Chapter 6
These notes are taken from the following teachers’ commentaries: John Wesley, Chuck Smith, Craig Keener, Tony Evans, and Stanley Horton. Comments are also taken from The Passion Translation notes. Translations are taken from biblegateway.com. It is hoped that the notes will be helpful to provide background material for personal devotions.
Verse 1.
“Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.”
“In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.”
Horton. The church is growing in the early chapters of Acts. 2: 42. What happens when a community of people grow? What about the newcomers? The newcomers were a cross-section of people. Some of them were born in Jerusalem and Palestine and spoke Hebrew. (Most take this to mean Aramaic, although there is evidence that Jerusalem Jews kept Biblical Hebrew alive). This group would have said that Greek was their second language. Greek had been the language of trade, commerce, and government since the days of Alexander the Great. Jews born outside Palestine did not know Hebrew/Aramaic well and normally spoke Greek. Since the community of believers was comprised of many nationalities, Greek was the language that they all understood. Widows could not get a job. It was not uncommon in those days, especially among Gentiles, for widows to starve to death. In precious chapters, believers contributed to a common fund administered by the apostles. By Chapter 6, widows were the only ones who needed the funds. There came to be the beginnings of complaining or murmuring. These complaints threatened the spiritual unity of the Body.
Womack. In only days after the Hebrews were delivered from the bondage of Egypt by the miraculous ten plagues, they murmured against God in the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:1). Likewise, in only a short time after Jesus’ resurrection of Jesus and the establishment of the church, Christians found something to complain about. People are the same throughout all ages.
These men were chosen because the number of the disciples kept multiplying. There were at least 8,000 believers in the Jerusalem church (Acts 2:41, 4:4, and 5:14). These men (“deacons,”) were ordained to meet a need in the body of believers.
The word “Grecian” means “a Hellenist or Greek-speaking Jew.” These were probably not Gentiles who were proselytes to Judaism but rather Jews who lived in other countries. Although now lived in Judea, they spoke Greek as their first language.
The name Hebrew was first used in Genesis 14:13 where Abram was called a Hebrew. The name is derived from the word meaning “a region across...on the opposite side.”
This was the Canaanites’ way of referring to Abram being from the other side of the Euphrates or being a descendant of Eber (Genesis 11:15-26). The name came to be used of God’s chosen people who were descendants of Abraham through Jacob (Genesis 39:14 and Exodus 1:15). The name specified a Jew who spoke the Hebrew language, as contrasted with Jews who spoke Greek. In the Jews’ efforts to maintain their identity as a nation under Roman occupation, retaining the Hebrew language and customs became very important to some and gave rise to this division of the Jews into these two groups. This group of Hebrew Jews was similar to the sect of the Pharisees. Like the Pharisees, there was some good in their ideas that caused this division. However, as members of Christ’s body, these believers belonged to a heavenly kingdom. Their preoccupation with earthly nationalities and preference given to their sect was misplaced and caused the first contention in the church.
Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 5:3-16 how the New Testament church cared for widows. From those verses we see that the church was responsible for their physical needs. The Grecian widows were slighted in the daily distribution of food and clothing, while the Hebrews gave preference to their own widows.
Smith. We need to emphasize the quality of our spiritual work. The Hellenists is also translated The Grecians and it speaks of those Jews who adhered to the Greek culture. Hebrew/Aramaic Jews followed Hebrew culture.
Wesley. It is not right that we should leave the word of God and serve tables — In the first Church, the primary business of apostles, evangelists, and bishops, was to preach the word of God; the secondary, to take a kind of paternal care (the Church being then like a family,) for the food, especially of the poor, the strangers, and the widows. Afterward, the deacons of both sexes were constituted for this latter business. And whatever time they had to spare from this, they employed in works of spiritual mercy. But their proper office was, to take care of the poor. And when some of them afterward preached the Gospel, they did this not by virtue of their deaconship, but of another commission, that of evangelists, which they probably received, not before, but after they were appointed deacons. And it is not unlikely that others were chosen deacons, or stewards, in their room, when any of these commenced evangelists.
Evans. The disciples increased in number (6:1; 2:41: 4:4; 5:14). A Kingdom disciple is a believer in Christ who takes part in the spiritual development and process of progressively living all of life in submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This is the goal of the church – to produce such men and women.
The two Jewish camps were racially the same, but culturally different.
Verse 2.
“Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.”
AMP. “So, the Twelve apostles convened the multitude of the disciples and said, it is not seemly or desirable or right that we should have to give up or neglect preaching the Word of God in order to attend to serving at tables and superintending the distribution of food.”
Womack. The twelve apostles prioritized their responsibilities. They prioritized studying and ministering God’s Word. The deacons focused on the business part of the ministry. Ministers do well to follow that example as much as possible.
Smith. The best way to deal with potential schisms is to bring them to the light of day and deal with them. Divisions are a threat to the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul said that contentions are a mark of carnality. I Cor. 1: 10-13.
Horton. “It would not be right…” It would not be pleasing, satisfactory, acceptable, or appropriate for them to abandon the ministry (the teaching and preaching of the Word) to serve tables. The Greek word for tables means money tables as in Mt. 21:12: 25:27; Mk. 11:15; Lu. 19:23; Jo. 2:15. Up to this point, the apostles were pastors, teachers, evangelists, and counselors for the Body. The growing needs caused them to recruit help and delegate authority.
Verse 3.
“Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.”
“Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them.”
Horton. In choosing the seven, the apostles set the qualifications for the group (full of the Spirit and with wisdom) and the Body looked over the congregation to see who met the qualifications to appoint them to the duties. “Turn over” means to “put in charge.” In other words, no apostle, including Peter, acts to exercise power to appointment. The Greek word means “to serve.”
Womack. There may or may not be significance to choosing seven deacons. It could be as simple as having one deacon for every day of the week.
The apostles directed the church to select the deacons pursuant to qualifications given by the apostles. The apostles prayed over them and laid hands on them, but the people selected them. Only seven deacons were needed for a church that numbered in the thousands.
The apostles set three qualifications. First, they had to be held in high regard by others. Paul expounded on this requirement in 1 Timothy 3:7 and applied it to a bishop. Second, they had to be full of the Holy Ghost. Third, they had to be full of wisdom. These last two requirements went hand in hand. A person cannot be full of God’s wisdom without God’s spirit.
Smith. This begins the role of deacons in the church. Deacon in its root form means “to wait on tables” or to be “an attendant or waiter.” There were spiritual requirements for the job. See I Tim.3: 8-13.
Evans. Many understand this passage to describe the selection of the first deacons, who serve the physical needs of God’s people, while the apostles, and eventually the elders (overseers) addressed the spiritual needs.
Keener. Those who minister to the Body’s spiritual needs and economic needs both must be Spirit-filled.
Wesley. Of good report — That there may be no room to suspect them of partiality or injustice.
Full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom — For it is not a light matter to dispense even the temporal goods of the Church. To do even this well, a large measure both of the gifts and grace of God is requisite.
Whom we will set over this business — It would have been happy for the Church, had its ordinary ministers in every age taken the same care to act in concert with the people committed to their charge, which the apostles themselves, extraordinary as their office was, did on this and other occasions.
Verse 4.
“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Smith. The minister must prioritize Word and Prayer time, or he/she will be unprepared on Sunday. See I Cor. 11:23. One must receive from the Lord before one can give to the people.
Horton. Apostolic ministry focuses on the Word and prayer. They disbursed the Word while the seven disbursed the money.
Womack. A minister can’t be the Lord’s effective representative if he is busy with church administrative tasks to the point that he doesn’t spend time with Jesus. A minister must focus on his relationship with the Lord (1 Timothy 4:15). This is the logic behind paying pastors, so they can study the Word and pray and not have to work full-time to support themselves. We need the ministry of deacons in the church.
The Greek word “DIAKONIA” is translated “ministry” here, while it is translated “ministration” in Acts 6:1. In that verse, ministration was the deacon’s job (Greek - “DIAKONOS,” 1 Timothy 3:8). In this verse, it denoted the job that the apostles do. The literal meaning of DIAKONIA is “attendance (as a servant, etc.); (especially of the Christian teacher, or technically of the diaconate).” It was used of angels (Hebrews 1:14) and the church at Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-19). Paul used this word to describe his own ministry (Acts 20:24, Romans 11:13, and 1 Timothy 1:12) as well as others’ (Colossians 4:17 and 2 Timothy 4:5). A deacon and a minister who would fit in one of the five offices listed in Ephesians 4:11 are both servants, and DIAKONOS. A deacon simply serves in the physical realm, while a minister serves in the spiritual realm.
The apostles wisely chose to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word. These first ministers of the church set a precedent that should be followed today. Ministers should be occupied with spiritual things and let deacons tend to physical needs. Many a minister has become spiritually dull because the physical demands of the ministry dominating their attention.
Wesley. We will constantly attend to prayer, and to the ministry of the word — This is doubtless the proper business of a Christian bishop: to speak to God in prayer; to men in preaching his word, as an ambassador for Christ.
Verse 5.
“And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.”
Womack. Nicolas may be the namesake of those rebuked by Jesus in Revelation 2:6.
Of these seven men, Stephen is one of the two mentioned again in Acts. Acts 6:8 says Stephen was full of faith and power and did great wonders and miracles among the people. He was a powerful orator who spoke with godly wisdom under the direction of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:10).
Stephen’s message must have been the liberty from dead works and the grace that is available through Christ, as seen by the accusations leveled against him (Acts 6:13-14). The inner presence of Christ manifested in his physical appearance (Acts 6:15). He boldly defended his faith to the Jewish religious leaders, and this defense contained many insights into O.T. events not recorded elsewhere in Scripture. He saw the heavens open and Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand (Acts 7:55-56), and then as he became the first martyr of the Christian faith, he prayed for those who were putting him to death (Acts 7:60), as Jesus did (Luke 23:34). His testimony greatly affected Saul (Acts 7:58), who later became the Apostle Paul (Acts 13:9).
Philip was the second man mentioned again in the book of Acts. Philip was an evangelist (Acts 21:8 and Ephesians 4:11). He went to the Samaritans and God used him to convert a great number of people (Acts 8:5-25). The angel of the Lord instructed Philip to witness to a man of great authority among the Ethiopians (Acts 8:26-35). Upon this man’s conversion, Philip baptized him and was then translated from Gaza to Azotus, a distance of twenty miles (Acts 8:36-40). Philip lived in Caesarea, and the Apostle Paul visited him on his last trip to Jerusalem (Acts 21:8). Philip was married and had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9).
Evans. The church selected seven men, all of whom had Greek names.
Keener. The seven chosen were Hellenists, but their main qualification was that they were 1) full of the Holy Spirit; 2) full of wisdom. Nicolas is not mentioned by Luke again and is a common Greek name. He’s from Antioch. He is a proselyte, a former Gentile.
Smith. This is an example of the Word of Wisdom. A church split was averted.
Horton. There was no dissent. All were pleased. They must have been pleased that the whole Assembly had a voice. Interesting, that the Hebrews were happy. Stephen (Victor’s Crown), Philip (Lover of Horses), Procorus (leader of the chorus), Nicanor (Victorious or Conqueror), Timon (One showing honor), Parmenas (steadfast), Nicolas (victor over the people) (a Gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch of Syria). The Hebrews were the majority, yet they choose all seven from the minority.
Wesley. And they chose — It seems seven Hellenists, as their names show. And Nicholas a proselyte — To whom the proselytes would the more readily apply.
Verse 6.
“Whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.”
AMP. “These they presented to the apostles, who after prayer laid their hands on them.”
ADB. Prayer was a separate act from laying hands on the deacons. The laying on of hands must have need an anointing or impartation of something.
Smith. See Mk. 16: 17-18. Many times, we see the apostles’ laying hands on someone 1) to heal; 2) to impart gifts of the Spirit. Why was physical touch necessary? See Jo. 14:12. Jesus touched the sick and He needs to touch the sick again through us. Same with being filled with the Holy Spirit. He uses our hands to do His work. Another reason for the laying on of hands is that it gives the prayer a point of contact for releasing faith. See Mt. 9: 21-22. Her faith was triggered when she touched His garment.
Womack. Laying on of hands existed before the church age. The tribe of Levi was separated unto the work of God by the Israelites laying hands on them (Numbers 8:10). The Lord directed the priests to lay hands on the head of the sacrifices, symbolizing the transfers of sins to the animal (Leviticus 1:4, 16:21; and Numbers 8:12). Through the laying on of hands, blessings were conferred (Genesis 48:14-15). In the N.T., people were separated unto God through the laying on of hands (here and Acts 13:2-3). The Holy Ghost was given through the laying on of hands (Acts 8:17 and 19:6). Paul spoke of gifts that had been imparted to Timothy through the laying on of his hands (1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6). Hebrews 6:2 speaks of the doctrine of the laying on of hands as being one of the foundational truths of the Gospel of Christ.
Verse 7.
“Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly (increased rapidly) in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.”
Womack. The Bible doesn’t report whether these priests continued in their priestly ministries after conversion. This was a 40-year transitional period where the New Testament reality replaced the Old Testament symbolism. Yet the symbolism remained until the Temple’s destruction in A.D. 70.
This increase in the number of disciples came after the selection of the first deacons and the apostles committing themselves to the Word and prayer (Acts 6:2-6). Many ministries haven’t increased because the minister has become burdened with peripheral concerns.
Horton. The Word of God spread (Greek means “was increasing, kept on growing.” God’s blessing was on this step of organization. Josephus says that there were 20,000 priests at this time. Most of the priests were Sadducees. They probably continued in their priestly functions.
Smith. It is Smith belief that God’s plan for church growth is the solid teaching of the Word. Jo. 6:63. God’s word is food by which a person grows spiritually. Faith must be built on the truth of the Word. Some of the priestly converts brought their Judaic traditions with them. They may have become some of the Judaizers. See Gal. 3:28.
Verse 8.
“And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.”
“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.”
Horton. That the seven fulfilled a routine service, did not hinder their evangelistic and miracle ministry. Stephen was full of God’s grace and mighty power, and he began to do (and kept on doing) great, magnificent, subline wonders and startling, supernatural signs among the people. Note. This is the first time that we read of miracles being performed on non-apostles. The HS was working through Stephen. The phrase “full of God’s grace” is found in only one other place in the NT and it describes Jesus. Luke/Acts often connects the word dunamis (power) with the baptism of the HS which is a gift, not a reward for merit. See Mi. 3:8.
Smith. Stephen was faithful in serving tables and he ended up seeing the HS perform miracles through him.
Womack. Some argue that miracles stopped with the 12 apostles. But there are apostles today. Second, Stephen was not an apostle, yet he performed miracles. This is proof that believers (Mark 16:17 and John 14:12), and not just apostles, perform miracles by faith in the Lord Jesus.
Verse 9-10.
“Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.”
AMP. “However, some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen, as it was called, and of the synagogues of the Cyrenians (Libya) and of the Alexandrians (Egypt) and of those from Cilicia and the province of Asia (Turkey), arose and undertook to debate and dispute with Stephen. But they were not able to resist the intelligence and the wisdom and the inspiration of the Spirit with which and by Whom he spoke.”
Horton. God’s word is the Spirit’s sword. Ep. 6:17; Heb. 4:12. Opposition arose to the Word from Greek speaking Jews. The Jerusalem Talmud says there were 400 synagogues in Jerusalem at this time. Each group had their own synagogues. In disputing with these men, the Holy Spirit graced Stephen with the ability to overcome all arguments.
TPT notes. The Jews spoken of here were from Alexandria in Egypt, from Libya, and from Southeast, coastal Turkey and Central and Western Turkey. The Synagogue of the Freedmen could have been freed Hebrew slaves. However, the Aramaic translation says Libertines instead of slaves. It is possible that these were pagan cult members who followed a Roman mythical hero named Liber. They emphasized immorality of every kind. They celebrated flaunting moral laws. It would be natural for Jews from Egypt to have a synagogue and those form Turkey to have one or two. So, we would be talking about from 2-4 synagogues here.
Wesley. There arose certain of the synagogue which is called — It was one and the same synagogue which consisted of these several nations. Saul of Cilicia was doubtless a member of it; whence it is not at all improbable, that Gamaliel presided over it. Libertines — So they were styled, whose fathers were once slaves, and afterward made free. This was the case of many Jews who had been taken captive by the Romans.
Smith. See I Cor. 2:14.
Womack. The Libertines were either former Jewish slaves who had been set free by the Roman government, or they were possibly from a North African town called Libertina. At any rate, because of a common language and cultural bond, they had their own synagogue.
Cyrene was an important city in northern Africa, located just a few miles from the Mediterranean Sea in today’s Libya. Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. on the north coast of Egypt just west of the Nile Delta. During this time, Alexandria had 600,000 - 700,000 residents, many of whom were Jewish. Cilicia was a city in a southern province in modern Turkey. Tarsus, Saul’s hometown, was a principal city. “Asia” denotes a western province in Asia Minor whose capital was Ephesus.
“Stephen’s” wisdom came directly from the Spirit of God and was not his own. This was in fulfillment of the promise Jesus made to His disciples in Luke 21:15.
Verse 11.
“Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
AMP. So, they secretly instigated and instructed men to say, we have heard this man speak, using slanderous and abusive and blasphemous language against Moses and God.”
“Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, ‘we have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”
Horton. The men instigated in some unfair way, probably a bribe, for men to say that Stephen spoke abusive, scurrilous words against Moses and God. This required the death penalty by stoning. Lev. 24:16; Jo. 10:33. They closed their eyes to the prophecies of the new covenant. Jer. 31:31-32. Jesus was also accused of blasphemy. Mk. 14: 64; Jo. 10:33.
Womack. They accused Stephen of speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God. Neither of these things were true. But since they didn’t understand the Law’s purpose, their accusation about blaspheming Moses reflects that Stephen preached the grace of God. They could have understood that as opposition to Moses.
Stephen confounded them with God’s wisdom, but they chose to disbelieve (2 Peter 3:5).
Smith. The enemy resorted to slander and character assassination.
Verse 12.
“And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.” (the Sanhedrin).
Womack. The accusations against Stephen were false. But the Jews stirred up the people. There is a depraved nature in all men, and it can be stirred up. When we are born again, we receive a new, Christ-like nature (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9) indwells us.
Horton. They violently stirred up the people into a vicious mob. They also stirred up the “elders and teachers/experts in Moses’ law. They came upon Stephen suddenly with great force and seized him. They arrested him and brought him to the Sanhedrin.
Verse 13.
“They produced false witnesses, who testified, ‘This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
Horton. False witnesses misrepresented Stephen’s words. They took the witness stand to say that Stephen spoke against the Temple and against the law of Moses.
Womack. This gives insight into Stephen’s message. Through Christ, believers are in right standing with God without keeping of Law and observing the sacrificial system. Those who rejected Jesus as Messiah would, of course, consider this teaching blasphemous. But it was true because Jesus is the Lamb that took away the sins of the world (John 1:29 and 36). It’s offensive to legalistic people to say that faith in Jesus is all people need (Ephesians 2:8).
Smith. Speaking against Moses and the Temple was a capital offense, and it took only 2-3 witnesses to convict. They said that Stephen taught that Jesus would destroy the Temple. Jo. 2: 19-20. Mt. 24:2. Teaching that one could only have righteousness by trusting in Jesus would have undercut the sacrificial system.
Verse 14.
“For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
Horton. This refers to Mt. 26:61, Mk. 14:58, Jo. 2: 19-21 where Jesus was speaking of the Temple of his body and of his death and resurrection. See also mt. 12:42, Mt. 24:2.
Womack. This may have been twisting the truth of Stephen’s statements, even as the Jewish people did with Jesus (Mark 14:57-59). Jesus never spoke of destroying the physical temple in Jerusalem, and I don’t suspect Stephen did either. But it was true that the customs Moses gave would be changed. They were only symbolic and once the reality had come, the symbolism wasn’t necessary. I’m sure Stephen said things along those lines, and the Jewish people expounded on that to say Stephen was preaching the destruction of the temple. In the New Covenant, our bodies are the temples of the living God (1 Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19).
Jesus didn’t come to destroy the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). He then replaced it with a better covenant (Hebrews 8:6-7). The Jewish people didn’t understand this when Jesus taught on it or when Stephen spoke these same truths. Jesus prophesied the destruction of the temple (Matthew 24:1-2, Mark 13:1-2, and Luke 21:5-6) and changing of the Mosaic customs (Matthew 5:21-48 and John 4:21-23). However, this was not in contradiction of the law but rather the fulfillment of it.
Smith. Some of the charges could be taken as misunderstanding, but not all. They were false witnesses.
Wesley. We have heard him say — So they might. But yet the consequence they drew would not follow.
Keener. Stephen’s transformation in Acts 6:15 may be less literal than that of Jesus (Lu. 9:29) or Moses (Ex. 34: 29-30, 35) but like Moses he will witness the Lord’s glory (7:55,56). Far from opposing Moses (6:11), Stephen fits his pattern whereas his accusers resemble those who opposed Moses (7:27, 35-37, 51-52). And far from opposing the law given through angels (7:53), he even resembles an angel.
Verse 15 & 7:1.
“Then all who sat in the Sanhedrin, as they gazed intently at Stephen, saw that his face had the appearance of the face of an angel. And the high priest asked Stephen, Are these charges true?”
Horton. They saw that ‘his face was like the face of an angel.” There was an anointing, a brightness, a glow from the Holy Spirit. See Ex. 34: 29, 35; Lu. 9:29. The glory of God shines from Stephen’s face. Caiaphas was probably the high priest mentioned here.
Womack. This wasn’t Stephen’s natural countenance; he was so full of the Holy Spirit that it showed on his face. His accusers were without excuse. All who sat in the council saw this. There was physical evidence that he was inspired by the Lord.
Would to God that every believer would be so filled with the Spirit of God that it would show on our faces. Stephen didn’t speak out against these false allegations until he was asked to do so. This shows a man who was not afraid of those who had the power to kill him. His trust was in the Lord, and he waited for God to give him an opportunity to defend the Gospel, not himself. Stephen could give a history of God’s dealings with the Jewish nation without notes. This shows a familiarity with Scripture that testifies to his study of God’s Word.
Smith. While the accusations were made against him, Stephen sat quiet and unperturbed. His face was like the face of an angel. And watching it all was a young man by the name of Saul. The Greek word for “witness” is “martus.” It came to mean “one who believes so strongly in his faith that he would give his life for what he believes.” See Lu. 12: 11-12; 21: 12-13.
Wesley. As the face of an angel — Covered with supernatural luster. They reckoned his preaching of Jesus to be the Christ was destroying Moses and the law; and God bears witness to him, with the same glory as he did to Moses, when he gave the law by him.
Evans. The Jewish leaders hated Stephen. But they saw the face of an angel when they looked at him – as if he had been in the presence of God.