Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 8:2

"And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him." — Acts 8:2 (ASV)

Luke has already used “godly men” to describe the Jews at Pentecost who were receptive to the working of God’s Spirit (2:5). He has also used the adjective “devout” of the aged Simeon in the temple (cf. Lk 2:25), and he will use it of Ananias of Damascus (cf. Acts 22:12). Therefore, when Luke says that “godly men buried Stephen,” he apparently means that certain devout Jews who were open to his Christian message volunteered to ask for Stephen’s body and bury him, much as Joseph of Arimathea did for Jesus (cf. Lk 23:50-53). Luke also tells us that those who buried Stephen “mourned deeply for him,” which may well be Luke’s way of suggesting their repentance toward God as well as their sorrow for Stephen.

Saul, who had had some official capacity at Stephen’s stoning, now began a campaign to destroy the church (cf. also 9:1–30; 22:1–21; 26:2–23).