one in Greek medical writers as in Greek literature generally. Luke uses the passive with “fear,” Luke 8:37, the active for holding the hands over the ears (Acts 7:57) and for pressing one or holding together (Luke 8:45; Luke 19:43; Luke 22:63), the direct middle for holding oneself to preaching (Acts 18:5). It is followed here by the instrumental case. Hobart (Medical Language of Luke, p. 3) quotes Galen as dividing fevers into “great” (μεγαλοι megaloi) and “small” (σμικροι smikroi). [source]
John 16:2They shall put you out of the synagogues [αποσυναγωγους ποιησουσιν υμας] “They will make you outcasts from the synagogues.” Predicate accusative of the compound adjective αποσυναγωγος aposunagōgos for which see John 9:22; John 12:42. Yea Use of αλλα alla as coordinating conjunction, not adversative. That Shall think First aorist active subjunctive of δοκεω dokeō “So blind will he be” (Bernard). That he offereth service unto God Infinitive (present active) indirect discourse after δοχηι doxēi For the phrase see Hebrews 6:1.; Hebrews 8:3.; Hebrews 9:7. The rabbis so felt when they crucified Jesus and when they persecuted the disciples (Acts 6:13; Acts 7:57.). No persecution is more bitter than when done by religious enthusiasts and bigots like the Spanish Inquisition. [source]
2 Corinthians 5:14Constraineth us [συνεχει ημας] Old and common verb, to hold together, to press the ears together (Acts 7:57), to press on every side (Luke 8:45), to hold fast (Luke 22:63), to hold oneself to (Acts 18:5), to be pressed (passive, Luke 12:50; Philemon 1:23). So here Paul‘s conception of Christ‘s love for him holds him together to his task whatever men think or say. Judging this (κριναντας τουτο krinantas touto). Having reached this conclusion, ever since his conversion (Galatians 1:17.). One died for all This is the central tenet in Paul‘s theology and Christology. υπερ Huper (over) here is used in the sense of substitution as in John 11:50; Galatians 3:13, death in behalf so that the rest will not have to die. This use of υπερ huper is common in the papyri (Robertson, Grammar, p. 631). In fact, υπερ huper in this sense is more usual in Greek than αντι προ antiαρα οι παντες απετανον pro or any other preposition. Therefore all died (αρα ara hoi pantes apethanon). Logical conclusion (ara corresponding), the one died for the all and so the all died when he did, all the spiritual death possible for those for whom Christ died. This is Paul‘s gospel, clear-cut, our hope today. [source]
2 Timothy 4:4Will turn away their ears [την ακοην αποστρεπσουσιν] Future active of old verb αποστρεπω apostrephō See 1 Corinthians 12:17 for this use of ακοη akoē The people stopped their ears and rushed at Stephen in Acts 7:57. [source]
Greek Commentary for Acts 7:57
Second aorist active of συνεχω sunechō to hold together. They held their ears together with their hands and affected to believe Stephen guilty of blasphemy (cf. Matthew 26:65). [source]
Ingressive aorist active indicative of ορμαω hormaō to rush impetuously as the hogs did down the cliff when the demons entered them (Luke 8:33). No vote was taken by the Sanhedrin. No scruple was raised about not having the right to put him to death (John 8:31). It may have taken place after Pilate‘s recall and before his successor came or Pilate, if there, just connived at such an incident that did not concern Rome. At any rate it was mob violence like modern lynching that took the law into the hands of the Sanhedrin without further formalities. Out of the city (εκ της πολεως ek tēs poleōs). To keep from defiling the place with blood. But they sought to kill Paul as soon as they got him out of the temple area (Acts 21:30.). Stoned Imperfect active indicative of λιτοβολεω lithoboleō began to stone, from λιτοβολος lithobolos The witnesses (οι μαρτυρες hoi martureōs). The false testifiers against Stephen suborned by the Pharisees (Acts 6:11, Acts 6:13). These witnesses had the privilege of casting the first stones (Deuteronomy 13:10; Deuteronomy 17:7) against the first witness for Christ with death (martyr in our modern sense of the word). At the feet of a young man named Saul Beside Gamaliel, as the Pharisaic leader in the Sanhedrin, was probably on hand to hear the accusations against Stephen by the Pharisees. But, if so, he does not raise his voice against this mob violence. Saul does not seem to be aware that he is going contrary to the views of his master, though pupils often go further than their teachers. [source]
To keep from defiling the place with blood. But they sought to kill Paul as soon as they got him out of the temple area (Acts 21:30.). [source]
Imperfect active indicative of λιτοβολεω lithoboleō began to stone, from λιτοβολος lithobolos The witnesses (οι μαρτυρες hoi martureōs). The false testifiers against Stephen suborned by the Pharisees (Acts 6:11, Acts 6:13). These witnesses had the privilege of casting the first stones (Deuteronomy 13:10; Deuteronomy 17:7) against the first witness for Christ with death (martyr in our modern sense of the word). At the feet of a young man named Saul Beside Gamaliel, as the Pharisaic leader in the Sanhedrin, was probably on hand to hear the accusations against Stephen by the Pharisees. But, if so, he does not raise his voice against this mob violence. Saul does not seem to be aware that he is going contrary to the views of his master, though pupils often go further than their teachers. [source]
The false testifiers against Stephen suborned by the Pharisees (Acts 6:11, Acts 6:13). These witnesses had the privilege of casting the first stones (Deuteronomy 13:10; Deuteronomy 17:7) against the first witness for Christ with death (martyr in our modern sense of the word). [source]
Beside Gamaliel, as the Pharisaic leader in the Sanhedrin, was probably on hand to hear the accusations against Stephen by the Pharisees. But, if so, he does not raise his voice against this mob violence. Saul does not seem to be aware that he is going contrary to the views of his master, though pupils often go further than their teachers. [source]
Lit., held together. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 7:57
“Peter‘s house” (Matthew 8:14). “The house of Simon and Andrew” (Mark 1:29). Paul‘s reference to Peter‘s wife (1 Corinthians 9:5) is pertinent. They lived together in Capernaum. This house came also to be the Capernaum home of Jesus.Simon‘s wife‘s mother (πεντερα του Σιμωνος penthera tou Simōnos). The word πεντερα penthera for mother-in-law is old and well established in usage. Besides the parallel passages (Mark 1:30; Matthew 8:14; Luke 4:38) it occurs in the N.T. only in Luke 12:53. The corresponding word πεντερος pentheros father-in-law, occurs in John 18:13 alone in the N.T.Was holden with a great fever Periphrastic imperfect passive, the analytical tense accenting the continuous fever, perhaps chronic and certainly severe. Luke employs this verb nine times and only three others in the N.T. (Matthew 4:24 passive with diseases here; 2 Corinthians 5:14 active; Philemon 1:23 passive). In Acts 28:8 the passive “with dysentery” is like the construction here and is a common one in Greek medical writers as in Greek literature generally. Luke uses the passive with “fear,” Luke 8:37, the active for holding the hands over the ears (Acts 7:57) and for pressing one or holding together (Luke 8:45; Luke 19:43; Luke 22:63), the direct middle for holding oneself to preaching (Acts 18:5). It is followed here by the instrumental case. Hobart (Medical Language of Luke, p. 3) quotes Galen as dividing fevers into “great” (μεγαλοι megaloi) and “small” (σμικροι smikroi). [source]
Periphrastic imperfect passive, the analytical tense accenting the continuous fever, perhaps chronic and certainly severe. Luke employs this verb nine times and only three others in the N.T. (Matthew 4:24 passive with diseases here; 2 Corinthians 5:14 active; Philemon 1:23 passive). In Acts 28:8 the passive “with dysentery” is like the construction here and is a common one in Greek medical writers as in Greek literature generally. Luke uses the passive with “fear,” Luke 8:37, the active for holding the hands over the ears (Acts 7:57) and for pressing one or holding together (Luke 8:45; Luke 19:43; Luke 22:63), the direct middle for holding oneself to preaching (Acts 18:5). It is followed here by the instrumental case. Hobart (Medical Language of Luke, p. 3) quotes Galen as dividing fevers into “great” (μεγαλοι megaloi) and “small” (σμικροι smikroi). [source]
“They will make you outcasts from the synagogues.” Predicate accusative of the compound adjective αποσυναγωγος aposunagōgos for which see John 9:22; John 12:42. Yea Use of αλλα alla as coordinating conjunction, not adversative. That Shall think First aorist active subjunctive of δοκεω dokeō “So blind will he be” (Bernard). That he offereth service unto God Infinitive (present active) indirect discourse after δοχηι doxēi For the phrase see Hebrews 6:1.; Hebrews 8:3.; Hebrews 9:7. The rabbis so felt when they crucified Jesus and when they persecuted the disciples (Acts 6:13; Acts 7:57.). No persecution is more bitter than when done by religious enthusiasts and bigots like the Spanish Inquisition. [source]
A concert of voices as already seen by the word in Acts 1:14; Acts 2:46 and later in Acts 5:12; Acts 7:57; Acts 15:25. [source]
As already in Acts 1:14; Acts 2:46; Acts 4:24 and later Acts 7:57; Acts 8:6; Acts 12:20; Acts 15:25; Acts 18:21; Acts 19:29, old adverb and only in Acts in the N.T. Here “all” is added. In Solomon‘s Porch again as in Acts 3:11 which see. [source]
Old and common verb, to hold together, to press the ears together (Acts 7:57), to press on every side (Luke 8:45), to hold fast (Luke 22:63), to hold oneself to (Acts 18:5), to be pressed (passive, Luke 12:50; Philemon 1:23). So here Paul‘s conception of Christ‘s love for him holds him together to his task whatever men think or say. Judging this (κριναντας τουτο krinantas touto). Having reached this conclusion, ever since his conversion (Galatians 1:17.). One died for all This is the central tenet in Paul‘s theology and Christology. υπερ Huper (over) here is used in the sense of substitution as in John 11:50; Galatians 3:13, death in behalf so that the rest will not have to die. This use of υπερ huper is common in the papyri (Robertson, Grammar, p. 631). In fact, υπερ huper in this sense is more usual in Greek than αντι προ antiαρα οι παντες απετανον pro or any other preposition. Therefore all died (αρα ara hoi pantes apethanon). Logical conclusion (ara corresponding), the one died for the all and so the all died when he did, all the spiritual death possible for those for whom Christ died. This is Paul‘s gospel, clear-cut, our hope today. [source]
Future active of old verb αποστρεπω apostrephō See 1 Corinthians 12:17 for this use of ακοη akoē The people stopped their ears and rushed at Stephen in Acts 7:57. [source]
Παράβασις is a stepping over the line; the violation of a positive divine enactment. See on Romans 2:23. Παρακοὴ only in Paul and Hebrews, is a disobedience which results from neglecting to hear; from letting things drift by. It is noticeable how often in O.T. obedience is described as hearing, and disobedience as refusing to hear. See Exodus 15:26; Exodus 19:5, Exodus 19:8; Exodus 23:22; Joshua 1:18; Isaiah 28:12; Isaiah 30:9; Jeremiah 11:10; Jeremiah 32:23; Jeremiah 35:16. Comp. Acts 7:57. [source]