Acts 8:26–40

²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. ²⁷ So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. ²⁹ Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” ³⁰ So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹ And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. ³³ In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” ³⁴ So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. ³⁶ Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” ³⁷ Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” ³⁸ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. ³⁹ Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea. 

Commentary 

Vs. 26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 

With the church in Samaria now firmly established, an angel of the Lord now calls upon Philip the evangelist to go out from there and now head south towards Jerusalem along a rather isolated road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, saying this is desert. This then was not a route that Philip himself would have chosen to travel. Nonetheless being obedient to Lord, and knowing it was His angel who was sending him, in faith he went. 

Vs. 27-28 ²⁷ So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 

And so it was that along this barren route there was “…a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.” This man then was clearly seeking the Lord, for he had come a great way to the Temple of the Lord seeking to know Him; and like so many today who also come to church services seeking Him; he still needed someone to personally explain the Lord Jesus Christ to him. And so, returning to his native country he was now reading Isaiah the prophet in the Scriptures trying to find Him. This then was the reason for the angel telling Philip to go down this barren route, because this man needed the way of salvation explained to Him! Which is something anyone of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ can do! 

Vs. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” 

When Phillip drew near the place where the man was, and likely there was a caravan with him, the Spirit told Philip to go near his chariot and overtake him. Thus, not to fear or be distracted by all that would’ve been going on around him. 

Vs. 30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 

Therefore, Phillip once again boldly steps out in faith and runs to the chariot where the man was sitting and reading the prophet Isaiah. Which itself is a beautiful sight to find someone searching the Scriptures seeking to know the truth for themselves. Therefore, when Philip saw the man reading the Scriptures, he said to him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 

Vs. 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 

Sadly, then the man had found no one while in Jerusalem to help him find the Lord, but was only directed to the prophet Isaiah, and so when Phillip asked him if he understood what he was reading and he said, “How can I unless someone guides me.” He asked Philip to come up into the chariot and sit with him, and what could be more harmless or easy then that. And yet I see in his response the many missed opportunities that take place every day as people who are likewise spiritually hungry and who are seeking the Lord for themselves are only directed to read the Gospel John or some other passage of Scriptures for themselves when what they really need is just to have someone to explain the Gospel to them and to pray with them to receive the Lord Jesus Christ for themselves! 

Vs. 32-34 ³² The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. ³³ In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” ³⁴ So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 

Now the passage that the Ethiopian man was reading was the most poignant passage of the Lord Jesus Christ in Isaiah chapter fifty-three which describes in great detail the Lords humiliation and suffering for our salvation. That said he did not yet understand the significance of the passage nor to whom it even referred, since he asked Philip if Isaiah the prophet was speaking this about himself or someone else. All which is fine, for God has not given the ministry of His Word to angels, but to us, to His people, to believe in Him and to declare His Son and what He has done for us all through it! 

Vs. 35 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” 

Therefore, Philip knowing this passage of Scripture began there and he preached the Lord Jesus Christ to him beginning from there. Thus, He begin with the Lord Jesus Christ Sacrificial death on the Cross to explain to him how he himself could now know the Lord and have God’s salvation for himself through Him! 

Vs. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 

Philip then having explained the way of salvation to the eunuch must have also told him of the Lord Jesus Christ’s commandment that all who believe in Him must be baptized. Therefore, as they traveled down the road together in the chariot and the eunuch seeing some water now says to Phillip, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 

Vs. 37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 

Now in Philips simple response is all that is required for one to be baptized and that is that one believes in the Lord Jesus Christ with all of one’s heart. That’s it, not that one complete twenty lessons on the importance of water baptism, or that one’s family be in good standing with the church, or whatever other requirements one might dream up. The only Scriptural requirement is that one believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, and thus testify as much. Therefore, when the eunuch said that he believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, he met all that is required to be baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

Vs. 38 “So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.” 

Upon hearing that the eunuch now commands the chariot to stop, thus it was of his own desire to be baptized and become a disciple of Jesus Christ, not someone else’s. Having then stopped both he and Philip then went down into the water where Philip baptized him. This then was a full immersion baptism as is clear from the text, for they went down into the water and then they came up out of the water (vs. 38-39). 

Vs. 39-40 ³⁹ Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea. 

Now as they came up out of the water an amazing thing happened, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away! And not since the days of Elijah had the Spirit of the Lord done so, and yet here He was miraculously moving Philip onto his next mission field, to a place called Azotus, the Greek name of Ashdod, one of the five principal ancient Philistine cites where Philip passing through went on to preach to all the cities there till he came to Caesarea. Philips ministry then had gone from preaching first to the Jews then the Samaritans, then an Ethiopian, and now Israel’s ancient enemies! 

It’s incredible then how the Spirit of the Lord moves us out of our comfort zones and into preaching and teaching Jesus Christ to everyone, without showing favoritism or partiality to anyone. And so, with the rapid spread of the Gospel through the dissemination of Christ’s disciples everywhere, who were/are being enabled and empowered by the Spirit of the Lord, it would/will never be contained by the Jews or anyone else. Now with Philips departure, the eunuch having believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and been baptized was not now going to become clung to a man as if his own faith in Christ was to be linked to him. Rather his faith was fully in the Lord Jesus Christ, and so with Philips departure he simply went on rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ, because everything else after that is just a bonus! Early on then we see it was never of the Spirit of the Lord that Jesus Christ’s disciples should become disciples of those through whom they believed (consider 1 Cor. 1:10-31, vs. 11-13, 31).

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Acts 8:14–25

  ¹⁴ Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵ who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰ But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! ²¹ You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. ²² Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” ²⁴ Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” ²⁵ So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Commentary 

Vs. 14-17 ¹⁴ Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵ who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 

When word came to the apostles at Jerusalem of the Samaritans receiving the Word of God, (for they remained there even after the severe persecution arose to the church and believers there), thus the capital of the church is not Rome, it is and has always been Jerusalem, they immediately sent Peter and John to them, the two apostles who were then the most effective amongst them. And so, when they arrived there, they prayed that the new believers might receive the Holy Spirit, for as the Scripture says, He had not yet fallen upon anyone there, the reason being when they were baptized, they were only baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and not baptized in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit as Jesus had commanded all His disciples be (see Matt. 28:18-20). These things then that may same seem unimportant are in fact really important especially when were operating in the Spiritual realm, and they needed to learn this for themselves, therefore God withheld His Spirit’s Person from them until they properly acknowledged all Persons of the GodHead or Trinity. Therefore, not until the apostles Peter and John had prayed for them and laid their hands on them did they receive the Holy Spirit (vs. 17). Thus, by doing so God was also revealing to the Samaritans that it was not Philip whom should now replace Simon in their minds as the great power of God, but that Peter and John were His chosen apostles who were of those assigned to lead His church. While Peter and John by seeing these things for themselves also learned that God had now also received the faith of the Samaritans, thus they too were now to be included as equals in the church! Therefore, the laying on of hands as a means to receiving the Holy Spirit belongs to the very early church that was still learning these things, and thus those circumstances which warranted it in order for God to reveal Himself as accepting someone or more specifically some people group into His fold. 

Vs. 18-19 ¹⁸ And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 

Even though Simon was then numbered amongst the believers in Samaria, here his heart is revealed. For when he saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands that the Holy Spirit was given he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ^{Vs. 19} Simon then had neither come to repentance towards God, nor to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. For clearly, he had not repented of his greedy desires to bear rule over people whom he could manipulate and exploit and profit from through such great Power, power which far and away exceeded anything he had ever done through his previous sorceries. Therefore, Simon wasn’t concerned about the salvation of his soul, and thus to be cleansed, freed and healed of all his sins and transgressions, having his guilt and transgressions dealt with and taken away forever, no Simon’s heart was still locked on seeking power and wealth for himself, and so as long as it was, he would never have the transforming Power of the Holy Spirit in himself. 

Vs. 20-23 ²⁰ But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! ²¹ You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. ²² Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

When Peter heard Simons request, he immediately rebuked him, saying, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!” ^{vs. 20} Take heed then for God’s salvation and thus His Spirit (and thus forgiveness of sins and eternal life) can never be purchased for no amount of money, (consider Psalm 49, vs. 6-9; 146:3-4). If it could then it would only nullify the incredible Sacrifice and Service of the Lord Jesus Christ who by His own death on the Cross “purchased it” for us all who believe in Him. Therefore, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the demarcation line that separates those who receive the Holy Spirit and those who don’t, and thus who only think they can get Him by some other means. The apostle Peter then having strongly rebuked Simons attempt to purchase the gift of God with money, now tells him he has neither part nor portion in the Holy Spirits gift of eternal life because his heart is not right in the sight of God! (vs. 21). Those people then (no matter how “great” or small) who only look at the Lord Jesus Christ and or Christianity as a means for making profit for themselves are only impoverishing their own souls to their own eternal damnation! Therefore, the apostle Peter having rebuke Simons attempt to purchase the gift if God now tells him, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” ^{Vs. 22-23} If it wasn’t abundantly clear already it should be now that Simon was not a child of God, though Peter by saying as much to him leaves room for his repentance and faith, if Simon himself would seek it. 

Vs. 24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” 

However, Simon does not repent and believe which would have entailed his personally turning to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith. Instead, he only appeals to Peter to pray for him so that the consequences of his sin would not come upon him! And sadly, the same is often true today as people will often ask for prayer for themselves, but they themselves will not seek the Lord for themselves. And yet until they do, they cannot have salvation for themselves. 

Vs. 25 “So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.” 

The apostles then having testified and preached the Word of the Lord in many villages of the Samaritans, and thus having brought to them the full revelation of the Gospel, returned to Jerusalem which is the first and only city of the church. 

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Acts 8:9–13

 ⁹ But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, ¹⁰ to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” ¹¹ And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. ¹³ Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. 

Commentary 

Vs. 9-11 ⁹ But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, ¹⁰ to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” ¹¹ And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 

With Philips preaching the Gospel to the Samaritans we now hear of a certain man there named Simon, who previously practiced sorcery and through it who held all the people there in bondage to himself, because through it he astonished them with the sorceries that he did, so much so that the people there said of him, “This man is the great power of God” not that Simon was from God, or that the things he did through his sorceries were by God’s Power, but that the people there in their ignorance of God and His Holy Spirit’s Power had attributed to him such things. There is then the need for discernment not only by them, but us all, when spiritual works are being shown or done by anyone. For God’s Power should never be attributed to anyone who is only doing things by Satan’s power, influence, or control! Therefore, in rudimentally discerning what is of God and what is not the Apostle Paul later told the Corinthians that no one who speaks by the Holy Spirit will speak blasphemous words against God; thus no one who speaks by the Holy Spirit will say that Jesus is accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 12:3). Similarly, then no one who is being led by God’s Holy Spirit will violate the fruits of the Spirit, i.e., love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. Those then who think that the Holy Spirit causes one to lose self control of their person, whether it is their tongue or their body are only being deceived and misled by the devil who through such people and things is only making a gross misrepresentation and mockery of what God’s Spirit actually does which is enable all of the Lord Jesus Christ’s disciples to boldly speak and serve in His Name! 

Vs. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 

In spite of Simon’s influence, Philips preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ moved both men and women to believe in Christ and thus they were baptized. Now please note that preaching the Kingdom of God apart from the Name of Jesus Christ is not preaching the Kingdom of God. But as with Satan always trying to undermine it, he takes a part of it, i.e., here the title, the Kingdom of God, and then repackages it under some of his own, who do not do anything that reassembles any of its works or ways so as to only leave people confused about it. 

Vs. 13 “Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.” 

And so, with Philips preaching the Kingdom of God through the Name of Jesus Christ and the men and women coming to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, Simon himself also believed and was baptized and was amazed seeing the miracles and signs which were done by Phillip. Now what is not apparent here, but will be later, is that Simon’s “faith” was more or less a following the crowd’s faith, and was not something that he himself had personally come to believe and thus receive the Word of God for himself. For though the mighty works that Philip was doing were amazing him, yet the Author of them the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit he remained separate of, that is though he was water baptized he was not born-again by God’s Holy Spirit. For had he been what is to follow in the upcoming verses would not have happened to him. Therefore, like Simon people can be amazed by someone’s testimony and declaration of what God has done for them or through them and yet remain by their own choice outside of Him.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Acts 8:4–8

 ⁴ Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. ⁵ Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. ⁶ And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. ⁷ For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸ And there was great joy in that city. 

Commentary 

Vs. 4 “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” 

Now the effect of the Jews persecuting the church and scattering it everywhere was not its ruin, but rather the believers who were scattered everywhere continued preaching the Word! And so many people who would have never been exposed to the Gospel if the church had remained in Jerusalem in one accord and sharing all things in common were now hearing and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ! And so, what men intended to ruin the church, God turned into growing it, and in this growing it expedientially! 

Vs. 5-8 ⁵ Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. ⁶ And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. ⁷ For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸ And there was great joy in that city. 

Now Philip was one of the original seven who was chosen to serve the church (see Acts 6:5-6). And so, with Stephens death and the great persecution there, he also left Jerusalem and he went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. This then would have been a radical move on Philip’ s part since Jews generally had no dealings with Samaritans. Nonetheless God was with Philip and the effect of his ministering the Gospel there is self evident, for Philip was greatly enabled by the Holy Spirit and he did many miracles by which the people heeded the things spoken by him (vs. 5-6). Verse seven even goes onto say that through Philips preaching the Gospel to them God was healing people both Spiritually and physically, saying, “For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.” All these things then bore witness to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirits outpouring and His power to heal and transform anyone to the people of Samaria. Therefore, in verse eight we are told that there was great joy in that city! All because one man took courage and by God enabling him brought and demonstrated the Gospel to them! Thus, Jerusalem may have rejected God’s Word for them, but these Samaritans didn’t, and so they were now receiving His Salvation, blessing, and favor from Him. 

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Acts 8:1–3

 ¹ Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ² And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. ³ As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. 

Commentary 

Vs. 1 “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” 

The young man named Saul, who was first mentioned as the one whom those who were about to stone Stephen to death laid their clothes at his feet (Acts 7:58), is now mentioned again, except this time it is clear that he was not an innocent observer of these things, but was consenting to Stephens death. Now with Stephens death the Jews became greatly emboldened, and so a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem, scattering all believers throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, with only the apostles remaining there (vs. 1). At this point it likely seemed to be priests and the Jews leadership and such that they were now succeeding in destroying this faith founded upon the very Man Jesus Christ whom they had Crucified. 

Vs. 2 “And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.” 

Even though there was this great persecution taking place against the church, and believers were being scattered everywhere, there were still devout men who carried Stephen to his burial and who made great lamentation over him. 

Vs. 3 “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.” 

Having consented to, and been an eye witness of the murderous stoning death of Stephen, the once young man Saul now comes into his own. And so, he now becomes a principal agent of the Sanhedrin council for wreaking havoc on the church in Jerusalem, “entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.” Thus, it was through Saul’s own great zeal against the church that there was soon no safe place for Christians to dwell in Jerusalem. Saul then had learned well from his masters; from those he was seeking to emulate. 

On another note, it seems quite clear that Rome at this time also made a calculated decision not to intervene, or try to quell the Jews great zeal in persecuting the church. Rather they probably thought to do so would likely only upset the Jews and make for upheaval against them, and so they let them do as they pleased, as long as they did not defy Rome’s rule over them.  

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

 

Acts 7:54–60

 ⁵⁴ When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. ⁵⁵ But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, ⁵⁶ and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” ⁵⁷ Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; ⁵⁸ and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 

Commentary 

Vs. 54 “When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.” 

Stephens words were cutting, because they were with full merit, therefore when the Sanhedrin council heard him speak this to them, they were cut to the heart. Now their reaction in having their and their father’s evil deeds exposed was not one of repentance and faith, but rather one of rage, of gnashing at him with their teeth, like a wolf does before it strikes! 

Vs. 55-56 ⁵⁵ But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, ⁵⁶ and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 

Stephen though was now oblivious to them and the enraged looks on their faces, for “he being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, ⁵⁶ and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” If ever then God clearly made known His Approval to a believer for their defense of His Son and His Gospel this then was it. 

Vs. 57-58 ⁵⁷ Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; ⁵⁸ and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 

Now when Stephen spoke of now seeing the Glory of God and the Son of Man Jesus Christ standing at His right hand, the council lost all control of themselves and they cried out with a loud voice and stopping their ears, they all ran at him with one accord and violently seized him. There was then not one amongst them who did not want to kill him; even though no official verdict of guilt had been rendered against him; rather it had been most justly rendered against them! And so, they cast Stephen out of the city of Jerusalem, that is they took him outside of its walls to the place where they were going to stone him to death. Now when they arrived there the Scripture says, “the witnesses” laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. Remember that name for this man Saul will later become one of the Lord’s chosen vessels. 

Vs. 59-60 ⁵⁹ And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 

Now as they were stoning Stephen, he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Stephen then having received so many blows and unable to stand anymore now kneels down and cries out with a loud spirit, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” These then will be Stephens last words before he dies, words which exemplify the grace and love of God for even his enemies, which is what a Holy Spirit filled man does! Now the Scripture says when Stephen had said this, he fell asleep, which is to say that he died, that is his body died, but his soul went to be with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). 

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

 

 

 

Acts 7:44–53

  ⁴⁴ “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, ⁴⁵ which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, ⁴⁶ who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷ But Solomon built Him a house. ⁴⁸ “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ⁴⁹ ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest? ⁵⁰ Has My hand not made all these things?’ ⁵¹ “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, ⁵³ who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

Commentary 

Here in his finial rebuke of them Stephen now recalls how they and their fathers also had the Tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as God appointed for them to be built according to the pattern God had shown Moses (vs 44). And so, for forty years it stood in their very midst with God dwelling in and above their persons with His Presence there, which when that generation died Israel’s forefathers brought it with Joshua into the land of Canaan whom God drove out those inhabitants before them so that He might establish Himself and them there (vs. 45). Thus, the Tabernacle bore witness to them right up until the days of David whose heart was set upon building Him a permanent house (vs. 46), but God waited until He established David’s son Solomon to bring forth His house (i.e., Temple, vs. 47), the reason given in (1 Chron. 17:1-27; 1 Chron. 22:5-19, vs. 6-10). Thus, from their days in the wilderness, right up until these days in which Stephen was now preaching, God has always given them a very tangible place where He might be sought and found. Unfortunately, as with the law of Moses, so too the temple eventually became for them something to be served in of itself. However, neither the law, nor the temple, was ever to replace God Himself in their hearts and minds and lives as Stephen makes clear in verse 48-50 when he says of it, ⁴⁸ “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ⁴⁹ ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest? ⁵⁰ Has My hand not made all these things?’ Thus, the Temple and its service which was then dominating the hearts and minds and lives of the people and priestly classes in Israel was never meant to do so, but was only to be a means to finding the Lord God Himself who not only revealed Himself to Israel in the Person of His Son Jesus Christ; who also came to His Temple twice and was only rejected by those ruling there; but was now manifesting His Resurrected Person and Eternal Glory to them and to all through His Holy Spirit who was now doing the miraculous works and deeds that were then being done through the hands of His apostles there! Therefore, Stephen no longer able to contain his frustration at their ongoing rebellion and unbelief against the Lord now cries out to them, ⁵¹ “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, ⁵³ who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” 

Stephen’s finial word to them then is not only a scathing rebuke of their and their fathers always resisting the Holy Spirit, but in fact is a clear indictment of their fathers not only persecuting the prophets, and killing those who foretold them of the coming of the Just One the Lord Jesus Christ, but of they themselves now following in their father’s footsteps and betraying and Crucifying Him to death when God sent His Son to them! Even though they and their fathers received the law from God by the direction of angels, they and their fathers by doing such things reveal that they have never kept it as they so arrogantly like to think themselves as having done. What more than could be said for they were the ones now on trial not Stephen.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Acts 7:37-43

  ³⁷ “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’ ³⁸ “This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, ³⁹ whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, ⁴⁰ saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ ⁴¹ And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. ⁴² Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: ‘Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? ⁴³ You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, And the star of your god Remphan, Images which you made to worship; And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’ 

Commentary 

From their inception then as a delivered nation from Egypt, Israel has always been very rebellious against the Lord God of their fathers. For though they claim to believe and to have obeyed Moses, yet they never really have believed and obeyed the Will of the Lord for themselves through him. For as Stephen now shows them in verse thirty-seven it was this Moses whom God appointed to lead and instruct them who told the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’ ^{Deut. 18:15} And yet just as they did not believe Moses when he went up on Mount Sinai to receive the living oracles of God from the Angel, but rather their fathers rejected Moses “...And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, ⁴⁰ saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ (vs. 39-40). Neither then did they believe the Lord Jesus Christ when God sent Him to them who is the Prophet Moses foretold is the One they are to hear!’ And yet did not receive Him and the living oracles of God from Him, but instead they also rejected Him and His Word, and thus the salvation and the grace of God offered to them through Him. Instead, they only turned back to Moses who long ago told them to turn to Him! Therefore, neither they, nor their fathers have historically obeyed God, (as they like to think of themselves and their fathers as being faithful to God through him). For as Stephen notes of their fathers, after they rejected Moses, they only went on to make a calve idol for themselves, declaring it as their deliver, and so they offered sacrifices to it, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands (vs. 41). Therefore, in verses forty-two and three Stephen goes on to reveal how God gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: ‘Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? ⁴³ You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, And the star of your god Remphan, Images which you made to worship; And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’ Thus, Stephen in a scathing rebuke of them is pointing out to them their and their father’s homogeneous rebellion against the Lord, and not their supposed ongoing faithfulness to Him, as they always like to think of themselves and their forefathers as being towards Him. Now this is not unique to them, for there is no one who can claim faithfulness to the Lord. Therefore, we must all examine our own hearts and ways lest we also deceive ourselves about our faithfulness to our Lord God and Savior.  

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Acts 7:17–36

 ¹⁷ “But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt ¹⁸ till another king arose who did not know Joseph. ¹⁹ This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live. ²⁰ At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. ²¹ But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. ²² And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. ²³ “Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. ²⁴ And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. ²⁵ For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. ²⁶ And the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?’ ²⁷ But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? ²⁸ Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?’ ²⁹ Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons. ³⁰ “And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. ³¹ When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, ³² saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look. ³³ ‘Then the Lord said to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. ³⁴ I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.” ’ ³⁵ “This Moses whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years. 

Commentary 

Vs. 17-19 ¹⁷ “But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt ¹⁸ till another king arose who did not know Joseph. ¹⁹ This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live. 

Stephen now recalls to them how as God’s Word about Abrahams descendants was about to be fulfilled (Gen. 15:13-16), and that the people of Israel were multiplying greatly in the land of Egypt, that another king arose there who did not know Joseph and remember all the good he had done for them. And so, this man dealt every treacherously with the children of Israel by bringing them into hard bondage and making them expose their babies so that they might not live (see Exodus 1:8-22). 

Vs. 20-22 ²⁰ At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. ²¹ But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. ²² And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. 

Now at this time Moses was born, and was pleasing to God, (thus we now have a second type of Christ, a savior being raised up by God to deliver His people again). And so, Stephen recalls how Moses was raised up by God who after Moses was only three months in his father’s house was set out according to the command of Pharaoh and yet was discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter who took him away and raised him as her own son, and so Moses became learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and deeds (vs. 22; Ex. 2:1-10). Moses’ early life then was one of great vigor and achievements, but as we will see it would not be until he was old and stumbling in speech that God would bring him back to save his people. 

Vs. 23-29 ²³ “Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. ²⁴ And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. ²⁵ For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. ²⁶ And the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?’ ²⁷ But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? ²⁸ Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?’ ²⁹ Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons. 

In this section Stephen now recalls how Moses when he first came to his brethren was also rejected by them. For Moses being forty years old and wanting to return to his people came to them, and seeing one of them suffer wrong, he avenged him who was oppressed and struck down the Egyptian who was doing so (vs. 24). “For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.” ^{Vs. 25} Thus Moses thought at that time that deliverance for Israel would come through him by the strength of his hand. And so, it was after that incident that Moses once again came to them and seeing two of his brethren fighting, he tried to reconcile them, but the one who was doing wrong to his neighbor pushed Moses away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? ²⁸ Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?’ And so, it was at this saying that Moses fled to the land of Midian where Stephen recalls h also had two sons (vs. 29, see Exodus 2:11-24). Now in recalling those words Stephen is showing that that man’s words towards Moses mirror Israel’s own thoughts and feelings and words towards Moses. For how many times did Moses have to face their rejection of God to save them, for even with a basic reading of the Book of Exodus one can clearly see they’re not believing, nor trusting him, and thus God who sent him to them, in spite of all the mighty works that God did through him. And thus, Moses outside of all of parallels of his life that parallels Christ’s, parallels His in this most distinctly. And yet they now hold up Moses as the one in whom they trust, and yet historically they have never trusted him, for if they did, they would’ve believed and obeyed him, and in this believed and obeyed him about the Lord Jesus Christ about whom he foreshadowed, foretold, and wrote about in both the law, and in the giving of its services. 

Vs. 30-34 ³⁰ “And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. ³¹ When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, ³² saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look. ³³ ‘Then the Lord said to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. ³⁴ I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.” ’ 

Stephen now recalls how Moses though rejected by his brethren when he tried to save them, was called by God to save them after he had been a sojourner in the land of Midian for forty years (Moses now being eighty), how the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush, saying to him, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look. ³³ ‘Then the Lord said to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. ³⁴ I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.” ’ ^{Vs. 32-34} 

Vs. 35-36 ³⁵ “This Moses whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years. 

Therefore, Moses the one whom they rejected when they said, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. For it was Moses whom God appointed and empowered to bring them out of Egypt, and to lead them to the promised land, “after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.” Therefore once again Israel’s rejection of Moses in spite of all he said and did for them also mirrors their now rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ in spite of all He has said and did and has done for them! 

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Acts 7:9–16

  ⁹ “And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him ¹⁰ and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. ¹¹ Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. ¹² But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. ¹³ And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. ¹⁴ Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. ¹⁵ So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. ¹⁶ And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. 

Commentary 

Vs. 9-10 ⁹ “And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him ¹⁰ and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 

Stephen in addressing the counsel now recalls how the patriarchs that is Jacobs sons became envious of one son, Joseph whom Jacob favored and to whom God foretold that He would raise him up and make his brothers and even his father bow before him. And so, in Joseph we see a kind of Christ, who was rejected by his brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt. Now even though they did this to him, (thinking to have killed him), God was with him and gave Joseph favor in the presence of Pharaoh who made Joseph governor over Egypt and all his house; thus, God was preparing him then to be both his brothers and fathers savior there. 

Vs. 11-14 ¹¹ Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. ¹² But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. ¹³ And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. ¹⁴ Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. ¹⁵ So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. ¹⁶ And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. 

Stephen now recalls how God brought Jacob and his sons into Egypt to fulfill His Word, that through a great famine in the land of Egypt and Canaan, he would bring Jacob and all his household down into Egypt to establish them there. And so, this began when Jacob hearing that there was grain in Egypt sent down his ten sons (except Benjamin) to buy grain. Now Joseph their long-lost brother was the governor of the land and though they did not recognize Joseph, he did remember them, and so when they returned to Jacob and came back the second time with Joseph’s little brother Benjamin, as Joseph commanded them to do so, Joseph made himself known to them (Gen. 42:1-47:12). Now they’re not seeing Joseph for who he was as chosen by God to save them, mirrors just how Israel did not see the Lord Jesus Christ for who He is, Chosen by God to be their Lord, Savior, and King when they too first saw Him. And so, Joseph unbeknownst to himself back then when God permitted his brothers to sell him into slavery in Egypt, was making a way to save them all (Gen 50:15-21). Now consider how this also parallels the life of the Lord Jesus Christ who was also sent by the Will of God before Israel the nation to gain eternal salvation by their also rejecting Him, and thus make the way of salvation for them and for all. Now there are many other parallels between the life of Jesus and Joseph but let’s stay focused on the Stephens recalling Israel’s history, for he is doing so to recall Israel’s ongoing ignorance and rejection of the Will of God for them all. And so, when Joseph was revealed to his brothers and his father Jacob who had long given up hope of ever seeing his son again, heard that he was alive he came down with all of his household, and all that he had and moved into to Egypt, (this then begins Israel as a nations sojourn in Egypt). And so, when Jacob died there, Joseph in honoring his fathers last request that he be buried in the burial place of his forefathers of Abraham and Isaac returned him back to the land God promised Abraham and buried him in the tomb which Abraham himself purchased from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem where they were buried. Now verses fifteen and sixteen also recalls how Joseph’s brothers when they died were also carried out of the land of Egypt and buried in their forefather’s tomb in Shechem, thus establishing their inheritance rights in the promised land. Now Joseph’s remains would be in Egypt with God’s people until God raised up Moses who would bring His people (and Joseph’s remains) out of Egypt. Which Stephen address in the next section by his recalling Israel’s historic and ongoing failures to believe and receive the ones God has sent to them. For just as they did not believe Joseph, neither would they believe Moses. Therefore, the Sanhedrin’s council of charging Stephen with blaspheming Moses is only an indictment of themselves, for their ongoing unbelief and rejection of the Will of God for themselves, which Stephen will prove by his continuing to recall Israel’s history and their rejecting the One even Moses foretold would come to them!

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.