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.
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