Acts 7

Acts 7:1

A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up. See Deuteronomy 18:15-19. Like me. In that he is the Mediator of the New Covenant as Moses was of the Old.

Acts 7:2

Shall be destroyed. The Jews could be saved only by hearing Christ. Nor can we be saved otherwise.

Acts 7:3

And all the prophets also from Samuel. “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). Samuel is named because he was the founder of the schools of the prophets.

Acts 7:4

Ye are the children of the prophets. The natural heirs of their promised blessings. And of the covenant. The covenant of Christ made with Abraham, in which the Savior was promised (Genesis 12:3). This covenant was older than that of Sinai.

Acts 7:5

Unto you first. To Israel first in order, before the Gentiles, but Peter here recognizes the fact that the Gospel is also for other races. Sent him to bless you. Not in person, but by the preaching of Christ as the Savior from sin. The best of all blessings is “the turning of them from iniquity”, as that brings all others.

Acts 7:7

Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin SUMMARY OF ACTS 4: The Arrest. The Trial Before the Sanhedrin. Peter’s Reply. The Counsel of the Sanhedrists. Their Charge to Peter and John. The Appeal of Peter and John to the Higher Law. The Meeting of the Church for Prayer. The Divine Blessing. As they spake. Peter and John were both speaking, to separate groups probably. The priests. Those of the course then on duty in the temple. See PNT Lu 1:5. The captain of the temple. The head of the temple police, who were composed of Levites, and whose duty it was to guard the sacred precincts. See Lu 22:4. And the Sadducees. See notes on Matthew 3:7 22:23. They were rationalists, and denied the resurrection of the dead. Annas and Caiaphas, the ex-high priest and the acting high priest, were of the sect, and hence, though the sect was not numerous, it was now very powerful.

Acts 7:8

Being grieved. There were three classes of assailants: priests, military, and Sadducees. They had three grounds for action: (1) that Peter and John “taught the people”, (2) that they taught “in the name of Christ” (Acts 4:18), and (3) that they bore witness of “the resurrection”. And preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. The last doctrine, of the resurrection, uprooted the creed of the Sadducees (see notes on Matthew 22:23 Acts 23:8). While Jesus lived, his assailants were chiefly Pharisees; when his apostles began to preach his resurrection the Sadducees came to the front as his chief opposers. This will be noted throughout Acts.

Acts 7:9

Put [them] in hold. In prison until the next day, for it was now late in the evening.

Acts 7:10

Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed. Became converts. This (“believed”) is a usual scriptural expression for the whole change wrought by belief. “Faith comes by hearing . . . the word of God” (Romans 10:17), and faith leads to obedience. The number of the men was about five thousand. It is probable that the meaning is that the number of men was now increased to five thousand. The term in the Greek (“andres”) does not properly include women, so that this is the number of male believers. It is probable that most of the converts of Pentecost and of this occasion were men. Oriental women were not likely to attend in large numbers on such public occasions.

Acts 7:11

Their rulers, and elders, and scribes. A meeting of the Sanhedrin, the great council of seventy, is meant. These classes, with the priests named in Acts 4:6, constituted it. The members of the Sanhedrin were usually called “rulers”; the “elders” were old men, selected for the place on account of wisdom; the “scribes” were the lawyers, or theologians.

Acts 7:12

Annas the high priest. Still so called, though deposed ten years before by the Romans. The Jews held him still as high priest by right. Caiaphas. Son-in-law of Annas, and the high priest now in office by Roman appointment. John, and Alexander. No doubt great men at the time, but we know nothing of them. Kindred of the high priest. Of the family of Annas, all of priestly rank, and many of them holding high offices. The Sanhedrin usually met in a hall of the temple.

Acts 7:13

Set them in the midst. The high priest acted as president, and the members were arranged in a semi-circle around him, with the prisoners in front. By what power, or by what name? They could not deny the miracle, but they thought that it had been done by some incantation. They ask an explanation.

Acts 7:14

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost. They had been promised the Divine help when put on trial (Matthew 10:19,20). It was now given. Here was an opportunity to preach Christ to the very body that had sent him to death.

Acts 7:15

If we this day be examined of the good deed. Observe Peter’s point, that they are prisoners on trial for a “good deed”.

Acts 7:16

By the name of Jesus Christ. It was the power of that one whom that very court had condemned which had wrought the miracle. Whom ye crucified. Peter becomes the accuser. They, his accusers, have been guilty of crucifying the Messiah. They crucified him, but God raised him from the dead.

Acts 7:17

This is the stone which was set at nought. Quoted from Psalms 118:22. A figure drawn from a building where a rejected, despised stone is the most important and indispensable stone of the structure. Christ quoted the same passage, applied to himself (Matthew 21:42).

Acts 7:18

Neither is there salvation in any other. No other Savior but Jesus; no salvation if his is rejected; no other name or power to save from destruction, unless he is accepted. Why, then, should men invoke the Virgin, or the saints?

Acts 7:19

Perceived that they were unlearned. Not educated in the schools of the rabbis. They had, however, a better learning. They had been with Jesus. In them the crucified Jesus stands before them, fearless as their Master.

Acts 7:20

Beholding the man which was healed. He was the unimpeachable proof of the miracle.

Acts 7:21

When they had commanded them to go aside. They sent them from their presence in order that they might confer freely together. The substance of their deliberations is condensed and reported. The conclusion they arrived at was, not to punish them for a miracle that all the people knew had taken place, but to stop their preaching by threats.

Acts 7:25

Whether it be right in the sight of God. They appeal to the higher law. Their earthly government commanded them not to do what God had directed them to do. In a conflict of this kind there is only one course, that is, to obey God.

Acts 7:26

We cannot but speak. Are under a moral and spiritual obligation to speak. They had a Divine message, and must tell it.

Acts 7:27

Let them go. With threats, afraid to punish them lest they should exasperate the people.

Acts 7:28

The man was above forty years old. Therefore known to everybody as a life-long cripple.

Acts 7:29

They went to their own company. To the body of Christians assembled together, and there reported what had taken place.

Acts 7:30

Lifted up their voice to God with one accord. All engaged in prayer. It was a time of trial. They were forbidden, under awful threats, to preach Christ (Acts 4:18,21). Hence they go to God.

Acts 7:31

Why did the heathen rage? Quoted from Psalms 2:1,2. The predicted facts were all fulfilled in the trial and death of Christ. Acts 4:27 shows how they were fulfilled.

Acts 7:34

To do whatsoever . . . thy counsel determined before to be done. It is not said that God decreed that Pilate, Herod and the rulers should do what they did, but that they did what God had decreed should be done. It was God’s will that Christ should die, but they chose, of their own malignity, to slay him. Their will was free.

Acts 7:35

And now, Lord, . . . grant. Note their petition. They do not ask to be saved from pain, persecution, or death. There is nothing asked for themselves personally, but they ask (1) that they may have boldness, in the face of threats, to speak the word, and (2) that God would bear them witness by gifts of miraculous power. Their prayer is all for the work’s sake.

Acts 7:37

The place was shaken. As a sensible evidence that their prayer was granted, and then they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, as on Pentecost, so inspired that all fear was shaken off.

Acts 7:38

The multitude of them that believed. All the church. Of one heart and of one soul. Perfectly united as one body and with one life. Neither said any [of them]. Note the language that follows. It does not describe a community of goods, but a miraculous benevolence: (1) the goods were not a common fund, but each one had “goods that he possessed”; (2) he did not say that his goods were “his own”; (3) they used all as if it belonged to all; (4) there were none that lacked, for (5) those that had houses and lands sold them and brought the proceeds to the apostles. It was a time when a great liberality was called for. Thousands of Jews from abroad had become Christians and must remain at Jerusalem until instructed in the gospel. It was a great emergency, and the church was equal to it, for they brought money, goods, and the proceeds of houses and lands to sustain those who lacked. This continued until God was ready to send them forth, and when the persecution arose about Stephen they “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).

Acts 7:42

Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas. His name was Joses; but the apostles from some feature of his character called him Barnabas, “the son of exhortation” (Revised Version). A Levite. Of the sacred tribe. Of the country of Cyprus. The famous island of the Mediterranean. He and Paul afterwards carried the gospel there (Acts 13:4).

Acts 7:43

Having land. Possibly a possession somewhere in Judea. See Numbers 35:1-8 Deuteronomy 10:8,9. As a Levite, Barnabas would have rights in the Levitical possessions. This is the first mention of this celebrated companion of Paul’s missionary labors. He next appears on a mission to Antioch (Acts 11:22).

Acts 7:45

The Sin and Punishment of Ananias and Sapphira SUMMARY OF ACTS 5: The Deceit and Death of Ananias. Of Sapphira. The Increase of the Church. The Signs and Wonders. The Rage of the High Priest and the Sadducees. The Imprisonment of the Apostles. The Prison Doors Opened. Teaching in the Temple. Again Arrested and Threatened. Their Bold Answer. The Resolve of the Sanhedrin to Slay Them. The Wise Counsel of Gamaliel. The Apostles Beaten and Let Go. But. Amid the peace, grace and abounding liberality of the church there was one dark spot. The sin and fate of Ananias and his wife must be recorded.

Acts 7:46

Kept back [part] of the price. Like many others, of their own accord they sold a possession for the benefit of the church. They were not compelled to sell it, or when sold to give the money, or to give all. Their sin was not withholding a part, but lying about it. (1) They gave from the wrong motives, not for the Lord, but for human praise. (2) There was hypocrisy and falsehood. His wife also being privy [to it]. Hence equally guilty. There was a guilty conspiracy between them. Brought a certain part. Pretending it was all. His was a deliberate, public lie.

Acts 7:47

To lie to the Holy Spirit. The sin is here pointed out. The lie was not to men, but to God. The apostles were moved by the Holy Spirit. These verses show clearly that (1) the sin was hypocrisy and deception in the name of religion, and (2) that the gifts of goods were purely voluntary.

Acts 7:49

Ananias . . . gave up the ghost. Fell down and expired. There was a visible judgment upon him for his great sin. It was inflicted by the Holy Spirit through Peter, and shows how hypocrisy is regarded by the Lord. Great fear came on all. Severe examples occurred at the outset of both Dispensations. Note the case of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1,2) and the sin of Achan (Joshua 7:16-25).

Acts 7:50

The young men arose, wound him up. Wrapped his mantle tightly around him. Carried [him] out. Of the place of meeting and out of the city for burial. And buried [him]. It was common, in the warm climate of Palestine, to bury on the day of death.

Acts 7:51

His wife . . . came in. To the place of assembly, not having heard of her husband’s fate, but full of his spirit.

Acts 7:52

Whether ye sold the land for so much? Naming the amount offered by Ananias. Yea, so much. Instead of the confession that would have saved her, she persisted in the agreed upon, died as Ananias had died, and was buried in the same tomb.

Acts 7:54

The young men came in. It had required three hours to carry Ananias out of the city to the tomb and return. The gloomy incident occurred and is recorded for a wise purpose: to teach the church in the outset that even if we can deceive men, we cannot hope to deceive God. It is an example.

Acts 7:55

Great fear came upon all the church. Not of outward enemies, but of so sinning as to invoke the punishment of God. It was a salutary fear.

Acts 7:56

By the hands of the apostles were many signs. Note that no one thus far has miraculous power but the apostles. The gift of miracles was not general. When it was imparted to others, we learn how it was imparted. See Acts 6:8 8:6,14. All with one accord in Solomon’s porch. The apostles, in order to preach. See Acts 3:11. The brethren also with them.

Acts 7:57

Of the rest. Of their enemies. That the phrase does not include all who were not Christians is shown by what follows in Acts 5:14. Multitudes of converts were constantly made.

Acts 7:58

Both of men and women. This is one of a number of instances in which women are named in early church history. As remarked elsewhere, at first the converts were mainly men. See PNT Acts 4:4. Now there are also women.

Acts 7:59

They brought forth the sick into the streets. The fame of the miracles, and especially of Peter’s, caused this to be done. The shadow of Peter. It is not said that the shadow of Peter falling on them did any good, but the people supposed it might. The object is to show the great favor of the apostles with the people. It was a time, however, when multitudes of miracles were wrought.