Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 6:13

"and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law:" — Acts 6:13 (ASV)

And set up false witnesses. The question has been raised why these people are called false witnesses, since many suppose that they reported merely the words of Stephen.

It can be replied that if they did report merely his words—if Stephen had actually said what they affirmed—they still perverted his meaning. They accused him of blasphemy, that is, of slanderous and reproachful words against Moses and against God.

There is no evidence that Stephen had spoken in such a manner or had intended to reproach Moses. What was said in the mildest manner and in the way of cool argument might easily be perverted so as, in their view, to amount to blasphemy.

However, there is no evidence whatever that Stephen had ever used these words on any occasion. It is altogether improbable that he ever did, for the following reasons:

1. Jesus himself never affirmed that he would destroy that place; He uniformly taught that it would be done by the Gentiles (Matthew 24). It is altogether improbable, therefore, that Stephen should declare any such thing.
2. It is equally improbable that he taught that Jesus would abolish the peculiar customs and rites of the Jews. It was long, and after much discussion, before the apostles themselves were convinced of it; and when those customs were changed, it was done gradually (see Acts 10:14 and following; Acts 11:2 and following; Acts 15:20; Acts 21:20 and following). The probability therefore is, that the whole testimony was false, and was artfully invented to produce the utmost exasperation among the people, and yet was at the same time so plausible as to be easily believed. For on this point the Jews were particularly sensitive; and it is clear that they had some expectations that the Messiah would produce some such changes (Compare Matthew 26:61 with Daniel 9:26-27). The same charge was afterwards brought against Paul, which he promptly denied .

This holy place. The temple.

The law. The law of Moses.