Matthew Henry Commentary Acts 7
Matthew Henry Commentary
Acts 7
Matthew Henry Commentary
Acts 7
"And the high priest said, Are these things so? And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said unto him, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Haran: and from thence, when his father was dead, [God] removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell: and he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: and he promised that he would give it to him in possession, and to his seed after him, when [as yet] he had no child. And God spake on this wise, that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and treat them ill, four hundred years. And the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so [Abraham] begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac [begat] Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and God was with him, and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time. And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph`s race became manifest unto Pharaoh. And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, himself and our fathers; and they were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver of the sons of Hamor in Shechem." — Acts 7:1-16 (ASV)
Stephen was charged as a blasphemer of God and an apostate from the church; therefore, he shows that he is a son of Abraham and takes pride in this. The slow steps by which the promise made to Abraham advanced toward fulfillment plainly show that it had a spiritual meaning, and that the land intended was heavenly. God acknowledged Joseph in his troubles and was with him by the power of His Spirit, both in Joseph's own mind by giving him comfort, and in relation to those with whom he was concerned, by giving him favor in their eyes.
Stephen reminds the Jews of their humble beginning as a check to their pride in the glories of that nation. He likewise reminded them of the wickedness of the patriarchs of their tribes in envying their brother Joseph; and that the same spirit was still at work in them toward Christ and His ministers. The faith of the patriarchs, in desiring to be buried in the land of Canaan, plainly showed they looked toward the heavenly country.
It is good to return to the original source of practices or beliefs that have been perverted. If we wish to know the nature and effects of justifying faith, we should study the character of the father of the faithful. His calling shows the power and freedom of divine grace, and the nature of conversion. Here we also see that outward forms and distinctions are insignificant compared with separation from the world and devotion to God.
"But as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, till there arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live. At which season Moses was born, and was exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father`s house. and when he was cast out, Pharaoh`s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works. But when he was well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one [of them] suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, smiting the Egyptian: and he supposed that his brethren understood that God by his hand was giving them deliverance; but they understood not. And the day following he appeared unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Wouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons." — Acts 7:17-29 (ASV)
Let us not be discouraged at the slowness of the fulfillment of God's promises. Suffering times are often growing times for the church. God is preparing for his people's deliverance when their day is darkest and their distress deepest. Moses was exceedingly fair, “fair toward God”; it is the beauty of holiness which is in God's sight of great price.
He was wonderfully preserved in his infancy; for God will take special care of those whom he designs for special use. And did he thus protect the child Moses? Much more will he secure the interests of his holy child Jesus from the enemies who are gathered together against him.
They persecuted Stephen for disputing in defence of Christ and his gospel: in opposition to these they set up Moses and his law. They may understand, if they do not willfully shut their eyes against the light, that God will, by this Jesus, deliver them out of a worse slavery than that of Egypt. Although men prolong their own miseries, yet the Lord will take care of his servants, and effect his own designs of mercy.
"And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not behold. And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them: and now come, I will send thee into Egypt. This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? him hath God sent [to be] both a ruler and a deliverer with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush. This man led them forth, having wrought wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years. This is that Moses, who said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me. This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living oracles to give unto us: to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt, saying unto Aaron, Make us gods that shall go before us: for as for this Moses, who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands." — Acts 7:30-41 (ASV)
People deceive themselves if they think God cannot do what He sees to be good anywhere; He can bring His people into a wilderness and there speak comfortably to them. He appeared to Moses in a flame of fire, yet the bush was not consumed, which represented the state of Israel in Egypt, where, though they were in the fire of affliction, they were not consumed. It may also be looked upon as a type of Christ's taking upon Himself the nature of man, and the union between the Divine and human nature.
The death of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob cannot break the covenant relation between God and them. Our Savior by this proves the future state (Matthew 22:31). Abraham is dead, yet God is still his God; therefore, Abraham is still alive. Now, this is that life and immortality which are brought to light by the gospel. Stephen here shows that Moses was an eminent type of Christ, as he was Israel's deliverer.
God has compassion for the troubles of His church and the groans of His persecuted people; their deliverance arises from His pity. And that deliverance was typical of what Christ did when, for us humans and for our salvation, He came down from heaven. This Jesus, whom they now refused, as their fathers did Moses, this same Jesus God has advanced to be a Prince and Savior.
It does not at all detract from the just honor of Moses to say that he was only an instrument and that he is infinitely outshone by Jesus. In asserting that Jesus would change the customs of the ceremonial law, Stephen was so far from blaspheming Moses that he actually honored him by showing how the clear prophecy of Moses had come to pass.
God, who gave them those customs by His servant Moses, undoubtedly could change the custom by His Son Jesus. But Israel rejected Moses and would have returned to their bondage; so people in general will not obey Jesus, because they love this present evil world and rejoice in their own works and devices.
"But God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacrifices Forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, And the star of the god Rephan, The figures which ye made to worship them: And I will carry you away beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he should make it according to the figure that he had seen. Which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered on the possession of the nations, that God thrust out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built him a house. Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in [houses] made with hands; as saith the prophet, The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet: What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things?" — Acts 7:42-50 (ASV)
Stephen upbraids the Jews with the idolatry of their fathers, to which God gave them up as a punishment for their early forsaking him.
It was no dishonor, but an honor to God, that the tabernacle gave way to the temple. So it is now, that the earthly temple gives way to the spiritual one; and so it will be when, at last, the spiritual shall give way to the eternal one.
The whole world is God's temple, in which he is everywhere present and fills it with his glory. What need, then, does he have for a temple to manifest himself in?
And these things show his eternal power and Godhead. But as heaven is his throne, and the earth his footstool, so none of our services can profit Him who made all things.
Next to the human nature of Christ, the broken and spiritual heart is his most valued temple.
"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers; ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not." — Acts 7:51-53 (ASV)
Stephen was going on, it seems, to show that the temple and the temple service must come to an end, and it would be the glory of both to give way to the worship of the Father in spirit and in truth; but he perceived they would not bear it. Therefore he broke off, and by the Spirit of wisdom, courage, and power, sharply rebuked his persecutors.
When plain arguments and truths provoke the opposers of the gospel, they should be shown their guilt and danger. They, like their fathers, were stubborn and willful. There is that in our sinful hearts, which always resists the Holy Ghost, a flesh that lusts against the Spirit, and wars against His promptings; but in the hearts of God's elect, when the fullness of time comes, this resistance is overcome.
The gospel was offered now, not by angels, but from the Holy Ghost; yet they did not embrace it, for they were resolved not to comply with God, either in His law or in His gospel. Their guilt stung them to the heart, and they sought relief in murdering their reprover, instead of sorrow and supplication for mercy.
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