Charles Ellicott Commentary Acts 7:53

"ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not." — Acts 7:53 (ASV)

Who have received . . .—More accurately, who received.

By the disposition of angels.—Better, as ordained of angels; or, more literally, as ordinances of angels. The Greek preposition cannot possibly have the meaning of “by.” The phrase expressed the current Jewish belief that angels were the intermediate agents through whom Israel received the Law; that it was their voice that was heard on Sinai. Here also St. Paul, in speaking of the Law as ordained by angels (Galatians 3:19), reproduced St. Stephen. Compare also Hebrews 2:2 and Josephus, Antiquities 15.4, § 3, for like statements. The idea rested mainly on the LXX. version of Deuteronomy 33:2, on His right hand were angels with Him and the thousands of angels as connected with Sinai in Psalms 68:17.