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Acts 7:1
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedContextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Are: Acts 6:13, Acts 6:14, Matthew 26:61, Matthew 26:62, Mark 14:58-60, John 18:19-21, John 18:33-35
Reciprocal: Exodus 3:20 - General Acts 6:5 - Stephen 1 Timothy 3:13 - great
Cross-References
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Then said the high priest,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "to him"; that is, to Stephen; for to him he addressed himself: or he "asked him", as the Syriac version renders it; he put the following question to him:
are these things so? is it true what they say, that thou hast spoken blasphemous words against the temple, and the law, and hast said that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the one, and change the other? what hast thou to say for thyself, and in thine own defence? this high priest was either Annas, or rather Caiaphas;
:-.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Then said the high priest - See the notes on Matthew 2:4. In this case the high priest seems to have presided in the council.
Are these things so? - To wit, the charge alleged against him of blasphemy against Moses and the temple, Acts 6:13-14.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
CHAPTER VII.
Stephen, being permitted to answer for himself relative to the
charge of blasphemy brought against him by his accusers, gives
a circumstantial relation of the call of Abraham, when he dwelt
in Mesopotamia, in Charran, c., 1-8.
The history of Jacob and Joseph, 9-17.
The persecution of their fathers in Egypt, 18, 19.
The history of Moses and his acts till the exodus from Egypt,
20-37.
The rebellion and idolatry of the Israelites in the wilderness,
38-43.
The erection of the tabernacle of witness, which continued till
the time of David, 44-46.
Of the temple built by Solomon for that God who cannot be
confined to temples built by hands, 47-50.
Being probably interrupted in the prosecution of his discourse,
he urges home the charge of rebellion against God, persecution
of his prophets, the murder of Christ, and neglect of their own
law against them, 51-53.
They are filled with indignation, and proceed to violence, 54.
He sees the glory of God, and Christ at the right hand of the
Father and declares the glorious vision, 55, 56.
They rush upon him, drag him out of the city, and stone him,
57, 58.
He involves the Lord Jesus, prays for his murderers, and
expires, 59, 60.
NOTES ON CHAP. VII.
Verse Acts 7:1. Are these things so? — Hast thou predicted the destruction of the temple? And hast thou said that Jesus of Nazareth shall change our customs, abolish our religious rites and temple service? Hast thou spoken these blasphemous things against Moses, and against God? Here was some colour of justice; for Stephen was permitted to defend himself. And, in order to do this he thought it best to enter into a detail of their history from the commencement of their nation; and thus show how kindly God had dealt with them, and how ungraciously they and their fathers had requited Him. And all this naturally led him to the conclusion, that God could no longer bear with a people the cup of whose iniquity had been long overflowing; and therefore they might expect to find wrath, without mixture of mercy.
But how could St. Luke get all this circumstantial account? 1. He might have been present, and heard the whole; or, more probably, he had the account from St. Paul, whose companion he was, and who was certainly present when St. Stephen was judged and stoned, for he was consenting to his death, and kept the clothes of them who stoned him. See Acts 7:58; Acts 8:1; Acts 22:20.