Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 7:55

"But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God," — Acts 7:55 (ASV)

Full of the Holy Ghost. (See Barnes on Acts 2:4).

Looked up stedfastly. He fixed his eyes intently on heaven.

Foreseeing his danger and the effect his speech had produced—seeing that there was no safety in the great council of the nation, nor any prospect of justice at their hands—he cast his eyes to heaven and sought protection there.

When dangers threaten us, our hope of safety lies in heaven. When people threaten our persons, reputation, or lives, it is fitting for us to fix our eyes on the heavenly world, and we will not look in vain.

And saw the glory of God. This phrase is commonly used to denote the visible symbols of God. It means some magnificent representation—a splendor or light that is the appropriate exhibition of the presence of God (Matthew 16:27; Matthew 24:30). (See Barnes on Luke 2:9).

In the case of Stephen, there is every indication of a vision or supernatural representation of heavenly objects—something in advance of mere faith, such as dying Christians now have. What its precise nature was, we have no means of ascertaining. Objects were often represented to prophets by visions, and probably something similar is intended here. It was such an elevation of view, such a representation of truth and of the glory of God, as to be denoted by the word see, though it is not to be maintained that Stephen really saw the Savior with the bodily eye.

On the right hand of God. That is, exalted to a place of honor and power in the heavens. (See Barnes on Matthew 26:64).

(See Barnes on Acts 2:25).