Stephen’s speech before the council. His martyrdom.
Ste••• being permitted to answer, beginning at Abraham, shevveth that God was with their fathers both in other places, and also long before the Temple. 4• and that after it vvas built, it could not be (as they grosly imagined) a house for God to dwel in. 51 then he inueigheth against their stifneckednes, and telleth them boldly of their traiterous murdering of Christ, as their fathers had done his Prophets afore him. 54 Whereat they being vvood, he seeth heauen open, and IESVS therein his Diuine Maiestie. 57 Whereat they become more mad, so that they stone him to death (Saul consenting) he commending his soul to IESVS, and humbly praying for them.
1Then the high priest said: Are these things so?Disse adunque il principe de' sacerdoti: queste cose stanno elleno così?AND the cheefe priest said, Are these things so?Dixit autem princeps sacerdotum: Si hæc ita se habent ? 2Who said: Ye men, brethren and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charan.Ma egli disse: Uomini fratelli, e padri udite: il Dio della gloria apparì al padre nostro Abramo, mentre era nella Mesopotamia, prima che abitasse in Charran,Vvho said, Ye men, brethren and fathers, heare. The God of glorie appeared to our father Abraham vvhen he vvas in Mesopotamia, before that he abode in Charan,Qui ait: Viri fratres et patres, audite: Deus gloriæ apparuit patri nostro Abrahæ cum esset in Mesopotamia, priusquam moraretur in Charan, 3And said to him: Go forth out of thy country and from thy kindred: and come into the land which I shall shew thee.E disselli: Parti dalla tua terra, e dalla tua parentela, e vieni in quel paese, che io ti mostrerò.and said to him, Goe forth out of thy countrie, and out of thy kinred, and come into a land that I shal shevv thee.et dixit ad illum: Exi de terra tua, et de cognatione tua, et veni in terram quam monstravero tibi. 4Then he went out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Charan. And from thence, after his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein you now dwell.Allora esci dalla terra de' Caldei, e abitò in Charran. E di là, morto che fu suo padre, trasportollo (Dio) in questo paese, dove ora voi abitate.Then vvent he forth out of the land of the Chaldees, and dvvelt in Charan. And from thence, after his father vvas dead, he translated him into this land, vvherein you doe novv dvvel.Tunc exiit de terra Chaldæorum, et habitavit in Charan. Et inde, postquam mortuus est pater ejus, transtulit illum in terram istam, in qua nunc vos habitatis. 5And he gave him no inheritance in it: no, not the pace of a foot. But he promised to give it him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.E non gli diede di esso in proprietà nemmen tanto da posare il piede: ma gli promise di farne padrone lui, e la sua discendenza dopo di lui, non avendo egli prole.And he gaue him no inheritance in it, no not the pase of a foote: and he promised to giue it him in possession, and to his seede after him, vvhen as he had no childe.Et non dedit illi hæreditatem in ea, nec passum pedis: sed repromisit dare illi eam in possessionem, et semini ejus post ipsum, cum non haberet filium. 6And God said to him: That his seed should sojourn in a strange country, and that they should bring them under bondage and treat them evil four hundred years.E Dio gli disse, che la discendenza di lui sarebbe pellegrina in paese altrui, e la avrebbero posta in ischiavitù, e sarebbe maltrattata per quattrocento anni:And God spake to him, That his seede shal be a sciourner in a strange countrie, and they shal subdue them to seruitude, and shal euil intreate them fourehundred yeres:Locutus est autem ei Deus: Quia erit semen ejus accola in terra aliena, et servituti eos subjicient, et male tractabunt eos annis quadringentis:
7And the nation which they shall serve will I judge (said the Lord): and after these things they shall go out and shall serve me in this place.E la nazione, di cui sarà stata schiava, la giudicherò io, disse il Signore: e dopo queste cose usciranno, e serviranno a me in questo luogo.and the nation vvhich they shal serue, vvil I iudge, said God. and after these things they shal goeforth, and shal serue me in this place.et gentem cui servierint, judicabo ego, dixit Dominus: et post hæc exibunt, et servient mihi in loco isto. 8And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so he begot Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day: and Isaac begot Jacob: and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs.E diedegli l'alleanza della circoncisione: e così egli generò Isacco, e lo circoncise l'ottavo giorno: e Isacco Giacobbe, e Giacobbe i dodici patriarchi.And he gaue him the testament of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eight day: and Isaac, Iacob: and Iacob, the tvvelue Patriarches.Et dedit illi testamentum circumcisionis: et sic genuit Isaac, et circumcidit eum die octavo: et Isaac, Jacob: et Jacob, duodecim patriarchas. 9And the patriarchs, through envy, sold Joseph into Egypt. And God was with him,I patriarchi poi per invidia venderon Giuseppe, onde fu condotto in Egitto: ma Dio era con lui:And the Patriarches through emulatiō, sold Ioseph into Aegypt. and God vvas vvith him:Et patriarchæ æmulantes, Joseph vendiderunt in Ægyptum: et erat Deus cum eo, 10And delivered him out of all his tribulations: and he gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharao, the king of Egypt. And he appointed him governor over Egypt and over all his house.Ed egli lo cavò fuora di tutto le sue tribolazioni: e diedegli grazia, e sapienza dinanzi a Faraone re d'Egitto, onde lo costituì soprintendente dell'Egitto, e di tutta la sua casa.and deliuered him out of al his tribulations, and he gaue him grace and vvisedom in the sight of Pharao the king of Aegypt, and he appointed him Gouernour ouer Aegypt and ouer al his house.et eripuit eum ex omnibus tribulationibus ejus, et dedit ei gratiam et sapientiam in conspectu pharaonis regis Ægypti: et constituit eum præpositum super Ægyptum, et super omnem domum suam. 11Now there came a famine upon all Egypt and Chanaan, and great tribulation: and our fathers found no food.Venne di poi la fame sopra tutto l'Egitto, e nella Chananea, e miseria grande: e i padri nostri non trovavano da mangiare.And there came famin vpon al Aegypt and Chanaan, and great tribulation: and our fathers found no victuals.Venit autem fames in universam Ægyptum et Chanaan, et tribulatio magna: et non inveniebant cibos patres nostri.
12But when Jacob had heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent our fathers first.E avendo udito Giacobbe, che vi era del grano in Egitto, mandò da prima i padri nostri:But vvhen Iacob had heard that there vvas corne in Aegypt: he sent our fathers first:Cum audisset autem Jacob esse frumentum in Ægypto, misit patres nostros primum: 13And at the second time, Joseph was known by his brethren: and his kindred was made known to Pharao.E la seconda volta fu riconosciuto Giuseppe da' suoi fratelli, e si rese nota a Faraone la stirpe di lui.and at the secōd time Ioseph vvas knovven of his brethren, and his kinred vvas made knovven vnto Pharao.et in secundo cognitus est Joseph a fratribus suis, et manifestatum est Pharaoni genus ejus. 14And Joseph sending, called thither Jacob, his father, and all his kindred, seventy-five souls.E Giuseppe mandò a chiamare il padre suo Giacobbe, e tutta la sua famiglia di settantacinque anime.And Ioseph sending, called thither Iacob his father and al his kinred in seuentie fiue soules.Mittens autem Joseph, accersivit Jacob patrem suum et omnem cognationem suam, in animabus septuaginta quinque. 15So Jacob went down into Egypt. And he died, and our fathers.E andò Giacobbe in Egitto, e morì egli, e i padri nostri.And Iacob descended into Aegypt: and he died, and our fathers.Et descendit Jacob in Ægyptum: et defunctus est ipse, et patres nostri. 16And they were translated into Sichem and were laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Hemor, the son of Sichem.E furon trasportati a Sichem, e posti nel sepolcro comperato da Abramo a prezzo di denaro da' figliuoli di Emmor figliuolo di Sichem.And they vvere translated into Sichem, and vvere laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a price of siluer of the sonnes of Hemor the sonne of Sichem.Et translati sunt in Sichem, et positi sunt in sepulchro, quod emit Abraham pretio argenti a filiis Hemor filii Sichem. 17And when the time of the promise drew near, which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and were multiplied in Egypt.Ma avvicinandosi il tempo della promessa giurata da Dio ad Abramo, crebbe, e multiplicò, il popolo nell'Egitto,And vvhen the time drevv neere of the promisse vvhich God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and vvas multiplied in Aegypt,Cum autem appropinquaret tempus promissionis quam confessus erat Deus Abrahæ, crevit populus, et multiplicatus est in Ægypto, 18Till another king arose in Egypt, who knew not Joseph.Sino a tantoché venne un altro re dell'Egitto, il quale non sapeva nulla di Giuseppe.vntil an other king arose in Aegypt, that knevv not Ioseph.quoadusque surrexit alius rex in Ægypto, qui non sciebat Joseph.
19This same, dealing craftily with our race, afflicted our fathers, that they should expose their children, to the end they might not be kept alive.Questi usando astuzie contro la nostra stirpe, maltrattò i padri nostri di modo, che esponessero i proprj figli, perché non si propagassero.This same circumuenting our stocke, afflicted our fathers: that they should expose their children, to the end they might not be kept aliue.Hic circumveniens genus nostrum, afflixit patres nostros ut exponerent infantes suos, ne vivificarentur. 20At the same time was Moses born: and he was acceptable to God. Who was nourished three months in his father’s house.Nello stesso tempo nacque Mosè, ed era caro a Dio, il quale fu nudrito per tre mesi nella casa di suo padre.The same time vvas Moyses borne, and he vvas acceptable to God, who was nourished three moneths in his fathers houseEodem tempore natus est Moyses, et fuit gratus Deo: qui nutritus est tribus mensibus in domo patris sui. 21And when he was exposed, Pharao’s daughter took him up and nourished him for her own son.E quando fu esposto, lo raccolse la figliuola di Faraone, e se lo allevò come figliuolo.And vvhen he vvas exposed, Pharaos daughter tooke him vp, and nourished him for her ovvne sonne.Exposito autem illo, sustulit eum filia Pharaonis, et nutrivit eum sibi in filium. 22And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians: and he was mighty in his words and in his deeds.E fu addottrinato Mosè in tutta la sapienza degli Egiziani, ed era potente in parole, e in opere.And Moyses vvas instructed in al the vvisedom of the Aegyptians: and he vvas mightie in his vvordes and vvorkes.Et eruditus est Moyses omni sapientia Ægyptiorum, et erat potens in verbis et in operibus suis. 23And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.Compiuta poi che ebbe l'età di quarant'anni, gli entrò in cuore di visitare i suoi fratelli, i figliuoli d'Israello.And vvhen he vvas fully of the age of fourtie yeres, it came to his minde to visite his brethren the children of Israël.Cum autem impleretur ei quadraginta annorum tempus, ascendit in cor ejus ut visitaret fratres suos filios Israël. 24And when he had seen one of them suffer wrong, he defended him: and striking the Egyptian, he avenged him who suffered the injury.E vedutone uno, che veniva maltrattato, prestogli aiuto: e fece le vendette dell'oppresso, avendo ucciso l'Egiziano.And vvhen he had seen one suffer vvrong, he defended him: and striking the Aegyptian, he reuenged his quarel that susteined the vvrong.Et cum vidisset quemdam injuriam patientem, vindicavit illum, et fecit ultionem ei qui injuriam sustinebat, percusso Ægyptio.
25And he thought that his brethren understood that God by his hand would save them. But they understood it not.Ed egli si pensava, che i suoi fratelli intenderebbero, come Dio per mano di lui dava loro la salute: ma essi non l'intesero.And he thought that his brethren did vnderstand that God by his hand vvould saue them: but they vnderstood it not.Existimabat autem intelligere fratres, quoniam Deus per manum ipsius daret salutem illis: at illi non intellexerunt. 26And the day following, he shewed himself to them when they were at strife and would have reconciled them in peace, saying: Men, ye are brethren. Why hurt you one another?Il dì seguente si fece vedere ad essi, mentre altercavano: e gli esortava alla pace, dicendo: O uomini, voi siete fratelli perché vi fate del male l'un all'altro?And the day folovving he appeared to them being at strife: and he reconciled them vnto peace, saying, Men, ye are brethren, vvherfore hurt you one an other?Sequenti vero die apparuit illis litigantibus: et reconciliabat eos in pace, dicens: Viri, fratres estis: ut quid nocetis alterutrum ? 27But he that did the injury to his neighbour thrust him away, saying: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us:Ma colui, che faceva ingiuria al prossimo, lo rispinse, dicendo: Chi ti ha costituito principe, e giudice sopra di noi?But he that did the iniurie to his neighbour, repelled him, saying, Vvho hath appointed thee prince and iudge ouer vs?Qui autem injuriam faciebat proximo, repulit eum, dicens: Quis te constituit principem et judicem super nos ? 28What! Wilt thou kill me, as thou didst yesterday kill the Egyptian?Vuoi tu forse uccidermi, come uccidesti jeri l'Egiziano?Vvhat, vvilt thou kil me, as thou didst yesterday kil the Aegyptian?Numquid interficere me tu vis, quemadmodum interfecisti heri Ægyptium ? 29And Moses fled upon this word: and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begot two sons.A questa parola fuggì Mosè: e stette pellegrino nella terra di Madian, dove generò due figliuoli.And Moyses fled vpon this vvord: and he became a seiourner in the land of Madian, vvhere he begat tvvo sonnes,Fugit autem Moyses in verbo isto: et factus est advena in terra Madian, ubi generavit filios duos. 30And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him, in the desert of mount Sina, an angel in a flame of fire in a bush.E passati quaranta anni gli apparì nel deserto del monte Sina l'Angelo nel fuoco fiammante di un roveto.And after fourtie yeres vvere expired, there appeared to him in the desert of mount Sina an Angel in the fire of the flame of a bush.Et expletis annis quadraginta, apparuit illi in deserto montis Sina angelus in igne flammæ rubi.
31And Moses seeing it wondered at the sight. And as he drew near to view it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:Veduto ciò si stupì Mosè della apparizione: e accostandosi egli per osservare, udì una voce del Signore, che dissegli:And Moyses seeing it, marueled at the vision. And as he vvent neere to vevve it, the voice of our Lord vvas made to him,Moyses autem videns, admiratus est visum. Et accedente illo ut consideraret, facta est ad eum vox Domini, dicens: 32I am the God of thy fathers: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. And Moses being terrified durst not behold.Io sono il Dio de' padri tuoi, il Dio di Abramo, il Dio di Isacco, il Dio di Giacobbe. Atterrito Mosè non ardiva di osservare.I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. And Moyses being made to tremble, durst not vevve it.Ego sum Deus patrum tuorum, Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac, et Deus Jacob. Tremefactus autem Moyses, non audebat considerare. 33And the Lord said to him: Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place wherein thou standest is holy ground.Ma il Signore gli disse: Cavati da' tuoi piedi le scarpe: perché il luogo, dove stai, è terra santa.And our Lord said to him, Loose of the shoe of thy feete: for the place vvherein thou standest, is holy ground.Dixit autem illi Dominus: Solve calceamentum pedum tuorum: locus enim in quo stas, terra sancta est. 34Seeing, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt: and I have heard their groaning and am come down to deliver them. And now come: and I will send thee into Egypt.Ho veduto, ho veduto l'afflizione del popolo mio, che è in Egitto, e ho uditi i loro gemiti, e sono disceso per liberargli. Ora vieni, e ti manderò in Egitto.Seeing I haue seen the affliction of my people vvhich is in Aegypt, and I haue heard their groning, and am descended to deliuer them. And novv come, and I vvil send thee into Aegypt.Videns vidi afflictionem populi mei qui est in Ægypto, et gemitum eorum audivi, et descendi liberare eos. Et nunc veni, et mittam te in Ægyptum. 35This Moses, whom they refused, saying: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge? Him God sent to be prince and redeemer, by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.Questo Mosè, cui rifiutarono col dire: Chi ti ha costituito principe, e giudice? questo e principe, e liberatore mandollo Iddio per ministero dell'Angelo, che gli apparì nel roveto.This Moyses, vvhom they denied, saying, Vvho hath appointed the prince and Captaine? him God sent prince & redeemer, vvith the hand of the Angel that appeared to him in the bush.Hunc Moysen, quem negaverunt, dicentes: Quis te constituit principem et judicem ? hunc Deus principem et redemptorem misit, cum manu angeli qui apparuit illi in rubo.
36He brought them out, doing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the desert, forty years.Questi li trasse fuori, avendo fatto segni, e prodigj nella terra di Egitto, e nel mare rosso, e nel deserto per quaranta anni.He brought them forth doing vvonders and signes in the land of Aegypt, and in the redde sea, and in the desert fourtie yeres.Hic eduxit illos faciens prodigia et signa in terra Ægypti, et in rubro mari, et in deserto annis quadraginta. 37This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel: A prophet shall God raise up to you of your own brethren, as myself. Him shall you hear.Questi è quel Mosè, che disse a' figliuoli d'Israele: Dio susciterà a voi un profeta del numero de' vostri fratelli, come me, lui ascolterete.This is that Moyses vvhich said to the children of Israël, A prophet vvil God raise vp to you of your ovvne brethren at my self: him you shal heare. This is he that vvas in the assemblie in the vvildernesse,Hic est Moyses, qui dixit filiis Israël: Prophetam suscitabit vobis Deus de fratribus vestris, tamquam me: ipsum audietis. 38This is he that was in the church in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sina and with our fathers. Who received the words of life to give unto us.Questi è, che fu colla adunanza del popolo nel deserto coll'Angelo, che gli parlava nel monte Sina, e con i padri nostri: e ricevette le parole di vita per darle a noi,vvith the Angel that spake to him in Mount-Sina, and vvith our fathers: vvho receiued the vvordes of life to giue vnto vs.Hic est qui fuit in ecclesia in solitudine cum angelo, qui loquebatur ei in monte Sina, et cum patribus nostris: qui accepit verba vitæ dare nobis. 39Whom our fathers would not obey: but thrust him away and in their hearts turned back into Egypt,Al quale non vollero essere ubbidienti i padri nostri: ma lo rigettarono e si rivolsero co' loro cuori all'Egitto,To vvhom our fathers vvould not be obedient: but they repelled him, and in their hartes turned avvay into Aegypt,Cui noluerunt obedire patres nostri: sed repulerunt, et aversi sunt cordibus suis in Ægyptum, 40Saying to Aaron: Make us gods to go before us. For as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.Dicendo ad Aronne: Fa' a noi degli dei, i quali ci vadano innanzi: perchè di quel Mosè, che ci ha tratti dalla terra di Egitto, non sappiam quel, che ne sia stato.saying to Aaron: Make vs goddes that may goe before vs for this Moyses that brought vs out of the land of Aegypt, vve knovv not vvhat is befallen to him.dicentes ad Aaron: Fac nobis deos qui præcedant nos: Moyses enim hic, qui eduxit nos de terra Ægypti, nescimus quid factum sit ei.
41And they made a calf in those days and offered sacrifices to the idol and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.E fecer di que' giorni un vitello, e offerirono sagrifizio a un simolacro, e si rallegrarono delle opere delle lor mani.And they made a calfe in those daies, and offered sacrifice to the Idol, and reioyced in the vvorkes of their ovvne handes.Et vitulum fecerunt in diebus illis, et obtulerunt hostiam simulacro, et lætabantur in operibus manuum suarum. 42And God turned and gave them up to serve the host of heaven, as it is written in the books of the prophets: Did you offer victims and sacrifices to me for forty years, in the desert, O house of Israel?Ma Dio da lor si rivolse, egli diede a servire alla milizia del cielo, come sta scritto nel libro de' profeti: Mi avete voi forse offerto vittime, e ostie per quaranta anni nel deserto o casa d'Israele?And God turned, and deliuered them vp to serue the host of heauen, as it is vvritten in the booke of the Prophets: Did you offer victims and hostes vnto me fourtie yeres in the desert, O house of Israël?Convertit autem Deus, et tradidit eos servire militiæ cæli, sicut scriptum est in libro prophetarum: Numquid victimas et hostias obtulistis mihi / annis quadraginta in deserto, domus Israël ? 43And you took unto you the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god Rempham, figures which you made to adore them. And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.Ma voi avete portato il padiglione di Moloch, e l'astro del vostro Dio Rempham, figure fatte da voi per adorarle. E io vi trasporterò di là da Babilonia.And you tooke vnto you the tabernacle of Moloch, and the starre of your God Rempham, figures vvhich you made, to adore them. And I vvil translate you beyond Babylon.Et suscepistis tabernaculum Moloch, / et sidus dei vestri Rempham, / figuras quas fecistis adorare eas: / et transferam vos trans Babylonem. 44The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the desert, as God ordained for them, speaking to Moses, that he should make it according to the form which he had seen.Ebbero i padri nostri il tabernacolo del testimonio nel deserto, conforme aveva ordinato Dio, dicendo a Mosè, che lo facesse secondo il modello, che avea veduto.The tabernacle of testimonie vvas among our fathers in the desert, as God ordained speaking to Moyses, that he should make it according to the forme vvhich he had seen.Tabernaculum testimonii fuit cum patribus nostris in deserto, sicut disposuit illis Deus loquens ad Moysen, ut faceret illud secundum formam quam viderat.
45Which also our fathers receiving, brought in with Jesus, into the possession of the Gentiles: whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David,Il quale ricevuto di mano in mano lo condusser seco i padri nostri con Gesù a prender possesso delle nazioni, le quali andò Dio scacciando dal cospetto dei padri nostri sino ai giorni di Davidde.Vvhich our fathers vvith Iesus receiuing, brought it in also into the possession of the Gentiles, vvhich God expelled from the face of our fathers, till in the daies of Dauid,Quod et induxerunt, suscipientes patres nostri cum Jesu in possessionem gentium quas expulit Deus a facie patrum nostrorum, usque in diebus David, 46Who found grace before God and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.Il quale trovò grazia davanti a Dio, e pregò di trovare un tabernacolo pel Dio di Giacobbe.Vvho found grace before God, and desired that he might finde a tabernacle for the God of Iacob.qui invenit gratiam ante Deum, et petiit ut inveniret tabernaculum Deo Jacob. 47But Solomon built him a house,Salomone poi edificò casa per esso.And Salomon built him a house.Salomon autem ædificavit illi domum. 48Yet the most High dwelleth not in houses made by hands, as the prophet saith:Ma non abita in templi manofatti l'Eccelso, come dice il profeta:But the Highest dvvelleth not in houses made by hand, as the prophet saith:Sed non Excelsus in manufactis habitat, sicut propheta dicit: 49Heaven is my throne and the earth my footstool. What house will you build me (saith the Lord)? Or what is the place of my resting?Il cielo è mio trono: e la terra sgabello a' miei piedi. Qual sorta di casa mi edificherete, dice il Signore? O qual sarà il luogo del mio riposo?Heauen is my seate: and the earth the foote-stole of my feete. Vvhat house vvil you build me, saith our Lord? or vvhat place is there of my resting?Cælum mihi sedes est: / terra autem scabellum pedum meorum. / Quam domum ædificabitis mihi ? dicit Dominus: / aut quis locus requietionis meæ est ? 50Hath not my hand made all these things?Non ha ella fatto la mano mia tutte queste cose?Hath not my hand made al these things?Nonne manus mea fecit hæc omnia ? 51You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Ghost. As your fathers did, so do you also.Duri di cervice, e incirconcisi di cuore, e di adito, voi sempre resistete allo Spirito santo, come i padri vostri, così anche voi.You stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hartes and eares, you alvvaies resist the holy Ghost: as your fathers, your selues also.Dura cervice, et incircumcisis cordibus et auribus, vos semper Spiritui Sancto resistitis: sicut patres vestri, ita et vos. 52Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them who foretold of the coming of the Just One: of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers.Qual de' profeti non perseguitarono i padri vostri? E ucciser coloro, che predicevano la venuta del Giusto, di cui voi siete stati adesso i traditori, e gli omicidi:Vvhich of the prophets did not your fathers persecute And they slevve them that foretold of the comming of the Iust one, of vvhom novv you haue been betraiers and murderers:Quem prophetarum non sunt persecuti patres vestri ? et occiderunt eos qui prænuntiabant de adventu Justi, cujus vos nunc proditores et homicidæ fuistis:
53Who have received the law by the disposition of angels and have not kept it.I quali avete ricevuto la legge per ministero degli Angeli, e non l'avete osservata.vvho receiued the Lavv by the disposition of Angels, and haue not kept it.qui accepistis legem in dispositione angelorum, et non custodistis. 54Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart: and they gnashed with their teeth at him.All'udir tali cose si rodevano nei loro cuori, e digrignavano i denti contro di lui.And hearing these things they vvere cut in their hartes, and they gnashed vvith their teeth at him.Audientes autem hæc, dissecabantur cordibus suis, et stridebant dentibus in eum. 55But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said: Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.Ma egli pieno essendo di Spirito santo, fiso mirando il cielo, vide la gloria di Dio, e Gesù stante alla destra di Dio. E disse: Ecco che io veggo aperti i cieli, e il Figliuolo dell'uomo stante alla destra di Dio.But he being ful of the holy Ghost, looking stedfastly vnto heauen, savv the glorie of God, and IESVS standing on the right hand of God. And he said, Behold I see the heauens opened, and the Sonne of man standing on the right hand of God.Cum autem esset plenus Spiritu Sancto, intendens in cælum, vidit gloriam Dei, et Jesum stantem a dextris Dei. Et ait: Ecce video cælos apertos, et Filium hominis stantem a dextris Dei. 56And they, crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears and with one accord ran violently upon him.Ma quegli alzando le grida, si turaron le orecchie, e tutti d'accordo gli corsero addosso con furia.And they crying out vvith a loude voice, stopped their eares, & vvith one accord ranne violently vpon him.Exclamantes autem voce magna continuerunt aures suas, et impetum fecerunt unanimiter in eum. 57And casting him forth without the city, they stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul.E cacciatolo fuora della città lo lapidavano: e i testimoni posarono le loro vesti ai piedi di un giovanotto chiamato Saulo.And casting him forth vvithout the citie, they stoned him: and the vvitnesses laid of their garments beside the feete of a yong man that vvas called Saul.Et ejicientes eum extra civitatem, lapidabant: et testes deposuerunt vestimenta sua secus pedes adolescentis qui vocabatur Saulus.
58And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.E lapidavano Stefano, il quale orava, e diceva: Signore Gesù, ricevi il mio spirito.And they stoned Steuen inuocating, and saying: Lord IESVS, receiue my spirit.Et lapidabant Stephanum invocantem, et dicentem: Domine Jesu, suscipe spiritum meum. 59And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord. And Saul was consenting to his death.E piegate le ginocchia, gridò ad alta voce, dicendo: Signore, non imputar loro questa cosa a peccato. E detto questo si addormentò nel Signore. E Saulo era consenziente alla morte di lui.And falling on his knees, he cried vvith a loude voice, saying: Lord, lay not this sinne vnto them. And vvhen he had said this, he fel a sleepe. And Saul vvas consenting to his death.Positis autem genibus, clamavit voce magna, dicens: Domine, ne statuas illis hoc peccatum. Et cum hoc dixisset, obdormivit in Domino. Saulus autem erat consentiens neci ejus.
7:1
about the year A.D. 33.
Witham
Are these things so? The high priest speaks after this mild manner, being either terrified, or charmed with his angelical countenance. St. Stephen's design in this discourse, was to shew them, first, that he was falsely accused of speaking either against Moses, or the law, for which he shews so great a veneration. 2. He puts them in mind, that the true worship of God may subsist without a temple, as it did in the time of Abraham, and the patriarchs, before the law was given, or the temple built. 3. That as their forefathers had been rebellious to Moses, and disobedient to the prophets, whom they many times persecuted even to death, so they had lately resisted, persecuted, and crucified their Messias. (Witham)
7:5
Witham
Not the pace of a foot; not so much as a foot of land, that is, to dwell in, though he bought there a place to bury in. (Genesis 23:9.) (Witham)
7:6
Witham
For four hundred years, counting from the birth of Isaac, which was twenty-five years after the call and promises made to Abraham. It is certain the Israelites were not four hundred years in Egypt. (Witham)
Four hundred. These words are taken from the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, in which Moses mentions the same number of years. This calculation is made from the entry of Abraham into Chanaan, to the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt. Strictly, the Israelites did not remain in Egypt more than two hundred and fifteen years.
7:7
Witham
The nation which they shall serve, I will judge. The meaning is, that God would afflict the Egyptians with divers plagues, or visible punishments, before they dismissed the Israelites. (Witham)
7:8
Witham
The covenant, or the testament,[Ver. 8. Testamentum, ten diatheken. See Hebrews 9:16.] and alliance of circumcision, by which the Israelites should be known to be the elect people of God. (Witham)
Bible de Vence
Literally, he gave them the alliance of circumcision; he made with him an alliance, of which circumcision was the seal. (Bible de Vence)
7:10
Witham
Gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharao. Some understand divine graces, and gifts of prophecy, and the like: others, that he made him find favour in the sight of king Pharao, who appointed him to be governor of Egypt. (Witham)
7:16
Witham
Which Abraham bought ... of the sons of Hemor, the son of Sichem. This purchase made by Abraham must be different from the purchase of a field made afterwards by Jacob. (Genesis 33:19.) See a Lapide, the author of the Analysis, dissert. 23. P. Alleman, etc. (Witham)
Calmet
Abraham bought. There must be an error of the copyist in this verse. Either the word Abraham ought to be omitted, or changed into Jacob. For it is plain, from Genesis 33:19. that the latter bought the land from the sons of Hemor. The Hebrew says, he bought it for one hundred kesitha, which some translate pieces of silver; others, lambs. As for Abraham, and Jacob, they were buried in the cavern of Mambre, which Abraham had purchased from the children of Heth. (Genesis xxiii.) (Calmet)
Bible de Vence
It is supposed that originally the name of Jacob was given, abridged JAB, and that the first letter having disappeared, the two remaining letters were taken by misprision, for the abridgment of the name of Abraham. Hemor was the father of Sichem, and here the Greek text simply calls him Hemor of Sichem. (Bible de Vence)
7:19
Witham
Dealing craftily, circumventing craftily, afflicting, and endeavouring to extirpate the race of the Israelites. (Witham)
7:20
Witham
Moses ... was acceptable to God.[Ver. 20. Gratus Deo, asteios to theo. Acceptable to God. It may also signify, beautiful in the sight of God, that is, in the style of the Scriptures, very beautiful.] Greatly favoured both with gifts of nature and grace. Some expound it, was extremely fair or beautiful. (Witham)
7:21
Philo believes that the princess feigned him to be her own child; Moses denied that he was, and would not take advantage of this adoption. (Hebrews 11:24.)
7:22
Calmet
In words and in deeds. Moses was persuasive and powerful in reasoning; but had an impediment in his speech, as we know from Exodus 4:10.; Exodus 6:12. He possessed, moreover, strength, energy, and grandeur, in his discourse. Of this we have abundant proofs in his books. He is inimitable in narrating, as often as he writes laws, composes canticles, or makes harangues. He is simple, clear, sublime, vehement, concise, prolix, and rapid, in turns, as the nature of his subject requires. He was likewise powerful in work. All his conduct was wise, virtuous, enlightened, as well in affairs of policy, as in war. He was an able captain, before he put himself at the head of the Israelites. (Calmet)
Josephus assures us that he became a great conqueror.
7:29
Bible de Vence
Moses fled upon this word; because he perceived the murder he had committed was become public, though he thought it to be secret. (Menochius) He fled, to avoid the anger of the king, into Madian, where during his sojourning, he had two sons of Sephora, whom he married there. (Bible de Vence)
Moses of Moyses, in the Egyptian dialect, means, saved from water. He slew the Egyptian by particular inspiration of God, as a prelude to his delivering the people from oppression and bondage. (ver. 25. above)
Challoner
But such particular and extraordinary examples are not to be imitated. (Challoner)
St. Thomas Aquinas
He was inspired to stand up, as the Egyptian law required, in defence of the innocent. (St. Thomas Aquinas, 2:2. q. 60.)
7:30
Witham
In a flame of fire, in a bush.[Ver. 30. In igne flammae rubi, en phlogi puros batou. In flamma ignis rubi.] Literally, in the fire of a flame of the bush. The sense must be, that the bush seemed on fire, and in a flame, and yet was not consumed. (Witham)
7:33
Loose the shoes. This was a method of testifying respect among the eastern nations. The Mahometans do not wear their shoes in their mosques. The Jewish priests served in the temple with their shoes off. The angel who appeared to Josue ordered him also to take off his shoes. (Josue 5:16.) If the apparition of an angel, or of God himself, could make the place and ground holy so as to deserve external signs of respect, and veneration from Moses; how much more the corporal birth, abode, and miracles of the Son of God in Jewry, and the blessed Sacrament, must make that country, and all Catholic chapels and altars, holy? Is it not then the height of blindness to tax with superstition, the reverence Christians pay to things or places, rendered holy by the presence, or wonderful operations of God.
7:35
Witham
Moses, whom they refused. Literally, denied. So have you rejected, and denied Jesus, of whom Moses prophesied, when he said that God would raise up to them a prophet like to himself, and commanded them to hear him. (Witham)
Redeemer. In the Greek Lutroten; Protestant version, Deliverer; though the learned Polus, in his Synopsis Criticorum, on this place, says, "that no greater injury is done to God, by calling Moses a Redeemer, in this place, than by calling him a Mediator, in Galatians 3:19. He is called a Redeemer, says this learned Protestant commentator, in as much as he led forth, and preserved the people of God safe by the blood of a lamb, and thus exhibited a figure of the true redemption, through the blood of Christ." We all own that Jesus Christ, as having paid the ransom of our delivery with his own blood, is, strictly speaking, our only true Redeemer, and Advocate with his Father, who asks and obtains all things immediately by his own merit; but this does not exclude the prayers of the saints, both alive and dead. Did not the apostles pray for the people, and desire the people to pray for them? "Our Lord Jesus Christ still intercedes for us, and all the martyrs that are with him, pray for us: nor will their intercession cease, till we cease our groanings," says St. Augustine, in Ps. lxxxv. in fine.
7:38
This is he who was in the Church[Ver. 38. In the assembly. Literally, in Ecclesia, en te ekklesia.] in the wilderness, after God had by him delivered their Fathers out of their slavery in Egypt.
An angel spoke to him on Mount Sinai. By this St. Stephen owns that the law was given by an angel to Moses: and also shews how falsely he was accused to have spoken against Moses, or against the law.
7:39
Witham
Whom our Fathers would not obey, murmuring, and rebelling from time to time. And in their hearts turned back into Egypt, as they shewed, by wishing themselves there again. (Witham)
7:40
Witham
Saying to Aaron, make us gods: forcing him, in a manner, to make them the golden calf, while Moses was receiving the law from God. (Witham)
7:42
Witham
And God turned. Turned as it were from them, punishing them, by permitting them to serve the host of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars. (Witham)
7:43
Witham
And you, that is, your forefathers, took unto you the tabernacle of Moloch. He reproaches the Jews with their idolatry and worship of different false gods, from time to time, notwithstanding God's comminations by the prophets, of which he puts them in mind by these words, and I will translate you beyond Babylon. The prophet Amos (Amos 5:27.) out of whom St. Stephen takes this citation, says, beyond Damascus, but the sense is the same, being a prediction, that the ten tribes of Israel should be carried away captives beyond Damascus by the Assyrians, and even beyond Babylon into Media, Persia, etc. (Witham)
7:44
The tabernacle of the testimony, in which was the ark of the covenant, as they were made by Moses, which were moved from place to place with the Israelites in the wilderness; and which Jesus, or Josue, brought with the people, into the possessions of the Gentiles, that is, into the land of Chanaan, which had been before possessed by the Gentiles.
Witham
This tabernacle, in which was kept the ark, remained with the Israelites till the time of David, or rather of Solomon, who built the temple. (Witham)
7:48
Witham
But the most High dwelleth not in houses made by hands. God is every where, nor is his presence confined to the temple, which was already once destroyed; and what if it be destroyed again, as Christ foretold? God must still be adored, worshipped and served, as he was before the temple was first built, which was only by Solomon. (Witham)
Dwelleth not in houses. That is, so as to stand in need of earthly dwellings, or to be contained or circumscribed by them. Though otherwise, by his immense divinity, he is in our houses, and every where else; and Christ in his humanity dwelt in houses: and is now on our altars. (Challoner) ---It is not so much for God, as for ourselves, that we build temples, and it is a pure effect of his goodness and mercy, that he permits us to build them to him. Places consecrated in a particular manner to his service, where he gives the most sensible marks of his presence, are of assistance to us, when we render our homage, address our vows, and offer our prayers to the Deity. St. Stephen's design in this part of his discourse, is to prove that the true religion may subsist without the temple; therefore, that he could not be guilty of blasphemy, supposing he had even used the words which the malice of the Jews put into his mouth, that Jesus of Nazareth would destroy this place. (Chap. 6:14.)
7:51
Witham
Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart. St. Stephen, inspired by the Holy Ghost, knowing he should die a martyr, boldly reproaches them for persecuting the prophets, for putting to death the just one, that is, the Messias, foretold by the prophets. (Witham)
Observe the holy indignation of St. Stephen at the obduracy of the incredulous Jews!
7:54
Witham
They were cut to the heart: exasperated even to rage and madness. See Acts 5:33. gnashing their teeth with indignation. (Witham)
7:55
Bristow
This is the comfort of all martyrs. (Bristow)
This the support of every Christian under the severest trials of either mind or body: this the sweetener of every burthen and cross.
7:56
Witham
Stopped their ears, crying out, blasphemy: and they stoned him to death. He praying for them, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, in imitation of his Lord and Master, our Saviour Christ. And[Ver. 56. [Ver. 60.] Obdormivit in Domino, ekoimethe.] reposed in the Lord. Literally, slept. In most Greek copies, are now wanting, in the Lord; but it is no doubt the sense. (Witham)
Rushed in violently upon him. This proceeding, without any sentence, or form of law, was altogether irregular; and never used in the better times of the Jewish government. This was called, judgment of zeal, and only allowed in one instance, viz. when any one came to draw the people to idolatry. Afterwards, this kind of proceeding was extended to other crimes. See Deuteronomy 13:6; Numbers 24; Numbers 25; 1 Machabees 11:24; etc.
7:58
St. Fulgentius
Invoking. See with what arms St. Stephen defended himself against the fury of his enemies. He puts on charity for a breast-plate, and by that came off victorious. By his love of God, he resisted the enraged Jews; by the love he bore his neighbour, he prayed for those that stoned him. Through charity, he admonished them of their errors, in order to their amendment; through charity, he besought the divine goodness not to punish their crimes against him. Leaning on charity, he overcame the cruelty of Saul, and merited to have him a companion in heaven, who had been his chief persecutor on earth. (St. Fulgentius, Serm. de S. Steph.)
We here again see the powerful intercession of the saints; "for," says St. Augustine, "if Stephen had not thus prayed, the Church would not have to glory in a St. Paul. Si Stephanus non sic orasset, Ecclesia Paulum non haberet." (Serm. 1:de S. Steph.)
7:45
Jesus.... That is Josue, so called in Greek.
7:48
Dwelleth not in houses, etc.... That is, so as to stand in need of earthly dwellings, or to be contained, or circumscribed by them. Though, otherwise by his immense divinity, he is in our houses; and every where else; and Christ in his humanity dwelt in houses; and is now on our altars.
7:2
Concordance Gen. 12, 1.
7:6
Concordance Gen. 15, 13.
7:7
〈Greek〉
7:8
Concordance Gen, 17.
Concordance Gen. 21.
Concordance Gen. 25.
7:9
Concordance Gen. 29. 30. 35.
7:10
Concordance Gen. 37.
Concordance Gen. 41.
7:11
Concordance Gen. 42.
7:12
Concordance Gen. 45.
7:14
Concordance Gen. 46.
7:15
Concordance Gen. 49.
7:16
Translation of Saincts bodies agreable to nature & Scripture. And the desire to be buried in one place more then an other (which the holy Patriarches also had Gen. 49, 29. 50, 24. Hebr. 11, 22.) hath sometime great causes. Aug. de Cur. pr• mort. c. 1. & vlt.
Concordance Gen. 50.
Concordance Gen. 23.
Concordance Ios. 24.
7:17
Concordance Exo, 1, 7.
7:20
Concordance Exo. 2, 2.
7:22
Concordance Exo. 2, 11.
7:25
Concordance Exo. 2, 13.
7:30
Concordance Exo. 3, 2.
7:33
33. Holy ground.) The holy land. If that apparition of God him self or an Angel, could make the place and ground holy, and to be vsed of Moyses with al signes of reuerence and feare-how much more the corporal birth, Holy places. abode, and wonders of the Sonne of God in Iewrie, and his personal presence in the B. Sacrament, may make that countrie and al Christian Churches & altars holy? And it is the greatest blindnes that can be, to thinke it superstition to reuerence any things or places in respect of Gods presence or wonderous operation in the same. See S. Hierom. ep. 17, 18. 27. of the holy land.
7:35
Christ is our Redeemer, and yet Moyses is here called redeemer. so Christ is our Mediator and Aduocate, and yet we may haue Saincts our inferior mediators and aduocates also. See Annot. 1 〈◊〉. 2, 1.
7:36
Concordance Exo. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12, 37.
7:37
38. They stoned him.) Read a maruelous narration in S. Augustine of one stone, that hitting the Martyr on the elbovv, Relikes. rebounded backe to a faithful man that stood neere. Who keeping and carying it vvith him, vvas by reuelation vvarned to leaue it at Ancóna in Italie: vvherevpon a Church or Memorie of S. Steuen vvas there erected, and many miracles done after the said Martyrs body vvas found out, and not before. Aug. •o. 10 ser. 38 de diuersis in edit. Paris.
Concordance Exo. 16.
Concordance Deu. 18.
Concordance Exo. 19, 3. 19.
7:40
Concordance Exo. 32, 1.
7:42
For a iust punishment of their former offenses God gaue them vp to worke what wickednes they would them selues, as it is said of the Gentils Rom. 1.
〈Greek〉.
Concordance Amos. 5, 25.
7:44
Concordance Exo. 25. 40.
7:45
This is Iosuè, so called in Greeke in type of our Sauiour.
Concordance Ios. 3, 14.
7:46
Concordance Ps. 131, 5.
Concordance 1. Par. 17.
7:47
Concordance Act. 17, 25.
7:48
48. Not in houses.) The vulgar Heretikes alleage this place against the corporal being of Christ in the B. Sacrament & in Churches: by which reason they might haue driuen him out of al houses, Churches, God is not conteined in place, yet he vvil be vvorshipped in one place more thē in an other. and corporal places, when he vvas visible in earth. But it is meant of the Diuinitie only. & spoken to correct the carnal Ievves: who thought God either so to be conteined, compassed, and limited to their Temple, that he could be no vvhere els, or at least that he vvould not heare or receiue mens praiers and sacrifices in the Churches of the Gentiles, or els vvhere, out of the said Temple. And so as it maketh nothing for the Sacramentaries, no more doth it serue for such as esteeme Churches and places of publike praier no more conuenient nor more holy then any other profane houses or chambers. For though his person or vertue be not limited to any place, yet it pleaseth him condescending to our necessitie and profite, to vvorke his vvonders and to be vvorshipped of vs in holy places rather then profane.
7:49
Concordance Esa. 66, 1.
7:55
The comfort of al Martyrs.
7:57
Concordance Act. 22, 20.
7:59
Eusebius Emissenus saith, whē he praieth for his persecutors, he promiseth to his worshippers his manifest intercessiō & suffrages. •. •o. S. Steph. & S. Augustine, Si Stephaniu si• nō orasset, Ecclesiae Paulū nō haberet. Serm 1 de Stephano.
7:1
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 15
… For there are, yes, there are faces full-fraught with spiritual grace, lovely to them that love, awful to haters and enemies. It mentions also the reason, why they suffered his oration.—“Then,” it proceeds, “said the high-priest, Are these things so?” (
7:2
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.12.10
… and the nation whom they shall serve will I judge, says the Lord. And after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. And He gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so [Abraham] begat Isaac.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 15
… vii. 1 .) Observe, the question is put with mildness, that he may effect some great mischief. For this reason Stephen too begins his speech in a tone of gentleness, and says, “Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 3
He has no name by which he may represent these things, and on all occasions calls them “glory,” which is in fact, with us, the name and appellation of every kind of magnificence. Mark, he says, the Father of glory; (cf.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 16.15
Now the blessed Stephen, in narrating these things in the Acts of the Apostles, says: “The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, and come into the land which I will show thee.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 16.16
… for he could not depart thence unless he had first dwelt there. Does this, then, contradict what Stephen says, “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 3.11
24. For Stephen, too, in the Acts of the Apostles, relates these things in that manner in which they are also written in the Old Testament: “Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken,” he says; “The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia.”
7:3
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 15
… “And from thy kindred.” How then saith the Scripture, that Abraham’s father was willing to go out? Hence we learn, that it was in consequence of Abraham’s vision, that his father was moved to join in the migration. ( Gen. xi. 31 .) “And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into a land which I shall show thee.” (
7:4
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 15
… “Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, He removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. And He gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 16.15
… Therefore he had already departed from the Chaldeans. So that when Stephen adds, “Then Abraham went out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran,”
7:5
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 5.32
… For all the earth which thou seest, I will give to thee and to thy seed, even for ever.” And again He says, “Arise, and go through the length and breadth of the land, since I will give it unto thee;” and [yet] he did not receive an inheritance in it, not even a footstep, but was always a stranger and a pilgrim therein.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 15
… But if Abraham’s father was not allowed to take part with him in the privilege of migrating to Palestine, because he was unworthy: much more shall the children (be excluded at last), for all that they may have gone a good distance on the way. “And He promised,” it says, “to give it to him, and to his seed after him.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
… The Patriarch knew not that he was entertaining Angels, and he did entertain them. ( Gen. xviii. 3 .) Let us take shame to ourselves, I beseech you: he was sitting in mid-day, being in a foreign land, where he had none inheritance, “not so much as to set his foot on” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 1
… and did not so much as take count of ills so great, but though he grieved as a man yet sank not. So too was that Patriarch encompassed with joy in the midst of much painful suffering; for consider, he forsook his country, underwent journeyings long and hard; when he came into a strange land, had “not so much as to set his foot on.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 25
I mean this: He had said, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and I will give thee this land.” ( Gen. xii. 1, 7 .) “He gave him none inheritance in it, no not so much as to set his foot on.” (
7:6
Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 2
… For thus, after the above-mentioned patriarchs, was the Law given to Moses, at that (well-known) time after their exode from Egypt, after the interval and spaces of four hundred years. In fact, it was after Abraham’s “four hundred and thirty years”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… So also now, though He has promised a Kingdom, yet He suffers us to be exercised in temptations. If here the freedom was not to be till after four hundred years, what wonder, with regard to the Kingdom? Yet he performed it, and lapse of time availed not to falsify His word. Moreover, it was no ordinary bondage they underwent.
7:8
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 3.5.2
2. For the Jews after the ascension of our Saviour, in addition to their crime against him, had been devising as many plots as they could against his apostles. First Stephen was stoned to death by them,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… but they themselves also, He saith, shall enjoy a mighty salvation. Here he reminds them too of the benefit which they enjoyed. “And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so he begat Isaac.” Here he lets himself down to lower matters. “And circumcised him on the eighth day: and Isaac (begat) Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.” (
7:9
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… “And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so he begat Isaac.” Here he lets himself down to lower matters. “And circumcised him on the eighth day: and Isaac (begat) Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.” ( v. 8 ).—Here he seems to hint now at the type. “And the patriarchs moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt.” (
7:10
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… 9 .) Here again, the type of Christ. Though they had no fault to find with him, and though he came on purpose to bring them their food, they thus ill-treated him. Still here again the promise, though it is a long while first, receives its fulfillment. “And God was with him”—this also is for them—“and delivered him out of all his afflictions.” (
7:11
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… his brethren sold him, this (barbarian) honored him. “Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren.” (
7:13
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.” (
7:14
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Letters on the Apollinarian Controversy 101
… Or, again, they must suppose that our fathers went down into Egypt without bodies and invisible, and that only the Soul of Joseph was imprisoned by Pharaoh, because it is written, “They went down into Egypt with threescore and fifteen Souls,”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.13
… For He that said, “Unto Thee shall all flesh come ,” does not mean that the flesh will be presented before the Judge apart from the souls: and when we read in sacred History that Jacob went down into Egypt with seventy-five souls
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 2
And the very divine Moses when he told the tale of them that came down into Egypt and stated with whom each tribal chief had come in, added, “All the souls that came out of Egypt were seventy-five,”
7:15
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 57.10
… “With threescore and fifteen souls Jacob went down into Egypt, and died himself, and our fathers were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.”
7:17
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… 11–16 ). It shows, that they were not masters even to the extent of a burying-place. “But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, till another king arose, which knew not Joseph” (
7:19
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 24
… He is good by nature, in the same way as the Father is good, and the Son is good; the creature on the other hand shares in goodness by choosing the good. He knows “The deep things of God;” the creature receives the manifestation of ineffable things through the Spirit. He quickens together with God, who produces and preserves all things alive,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 1-2.27
… “The same energies produce sameness of works.” Let us test this by facts. The energy of fire is always one and the same; it consists in heating: but what sort of agreement do its results show? Bronze melts in it; mud hardens; wax vanishes: while all other animals are destroyed by it, the salamander is preserved alive
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… And yet already four hundred years were passed, nay more, in Egypt. But this is the wonder of it. “The same dealt subtly with our kindred, and evil-entreated our fathers, that they should cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.” (
7:20
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Hexæmeron 1.1
… Because, if the weakness of our intelligence does not allow us to penetrate the depth of the thoughts of the writer, yet we shall be involuntarily drawn to give faith to his words by the force of his authority. Now it is Moses who has composed this history; Moses, who, when still at the breast, is described as exceeding fair;
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… 13–18 ). Then again, fresh disappointment ( ἀνελπιστία ): first, famine, but they came through that: secondly, the falling into the hands of their enemy: thirdly, the being destroyed by the king. Then (to show) God’s fulness of ways and means ( εὐμήχανον ), “In which time,” it says, “Moses was born, and was exceeding fair.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 8
… Was the child beautiful? But be it what it may, not more beauteous is he than Isaac: and he too was an only one. Was it born in thine old age? So too was he. But is it fair? Well: however fair it may be, it is not lovelier than Moses (
7:21
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… “And was nourished up in his father’s house three months.” But when man’s help was despaired of, and they cast him forth, then did God’s benefit shine forth conspicuous. “And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.” (
7:22
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus, XXXII 1
Josephus says, that when Moses had been brought up in the royal palaces, he was chosen as general against the Ethiopians; and having proved victorious, obtained in marriage the daughter of that king, since indeed, out of her affection for him, she delivered the city up to him.
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 3.46
… And in the Acts of the Apostles Stephen bears witness to the great learning of Moses, which he had obtained wholly from ancient writings not accessible to the multitude. For he says: “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 1.26
123. Moses, learned as he was in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… But it is not the same thing for God himself to do a thing, and for a thing to come to pass in connection with man’s purpose ( προαίρεσις ). For these things indeed were in connection with man’s purpose [ but the Resurrection by itself, independently.]—“And he was mighty,” it says, “in word and in deed” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 7.9
… For it pleased Thee, O Lord, to take away the reproach of diminution from Jacob, that the elder should serve the younger; and Thou hast called the Gentiles into Thine inheritance. And I had come unto Thee from among the Gentiles, and I strained after that gold which Thou willedst Thy people to take from Egypt, seeing that wheresoever it was it was Thine.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 15.27
… and that there was consequently an area of 900 cubits by 150. And if we accept what Origen has with some appropriateness suggested, that Moses the man of God, being, as it is written, “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.37
… Yet it must be confessed that before Moses there had already been, not indeed among the Greeks, but among barbarous nations, as in Egypt, some doctrine which might be called their wisdom, else it would not have been written in the holy books that Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Christian Doctrine 2.40
… How much Lactantius brought with him? And Victorinus, and Optatus, and Hilary, not to speak of living men! How much Greeks out of number have borrowed! And prior to all these, that most faithful servant of God, Moses, had done the same thing; for of him it is written that he was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.
7:23
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… 21 .) Not a word of Temple, not a word of Sacrifice, while all these Providences are taking place. And he was nourished in a barbarian house. “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.” ( v. 22 .) “Was trained,” both in discipline and in letters. “And when he was full forty years old.” (
7:24
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
On Acts vii. 24 . The mystics say that it was by his word alone that Moses slew the Egyptian; as certainly afterwards it is related in the Acts that [Peter] slew with his word those who kept back part of the price of the land, and lied. II. The Same, Vol. IV. p. 291.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… 22 ): he that was to have died. Then again he shows how ungrateful they were to their benefactor. For, just as in the former instance, they were saved by the injured Joseph, so here again they were saved by another injured person, I mean, Moses. “And when he was full forty years old,” etc. For
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 7
… Yet was he not only not ashamed of his kindred, but with all his spirit defended them, and threw himself into dangers for their sake. (
7:26
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… 22 ): he that was to have died. Then again he shows how ungrateful they were to their benefactor. For, just as in the former instance, they were saved by the injured Joseph, so here again they were saved by another injured person, I mean, Moses. “And when he was full forty years old,” etc. For
7:27
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 7
… Great indeed is this act of itself, but not so great as what comes afterwards. The next day, then, he saw the same thing taking place, and when he saw him whom he had defended doing his neighbor wrong, he admonished him to desist from his wrong-doing. But he said, with great ingratitude, “Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 10
… If any one has this desire, so that he does not covet the dominion and authority, but wishes to protect the Church, I blame him not. “For he desireth a good work.” Even Moses desired the office, though not the power, and his desire exposed him to that taunt, “Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?” (
7:29
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 10
… Call upon Him as Stephen did; “Lord,” he said, “lay not this sin to their charge.” ( ch. vii. 59 .) Call upon Him as did the wife of Elkanah, with tears and sobs, and prayers. ( 1 Sam. i. 10 .) I prevent you not, rather I earnestly exhort you to it. Call upon him as Moses called upon Him, yea, cried, interceding for those
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… And again, mark the atrocious baseness: ( μιαρίαν al. μοχθηρίαν , Sav. marg.) “As thou didst the Egyptian yesterday! Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 125.8
8. Others may think what they like and follow each his own bent. But to me a town is a prison and solitude paradise. Why do we long for the bustle of cities, we whose very name speaks of loneliness? To fit him for the leadership of the Jewish people Moses was trained for forty years in the wilderness;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 3.11
… When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet,”
7:30
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 15
… 11 .) O ye shameless ones! Ye work blasphemous deeds, and think nothing of it. This is why Moses is added—because the things of God were no great concern to them: and it is ever and always Moses that they make mention of: “This Moses, which brought us out.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
“And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.” (
7:31
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… (Appears) in the desert, not in a temple. See how many miracles are taking place, and no word of Temple, no word of Sacrifice. And here also not simply in the desert, but in the bush. “When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him.” (
7:32
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… And here also not simply in the desert, but in the bush. “When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him.” ( v. 31 .) Lo! he was deemed worthy of the Voice also. “I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (
7:34
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… for there God is nowhere said to have appeared in this manner, nor Moses to have thus trembled. And then the greatness of His tender care. “I have seen, I have seen the affliction of My people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 27
… xv. 26, 27 .) Let us apply ourselves to Prayer. It is a mighty weapon if it be offered with earnestness, if without vainglory, if with a sincere mind. It has turned back wars, it has benefited an entire nation though undeserving. “I have heard their groaning” (He says) “and am come down to deliver them.” (
7:35
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 261
2. If, then, the sojourn of the Lord in flesh has never taken place, the Redeemer
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
Marvel not, he says, if they on whom Christ confers His benefits refuse His kingdom, seeing in the case of Moses it was just the same. (Recapitulation). “He brought them out;” and rescued them not in a general way, but also while they were in the wilderness. “Wonders and signs,” etc. (
7:36
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
[2.] But it is necessary also to unfold the history, to make the argument more clear. For when they had come forth out of Egypt, and had accomplished a long journey, and had received innumerable proofs of the power of God, both in Egypt, and in the Red Sea (cf.
7:37
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Antiochians 2
… and so God made man, after the image of God made He him.” And further, “In the image of God made He man.” And that [the Son of God] was to be made man, [Moses shows when] he says, “A prophet shall the Lord raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… (Recapitulation). “He brought them out;” and rescued them not in a general way, but also while they were in the wilderness. “Wonders and signs,” etc. ( v. 35–50 .) Do you mark that they themselves (Stephen’s hearers) are concerned in those old miracles also? “This is that Moses:” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 24.7
… for it was said to Moses, “I will raise up for them a prophet like unto thee.” Like, according to the flesh, but not according to the majesty. And that this promise of the Lord is to be understood concerning Christ Himself, is clearly expounded and read in the Acts of the Apostles.
7:38
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.15
… But God turned, and gave them up to worship the hosts of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets: O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to Me sacrifices and oblations for forty years in the wilderness? And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of the god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them;”
Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 1
… while “the people” said to Aaron, “Make us gods to go before us.” And when the gold out of the necklaces of the women and the rings of the men had been wholly smelted by fire, and there had come forth a calf-like head, to this figment Israel with one consent (abandoning God) gave honour, saying, “These are the gods who brought us from the land of Egypt.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.8
… “He departed, and went into a desert place.” This was, indeed, the Creator’s customary region. It was proper that the Word
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.13
… It was of this Moses that Stephen said, “This is He Who was in the church, in the wilderness, with the Angel.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.14
86. It is now made plain, as I believe, your sacred Majesty, that the Lord Jesus is neither unlike the Father, nor one that began to exist in course of time. We have yet to confute another blasphemy, and to show that the Son of God is not a created being. Herein is the quickening
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… Him, likewise, Herod wished to kill, and in Egypt He found preservation just as it was with the former, even when He was a babe, He was aimed at for destruction. “This is he, that was in the Church in the wilderness with the Angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us.” (
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 34
… And because this great and unspeakable mystery of divine Godliness was announced by all the testimonies of the Holy Scriptures, those opponents of the Truth of which we speak have rejected the law that was given through Moses and the divinely inspired utterances
7:39
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… here, they drive from one strange land into another strange land: in the former case, one in the act of bringing them food; in this, one in the act of giving them good counsel; one to whom, under God, the man was indebted for his life! Mark how it shows (the truth of) that saying of Gamaliel’s, “If it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… Just as Christ first works miracles, and then legislates: so did Moses. But they did not hear him, keeping their disobedience, even after the miracles: “To whom,” he says, “our fathers would not obey:” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 47.5
… Whence is so magnified the lentil of Alexandria, that it comes even to our country, as if here grew no lentil. Therefore by desiring Egyptian food he lost his birthright. So also the people of the Jews, of whom it is said, “in their hearts they turned back again into Egypt.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 3.7
… viz., by forsaking God who had led them forth with such mighty signs, and by worshipping the idols of Egypt of which they had thought scorn, as Scripture says: “And in their hearts they turned back into Egypt, saying to Aaron: Make us gods to go before us,”
7:40
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… as it is written in the book of the Prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.” (
7:41
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… and they had not patience to wait forty days. “Make us gods”—they did not say, “a God.”—And yet one may well wonder at this, that they do not even know.—“And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifices unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 1
… And so neither Job do I admire so much in setting wide his house to the needy, as I am struck with and extol his taking the spoiling of his substance thankfully. The same in the loss of children it happeneth to see. For herein, also, reward no less than his who offered
7:42
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 5.8
… as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to Me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which you made to worship them.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… 41 ): for which they ought to have hid their faces. What wonder that ye know not Christ, seeing ye knew not Moses, and God Who was manifested by such wonders? But they not only knew Him not: they also insulted in another way, by their idol making. “Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 150.2
… is but one book, yet to this it may be answered, that the words mean “in a book of the Psalms,” that is, “in any one of those five books.” And this is in common language so unprecedented, or at least so rare, that we are only convinced that the twelve Prophets made one book, because we read in like manner, “As it is written in the book of the Prophets.”
7:43
Aristides † fl. AD 125 The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher. Translated from the Syriac 1
IX. Let us proceed further to their account of their gods that we may carefully demonstrate all that is said above. First of all, the Greeks bring forward as a god Kronos, that is to say Chiun
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… “Ye cannot say that it was from sacrificing to Me, that ye proceeded to sacrifice to them:—“by the space of forty years:” and this too, “in the wilderness,” where He had most signally shown Himself their Protector. “Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan: images which ye made to worship them.”
7:44
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 21.1
… for God having foreordained us unto adoption as sons , made us to be conformed to the body of Christ’s glory . Having therefore become partakers of Christ , ye are properly called Christs, and of you God said, Touch not My Christs , or anointed. Now ye have been made Christs, by receiving the antitype
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.” ( v. 40, 43 .) The expression, “gave them up,” means, He suffered. “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion he had seen.” (
7:45
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… Then the benefit (conferred upon them): And our fathers that came after brought it in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; who found favor before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 39.4
… The reason, of course, is that under Moses—that is under the old Law—all men were bound by the sentence passed on Adam’s sin, and when they descended into hell were rightly accompanied with tears. For, as the apostle says, “death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned.” But under Jesus,
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… “Whom God drave out,” he says, “before the face of our fathers. Whom He drave out,” he says: and even then, no Temple! And so many wonders, and no mention of a Temple! So that, although first there is a Tabernacle, yet nowhere a Temple. “Until the days of David,” he says: even David, and no Temple! “And he sought to find favor before God” (
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… who found favor before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. ( v. 45, 46 .) David “desired to find favor:” and he builded not, he, the wonderful, the great; but the castaway, Solomon. “But Solomon,” it says, “built Him an house. Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in (places) made with hands.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Creed 13
… And of what did he build? Of wood and stone, because God deigned to make unto Himself by His servant an house on earth, where He might be asked, where He might be had in mind. Of which blessed Stephen says, “Solomon built Him an house; howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in temples made by hand.”
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 42.9
… And to the presiding Angels, for I believe, as John teaches me in his Revelation, that each Church has its guardian, Prepare ye the way of My people, and cast away the stones from the way, that there may be no stumblingblock or hindrance for the people in the divine road and entrance, now, to the temples made with hands,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… “But Solomon built Him an house.” ( v. 47 .) They thought Solomon was great: but that he was not better than his father, nay not even equal to him, is manifest. “Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool.” (
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… 48, 49 .) Nay, not even these are worthy of God, forasmuch as they are made, seeing they are creatures, the works of His hand. See how he leads them on by little and little (showing) that not even these are to be mentioned. And again the prophecy says openly, “What house will ye build Me?” etc. (
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Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 13
… while we, of course, who have succeeded to, and occupy, the room of the prophets, at the present day sustain in the world that treatment which the prophets always suffered on account of divine religion: for some they stoned, some they banished; more, however, they delivered to mortal slaughter, —a fact which they cannot deny.
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 19
… For to make the loving kindness of your benefactor a ground of ingratitude were indeed a very extravagance of unfairness. “Grieve not the Holy Spirit;” hear the words of Stephen, the first fruits of the martyrs, when he reproaches the people for their rebellion and disobedience; “you do always,” he says, “resist the Holy Ghost;”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 17.24
… for all they who sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face, as it had been the face of an Angel . And having by his wise defence confuted the Jews, those stiffnecked men, uncircumcised in heart and ears, ever resisting the Holy Ghost
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.17
… “Lord Jesu, receive my spirit.” Again, to show that the sovereignty of the Father and of the Son is one and the same, he prayed again, saying, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… Great was his boldness of speech, when at the point to die: for in fact I think he knew that this was the case. “Ye stiffnecked,” he says, “and uncircumcised in heart and ears.” This also is from the prophets: nothing is of himself. “Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 18
… “Well then, was not the insulting them a fair plea?” It was not his doing, if they were insulted: it was the Prophet’s accusation of them. And besides, they did not wish it to look as if they killed him because of what he had said against them—just as they acted in the case of Christ; no, but for impiety: now
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
… For he was far above glory, and free from all vanity. So also Stephen, when he saw the same people again, not honoring him, but mad upon him, and gnashing their teeth, being lifted above their wrath, said, “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 18
… And this again he shows not from the New [Testament], but from the prophets, bringing forward from times of old the strongest testimony, that it [the old system] comes to an end, and ceases, and that they do all in vain, “alway resisting the Holy Ghost.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 3.11
… as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: who have received the Law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 40.9
… see too the friend of the Bridegroom, a guest “with the wedding garment.” Look at the blessed Stephen, how he rebukes the Jews as though in rage and resentment, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye have resisted the Holy Ghost. Which of the Prophets have not your fathers killed?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 6.3
… attacked them in such fiery and burning words as you have heard, “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears,” that any one who heard those words might fancy that Stephen, if he were allowed, would have them consumed at once,—but when the stones thrown from their hands reached him, with fixed knee he saith, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 13.3
… “But He who giveth seed to the sower will both provide bread to eat and will multiply your seed and make the fruits of your righteousness to increase.” But it is for us, humbly to follow day by day the grace of God which is drawing us, or else if we resist with “a stiff neck,” and (to use the words of Scripture) “uncircumcised ears,”
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Origen † AD 254 A Letter from Origen to Africanus 1
In the Acts of the Apostles also, Stephen, in his other testimony, says, “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 10.18
… For all suffered dishonour in Judæa from the Israel which is according to the flesh, while they were yet in the body, as it is written in the Acts of the Apostles, as having been spoken in censure to the people, “Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute, who showed before of the coming of the Righteous one?”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One:” he still says, “the Just One,” wishing to check them: “of Whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers”—two charges he lays against them —“who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels, and have not kept it.” (
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… 38 .) Do you mark that thence comes the root, and that “salvation is from the Jews?” ( John iv. 22 .) “With the Angel,” it says, “which spake unto him.” ( Rom. xi. 16 .) Lo, again he affirms that it was He (Christ) that gave the Law, seeing Moses was with “Him” in the Church in the wilderness.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 3
[6.] But what is this, “For if the word spoken by Angels was steadfast”? For in the Epistle to the Galatians also he saith to this effect, “Being ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator.” ( Gal. iii. 19 .) And again, “Ye received a law by the disposition of Angels, and have not kept it.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 10.15
And so it has pleased Divine Providence, as I have said, and as we read in the Acts of the Apostles,
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 18
He mentions the cause of his (angelic) appearance (Recapitulation,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 27
… And besides, it was not Peter that put them into his hands. For the thing that most annoyed him was the being mocked; just as in the case of his grandfather when he was deceived by the wise men, that was what made him (feel) cut to the heart—the being (eluded and) made ridiculous.
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Tertullian † AD 220 Against Praxeas 30
… The Son, then, both dies and rises again, according to the Scriptures. It is the Son, too, who ascends to the heights of heaven, and also descends to the inner parts of the earth. “He sitteth at the Father’s right hand” —not the Father at His own. He is seen by Stephen, at his martyrdom by stoning, still sitting at the right hand of God
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 60
… But where at all will these impious men find the Flesh which the Saviour took, apart from Him, that they should even venture to say ‘we do not worship the Lord with the Flesh, but we separate the Body, and worship Him alone.’ Why, the blessed Stephen saw in the heavens the Lord standing on [God’s] right hand
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 6
… What shall we say? What just defence shall we have in the day of the awful universal judgment of all-creation, if, when the Lord clearly announces that He will come “in the glory of his Father;” when Stephen beheld Jesus standing at the right hand of God;
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 17.24
… He saw Him, not by his own power, but, as the Divine Scripture says, being full of the Holy Ghost, he looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.17
137. There is just one place, in which Stephen hath said that he saw the Lord Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 18
… Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 15
… and made them righteous, and sons, and led them to the very highest honors, and brought to pass things which had never been hoped for: how should He, after having achieved all this, and having shown our nature on the King’s throne, require to be a suppliant to do the easier things? (
St Jerome † AD 420 To Pammachius against John of Jerusalem 33
… For it is right that as we have always borne about the putting to death of Christ in our body, so the life, also, of Jesus, should be manifested in our mortal body, that is, in our flesh, which is mortal according to nature, but eternal according to grace. Stephen also
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 4.2.11
11. The divine nature is invisible, but the thrice blessed Stephen said that he saw the Lord,
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.12.13
… disciples thus taught as the Church preaches, and thus teaching were perfected, wherefore also they were called away to that which is perfect— Stephen, teaching these truths, when he was yet on earth, saw the glory of God, and Jesus on His right hand, and exclaimed, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 63.5
5. Let Him therefore stand in your midst, that the heavens, which declare the glory of God, may be opened to you, that you may do His will, and work His works. He who sees Jesus, to him are the heavens opened as they were opened to Stephen, when he said: “Behold I see the heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 18
He mentions the cause of his (angelic) appearance (Recapitulation, vii. 54; viii. 2 .); “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.” And when he said, “I see the heavens opened, they stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 108.1
… my moisture is turned into the drought of summer.” And when the pain which she bore with such wonderful patience darted through her, as if she saw the heavens opened
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 95.3
… Was Stephen, that hero of surpassing renown, not righteous in the spirit of this righteousness, who, when they were stoning him, exclaimed, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God”?
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 2
… And after His being taken up into heaven, Stephen the victorious, amid the storm of stones, said to the Jews, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 58.7
… Stephen the Martyr was preaching the Truth, and to minds as though dark, in order to bring them forth into light, was making incantation: when he came to make mention of Christ, whom they would not hear at all, of them the Scripture saith what? of them relateth what? “They shut,” he saith, “their ears.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 1
“For the tabernacle of the Word and of God is not the same, whereby the blessed Stephen beheld the divine glory.”
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 43.76
… he is not named, but becomes, a Son of thunder; and lying upon the breast of Jesus, he draws thence the power of his word, and the depth of his thoughts. He was prevented from becoming a Stephen,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.17
140. Howbeit, to make it more abundantly clear and known that the standing implied no dishonour, but rather sovereignty, Stephen prayed to the Son, being desirous to commend himself the more to the Father, saying: “Lord Jesu, receive my spirit.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 18
… “Upon him,” the man who has wrought such miracles, the man who has prevailed over all in speech, the man who can hold such discourse! As if they had got the very thing they wanted, they straightway give full scope to their rage. “And the witnesses,” he says, “laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 66.6
… Samaria believed. Let the members be added on, the building added on to the foundation. “For no other foundation can any man lay,” says the Apostle, “than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.” Let the Jews rage madly, and be filled with jealousy: Stephen be stoned, Saul keep the raiment of them who stone him, Saul, one day to be the Apostle Paul.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 59.1.5
… for even after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, the Church suffered persecutions, and she indeed first that grew out of the Jewish people, of which also our Apostles were. There at first Stephen was stoned,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 70.3
… for what have I said concerning mine enemies? “Let them be confounded and fear.” Already such vengeance hath been taken on the enemies of the Martyrs. That Saul that persecuted Stephen, he was confounded and feared. He was breathing out slaughters,
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Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 55
… Afterwards the face of the same Moses is changed, with a brightness which eye could not bear. But he was Moses still, even when he was not visible. So also Stephen had already put on the appearance of an angel, although they were none other than his human knees
Tertullian † AD 220 Scorpiace 15
… That Peter is struck, that Stephen is overwhelmed by stones ,
Tertullian † AD 220 On Patience 14
With this strength of patience, Esaias is cut asunder , and ceases not to speak concerning the Lord; Stephen is stoned, and prays for pardon to his foes.
St Peter of Alexandria † AD 311 The Canonical Epistle, with the Commentaries of Theodore Balsamon and John Zonaras 9
… Thus first Stephen, pressing on His footsteps, suffered martyrdom, being apprehended in Jerusalem by the transgressors, and being brought before the council, he was stoned, and glorified for the name of Christ, praying with the words, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 18.24
… But why should I enumerate them all, speaking as I do among those who know this? Now the specially distinguishing mark of Stephen and of my father was the absence of malice. For not even when in peril did Stephen hate his assailants, but was stoned while praying for those who were stoning him
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 33
… What imperial edict have we rejected and emulated? What rulers have we fawned upon against you? Whose boldness have we denounced? And what has been done on the other side against me? “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” even then I said, for I remembered in season the words of Stephen,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 28
And from many other things too one might perceive, that it is not possible for a disembodied soul to remain here. For both Stephen saith, “Receive my spirit;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 80
… Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy.” And this he did to add force to the accusation, and to aggravate what He said, by the act. For since what had been said moved the hearers to fear, what they did about Stephen,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 10
… but God you thus continually invoke, and make nothing of it. Call upon Him for the benefit of your enemy; call upon Him for the salvation of your own soul; then he will be present, then you will delight Him; whereas now you provoke Him to anger. Call upon Him as Stephen did; “Lord,” he said, “lay not this sin to their charge.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 18
… And see, how many signs are wrought! “And cast him out of the city, and stoned him.” Here again, “without the city,” and even in death, Confession and Preaching. ( Heb. xiii. 21 .) “And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Vigilantius 6
… If Apostles and martyrs while still in the body can pray for others, when they ought still to be anxious for themselves, how much more must they do so when once they have won their crowns, overcome, and triumphed? A single man, Moses, oft wins pardon from God for six hundred thousand armed men; and
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 40.9
… Ye have heard therefore how Stephen was severe; now hear how he loved. He offended those whom he was rebuking, and was stoned by them. And as he was being overwhelmed and bruised to death by the hands of his furious persecutors on every side, and the blows of the stones, he first said, “Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 101.4
… For we read that the Lord Christ, after He rose again, was both questioned and petitioned. He was asked by the disciples, on the eve of His ascension into heaven, when He would be manifested, and when the kingdom of Israel would come; and even when already in heaven, He was petitioned [asked] by St. Stephen to receive his spirit.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.4
… Disciples who came after Him have done this. Men were stoning Stephen, and he knelt down and said, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 12
… Wherefore, on the one hand, the Lord on the cross said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” since they had not yet, by being made partakers of the grace of the Holy Spirit, entered into the fellowship of holy brotherhood; and blessed Stephen in the Acts of the Apostles prays for them who are stoning him;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 71.4
… as they thought who through the letter made their boast, and rejected grace.…It is a small thing then that thou acknowledge the good thing which is in thee to be from God, unless also on that account thou exalt not thyself above him that hath not yet, who perchance when he shall have received, will outstrip thee. For when Saul was a stoner of Stephen,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 79.2
… of whom no one spoke of anything as his own, but to them all things were common. Hence the holy deacons, of whom Stephen was crowned with martyrdom before the Apostles.
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret 5.4
Thus, too, he followed the example of Stephanus, his fellow slave, who, after the stones had stormed upon him, cried aloud, “Lord lay not this sin to their charge.”
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2. MEN, BRETHREN AND FATHERS. — He calls "brethren" those equal to him and of his own age; but "fathers" truly, the elders, high priests and judges before whom he was pleading his case in the council. Thus Lyra and Hugo. GOD OF GLORY, — namely the origin, fountain and cause, that is, God most glorious, to whom belongs all honor and glory, and that divine and immense; and who communicates to angels and men all the glory which they have. St. Chrysostom notes that St. Stephen says this against the Jews, thinking the glory of God to be bound to the temple and their law, as if to say: God was the God of glory before the law and temple, and showed His glory to Abraham and your fathers, whom He made rich, victorious, happy, glorious: therefore in like manner He can now withdraw His glory from your temple and law, and transfer it to Christ and the Church. See what I have said concerning the glory of God and glorification at Rom. xi, 33, and Isa. vi, 3, and Apoc. iv, 8. APPEARED TO OUR FATHER ABRAHAM. — He begins from Abraham, because he was the first father and patriarch of the Jews, that is of the faithful and the Synagogue, and the first to receive an explicit promise concerning Christ to be born from him. The Jews had accused Stephen of speaking against their God, law, temple, Moses and the Prophets. Stephen refutes this, speaking honorably of the God of Abraham, and calling Him the God of glory; and concerning Abraham himself, calling him our father, and concerning the law, temple, Moses and the Prophets. And he showed that the Jews rather spoke against them and resisted them, while they persecuted Christ promised by God, Moses and the Prophets, and foreshadowed in the law and the victims of the temple, as if to say: "You accuse me as a blasphemer, because I prefer Christ to Moses and the Prophets, and assert that He is the Son of God and the redeemer of the world. But Abraham, Moses and the Prophets believed this very thing, and they also foretold it. Imitate therefore your father Abraham, your lawgiver Moses and your Prophets, and believe in Christ now born, just as they believed in Christ to be born; and they foretold and promised this to you: otherwise not I, but you will show yourselves degenerate from the faith of Abraham, Moses and the Prophets, opposed to them and their enemies." Thus St. Augustine, serm. 93 On Various Subjects. IN MESOPOTAMIA. — This is the first objection. For it seems that Stephen here contends with Moses, Gen. xii, 1, joined with Gen. xi, 31, where it is said that Abraham was called and led out of Ur of the Chaldees. I answer, that St. Stephen takes "Mesopotamia" here broadly, for the whole region which is beyond the Euphrates; for he opposes it to the land of Chanaan promised to the Jews, which extended as far as the Euphrates; for this boundary is fixed by God, Deut. xi, 24. Wherefore under Mesopotamia, he comprehends here Chaldea. That this is so is evident from verse 4, where he says: "Then he went out from the land of the Chaldees." Moreover, how it is said in Gen. xii, 4, that Abraham went out from Haran, I have explained there: for that is where it belongs. HARAN. — Haran, or Haran are Charrae, which was a city of the Parthians, situated in the borders of Mesopotamia toward the land of Chanaan, near which M. Crassus was slain by the Parthians, of whom Lucan, lib. I On the Civil War: "Charrae stained Assyria with Latin blood."
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3. GO OUT FROM THY LAND. — Excellently St. Jerome, who, leaving Stridon and Dalmatia his native land, wandered through the world for the sake of learning, finally settled and rested in Bethlehem, in his letter to Paulinus: "To the believer," he says, "the whole world is wealth, and he easily despises all things, who always thinks of himself as about to die." And the Poet: "To the brave man every land is his native country, as the sea to fishes." Hence Socrates said he was a cosmopolitan, that is a citizen of the world. And from Plato Plotinus, in St. Augustine, lib. IX On the City of God, cap. vi: "One must flee," he says, "to the most brilliant native country; and there is the father, and there is everything: what need therefore of a fleet, or flight? To become like God. If therefore one becomes so much more like God, the nearer one draws to Him, there is no distance from Him so great as his dissimilarity." For we are from eternity enrolled as citizens of the Saints and members of God's household, as it were His sons and heirs, and co-heirs with Christ: therefore heaven is our native country, but earth is exile. And this was the common understanding of Abraham and all the Saints, as I have shown in many places, Heb. xi, 9.
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4. REMOVED, — μετοίκισε, that is, caused to dwell; St. Augustine, lib. XVI On the City of God, cap. xvi, reads placed; the Syriac, changed; namely Abraham's house, seat and dwelling He removed from Haran into Chanaan. INTO WHICH YOU NOW DWELL, — not I, because I have left the land and all earthly things with the Apostles, and near to death I hasten to heaven. Thus the Gloss.
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5. AND HE GAVE HIM NO INHERITANCE IN IT, NOT EVEN A FOOTSTEP. — The Greek βῆμα, first signifies a footprint, as the Syriac, Pagninus and Tigurinus translate it. Second, a pace, as is evident from Plutarch in his Life of Demetrius; a pace moreover is a measure of five feet: for the extension and spreading apart of one foot from the other produces these, that is to say, He gave him not even the smallest measure of land. This is the second objection. For in Genesis xxiii, 9, Abraham in Canaan bought and possessed the double cave for the burial of Sarah and his own. I answer: first, God did not give it to him, but Abraham obtained it for himself by his own price. Thus St. Augustine, Questions LVI on Genesis. Second, he did not possess it as an inheritance, namely so that as a living man he would cultivate or inhabit it as a farm, but as a burial place, in which as a dead man he would rest. For a sepulcher is not an inheritance nor a house or field of the living, but rather an underground vault of the dead. Thus the Gloss. WHEN HE HAD NOT A SON. — This increases the promise of God and the faith of Abraham. For God promised Canaan to Abraham, that is to his descendants, although he did not yet have a son, but he himself was old, and his wife Sarah was barren; and Abraham believed God who promised, because he believed God to be omnipotent, and able to restore the power of generation to the old and barren, and that He would do this here according to His promises, as indeed He did, when He gave them the power of begetting Isaac, who with his descendants, God granting, was to be the heir of Canaan.
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6. FOR HIS SEED SHALL BE A SOJOURNER IN A FOREIGN LAND. — For sojourner in Greek is πάροικος, that is a stranger, a foreigner, in a foreign land, not an inhabitant and citizen in his own, that is to say, Your descendants, O Abraham, shall be strangers in Canaan (as the Septuagint expresses it, Exodus xii, 40) and in Egypt, and there the Egyptians shall compel them to serve them for four hundred years. FOUR HUNDRED YEARS. — This is the third objection. For in Exodus xii, 41, and Galatians iii, 17, four hundred and thirty years are numbered, and thus here it should be read, as Rabanus, St. Thomas, Cajetan and the Gloss think. I answer, from the calling of Abraham which took place in the seventy-fifth year of his life, there were four hundred and thirty years, but here they are reckoned from the birth of Isaac, who was born to Abraham after twenty-five years, namely in the hundredth year of his life. From that time indeed until the departure of the Hebrews from Egyptian servitude, there elapsed precisely four hundred and five years, which here are called four hundred, in a round and whole number, omitting the five which exceed this reckoning. For Scripture often sets down whole and round numbers, especially by hundreds, even if a few are lacking or exceed them. Thus we say we saw a hundred soldiers, even if two or three are lacking from this number. For the sense is: I saw a hundred, that is about a hundred, more or less a hundred. In like manner these years are precisely numbered as four hundred below, cap. xiii, 20, and Genesis xv, 13. See the remarks there.
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8. AND HE GAVE HIM THE COVENANT OF CIRCUMCISION. — "Covenant," that is a pact or agreement: for God willed that the condition of the covenant made between Himself and Abraham and his descendants should be circumcision, promising to Abraham and his descendants that He would be their God, their provider and protector, if they themselves according to His will and law would circumcise themselves, and in turn worship Him, not idols. See the remarks on Genesis xvii, 7 and following.
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9. BEING MOVED WITH ENVY, — envying. Thus Tigurinus. THEY SOLD JOSEPH. — He mentions Joseph, because he was expressed before others as a type of Christ sold, captured and afflicted by the Jews, and this St. Stephen tacitly insinuates and objects to them here. AND GOD WAS WITH HIM, — drawing him out of prison, raising him up as a prince of Egypt, and prospering and making successful all his works, as St. Stephen presently explains. See Wisdom cap. x, 13 and 14.
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13. AND IN THE SECOND, — namely the coming of Joseph's brothers into Egypt; the Syriac, in the second time; Tigurinus and Pagninus, and when he sent them again. IN SEVENTY-FIVE SOULS. — "Souls," that is men, namely the sons and grandsons born from Jacob. For in these the whole kindred, that is the lineage and descendants of Jacob, consisted. This is a synecdoche. This is the fourth objection. For in Genesis xlvi, 26, only seventy are numbered, and not seventy-five. I answer, there were seventy. But the Septuagint, whom St. Stephen follows, number seventy-five, because they count the sons and grandsons of Joseph born in Egypt, as I said on Genesis cap. xlvi, vers. 26.
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16. AND THEY WERE CARRIED OVER INTO SICHEM. — "Sichem," or Sichar, was the principal city of Samaria, which after Mabartha, according to Josephus, book V of the Wars, chapter iv, or as Pliny says, book V, chapter xiii, was called Mamortha, then Flavia Caesarea by Flavius Domitian, who led a colony there; finally it was called Neapolis, now called Naplos, in which St. Justin the Philosopher and Martyr was born, an emulator of St. Stephen in defending the faith: whence, glorious after his manner, he suffered martyrdom for it in the year of his age about 50, of Christ 168, as Alexander's Chronicle has it, although Baronius records it in the year of Christ 165. This is the fifth objection. For Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were buried in Hebron, as is evident from Genesis xxv, 9, and l, 13. I answer, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were buried in Hebron, but the twelve Patriarchs who were the sons of Jacob were buried in Sichem. Thus St. Jerome, in the Epitaph of St. Paula. Or certainly these also were first translated from Egypt and buried in Sichem, then in Hebron, as Josephus expressly teaches, book II of the Antiquities, chapter iv, where he asserts that all, except Joseph, were buried in Hebron. Josephus, as a knowledgeable and trustworthy historian of his people, is followed by the Master of the Scholastic History, Dionysius and Gagneius, and Stephen signifies the same thing here, when he adds: "And they were laid in the sepulchre which Abraham bought," namely in Hebron, as is evident from Genesis xxiii, not in Sichem. AND THEY WERE LAID IN THE SEPULCHRE, WHICH ABRAHAM BOUGHT FOR A SUM OF MONEY OF THE SONS OF HEMOR, THE SON OF SICHEM. — This is the sixth objection, and one most involved and most difficult: for Abraham bought the sepulchre from Ephron, the son of Seor, Genesis xxiii, 16, not from the sons of Hemor, the son of Sichem. For from them Jacob, not Abraham, bought a portion of land in Sichem, Genesis chapter xxxiii, verse 19. They answer, first, Bede, Rabanus and from them Melchior Canus, at the end of book II of Theological Places, that St. Stephen, intent upon another matter entirely, namely his cause concerning Christ, here suffered a lapse of memory, and named Abraham instead of Jacob: for he confused two purchases, and mixed them into one, namely the earlier one of Abraham, of which Genesis xxiii, 16, and the other of Jacob, of which Genesis xxxiii, 19. But who would believe this of St. Stephen, who was full of faith and the Holy Spirit, indeed in whom the Holy Spirit spoke; especially since he himself here preached publicly before the most learned Rabbis, his adversaries, and handled the controversy concerning Christ, as much as the cause of his religion and faith, of life and death? For he was already a candidate for martyrdom and heaven, and he saw the glory of God. It is less improbable what others think, that the name of Abraham crept in here for Jacob, just as many learned men think the name of Jeremiah crept in at Matthew xxvii, 9. For if you put Jacob for Abraham, or derive the name Jacob from the point Abraham, which preceded a little before, the whole sentence flows plainly, and introduces no scruple. Thus Eugubinus and Lipomanus in the Catena, Genesis xxxiii; and Andreas Masius in the last chapter of Joshua, verse 32. But all Greek, Latin and Syriac manuscripts consistently have Abraham, not Jacob; nor did any of the ancients read Jacob for Abraham, nor is there anything that compels such a reading; for there are other ways of reconciling these passages, and they are more probable and expedient. Hence, secondly, Vatablus, Sanchez and others answer, that Abraham is taken patronymically, so that it is the same as Abrahamides, that is, the son of Abraham, namely Jacob: as if to say, Abraham, who was the first and most famous father of the Israelites, and was appointed by God as heir of the promised land, bought this field for his own, not by himself, but through his grandson Jacob, Genesis xxxiii. Thus Christ is called Israel, that is, Israelides, or the son of Israel, Isaiah chapter xlix, verse 3: "Thou art my servant Israel." The same is called David, that is, Davidides, or the son of David, Ezekiel chapter xxxiv, verse 23: "I will raise up over them one shepherd, my servant David. And I will be their God, and my servant David a prince in the midst of them." The same is called Solomon, in the title of Psalm lxxi, that is, Salomonides. Thus Trojan is called Tros, from Tros the parent, Aeneid VI: "Tros, son of Anchises, easy is the descent to Avernus." And book I: "Whether Tros or Tyrian, I shall make no distinction." The same is called Dardanus, that is, Dardanides, namely the offspring of Dardanus, Aeneid IV: "Let cruel Dardanus drink in this fire with his eyes from on high." Thus the Trojans are called Teucri, from Teucrus the progenitor; the Greeks are called Danai, from Danaus, king of the Argives. Thus the Romans from Romulus, from Horace, book IV of the Odes, are called the Romulan race. But these phrases suit Poets and Prophets, not however Historians, such as St. Stephen is here. Third, Cajetan and others think there is a hyperbaton; for the words should be arranged thus: "And they were carried away from the sons of Shechem our fathers, the sons of Jacob, and they were placed by the sons of Shechem, sons of Hamor in the sepulchre, which Abraham bought for a price of silver in Hebron." And he gives as the reason that the Shechemites, mindful of the slaughter received from Simeon and Levi, sons of Jacob, did not allow their bodies to remain among them in Shechem, and therefore they carried them away to Hebron. But this seems to be invented: for rather they would have cast them out unburied; and that hyperbaton appears harsh and contorted. Add that Cajetan changes the order of the genealogy. For he says: "from the sons of Shechem, sons of Hamor," when the text on the contrary has: "from the sons of Hamor, son of Shechem." Fourth, Gagneius responds that the same field in Shechem was previously bought by Abraham, even if this is not narrated in Genesis, and that it was alienated, and again bought by Jacob after 417 years, when he returned from Mesopotamia to Canaan. But this too is asserted without foundation. Fifth, therefore and most probably, St. Gregory, book VII, epistle 55, Lyra, Lorinus and others here, and at length Pererius, in Genesis XXIII, number 46 and following, think that here the discourse is about the purchase of the cave made by Abraham Genesis XXIII, not of the field made by Jacob Genesis XXXIII, 19. This is proved first, because "Abraham" all codices have expressly, not "Jacob." Second, because St. Stephen speaks of the purchase of a sepulchre; but Abraham bought this for his wife Sara deceased, not Jacob: for Jacob bought a field for an altar, not for a sepulchre. Third, because St. Stephen says this sepulchre was bought for a price of silver, namely four hundred shekels of silver, of which Ephron the seller of the sepulchre says to Abraham the buyer, "that is the price between me and thee," Genesis XXIII, 15. But Jacob bought the field not for a price of silver, but for a hundred lambs, as it is said Genesis XXXIII. Finally, that Hamor of Jacob is said to have been the father of Shechem: but this one of Abraham is said to have been the son of Shechem; wherefore he was different from him, although he had the same name. But to this it could be answered, that the father of Hamor, as well as the son, was called Shechem: hence in Greek it is τοῦ Συχέμ, which signifies both the father and the son Shechem. You will say: Abraham bought the sepulchre from Ephron, son of Seor, not from the sons of Hamor, son of Shechem. I answer, that the father of Ephron had two names: for he was called Seor, and he was also called Hamor. For many Hebrews had two names, as is evident if you compare the names which are listed at the beginning of book I of Paralipomenon with those which are set down in Genesis. Moreover, Hamor was the son of Shechem, not of him from whose sons Jacob bought the field, but of one far more ancient. But Hamor had many sons, among whom Ephron appears to have been the greater and firstborn, who in the name of his other brothers sold the sepulchre to Abraham. You will say second, how is it true what Stephen says: Jacob and our fathers were carried away in Shechem, and placed in the sepulchre of Abraham? for this was in Hebron, not in Shechem: nor was Jacob carried from Egypt to Shechem, but to Hebron, Genesis L, 13. I answered a little before in two ways: First, Jacob with Isaac and Abraham was buried in Hebron, but Jacob's sons in Shechem. It is a synecdoche: for these things are to be explained partially; because St. Stephen speaks concisely, and heaps together and touches upon many things in few words. When therefore he says "our fathers," he means not only Jacob's sons, but also parents, namely Abraham and Isaac, whom he named verse 8, where he described their genealogy, not their death, nor their burial. He therefore sets down both here generally, saying they died and were placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought, namely near Hebron. Second, the twelve sons of Jacob were first carried away in Shechem, then in Hebron, as I have asserted from Josephus and others. Nor does St. Jerome deny this in the Epitaph of St. Paula. For there he only says that the sepulchres of the twelve Patriarchs were accustomed to be shown in Shechem in his time: because they were first buried there, hence their sepulchres remained there, and were religiously preserved and frequented by posterity; although they themselves were afterwards carried from Shechem to Hebron, as St. Stephen seems to assert here. Pererius responds somewhat differently, namely, when St. Stephen names Jacob and our fathers, he understands only Jacob's sons, not parents: but the sons were buried in Shechem, Jacob himself in Hebron; so that it is an enallage of number, positi, for positus; just as the disciples are said in Matthew, chapter XXVI, verse 8, to have murmured against the Magdalene pouring ointment on the head of Christ, when only Judas murmured, as John says, chapter XII, verse 4. But this enallage is somewhat harsh in this place, for it is preceded by: "And they were carried away in Shechem," which all agree should be taken in the plural. Therefore also that which is joined to it, namely: "And they were placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought," should be taken in the plural as it sounds, not in the singular of Jacob alone.
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17. WHICH HE HAD CONFESSED, — that is, professed, as some codices read, that is, he had promised with an oath. The Syriac: which he had promised with an oath. For the Greek texts already have ὤμοσεν, that is, he had sworn. Thus the Zurich Bible. Perhaps our Translator read ὡμολόγησεν, that is, he had confessed, professed.
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18. DID NOT KNOW, — he was ignorant of how many benefits Joseph had conferred upon the Hebrews in Egypt, and therefore he turned away from the Hebrews and afflicted them.
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19. THIS ONE CIRCUMVENTING OUR NATION, — κατασοφισάμενος, that is, ensnaring with sophisms, capturing with deceitful arts as if with nets; the Syriac: composing deceits. In Exodus I, 10, the Hebrew is נִתְחַכְּמָה (nithchakkemah), that is, let us be wiser than he: which our Translator clearly rendered, wisely, that is, cunningly, let us oppress him. For the Egyptians neither dared nor were able to oppress the Hebrews openly, since they had no cause for this. Moreover, these deceits and frauds of Pharaoh are recounted in Exodus I, namely: first, that he afflicted them with tributes and labors in making bricks; second, that he commanded the midwives to kill their male infants secretly in childbirth; third, that he ordered those already born to be cast into the river. THAT THEY SHOULD EXPOSE THEIR INFANTS. — That is to say, Pharaoh compelled our fathers to expose their infants, while through his ministers he thus searched the houses of the Hebrews, to seize and drown their infants, so that the Hebrews could not hide them at home, but were forced to expose them in the fields or on the banks of the river, just as Moses was exposed by his mother, Exodus II, 3. The Syriac gives another sense, which translates the Greek αὐτῶν as their, not his, as our Translator does. For thus it has: "He commanded that the sons of their people be cast out lest they live," that is to say, Pharaoh ordered his Egyptians to cast the sons of the Hebrews into the river and there to drown and kill them. Both versions are fitting and true. For Pharaoh did both, and the Greek ἔκθετα, both exposed and cast out and thrown, namely into the river, signifies. THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE QUICKENED. — This refers to Pharaoh, not to the fathers of the infants, that is to say, Pharaoh compelled our fathers to expose their infants, that they should not be quickened, that is, should not be kept alive, but exposed, either they would die of hunger, or be devoured by wolves and wild beasts, or if found by his ministers be drowned. In Greek it is εἰς τὸ μὴ ζωογονεῖσθαι, that is, lest they be born alive, or brought forth: because before they were born, they were condemned to death by him, and shortly after birth were to be killed.
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20. MOSES WAS PLEASING TO GOD. — The Greek ἀστεῖος signifies elegant, as Our translator rendered it, Exod. II, 2, urbane, graceful: but because it is added τῷ Θεῷ, hence in this place it is the same as χαρίεις, or εὐχάριστος, that is, gracious, pleasing, dear to God, as if to say Moses as an infant was so elegant, comely and gracious, that he drew both God and men to love of him: for elegance of body, beyond the usual measure, imparted to Moses by God, was the effect and indication of that elegance which was imparted to his soul by the same God and was to be imparted. Whence the Syrian translator rendered it, he was beloved of God. Thus also St. Chrysostom and Oecumenius, who however secondly rendered ἀστεῖος as irreproachable. Thirdly, a more recent interpreter thus explains it: "Moses was elegant to God, that is, remarkably elegant, exceptionally beautiful: for those things which are beautiful to God must be exceptional." Thus in Scripture are called "cedars of God, mountains of God," that is, cedars and mountains most lofty. Hence God, loving Moses, preserved him from drowning and death, in life miraculously, and enriched him with His gifts and graces, and finally made him leader of His people, who through plagues and wonderful portents would lead Israel out of Egypt. Otherwise Cajetan, as if to say "Moses was acceptable to God, not from his own merits, but from God's goodness, as one eternally predestined, and ordained by Him for many good works." Stephen shows here that he is not an enemy of Moses, as the Jews objected, but a friend and eulogist. Allegorically, Moses elegant was a type of Christ, who was "beautiful in form above the sons of men," Psalm XLIV, 3, because He had a most perfect body, as it was formed and organized by the Holy Spirit, so as to be an index of His most elegant and beautiful soul. For the Divinity shone forth like the sun through the humanity of Christ, and breathed its beauty upon it. See Abulensis, Paradox I, and Nicephorus, lib. I Hist., cap. ult., where he describes the form and figure of Christ. Truly the author of the Panegyric to Constantine: "Nature itself," he says, "measures dwellings of bodies worthy of great minds." And St. Ambrose, lib. II On Virgins: "The appearance of the body," he says, "is a simulacrum of the mind and a figure of probity." A similar thing Maximus of Tyre gives, serm. 10: "As before the sun rises, he says, it sends forth a splendor which illuminates the peaks of mountains, in hope of greater light; so in a splendid soul there shines forth on the surface of the body a comeliness, bringing hope of much better." This is evident in Solomon, Wisdom VII, 11; David, I Kings XVI, 12; Joseph, Genesis XXXIX, 6; Judith, X, 4. Moreover it is a splendid falsehood of Pliny, lib. XXX, cap. 1, that Moses was a great associate of Jannes (who was the magician of Pharaoh, contending against Moses), indeed the author of the magical faction among the Jews. Thus also other Gentile Historians concerning Moses and the Jews, as being hostile to them, narrate wonderful fables and calumnies. The remaining things which Stephen here recounts concerning Moses, I have explained in Exod. II, and following.
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25. AND HE SUPPOSED. — Stephen tacitly rebukes the Jews and their judges, as if to say Your fathers in figure did not know nor receive Moses sent to them by God as Savior: thus neither do you wish to acknowledge or receive Christ foreshadowed by Moses and preached by me; and this he signifies and inculcates more clearly in verse 35: "This Moses whom they denied," etc.
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29. IN THIS WORD, — at this word, because he saw his slaying laid bare, which he thought was hidden.
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34. I HAVE COME DOWN. — "The descent of God," says St. Augustine, lib. XVI On the City of God, cap. V, "signifies something being done on earth beyond the usual course of nature." God is therefore said to descend, not as if He transfers Himself from a higher place to a lower, since He is everywhere; but ἀνθρωποπαθῶς, when He works something remarkable on earth, especially concerning the vengeance of the impious, or the protection of the pious, as here He descended to free the Hebrews from the tyranny of Pharaoh, and to destroy Pharaoh with his people. Thus God is said to have descended to the building and builders of the tower of Babel, when He disturbed the work through confusion of tongues, Genesis XI, 5. Thus He descended into Sodom, and immediately followed the conflagration of the city and the Pentapolis, Genesis XVIII, 21. Thus He descended on Mount Sinai, when He gave the law to Moses and the Hebrews upon it, Exod. XIX, 20.
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35. WHOM THEY DENIED, — as you deny Christ the antitype of Moses; but as God, against their will, constituted Moses "prince and redeemer," in Greek λυτρωτήν, that is, liberator, namely of His people from Egyptian servitude: so also Christ God has now constituted prince and redeemer of the world against your will. WITH THE HAND OF AN ANGEL, — that is, by the hand, namely by the aid, work and ministry, or guidance of an angel: for "hand" signifies both power and a mediate and executive cause. For the hand is the minister of all arts and works, says Cicero.
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37. THIS IS MOSES, WHO SAID TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: GOD WILL RAISE UP A PROPHET FOR YOU, — namely Christ, the chief of Prophets. Behold here is the scope of the things said concerning Moses by St. Stephen, namely to show that Moses prophesied concerning Christ, and therefore he does not oppose Moses, but rather agrees when he preaches Christ: the Jews rather opposing Christ, also oppose Moses, the herald of Christ.
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38. THIS IS HE WHO WAS IN THE CHURCH, — namely in the assembly and congregation of the faithful people, over which he himself presided. WORDS OF LIFE, — The Decalogue and other laws of God, by the observance of which we enter into blessed and eternal life in heaven.
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39. THEY TURNED AWAY IN THEIR HEARTS TOWARD EGYPT, — namely wishing to return. Otherwise Vatablus, as if to say, They burned with desire for Egypt: it is a Hebraism.
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41. AND THEY MADE A CALF. — Rightly: for this is the sense of the Hebrew reading; the Syriac, however, reading the word in another form, translated it in the singular, and made a calf, namely Aaron. That Aaron did this, not the Egyptian magicians, as Lippomanus wishes, is evident from Exodus XXXII, 2 and 3. It is certain therefore that Aaron sinned gravely here, because he ought rather to have exposed himself to death than to fabricate an idol for the raging people. Thus Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechesis II. Yet fear of death, and the "fury" of the people which compelled him to make the calf, made this sin of his less grave: for coercion and fear diminish the voluntary element which is required for guilt and sin. And this alone do St. Ambrose, epistle 32, Theodoret, Lyra, Abulensis, Hugh and others intend, in Exodus XXXII, while they attempt to excuse Aaron. Note that God permitted two supreme Pontiffs, one of the Old Testament, the other of the New, to fall into so grave a matter, such as idolatry and denial of Christ, namely St. Peter and Aaron, in order to teach them and their successors to have compassion on the lapses of their subjects. AND THEY REJOICED IN THE WORKS OF THEIR OWN HANDS, — namely in the idol, that is the calf which they made, dancing around it as if it were God and performing choral dances, singing, feasting, etc.
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42. BUT GOD TURNED. — ἔστρεψε, which Vatablus translated, God turned away from them; Pagninus, turned himself; others, withdrew himself from them. Our version better translates actively, turned: στρέφω indeed is the same as to bend, to turn, to inflect, as if to say, God seeing the Jews continually rebellious against him, turned and delivered them to serve the host of heaven, that is to worship the sun, moon and stars: he turned, I say, and delivered them, not by positive impulsion, but permissively and occasionally, namely by abandoning them from his aid and grace, and by placing occasions before them, and this in punishment of their rebellion and their preceding sins: namely all the neighboring nations, which worshipped idols and stars, enriching and prospering them, which therefore provoked the Jews to the worship of idols, in hope of similar prosperity and abundance of things. Which manner I have explained more fully, cap. 36 and 37 in the Major Prophets. IN THE BOOK OF THE PROPHETS. — Amos, cap. 5, vers. 22, whose words, which Stephen here recites, I explained there: therefore I shall not repeat them here, nor labor the point.
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43. MOLOCH. — Meloch, Melech, or Melchom, that is "their king," is Saturn, or Jupiter, or the sun, which in the host of heaven stands out and shines forth as king. Remphan is Lucifer, or the star of Venus: for this the Saracens and Turks still worship by the name Cubar; whence those adoring exclaim: Alla ova Cubar, that is, "God and Venus," which the same Constantine the Emperor [Porphyrogenitus] mentions, lib. De Administr. Imp., to his son Romanus, cap. XIV. See the sayings of Amos, cap. V, vers. 25.
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44. THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY, — that is of the covenant; it is called of the testimony, because it contained the ark in which was the law or the tables of the law, which is called the testimony, because it testified to the Jews the will of God, what namely he commanded them, and what God required of them. For the construction of the tabernacle see Exodus cap. XXVI, vers. 1. THAT HE MIGHT MAKE IT ACCORDING TO THE FORM WHICH HE HAD SEEN. — God showed Moses the idea of the tabernacle on Sinai, that according to it he might fabricate it. For this is what he said to him: "See, and make it according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain," Exodus cap. XXV, vers. 40.
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45. WHICH ALSO THEY BROUGHT IN. — as if to say, Our fathers brought in the tabernacle with the ark, under the leadership of Jesus, that is Joshua, into Chanaan, which was the possession of the nations, that is of the Chanaanites whom Joshua drove out from it. For the ark went before the camp, and in the ark God, as if dwelling, fighting for the Hebrews, struck down the Chanaanites, Joshua III, 14. UNTIL THE DAYS OF DAVID, — that is, as the Greek and Syriac have it, until the days of David, as if to say, The tabernacle of Moses lasted until the times of David: for David through Solomon, in place of the small and movable Tabernacle, built a stable and magnificent temple. Thus Lyra, the Gloss and others. Whence explaining he adds:
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46. HE THAT FOUND GRACE BEFORE GOD (namely, he was pleasing, beloved, and chosen by God as king over all Israel), AND SOUGHT THAT HE MIGHT FIND A TABERNACLE FOR GOD JACOB, — since indeed "he swore to the Lord, and made a vow to the God of Jacob: If I shall enter (that is, that I shall not enter) into the tabernacle of my house, etc., until I find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob," a place, namely, in which I shall erect a temple for God (in which I shall enclose the tabernacle of Moses); Psalm CXXXI, verses 2 and following. Now David appears to have made this vow in the plague by which God through an angel struck the people, because it had been numbered by David, II Kings XXIV, 1. Then therefore, in order to appease God who was angry with him and the people, he vowed that he would not enter his house until God revealed to him the place which he sought, namely, that in which he would build him a temple for solemn and perpetual worship, supplications and sacrifices. Whence God then revealed to him through Gad the prophet that he wished to be worshipped on Mount Moriah, over which he had seen the angel brandishing a sword against the people. For this reason David immediately offered sacrifice to God in that same place, and bought the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite and procured all other things necessary for building the temple upon it. Thus the Hebrews relate. GOD JACOB. — Whom namely Jacob worshipped, who was called by another name Israel, and all his descendants, namely the Israelites: and who in turn showed himself continually to Jacob and the Israelites as God, that is, as father, protector and extraordinary benefactor, since many of the descendants of Abraham, namely the Ishmaelites, and of the descendants of Isaac, namely the Edomites, did not worship God, nor were they in turn held by him as his people. For the Church of God, or the faithful people, was only the house of Jacob, that is, the people of Israel.
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47. HOUSE, — temple. For this is the house of God among men.
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48. BUT THE MOST HIGH DWELLETH NOT IN TEMPLES MADE WITH HANDS. — that is to say, God properly has no need, nor does he dwell in houses, namely temples built and made by the hands of craftsmen; for he himself is עליון Elion, that is, the Most High and Almighty, who transcends not only the earth, but also all the heavens by his majesty and glory, equally by his seat and immensity, and therefore is everywhere, and everywhere to be worshipped with latria. Stephen notes the Jews, who thought God delighted in his temple and was as it were fixed to it, whence they thought themselves invincible: for God would never allow his house to be taken and possessed by the Chaldeans. Hence to Jeremiah, chapter VII, prophesying the destruction of the temple, they cried out: "The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord it is." Stephen therefore says: Do not grow insolent in your temple and its Jewish rites, as if they were to be perpetual; nor despise Christ and the Church, as if it were still lacking a temple. For in its time it will have not one, as you do, but many and most magnificent temples throughout the whole world. For God properly does not dwell in the temple, as you think; but formally he dwells in himself and his divinity, immensity; but participatively and effectively through operation he dwells in the whole world, especially indeed in the minds of the faithful and holy, such as Christians now have, not Jews. AS THE PROPHET SAITH. — Isaiah, chapter LXVI, where I have explained these words of his.
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49. WHAT IS THE PLACE OF MY REST. — that is to say, I dwell and rest in myself, just as before I created the world I dwelt and rested in myself through eternal ages: therefore no house and temple can be built for me by you, O Jews, except for this alone, that in it I may be worshipped by you, may hear you, may be present to you and benefit you: to you, I say, not to me.
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51. STIFF-NECKED,—so that you might bend yourselves with your mind to God and to His Christ, that is to say, You are hard, stiff-necked, inflexible, obstinate in resisting Christ and the Gospel. You may ask why Stephen, hitherto gentle and meek, now suddenly becomes sharp and thunders against the Jews? First, Œcumenius answers, because he saw that they were not paying attention to what was being said, but persisting in their stubbornness and perfidy in persecuting Christ and the Christians, and in killing Stephen himself. Therefore he rebukes the hard ones harshly, according to the precept of the Apostle to Titus I, 13. Perhaps also, looking upon them, he saw them more turned away from him, and their hatred and anger more kindled in their faces and gestures, because he had more often rebuked their fathers as rebels against Moses, and had said that God had no need of, nor dwelt in, the temple at Jerusalem. Justly therefore he rebukes and crushes their hardness, dealing with them as with the desperate. Secondly, to show his zeal for Christ and faith in Christ, by attacking the unbelief and perfidy of the Jews. Whence St. Augustine, sermon 1 On the Saints, teaches that St. Stephen here signifies that he hated with perfect hatred not the Jews, but the stubbornness of the Jews. Thirdly, to declare the freedom and fortitude of the Evangelical, indeed Apostolic spirit. Fourthly, because he desired and longed for martyrdom, which outwardly he saw was being prepared for him by the Jews, and inwardly he felt himself being driven and incited to it by God. Tropologically, St. Fulgentius, sermon On St. Stephen, teaches that St. Stephen gives here a form to preachers and Prelates, that they should sharply pursue the vices of their subjects, and yet intercede for them before God; for this is perfect charity: "So that therefore," he says, "in the prayer which he afterwards poured out for them, his gentleness deserved to be heard, because severity in correction was not without charity; and he instructed the ecclesiastical steward, so that in correcting the error of any sin, correction should not be lacking from his mouth, and supplication should be poured out to God for him; so that he who did evil might be confounded by reproof from his evil works, and might be helped by prayer before God." Equally sharp rebuke, Isaiah I and X; Jeremiah XXII and XXIII, Ezekiel and the rebuke of other Prophets not only of the people, but also of the princes and kings of Judah. Similar was the freedom, fortitude, zeal and rebuke of the Maccabees against Antiochus, II Maccabees VII, of St. Lawrence against Valerianus, of St. Vincent against Dacianus, of St. Sebastian against Diocletianus, and of other Martyrs against tyrants. Beautifully St. Augustine, sermon 1 On the Saints: "Come now," he says, "St. Stephen, say something to the Jews, so that you may begin to be stoned, and may be able to be crowned; hurl words, and receive stones. Say something about uncircumcised hearts, and you will die by stones." AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART AND EARS.—that is to say, You are rebellious and obstinate, who have your heart and ears covered with the membrane of infidelity, so that you cannot believe, because you are unwilling to circumcise and remove it. Hence the Emperor Constantine ordered the ears of rebellious Jews to be cut off, as St. Chrysostom relates, homily 2 Against the Jews. In symbol of this matter, St. Peter cut off the right ear of Malchus, who was insolent against Christ above all others, to represent that the Jews would lose the right ear, by which they might receive the spiritual and heavenly dogmas of Christ, and would receive only by the left ear the commandments of God and Moses, namely that by which they care only for temporal things, as St. Ambrose says, in chapter XXII of Luke, until Christ at the end of the world through Elijah restores to them the right ear, so that now all Israel may be saved.
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52. THE JUST ONE,—Christ. For He is called the just one by antonomasia, because He is so eminently just that He justifies all who believe in Him. Whence by Daniel, chapter IX, verse 24, He is called "the Holy of Holies and eternal justice." See Isaiah XLV, 8, and Jeremiah chapter XXIII and following. WHOSE BETRAYERS AND MURDERERS YOU HAVE NOW BEEN.—Because through Judas you betrayed Him, and you consented to his betrayal, indeed you bought it with money. Again, you betrayed Him to Pilate, demanding that He be killed and crucified.
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53. IN THE DISPOSITION OF ANGELS. — The Greek διαταγὴ signifies disposition, ordinance, precept: for διατάττω means to place, to dispose, to arrange in order, to enact, to command. Whence the Syrian, Zurich, and Vatablus versions translate: "By the precepts and commandments of Angels." For the Angel, in the place of God as it were, like a legate proclaiming the law from Sinai, commanded that it and all its precepts be observed. But Our [translator] better renders it, in the disposition of Angels, that is: first, by the ministry of Angels; second, properly in disposition, because Angels, arranging the law in right order, delivered it to Moses. For first, in Exodus XX, they delivered the natural law, namely the Decalogue: then in cap. XXI, verse 22, they delivered the judicial laws; finally in cap. XXV and following, they delivered the ceremonial laws. Again, the Angels so disposed the Mosaic law that it was a mean between the law of nature, as it were more perfect, and the law of the Gospel, as it were more perfect, directing and leading themselves and theirs toward it. Third, this disposition comprehends all dispositions (for in Greek it is διαταγάς, in the plural) and prodigies which, as it were in procession, either preceded, or accompanied, or followed the law, namely that the Angels commanded the people to prepare themselves to receive the law through purification and sanctification, that is the washing of garments and abstinence from wives; and Moses, that he ascend Mount Sinai; that the Angels about to give the law descended on Sinai with fire, smoke and earthquake; that with the sound of a trumpet they proclaimed the Decalogue from Sinai, etc., which are narrated in Exodus XIX. For this procession, most excellently arranged, is called here disposition: through it indeed to the rude people was signified the dignity, terror, power and magnificence of the law and of the lawgiver, so that they would observe it religiously, nor dare to violate it. Fourth, disposition signifies the distribution of laws into three classes, which fully and perfectly in every way disposed, formed and composed the life and customs of the Hebrews. For the first class was the Decalogue and the natural law, which rightly composed them in themselves, so that their acts both internal and external would be conformed to right reason and the eternal law. The second was the ceremonial laws, by which they would worship God rightly and holily, and exhibit to Him the honor due. The third was the judicial laws, by which they were disposed to conduct themselves rightly toward their neighbors, and to render to them their rights and debts. Mystically and anagogically, this disposition signified those who kept the law, disposing themselves to the life and state of Angels, so that among the heavenly Angels as earthly Angels they might live angelically and serve God, and after this life be disposed and transferred among their orders and hierarchies according to their merits. Thus Oecumenius: "The betrayers and murderers of Christ," he says, "he calls those who would be partakers with those who crucified Him, and this when they had received the law having ordinances, which would make those who fulfilled it in deed, to keep a polity similar to Angels." OF ANGELS. — St. Chrysostom, Ambrosiaster, Euthymius, Theophylactus, St. Thomas and others commenting on Galatians III, 19, understand by angels the messengers of God, namely Moses, Aaron and Joshua. But more simply they themselves and others everywhere understand true angels. The same doctrine St. Paul teaches, Galatians III, 19, and Hebrews II, 2. For Angels are ministering spirits sent by God into ministry, as the Apostle says, Hebrews I. Moreover he says angels in the plural, because although there was one principal angel, for example St. Michael, who proclaimed the Decalogue in the name of God on Sinai, he nevertheless had many other inferior angels as attendants for the sake of honor, who, with their work divided among themselves, excited the fire, smoke, earthquake, thunders and other prodigies. Furthermore, St. Stephen calls the old law the law of Angels, not of Moses: First, so that he might show how much he esteems it and refute the calumny of the Jews, who accused him as it were a despiser and enemy of the Mosaic law. Second, so that he might convict the Jews of ingratitude and disobedience, who did not keep the angelic law, as it were given by God through angels; nor did they receive Christ foreshadowed and foretold in the law. The blasphemy therefore of the law despised, which the adversaries themselves had objected, he turns back upon themselves. Tropologically: you would more truly accuse Christians, who do not observe the Evangelical law, which was given not through angels, but through the Son of God Himself, for that reason incarnate, who therefore will themselves pay grave penalties, as the Apostle threatens, Hebrews II, 2, and XII, 25.
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54. THEY WERE SAWN ASUNDER, — διεπρίοντο, that is, they were sawed through, namely by the saw of wrath, anguish and indignation. See the remarks at chapter V, 33. St. Chrysostom notes that the cause of the anguish of the Jews was that they wished to kill Stephen, and yet could not find a just cause for doing so. For Stephen had praised the law, but had accused them of violating the law: they were therefore enraged and gnashed and ground their teeth against him, because he had spoken the truth and had sharply rebuked them, and yet they could not seize upon an honorable pretext for avenging themselves upon him. Even if they could have calumniated him as a reviler of their own people, cast him out or scourged him; they could not, however, kill him, which is what they wished. Beautifully does St. Augustine say, sermon 6 On the Saints: "Over the martyr Stephen, he says, they gnashed with serpent's teeth, whom they held in their heart as it were a serpent."
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55. AND WHEN HE WAS FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST (The Syriac: full of faith and the Spirit of holiness), LOOKING STEADFASTLY INTO HEAVEN. — There is signified here a new fullness, namely a new descent and impulse of the Holy Ghost strengthening Stephen against the fury of the Jews, so that he might bear it steadfastly and even desire it, and so that he might exult in it, with great love and longing for Christ. Morally: Peter Damian, sermon On St. Stephen, notes that the Holy Ghost teaches the eyes to look toward heaven: "Because, he says, whoever is breathed upon by the Spirit of divinity, trampling upon earthly things, yearns for heavenly and eternal things: for where the eye is, there also is the heart and love. On the other hand, worldly men look upon the earth, because they yearn for earthly things: he that is of the earth speaks of the earth. Again, the pious in tribulations look toward heaven and say with David: 'I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, whence shall help come to me,' Psalm cxx, 4. Worldly men look to human aids and seek them out: and therefore by the just judgment of God they do not find them. See the remarks at chapter I, verses 9 and 11. The cause of fortitude is the looking toward heaven. Whence Plato, in the Cratylus: "ἀνδρεία, he says, that is, fortitude, is said as it were ἄνω ῥοή, that is, an upward flow: because it is the part of fortitude to resist evils that come upon one and to be borne upward." He who does this is ἀνήρ, that is, a man, and ἄρρην, that is, male, not female. Whence the same author in the Apology of Socrates, him unjustly condemned to death, because he denied many gods and asserted that there was only one, thus introduces him consoling himself and dying with a cheerful mind, so that he says: 'Nothing evil can ever happen to a good man, either living or dead; nor are his affairs ever neglected by the gods. Nor indeed did these things happen to me by chance, but this is certain and clear to me; that for me to die and to be freed from such affairs is better and more fitting. There I shall dwell with Orpheus, Musaeus, Hesiod, Homer, with Minos, Rhadamanthus, with Ajax and others unjustly condemned, as I am unjustly condemned.' HE SAW THE GLORY OF GOD. — First, some think that Stephen saw the essence of God. Thus some according to Lyra. Gregory of Nyssa favors this, in his oration On St. Stephen, when he says "that he saw the very light in the light of God, with full comprehension of mind, and God and the Trinity." And Hilary of Arles, homily On St. Stephen, asserts that he then received the reward and saw God; and what was hoped for in desires was shown to his eyes, and hope in reality, the spirit still warring within the flesh, made perfect. And St. Augustine, sermon 96, affirms "that he saw with unveiled face the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost." And sermon 99: "That he saw God, and the Trinity itself and divinity." Yet, Exodus xxxiii, 11, and II Corinthians xii, show that neither Moses, nor Paul in rapture, nor anyone else in this life saw the essence of God. Second, others think that Stephen saw God and the glory of God, not in itself, but in some image, namely represented in a phantasm formed by God in his imagination, as Isaiah, chapter VI, saw the Godhead and the Trinity through some bodily form, as I said there. Whence Bede, Retraction on Acts, says that Stephen, when divinely elevated, beheld in this life the joys of the future life in that manner in which Paul, when caught up to the third heaven, beheld them. Third, Dionysius the Carthusian thinks that this vision of Stephen was not imaginary, but purely intellectual in the apex of the mind, such as is wont to be the case with contemplatives and those in ecstasy, through a most splendid irradiation of uncreated eternal light. Fourth and more simply, Cajetan and others think that Stephen saw the glory of God, that is, a certain remarkable and august bodily brightness, so that it testified to and displayed the presence of God: for Stephen saw this with bodily eyes, while he looked steadfastly into heaven; just as with the same eyes he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the power of God: for there is no quality that represents to us the Majesty and glory of God more than light, brightness and unusual splendor. And thus Moses and the Hebrews are often said to have seen the glory of God, because they saw a certain heavenly light and splendor, which represented the Majesty of God. Thus Exodus xxiv, 17, it is said: "And the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a burning fire." Similar passages are Numbers xiv, 10; and III Kings viii, 10, and elsewhere. And thus the Apostles in the transfiguration saw the glory of Christ, because his face shone as the sun, Matthew xvii. Moreover, when the eyes of the body of St. Stephen were lifted up by God, likewise the eyes of imagination and mind were lifted up, so that he might contemplate the glory of the empyrean heaven and of God more sublimely, as if he were already a candidate for it, as the authors of the second and third opinions have said. Whence Peter Damian, sermon On St. Stephen: "If," he says, "he saw with bodily eyes, it is certain that this man surpassed the whole human race in the disparity of glory, and with the incorporeal wings of faith and virtues, if not comprehending, yet grasped it with lights." And this alone seem to have wished St. Augustine, Hilary and Nyssen cited for the first opinion: for when they say Stephen saw God, understand not in His essence, but in His image or species, partly corporeal, such as light and brightness; partly incorporeal, such as phantasm and mental vision. AND JESUS STANDING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. — Thus I read with the Romans and Greeks: therefore delete "of power," which some inserted. "Of God," that is of glory, or of august light, which represented God, as I said a little before. Moreover Christ is said to stand at the right hand of God the Father, not as if He were not consubstantial with Him inasmuch as He is God, but inasmuch as He is man united to the Word, in that sense which I gave in Colossians iii, 1. Where also I added that Christ is said to sit at the right hand of God, to signify His royal Majesty, dominion and judicial power: but to stand, first, because this is the natural posture of a strong and glorious body. Thus St. Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Bede and St. Gregory, hom. 29 in the Gospel, and St. Augustine, Question LXXXVIII among the Questions of the New Testament. Second, He stands as a soldier and leader, when, and on behalf of Stephen, about to fight against the Jews. Whence Peter Damian, oration On St. Stephen: "Christ," he says, "standing with the Father stood, and fighting with the fighter fought, nor was He less than him," so that He might help and defend His athlete. And St. Ambrose, in Psalm lxi, says Stephen stood unafraid among enemies and stones, because with immovable faith he saw the immovable Christ, and fixed himself entirely to Him in mind and gaze. St. Augustine adds, sermon 98 On Various Matters, that Stephen saw also angels, as it were soldiers following Christ their leader, and fighting for him as their fellow-soldier. They report that Alexander the Great was accustomed to dine to the sound of pipes, and when the pipers, changing the delightful tone, sounded a martial strain, suddenly he seized a lance without awareness, seized by emotion; which was evident proof of a warlike spirit and imperial virtue. Far more truly Christ in the empyrean heaven abounding in delights, so attends to the affairs and struggles of His faithful, that as soon as the cry of those struggling is heard, He immediately rises from delights to arms. He stands therefore here armed with His omnipotence, so that He might render Stephen unconquerable to the Jews. Thus He stood and was present with St. Anthony contending against demons, as St. Athanasius writes in his Life. Third, Christ stands as advocate and as priest for Stephen in martyrdom, about to offer him to the Father as a victim and most sweet holocaust, says St. Ambrose, lib. III On Faith, cap. ult. Fourth, He stands as agonothete, so that He might receive the soul of Stephen the victor with triumph, and assign to him the prize of victory, and according to his name, crown him with a crown of glory. Thus St. Ambrose, epist. 82. Moreover Stephen by the natural acuity of his eyes could not reach to the empyrean heaven, and there see Jesus in His form and quantity, since we cannot see many stars which are in the firmament, and consequently far inferior to the empyrean heaven, which nevertheless are far greater than the whole body of Jesus, but than the whole globe of the earth. Therefore by divine power strengthened and elevated was his eye and sight, so that he might see Jesus whole in His species and figure in heaven, indeed standing above the empyrean heaven clearly, distinctly and perfectly. Symbolically: St. Augustine, in Questions LXXXVIII on the New Testament, teaches that Christ stood as Stephen stood, patient and accused, He Himself also standing, as if suffering and accused, He might suffer with him. For Augustine asks why Christ was seen seated before His triumphs in Isaiah, chapter vi, but standing to Stephen after His triumphs? and he answers: "Because then," he says, "the cause of His divinity was in peace; but in Stephen the cause of the Savior was suffering violence, therefore with God the judge sitting, He appeared standing, as if one pleading a cause. For everyone who pleads a cause must necessarily stand. But because his cause is good, he stood at the right hand of the judge." Thus Augustine. He alluded to the ancient Roman custom, by which not only the accused standing pleaded their cause, but also parents, relatives, friends stood with them in sordid dress, with unshaven beard and hair, as if they themselves were accused with the accused: for they took upon themselves his lot. Thus here Christ suffers with Stephen pleading his cause, stands by him and as it were stands as an accused with the accused, so that he might plead and complete his case. Thus God was seen by Moses in the burning bush, Exodus iii, to signify that He Himself and the Hebrews afflicted in Egypt, and as it were placed in the burning bush, might be compassionated by Him, and truly suffer with them, and undergo the same lot and condition with them, so that He might console them, help them and free them. BEHOLD, I SEE THE HEAVENS OPENED. — Stephen was the first after Christ to see the heavens opened; he saw and entered, as the Church sings: but before him, in the baptism of Christ, the heavens were opened, and the opened heavens were seen not by Christ alone, but by the whole multitude standing by, equally as the dove descending thence upon Christ, which was a sign of the Holy Spirit; and the voice descending thence upon Him from the Father was heard: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him." All which things were not imaginary, but sensible, and truly came to pass, and this first, so that the voice falling from heaven might signify the dignity of Christ greater than John himself baptizing; secondly, so that it might be shown that heaven is opened to Christ and through Christ to all, as St. Chrysostom says in the same place; thirdly, so that the power of heavenly baptism might be indicated, namely, that through it heavenly grace is given, which opens heaven to us and leads us into it, and therefore through baptism we are called to heavenly life and to heavenly gifts and goods. Thus St. Thomas, III part., Question XXXIX, article 5. You will ask: How could solid heavens be opened? I answer: Some imagine that they were truly opened, as if their solidity were really divided and split. But this is the rude and gross imagination of the common people: for this is naturally impossible, supernaturally superfluous. Secondly, others think that through lightnings and thunderbolts frequently sent by God, the aether appeared to men to be divided and opened; whence the voice burst forth as thunder: "This is my Son, etc." This is favored by Psalm xxviii, 3 and 6, in the allegorical sense: and this so that through these terrible things the people might be stirred up to behold this opening of heaven, and to hear the voice falling upon Christ, according to that of Psalm lxxvi: "Thy lightnings have shone forth to the world." Thus Silius Italicus says: "And with the pole broken, the fiery aether gleams," that is, flashes. And Statius: "The broken thunderbolts tremble, and the aether torn by sudden fire bursts." Thus Prado on Ezekiel I, 1. Thirdly, others think that the heavens were not truly opened, but through an intellectual or imaginary vision given to St. Stephen and others, as to Ezekiel, I, 4, through a vision the heavens were opened. Thus the Author of the Imperfect Work on Matthew chapter iii, and St. Thomas in the place cited. But because in the baptism of Christ the voice was real, equally as the dove; and Stephen truly saw with bodily eyes Christ in the opened heavens: hence Fourthly, others better think that in the baptism of Christ there was seen a true kind of opening, that is a kind of sensible appearance of an opening in the highest region of the air, from which that voice seemed to fall from heaven with the dove. Moreover, this opening was made in this way: God made the extreme and highest parts of the air denser and more luminous, so that the sight of those beholding could be terminated at them: but the air interposed He made remain rarer, so that it would not be seen in the usual way: for in this way it appeared to men that there was an opening, a void and an aperture in the air. Thus Suarez, III part., Question XXXIX, article 5; Euthymius, Jansenius and others on Matthew chapter III. Such openings like specters often appear in the air, concerning which Aristotle and the Philosophers in the Meteorology. But because Stephen here saw not only the air, but all the heavens opened even to the convex surface of the empyrean heaven, where he saw Jesus: hence Fifth and genuinely, I say that the heavens are here said to have been not split, but opened, that is, patent; because namely his eye, elevated through God's supernatural concurrence, penetrated all the heavens as if patent, and was extended even to the empyrean heaven, so that in it he might clearly perceive God's glory and Jesus at the right hand of God. For thus we through open air see distant things, namely the sun, moon, stars; so Stephen through the opened heavens, that is, patent and transparent, saw the glory of God and Christ: for to this alone were the heavens opened to him. Moreover this was an indication of great purity and fervor in Stephen. For he says: "I see the heavens opened," as if to say: I do not fear your threats, O Jews, nor death; because I see heaven opened, so that it may receive me as its citizen unto eternal glory. Second, by these words he invited them to repentance, as if to say: Heaven of eternal joy, salvation and happiness is opened; see that you hasten and enter before it is closed, according to that: "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light," John xii. And: "While we have time, let us work good," Gal. vi. But if you neglect the time of repentance, know that God looks down from heaven upon your crimes, and that he will be judge and avenger, so that from heaven he may hurl and cast you down into hell and the depths. Thus Moneta, a celebrated Doctor of Bologna, was moved to embrace the institution of St. Dominic by a certain preacher from his order, explaining these words of St. Stephen with voice, saying: "Behold now the heavens are opened to those willing to enter; but soon they will be closed forever to those who neglect this time of life and of doing well," as the Chronicles of the Order of St. Dominic relate, part. I, lib. II, cap. xxxvii. AND THE SON OF MAN,—that is, Christ, who is called antonomastically "man," because he is God man. St. Augustine inquires, serm. 3 De Sanctis, why St. Stephen called Christ "the Son of Man," and not rather the Son of God, which is a more worthy title? and he answers: Because the Jews confessed the Son of God, but denied the Son of Man, that is, the incarnation of the Word: "So that," he says, "to refute the unbelief of the Jews, he might be shown to the martyr in heaven, who was denied by the faithless in the world; and heavenly truth might give testimony to him, to whom earthly impiety denied faith." Moreover, that only Stephen saw Jesus and the glory of God, St. Augustine teaches, serm. 92 De Diversis: "To him alone," he says, "it appeared, and others did not see, but envied; " and he hints that the Jews saw on Stephen's forehead a cross, as if he were marked with it as with the sign tau, Ezech. ix. For the cross is the sign of Christ and of Christians. Some think that Christ went forth from heaven, and drew nearer, so that he might conveniently show himself to Stephen to be seen. But the contrary seems truer, namely that he remained in his place in the empyrean heaven, and was seen there by Stephen: First, because Stephen saw Jesus standing beside the glory of God, that is, beside God the Father; but the Father shows his glory to the Blessed in the empyrean heaven. Second, because he saw not heaven, but the heavens opened, all of them namely, says Peter Damian, serm. De S. Stephano: therefore also the empyrean, so that namely he might see Christ standing there. Third, because Stephen saw the place of the Blessed, into which he was already called through martyrdom, in which Jesus presides. You will say: Naturally the eye of man cannot extend its sight so high and far. I have already answered and said that it was elevated supernaturally by God, and extended even there, and Stephen's sight and vision were extended. You will ask: Why does Stephen say this to the Jews, who did not see Jesus, nor believed that he was seen by Stephen? I answer: He says this partly from burning love toward Jesus, and desire of enjoying him, as if to say: I see Jesus my love, inviting me: I long for him and hasten to him; why therefore do I care, nay I desire your stones, so that through them I may pass and fly over to my Jesus. Thus St. Augustine, serm. 94 De Diversis: "Stephen did not keep silent about whom he saw, so that he might reach him whom he saw; nay he hastened to die for him, so that he might live with him," says the same, serm. 95. Second, he says this from great confidence, zeal and fortitude, as if to say: You do not fight against me a mortal, O Jews, but against Jesus and God immortal, who from the heavens looks upon you and your crimes, and stands there to judge and punish you, if you persist in crime. Thus St. Augustine, serm. 98 De Diversis. Third, he says this, so that he might invite them to repentance, as if to say: Jesus stands at the right hand of God, as an advocate of sinners and the penitent: do penance therefore, so that through him you may obtain pardon and mercy. Fourth, so that he might show himself not only a hearer but an eyewitness of the resurrection of Christ, which the Jews utterly denied, who afterwards knew that many would believe, who had seen his patience, holiness, angelic countenance and martyrdom.
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56. BUT THEY CRIED OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE AND STOPPED THEIR EARS. — In Greek, κράξαντες, that is, crying out with a horrible voice, croaking after the manner of ravens, as Peter Damian says, Oration On St. Stephen. For, as Ecclesiasticus says, xxvii, 15: "Much speaking with an oath (and much more blaspheming) shall set horrors upon the head; and the irreverence thereof shall bring destruction." They cry out therefore horribly, as those who had heard the dreadful blasphemy of Stephen, namely that he had seen the heavens opened, and the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, whom they themselves held to be a malefactor, and whom they had crucified as a malefactor. Whence they stop their ears, lest they hear the blasphemy. "They closed their ears and ran to the stones," says St. Augustine, Sermon 1 On the Saints. Therefore they cry out as if calling upon God, that He might avenge such blasphemy, and strike it down from heaven with lightning. Thus the Gloss. St. Augustine adds, Sermon 98 On Various Matters, that they cried out against Jesus, whom Stephen was exalting, and blasphemed Him. Hence, setting aside the order of law, they furiously seize Stephen, not merely condemned by the Council, unto death: although Cajetan asserts that they did this with the consent of Pilate the prefect.
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57. CASTING HIM OUT OF THE CITY. — Lest he should defile it with his blasphemy, according to the edict of the Lord, Num. xxiv, 14. Thus the Jews thought; but in truth he was cast out of the city for three reasons, as a stranger of the world, and one having no abiding city here: for he sought with all his mind the future city. Secondly, because impious Jerusalem was not worthy of so holy a martyr, just as the world is not worthy of the life and death of the just. Thirdly, that he might be like in this, as in all other things, to Christ, who suffered outside Jerusalem, that He might choose us and call us from the world to heaven: "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach," Hebr. xiii, 12 and 13. See the words there. THEY STONED HIM, as a blasphemer: Thus a blasphemer in the time of Moses, by the command of God, was stoned outside the camp by all the people, in execration of the crime, Num. xxiv, 14. Hence also the Jews say to Christ: "For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy," namely because he said he was God and the Son of God, John x, 33. Moreover, St. Stephen was stoned in the valley of Josaphat, which lies between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem, near the torrent Cedron; because near great waters there is usually an abundance of stones: where even now the place consecrated by the blood of St. Stephen is venerated with great reverence. Whence the gate of Jerusalem which turns toward this valley and leads to it, pilgrims and Christians dwelling in Jerusalem call the gate of St. Stephen. Lucianus in the Description of the Finding of St. Stephen says he received this from the revelation of Gamaliel. The same is related by Bede, Borchard, Ceverius, Ausing, Adrichomius, Zwallardus, and others in the Description of the Holy Land (and from them our Villalpando, vol. II in Ezech., part. I, lib. III, cap. vii, pag. 161), from whom our Lorinus adds (which pilgrims also assert, and the same was asserted to me in Rome by R. P. Melchior ab Helmont of Antwerp, a Franciscan, who made four pilgrimages to Jerusalem and dwelt there for a long time, who also added that the signs and the image of the head and shoulders of St. Stephen impressed upon the stone as he fell backward while expiring are still shown upon it, and that he himself saw them) that there is shown in that place the stone upon which the Blessed Virgin with St. John poured forth prayers for Stephen throughout the entire time of the stoning. Therefore St. Stephen owes his crown of martyrdom to the Blessed Virgin, just as St. Paul owes his conversion, which dying he likewise obtained for him from St. Stephen. Moreover, in the same place where St. Stephen was stoned, the Empress Eudoxia built a great basilica, as Evagrius testifies, lib. I Hist., cap. xii, and Nicephorus lib. XIV, cap. lvi. Bede adds, lib. De Locis sanctis, cap. iii, that Christians in Jerusalem religiously preserved the stone upon which the Jews stoned St. Stephen. Excellently St. Augustine, sermon 2 On the Saints: "In him, he says, in the very flower of youth, he purpled the beauty of his age with blood;" for he appears to have been about 34 years old: for his kinsman, contemporary and fellow student Saul was of the same age, as I shall shortly say. Both Saul and Stephen, therefore, were contemporaries of Christ. "Stephen in Greek, in Latin is called crown. Already he had the name of a crown and therefore he bore the palm of martyrdom in his very name." The same, sermon 5: "When, he says, St. Stephen the Deacon was ordained by the Apostles, he preceded the Apostles themselves in blessed and triumphal death; and thus he who was inferior in order became first in passion; and he who was a disciple in rank began to be a master through martyrdom, fulfilling that of the Psalmist: What shall I render to the Lord for all the things he hath rendered to me? For Stephen the Martyr wished to render first to the Lord what he received from the Lord along with all mankind. For the death which the Saviour deigned to suffer for all, he first rendered back to the Saviour." In the same year 34, in which Christ suffered on the 25th of March, Stephen was made Deacon after Pentecost, and a few months later he underwent martyrdom. St. Antoninus, 1st part of History, title VI, chapter ii, § 4, and Adrichomius in Description of the Holy Land, page 273, think he died on the third day of August, a Wednesday. But they err, confusing the day of the finding with the day of death: for his body was found on the third day of August. Whence Baronius and others commonly think he died on the 26th of December: for then the Church celebrates his birthday of eternal happiness, namely the day after the nativity of Christ. All the Martyrologies and the Fathers in the homily On St. Stephen testify the same. For this reason Christ was born on earth, that Stephen might be born and crowned in heaven, as St. Fulgentius teaches, sermon On St. Stephen. Bede adds in the Martyrology, and from him Baronius, that on the day after the death and triumph of St. Stephen, namely on the 27th of December, in the same year of Christ 34, St. James, the brother of the Lord, was made Bishop of Jerusalem, and sat there for 29 years; therefore an error crept into the Chronicle of Glycas, who in book III of the Annals, from Hippolytus; and Nicephorus in book II, chapter iii, who from Evodius write that St. Stephen fell in the seventh year after Christ: for in place of the seventh year should be put the seventh month. Tropologically: Nyssenus, tract. On Beatitude, teaches that St. Stephen initiated that beatitude of Christ: "Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." "For this reason, he says, that great Stephen rejoices, struck by stones from all sides, and as if receiving some sweet dew, the frequent blows of stones falling like flakes of snow, he eagerly receives in his body; and he pursues the wicked murderers with blessings, etc.; as he runs through confession, that which was hoped for is shown to him, heaven opened." The same, oration On St. Stephen: "In all things, he says, he excelled in greatness of soul and excellence of nature, opposing to anger indeed mildness, to threats contempt, to the terror of death contempt of life, to hatred love, to malevolence benevolence, to calumny the preaching of truth." And below: "For surrounded by stones cast from all sides, as if by a crown, thus he received what was being done, as if a crown of victory were being woven as a reward in the hands of his adversaries." Hence in place of a crown of striking stones, he received a crown of precious stones, according to that: "Thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones," Psalm xx, 4; and St. Augustine, sermon 94 On Various Subjects: "When, he says, Blessed Stephen first shed blood for Christ, as it were a crown proceeded from heaven, that those following might take it as a reward, who would imitate the piety of the one going before in the battle. They afterwards filled the earth with frequent martyrdoms. Whosoever afterwards shed blood for the confession of Christ, placed that crown on his head, and preserved it whole for those following." Symbolically in the same place St. Augustine, and sermon 92: "But the stones, he says, ran, hard against the hard; and he was stoned with rocks, he who died for the rock, who is Christ; and by those who were stony, who received the law on stony tablets." Finally, St. Augustine, in sermons 31 and 32 On Various Subjects, writes that the stone which had struck the side of St. Stephen, having been brought to Ancona, a city of Italy, by a certain pious man who had been present at his stoning, shone forth with many miracles: indeed it was fitting that a stone of a cubit in a city of a cubit should be placed and protect it; for Ancona is said to be derived from ἀγκών, that is, elbow, "because it is situated on the elbow of the shore bending in upon itself," as Pliny says, book III, chapter xiii. The festival of the reception of this stone has been celebrated from ancient times on the 3rd of August, on which day afterwards fell the invention of St. Stephen, which the Church therefore commemorates on the same day. AND THE WITNESSES LAID DOWN THEIR GARMENTS — their, that is, of the witnesses themselves, not of Stephen, as St. Bernardine says, in a sermon On St. Stephen, saying that through contact with the garments of St. Stephen, just as through his prayers, Saul was converted; "garments," namely the outer ones, such as cloaks, so that they might hurl stones more readily: for this is what the Greek word ἱμάτια signifies. AT THE FEET OF A YOUNG MAN, WHO WAS CALLED SAUL. — Saul was the leader and choragus of the stoning, because he bore it ill that Stephen, his kinsman and fellow disciple, had fallen away from him and from his law and school; moreover, he envied that he was being surpassed by him, now a Christian, in eloquence, wisdom and miracles: wherefore he was the instigator of the stoning, and therefore, not content to stone him alone, keeping the garments of all who were stoning, he stoned him through all of them. "By him," says St. Augustine, sermon 1 On the Saints, "the garments of all who were stoning were kept, so that as if in the hands of all he himself seemed to be stoning." Saul himself, now made Paul, confesses the same thing, chapter xxii, verse 20: "And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I stood by (in Greek, ἐφεστώς, that is, I stood over, that is, I presided) and consented, and kept the garments of them that slew him." Whence St. Fulgentius, in a sermon On St. Stephen, says that he was slain by the stones of Paul. Furthermore Saul is called a young man — in Greek νεανίας, that is, a youth, or a man endowed with youthful boldness and strength — because he was 34 years old. For after so many years, he was killed by Nero in the 13th year of his reign, when he was altogether 68 years old, as St. Chrysostom relates, in a homily On the Princes of the Apostles, volume V. Thus Pythagoras extended youth from the twentieth year of age up to the fortieth. Whence also Cicero, in the book On Old Age, extends youth up to old age: "For indeed," he says, "old age creeps upon youth more swiftly than youth upon childhood." The same, in oration 23, calls Isocrates now a man, now a young man: "A young man," he says, "even now, O Phaedrus, is Isocrates; but what I should augur concerning him, it pleases me to say." And a little later: "For there is in the mind of this man a certain nature of philosophy." Thus does Socrates augur concerning the young man in Cicero. Otherwise, by physicists and physicians, a young man is properly so called from the end of childhood, namely from the 12th year up to the 25th, so long as man grows in length: for when he has fully grown, he is called an adult.
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59. LORD JESUS, RECEIVE MY SPIRIT, — that Thou mayest set it forth as a victor, as it were an agonothete before God the Father, to be adorned with a crown of glory, as St. Augustine says, sermon 93: "For Thee I have lived, for Thee I die: because Thou hast helped me, he whom Thou receivest is victorious: receive my spirit from the hand of those who hate Thee." And sermon 51: "Thou hast made me a victor, receive me in triumph: they persecute, Thou receivest; they cast out, Thou admittest: say to my spirit, Enter into the joy of Thy Lord." Hence many believe that Christ immediately receives the souls of His servants and handmaids from death, and offers them as it were the fruits of His labors to God the Father. Note here an excellent form of dying. First, he is concerned not with the body, but with the spirit: the impious do the contrary. Second, he professes faith, calling upon Jesus as Lord, namely as his Creator, Redeemer and Savior and that of the whole world. Third, fixing his hope in Him, he invokes Him, distrusting his own merits: hence he calls Him Jesus, who namely is willing and able to save him. Fourth, through love he resigns his soul and spirit to Him. Wherefore Christ receives the spirit resigned to Him by His own: and as man He performs a particular judgment of him, in which He adjudges him to heaven and blesses him, and conducts him to heaven with triumph; but if he still has something to be purged, He sends him to Purgatory, that it may be expiated. Moreover He does this either by Himself, or rather through angels. For if He did this by Himself, since many die throughout the world at every hour, and often at the same moment, Christ would have to descend from heaven to each dying person at every moment, indeed since many die at the same moment in various places, He would have to descend to various places at once, and replicate Himself many times. Wherefore Bartholomaeus Sibylla, in the Mirror of the Pilgrim, Question decade I, chapter ii, Question IX, believes that Christ commits this particular judgment of each person to his guardian angel, so that he then conducts him according to his merits either to heaven, or to Purgatory, or to hell, or delivers him to a demon to be conducted. For this seems to pertain to the guardianship of an angel, and to be its end and conclusion. Others believe that this judgment is made by Christ Himself, remaining in the empyrean heaven, through a mental utterance of Christ; just as an angel speaks mentally to an angel, however remote, as I said on Zechariah xii, 10. But the universal judgment at the end of the world Christ will perform by Himself; hence to that judgment, accompanied by all Angels and Saints, He will descend gloriously from heaven, Matthew chapter xxv, verse 31. Yet to certain more illustrious Saints dying, Christ appeared in person and received their souls. Hear select examples. St. Pantaleon the Martyr, suspended on wood, lacerated with iron claws, burned with torches, with eyes fixed toward heaven in prayer, saw Christ in the form of Hermolaus his master, who encouraged him to martyrdom: "For I am with thee, He said, in all things which thou sufferest for My sake," as his Life has it in Surius on July 27. When the eyes of St. Menas the Martyr were being gouged out, his tongue torn out, his flesh lacerated, Christ appeared to him and restored and healed all his members; and He encouraged him to constancy, promising him His present help and assistance, as his Life has it in Surius on November 11. To St. Barbara in prison Christ appeared, and with His splendor illuminated the prison, and healed her wounds, encouraging her to the impending martyrdom, promising her His present help. St. Elizabeth, daughter of the King of the Hungarians, with eyes fixed toward heaven saw Christ and heard from Him: "Be of good courage, daughter, I am with thee." To which she replied: "Yes, Lord, Thou art with me, and I am with Thee." To the same, after a life spent many years in religion, Christ appeared and said: "Come, bride, possess the heavenly bridal chamber." St. Tarsilla, the aunt of St. Gregory, as he himself relates in book IV of the Dialogues, chapter xvi, dying, "looking upward saw Jesus coming, and began to cry out to those standing by with great earnestness, saying: Depart, depart, Jesus is coming. And as she fixed her gaze upon Him whom she saw, that holy soul departed from the body. And such a sudden fragrance of wonderful odor was spread abroad, that the very sweetness itself showed that the Author of sweetness had come there." Thus to St. Dionysius the Areopagite crucified, Christ appeared in prison, gleaming with unusual light, and encouraged him to bear the final agony of martyrdom with constancy. St. Anthony of Padua, yielding up his soul, sang: "O glorious Lady, exalted above the stars," etc.; then lifting up his eyes, he fixed them steadfastly toward heaven. Being asked what he beheld? "I see, he said, my Lord," and soon after he fell asleep happily in the Lord in the year of Christ 1231. St. Eligius, Bishop of Noyon, dying with his eyes fixed upon heaven, said: "Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace. Into Thy hands I commend my spirit. Thou knowest that my hope hath always been in Thy mercy, and my faith hath remained in Thy credibility. And now also in the confession of Thy holy name, I shall breathe forth the last breath of Christ. Receive me therefore according to Thy great mercy." St. Arnulph, Bishop of Soissons, departing from life, the cell trembled: as Everolpus the presbyter trembled: "Fear not, he said, beloved brother; for all these things are signs of divine majesty." And soon with a repeated earthquake: "At the first, he said, shaking, Blessed Peter the Apostle came to me, signifying to me that my sins are remitted and the gate of life is open. There was present a frequent assembly of the Blessed singing divine praises continually. At the second shaking, with many angelic spirits, St. Michael visited me, promising that with him as my guide I shall enter into blessed life."
60. AND KNEELING DOWN, — so that by kneeling he might show the greatest care, sorrow, compassion and contrition, so that he might obtain pardon from Saul raging and the obstinate Jews, says St. Chrysostom, oration 2 On the Preparation. Note: St. Stephen prayed for himself standing, but for his enemies he bent the knee. St. Augustine gives the reason, answering in the person of Stephen, sermon 2 On the Saints: "For myself I prayed standing, because for myself, who served God rightly, I did not labor in praying and obtaining: because he who prays for the just does not labor, therefore for himself he prayed standing. It came to pass that he should pray for the Jews, for the murderers of Christ, for the murderers of the Saints, for his stoners, he considers that there is so much and so great impiety in them, which could scarcely be forgiven, he bent the knee, and said: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." AND HE CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, — as much as his failing strength at that moment could bear: for with this voice he expired; otherwise it would have the appearance of a miracle, that someone should cry out in death, as it was a miracle in Christ, that expiring he cried out: "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." St. Augustine, sermon 99 On Various Subjects, adds that Stephen mixed tears with his cry, and therefore his prayer was efficacious. LORD, LAY NOT THIS SIN TO THEIR CHARGE. — Stephen does not pray that God should not reckon the sin, namely the murder of the Jews, as sin, nor the murder; for this is impossible and injurious to God, because it attributes to him a perverse judgment concerning sin, namely that he should judge sin not to be sin: but "lay not," that is, do not regard it with fixed and steadfast eyes, as if to say, I beseech thee, do not let this crime remain firmly and perpetually before thee; but quickly turn thy eyes away from it and forgive it, by converting my stoners to repentance. Secondly, do not lay their guilt to punishment, that is, do not punish them with hardening and eternal death, which they deserve; but remit the punishment together with the guilt to them. For sins stand fixed before God, as if demanding vengeance: they are set up like marble statues of crimes, when the sinner is hardened in them, becomes obdurate and dies; so that they remain unforgiven, so that they are punished with eternal fire. On the contrary, concerning the good works of Cornelius it is said in chapter x, verse 4: "Thy prayers and thy alms are gone up for a memorial in the sight of God." The Greek text signifies many things, namely to set, to establish, to fix, to finish, to erect, to weigh, to ponder; and in all these ways it can be taken here, as if to say, Do not set, do not fix, do not finish this their sin, do not namely allow them to finish their life in it and be damned; do not erect their malice and vengeance into a statue and monument, do not weigh, do not ponder this crime in the rigid balance of thy justice, but excuse it as committed through passion and ignorance, so that thou mayest grant them clemency and pardon. Stephen imitates Christ, whom standing in the heavens he beheld, says the Nyssenus, who on the cross prayed for his crucifiers: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." "Do you think," says St. Augustine, sermon 94 On Various Subjects, "that Paul heard these words? he heard them mocking, but he mocked them." Hilary of Arles, sermon On St. Stephen, says, "that Stephen knew not how to be angry at those through whom he saw the hall of the heavenly kingdom opened to him, through whom he understood himself to be consecrated for eternal ages; and thus from the wild olive a new branch began to be brought in, so that he would not wish the old olive to be cut off." St. Fulgentius notes, sermon On St. Stephen, the weapons with which Stephen fought against the Jews and conquered, were charity, especially toward his enemies and stoners: "By the charity of God," he says, "he did not cease against the raging Jews; by the charity of neighbor, he interceded for those stoning him. By charity he reproved those erring, so that they might be corrected; by charity he prayed for those stoning, lest they be punished. Supported by the virtue of charity, he conquered Saul raging cruelly, and whom he had as a persecutor on earth, he merited to have as a companion in heaven." Indeed, this charity of Stephen was most ardent, which conquered and overcame the most ardent fury of Saul and the Jews. For God willed that in Stephen, as in the Protomartyr, to give to all other martyrs who would follow an illustrious example of fortitude, patience, innocence and other virtues, and especially of charity, by which they might convert their torturers, as St. Paul did, St. James and elsewhere other Martyrs. St. Augustine notes secondly, in sermon 1 On the Saints, the efficacy of the prayer of St. Stephen: "If St. Stephen," he says, "had not prayed, the Church would not have had Paul: but Paul was raised up because Stephen, bowed down on earth, was heard." And in sermon 5, he teaches that Stephen lamented far more the crime of his enemies than his own sufferings, and therefore prayed for them so earnestly and fervently: "He grieved more," he says, "over their sins than over his wounds; more over their impiety than over his death: And rightly more: for in their impiety there were many things that could have been lamented; but in his death there was nothing that ought to have been grieved over. Their impiety was followed by eternal death, but his death by perpetual life." Note thirdly, that fervent prayer poured out for enemies is most efficacious, such as was this prayer of Stephen: both because it is an act of the most difficult and most eminent charity; and because God has counseled it to us, indeed commanded it, Matthew v, 44; and because this injury properly touches man. If therefore he who is wronged remits his right and action against the wrongdoer, nay even prays that God also remit it, he compels God, as it were, to remit: for God is far more merciful than man, and wishes to be seen as such. Wherefore this prayer of Stephen obtained and, as it were, brought forth Paul, and made him the teacher of the Apostles and of the world. Wherefore Cardinal Vitriaco, in the Life of St. Mary of Oignies, book II, chapter xi, writes that she knew in ecstasy that St. Stephen received the soul of St. Paul when he was beheaded, and offered it to God: "She said," Vitriaco relates, "when she sang of Blessed Stephen the Protomartyr, whom she called the rosebud of paradise, that to him praying at his death the Lord gave St. Paul as a gift: and when St. Paul had completed his martyrdom and departed from the body, St. Stephen was present, and offered his spirit to the Lord, and said: Lord, thou hast given me this great and singular gift; but I return it to thee multiplied by manifold fruit." Prayer therefore for enemies is with God most powerful, and compels him, as it were, to spare the enemy; because it is made purely for the glory of God, and therefore proceeds from mere and pure charity: for no self-love or natural love mingles itself here; because his benevolence and beneficence tend, contrary to nature, toward the enemies of nature, to whom he desires and prays that God forgive and benefit them, so that God may be glorified thereby; as indeed this is the supreme glory of God, namely divine clemency, by which he makes friends, nay sons and heirs of his, out of his enemies and ours; which therefore God grants to him who asks, since God is a zealot for divine glory more than we are, as is fitting, just and holy. Oecumenius probably opines that not only Saul, but also many other stone-throwers of Stephen, through his prayers obtained pardon, grace and salvation. Hence finally St. Stephen is a singular and powerful patron and advocate of those who strive to convert their enemies as well as wicked and hardened men, such as the Jews are, as is evident from many experiences; for he himself merited this by his zeal, example and martyrdom: let them therefore invoke him. Baronius relates, in the year of Christ 418, from Severus, Bishop of the island of Majorca, that when the relics of St. Stephen were brought to Majona (which is a city in Majorca), all the Jews, whose number was 340, were converted by a miracle; when namely they saw that by their own stones, which they daily cast at Christians carrying and accompanying the relics, no one was harmed; and that God's vengeance sent fire from heaven into their synagogue. Similar is what St. Augustine writes, book XXII On the City of God, chapter viii, that Martial, an honored man, was converted from paganism to Christianity, to which he had always previously resisted, by his son-in-law and daughter through the invocation of St. Stephen, and through flowers taken from the altar of St. Stephen and placed on the head of Martial when he lay sick; so much so that thereafter he perpetually had on his lips the last words of St. Stephen: "Christ, receive my spirit." AND WHEN HE HAD SAID THIS, HE FELL ASLEEP IN THE LORD. — As if he could neither die nor rest unless he had first prayed well for his enemies and obtained pardon from God. Note: St. Paul calls Christians who are dying asleep, I Cor. xv, and I Thess. v, because their death is not so much death as sleep, on account of the hope of a resurrection soon to come, meanwhile the soul passing into rest and eternal glory, so that in the vision and enjoyment of God it may rest happy and blessed, and say with the Psalmist, Ps. iv: "In peace in the selfsame I will sleep and rest." Where St. Augustine says: "O in peace! he says, o in the selfsame! o I will sleep and rest!" Hence it is a pious custom of the faithful that when one of theirs is dying they do not say: Such a one has died, but: He fell asleep in the Lord. "A blessed sleep, says Peter Damian, Oration On St. Stephen, with rest, rest with pleasure, pleasure with eternity." For as it is said Ps. cxxvi, 2, "when he shall have given sleep to his beloved, behold the inheritance of the Lord." And Apoc. cap. xiv, vers. 13: "Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord," that is in the Lord's faith, grace and bosom, as it were living members of his, die. See the things said there. This was the end, this the triumph, these the crowns and crown of the first athlete of Christ, St. Stephen, whom St. Augustine, Nyssenus, Fulgentius, Emissenus, Chrysologus, Bernard, Nicetas and others in their homilies pursued and celebrated with wonderful praises. Great and many miracles performed after his death through his sacred relics and remains are recounted by St. Augustine, lib. XXII De Civit., cap. viii, and hom. 7 De Sanctis, and by Prosper, lib. De Praedict. dimidii temp., cap. vi; Gregory of Tours, lib. I Hist., cap. xxxi; Gennadius, Nicetas and many others. Moreover, from his death onward, he was held in such honor and veneration among all the faithful that St. Clement, lib. VIII Constit., cap. xxxiii, writes that the Apostles ordained that the day of his martyrdom be celebrated publicly as a festival every year. Whence St. Martial, a disciple of the Apostles, dedicated an altar to St. Stephen in Gaul, as he himself testifies in his letter to Bordeaux; following his example, many other Gallic Churches erected magnificent temples and basilicas in the name and title of St. Stephen. The first King and Martyr of the Hungarians, St. Stephen, from St. Stephen obtained both his name, and his kingdom, and the laurel of martyrdom, as his Life of August 25 has it. Finally, St. Dorotheus, in his Synopsis, asserts that on the same day as Stephen, Nicanor the Deacon was killed by the Jews, and moreover two thousand Christians. The same thing is related of Nicanor by St. Hippolytus, lib. De 72 Discipulis. But the Roman Martyrology on January 10 asserts that Nicanor was killed in Cyprus. The Menology of the Greeks on July 28 has the same, and adds that this happened under Vespasian. Go now, St. Stephen, go forth, O athlete of Christ, go to your Jesus, for whose faith and love you endured so great a struggle. Jesus awaits you to crown you, who watched you to conquer. You have fought a good fight, you have finished your course, you have kept the faith, receive the crown of glory. Go, most valiant Martyr, into the house of the mighty God. Go, most chaste Virgin, to the heavenly mount Sion; follow with the choirs of holy Virgins the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, sing with them the new Canticle, nay rather sing it before all others. Go, Evangelist and herald of Christ, into the heavenly court of Christ. He will receive your victorious and blessed spirit. He will turn stones into gems for you; instead of a crown of stones he will place upon your head a crown of carbuncles, diamonds, emeralds. He will wipe from your eyes all tears, from your face all sweat, from your body all blood: he will present you victorious to God the Father, so that for the brief time of your struggle you may receive the diadem of the eternal kingdom. Go, Protomartyr, go before others on the way to heaven, pave the way to triumph, and innumerable hosts of Martyrs shall follow you as their leader throughout all future ages of the world. In a few hours by struggling valiantly you have filled and adorned yourself with merits, the Apostles with joy, the faithful with example, the Church with glory, the world with fame, the angels with exultation, heaven with citizens, paradise with Martyrs. Come! look down upon us from on high, that we may worthily follow the footsteps of your struggle, and thus deserve to obtain the prize of your glory. Amen.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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v. 1 dizit autem princeps sacerdotum, qui praeses synedrii censendus est, si haec ita se habent? εἰ etiam in directa interrogatione ponitur; cf. 1,6; 19,2. Luc. 13,93; 92,49 ;
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v. 2 qui ait: tiri fratres et patres, cum significatione reverentiae omnes qui aderant alloquitur, assessores synedrii patres compellans, reliquos, testes, Hellenistas illos aliosque (6,12) fratres; qua blanda compellatione jam ostendit se amicum populi Israel, audite : Deus gloriae, maiestatis, Deus gloriosissimus (Bee/.), qui scil. gloria magna se manifestare solet, uti divinam maiestatem ac sublimitatem decet; hac una voce refutat accusationem in vulgus sparsam (6,11) apparuit patri nostro Abrahae cum esset 1n Mesopotamia, priusquam moraretur in Charan; templum nondum erat, sacrificium non erat et divina visione dignatus est Abraham qui in aliena terra erat, statim ab initio opinionem illorum convellit et per ea quae dicit clare adstruit ὅτι οὐδέν ἐστιν ὁ vat; δήπου αὐτός, οὐδὲ τὰ ἔθη (Chr. Theoph.); in aliena terra ante ritus et caerimonias legis Deus sua largitur beneficia modo eximio;
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v. 3 et dixit ad illum : exi de terra tua et de cognatione tua et veni in terram quam. monstravero tibi ;
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v. & tunc exiit de terra Chaldaeorum et habitavit in Charan ; legimus Gen. 15,7 : ego Dominus qui eduxi te de Ur Chaldaeorum, et Gen. 129,1 : egredere de terra tua; quae verba de terra tua non tam ad Haran convenire videntur, ubi non adeo diu habitavit et ubi non erat patria eius, sed unice ad patriam, ad Ur Chaldaeorum; et recte advertit de Hummelauer, non solum ex Haran, sed ipsam ex Ur profectionem Deum praecepisse Gen. 12,1 : locus siquidem nativitatis non erat Haran, neque apte dicebatur terra tua locus in quo brevi tantummodo Abram substitit (Comment. in Genesin p. 363); et eodem modo Neh. 9,7 : eduxisti eum de Ur Chaldaeorum. Quare merito potuit Stephanus verba illa Gen. 12,1 referre ad praeceptum Domini ut exiret ex Ur Chaldaeorum , scil. ex celebri illa, urbe Uru, nunc Mughair, sita haud procul ab occidentali ripa Euphratis δὰ Pallacopam (cf. de Hummelauer 1. c. p. 361). Dicitur Mesopotamia sensu latiore omnis illa regio ad Euphraten et Tigrim ; ex Ur migravit in Charan (Haran); erat haec nobilis urbs ad Beliam flumen , recto fere itinere inter Nisibin et Gargamis (l. c. p. 363). Proinde difficultas in hoc textu non est tanta quanta aliquibus videtur. Omnis utique umbra alicuius contradictionis cum narratione Gen. 11,31-12,9 evanescit, si legitur, uti in vetere latina versione : Deus gloriae apparuit patri nostro Abrahae cum esset in Mesopotamia in Charan; quare ex D hunc posse statui textum primigenium 605. censet : ἔντι ἐν τῇ ΔΙεσοποταμία μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ et v. ἀ xai μετώχισεν αὐτὲν εἰς τὴν γῆν ταύτην. Etiam Irenaeus verba recitat in hunc modum : Deus gloriae visus est patri nostro Abrahae 6% dixit ad eum : exi de terra tua et de cognatione tua et veni in terram quam demonstrabo tibi et transtulit illum in terram hanc quam nunc et vos inhabitatis (adv. haer. 3,19,10; M. 71,905), nisi forte dicendus sit verba Stephani compendio referre. Migrationem ex Ur factam esse duce oraculo divino Philo quoque affirmat scribens : δευτέραν δὲ ἀποιχίαν στέλλεται Acvio πάλιν πεισθεὶς in secundam migrationem mittitur oraculo iterum obediens, non iam ex una urbe in aliam , sed in regionem desertam (de Abraham 6. 18). Deus electum amicum non stalim iussit migrare in terram palaestinensem; prius moratus est in Charan, in regione aliena, et ibi quoque ei se manifestavit : et inde postquam mortuus est. pater eius, en maiores stirpis electae terram illam sanctam ne viderunt quidem! transtulit. illum in terram istam, in qua nunc vos habitatis; illud postquam etc. omissum est in gig; eritne deletum ob difficultatem quae ex Gen. 11,26. 32 et 19,5 oritur? Nam ibi dicitur : Thare vixit 70 annis et genuit Abram et Nachor et Aran ; facti sunt dies Thare 205 annorum; Abram erat 75 annorum cum egrederetur de Haran. Unde secundum istos numeros Thare adhuc vixit per 60 annos, postquam Abram egressus est de Haran. Si numeris textus hebraei relictis numeros assumimus recensionis samaritanae, nulla est difficultas. Nam secundum textum samaritanum Thare vixit per annos 75 postquam genuit et dies eius facti sunt 145 annorum; et Philo quoque hos numeros ob oculos habuit; nam explicite dicit τελευτήσαντος δὲ αὐτῷ τοῦ πατρὸς 505705 xai ἐχ ταύτης μετανίσταται, Scil. ex Charan (de migrat. Abr. 8 32). Alii nodum in textu hebraeo solvunt, quo modo (praeter alios) solvi posse iam Augustinus censuit; scil. non eodem anno tres filios 8 Thare esse genitos, verum annum commemorari ex quo coeperit generari; fieri posse ut Abraham primo loco ponatur, non quia primus sit genitus, sed merito excellentiae, uti « in Paralipomenon cum sit quartus nascendi ordine Iudas, prior est commemoratus, a quo iudaicae genti nomen est, propter tribum regiam » (Quaest. in Genes. 25; M. 35,553). Similiter legitur : filii Noe: Sem, Cham, lapheth, quamvis Cham sit filius eius minor (Gen. 9,94) et enumerantur ordine : Moyses et Aaron, Ephraim et Manasses , Isaac et Ismael, quamvis qui secundo loco nominantur sint natu maiores (cf. Ex. 5,20 sed 1 Par. 6,3; Gen. 48,5. 14. 90; 1 Par. 1,28; $,1). Si itaque Abraham erat iunior et natus non anno 70 Thare patris, sed anno 130, reliquit Charan patre mortuo; ita difficultatem expediunt Calm. Beel. Patr. Felt. Et quamvis Deo iubente migraverit in Palaestinam , tamen nihil in ea possessionis a Deo accepit
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v. 3 et non dedit illi hereditatem in ea nec passum pedis i. e. ne minimam quidem partem, quam planta pedis calcat; « vide quomodo illas a terra abducat; neque enim dixit dabit, sed non dedit » (Chr.); amico suo Deus nihil possessionis dedit ; unde elucet in Dei dispositione non adeo magni aestimari terram, quam illi prae aliis sanctam habent. Commendatur fides Abraham; sed promisit dare illi eam in possessionem et semini eius post ipsum, cum non haberet filium; immo cum iam esset aetatis provectioris et Sara sterilis; unde fidei firmitas credentis contra spem in spem celebratur (Rom. 4,18. 19. Hebr. 11,8. 9). Fit promissio etiam semini eius (Gen. 12,7; 15,8) fit ei et semini (Gen. 13,15); nondum datur; fit promissio antequam circumcisio, antequam lex et templum esset (Chr. Theoph.). Et diu tardat Deus promissionem implere, id quod pro tempore quoque messiano non parvam habet significationem. Praeclarissima quaeque pro ea epocha promissa sunt; num statim cuncta implebuntur? Ex agendi modo Dei quem discimus ex historia patriarcharum, id exspectandum non erat. Immo Deus contraria promissis statuere videtur
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v. 6 locutus est autem ei Deus : quta erit semen etus accola in terra aliena et. servituti eos subücient et male tractabunt eos annis quadringentis, Gen. 15,13; « vide ante quot annos promissio et promissionis modus, et nusquam sacrificium, nusquam = cireumcisio; hic ostendit Deum permisisse ut illi affligerentur; vide, prius mala permittit; sic et nunc licet regnum promiserit, tentationibus exerceri sinit » (CAr.). Et exemplum ex Abraham profertur, quod non oporlet accelerare ea quae divinis promissis deferuntur, quia neque Abraham accelerari petiit nepotum ab Aegypto egressum, cum ei manifestafa esset longa eorum detentio, imo et molestia (Oec.). ' At afflictorum causam tuetur Deus et ultionem exercet in adversarios
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v. 7 et gentem cui servierint , en quamvis sint electae stirpis, eos affligi, alienigenis servire permittit; proin id non existimat Deus alienum a sua dignitate; facile sequitur afflictam Christifidelium conditionem nemini debere esse offensioni; at tandem adversarios deiiciet, 10010000 ego, dixit Dominus, et post haec exibunt et servient mih: tn loco 1500; ergo postquam iam diu in alienis regionibus cultus est et honoratus, demum etiam in hac terra vult honorari et coli. Atque promissione data foedus initum Deus novo ritu sacrari voluit
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v. 8 et dedit ill. testamentum circumcisionis i. e. foedus circumcisione est sancitum et eo signo cognoscitur Gen. 17,10. 11; ita hac religiosa caerimonia, qua circumcisio cordis, 'obedientia in Deum significatur, stirpem illam sibi arctius adiungere Deus voluit. Quid igitur ab eis postulet, ut foederis bona consequantur, eo ritu declaratur (cf. Deut. 10,16) et sic genuit Isaac, tamquam ritu illo in Dei obsequium plane consecratus, ad quod obsequium posteri quoque dedicati sunt, et c?7cumcidit eum die octavo, et Isaac Iacob et 11000 duodecim patriarchas, progenitores scil. tribuum populi; cf. Gen. 91,9.6; 25,95; 29,39 seq. 35,93. Illos autem hanc cordis cireumcisionem neglexisse, sua in loseph invidia ostendebant
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v. 9 et patriarchae aemulantes (Gen. 37,11 LXX, invidebant ei fratres, vulg.) Joseph vendiderunt הז Aegyptum, et erat Deus cum eo; Ioseph qui Deo obediens erat favores Dei in regione aliena expertus est et inter alienigenas speciali Dei protectione eximius factus est; utique tribulationes subire debuit, quae igitur non sunt indicia reprobationis divinae;
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v. 10 et eripuit eum ex omnibus tribulationibus eius et dedit ei gratiam et sapientiam in conspectu Pharaonis regis Aegypti ; sapientia scil. illa somnia regis recte interpretatus regique sapiens dedit consilium pro salute regni; ita factus est regi valde carus , eius gratiam consecutus, e£ constituit eum praepositum super Aegyptum et super omnem domum suam ; cf. Gen. 51 ,1-%6. Fratresautem eius mox poenas dederunt; insuper in regione illa 8 0 115 promissa iam non inveniebant cibum, sed ad alienam proficisci debebant; nequaquam igitur terra illa sancta Iudaeorum adeo magni aestimabatur apud Deum;
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v. 11 ventt autem fames ?n universam Aegyptum et Chanaan et tribulatio magna , et non inveniebant cibos patres nostri; salutem quaerere debebant in terra aliena
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v. 19 cum audisset autem lacob esse frumentum in Aegypto, misit patres nostros primum; Gen. 42,2 seq. is itaque cui maximam iniuriam intulerant factus est auctor salutis; quem abiecerant, is exaltatus est et exaltatus gloria eos salvavit et ditavit! Nonne magna quaedam similitudo habetur in Iesu? v. 13 et tn secundo cognitus est Ioseph a. fratribus suis et manifestatum est Pharaoni genus eius; Gen. &5,3 seq.; quo audito gavisus est Pharao et familiam Iacob in Aegyptum venire voluit Gen. 45,16-20. בור Pro salute stirpis electae Ioseph divina providentia missus est in regionem alienam ; et in eandem regionem alienam ex terra illa sancta migrare debebant, ut reservarentür super terram et escas ad vivendum habere possent Gen. 45,5-7. Tot itaque Deus beneficia in terra aliena praestat;
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v. 1& mittens autem Ioseph accersivit lacob patrem suum et omnem cognationem suam 1n animabus septuaginta quinque, Gen. 46,27 LXX, de quo numero vide quae disputat de Hummelauer l. c. p. 573. Neque patriarchae reversi sunt in terram illis promissam, sed vitam degebant et diem obierunt in regione aliena
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v. 15 e descendit Iacob 1n Aegyptum, visione Dei et admonitione ad iter illud confortatus : ego descendam tecum in Aegyptum Gen. 46,9-*4; et defunctus est tpse et patres nostri; atque in terra promissa nihil possidebant, nisi quod pecunia olim emptum erat
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v. 16 et translati sunt in Sichem et positi sunt in sepulcro, quod emit. Abraham pretio argenti a filiis Hemor filii Sichem, ἐν Συχέμ; memores enim promissionum Dei in terra promissa sepeliri volebant; id de Iacob et Ioseph explicite traditur Gen. 49,30; 50,95, et Iacob quidem sepultus est in spelunca duplici quam emerat Abraham ab Ephron Ilethaeo (Gen. 23,16; 50,13), Ioseph autem in Sichem, in parte agri quem emerat Iacob a filiis Hemor (Iosue 25,32; cf. Gen. 33,19). Ea emptione valde illustratur illud in v. 5 : Deus non dedit illi hereditatem nec passum pedis; si quid igitur erat necessarium , emere debebant in terra sibi promissa. Unde v. 16 non pugnat cum v. 5, ut aliqui censent (Weiss). Et bene notat Theoph. : hoc dicto ostendit Abraham ne sepultura quidem tenus (οὐδὲ μέχρι ταφῆς) terrae dominum fuisse. Iacob enim ibi sepultus est, ubi Abraham et Sara. De ea vero emptione quam hic Stephanus commemorat in s. litteris non est sermo. Censent aliqui Stephanum memoria lapsum dixisse Abraham , ubi Iacob dicere debuit vel duas illas narrationes in Gen. 23,4 et 33,19 inter se coniunxisse (Bed. Canus apud Saím. aliique). Si Stephanus talem commisit errorem, Lucas, fidelis rerum scriptor, orationem retulit, uti habita est; neque id esset contra inspirationem. Attamen aliis videtur duriusStephanum cuius laudes adeo celebrantur (6,5. 8. 15; 7,55 plenus Spiritu sancto) arguere erroris (cf. Salm. Lap.). Unde error ad librarios refertur qui nomen Abraham pro Iacob intulerint (cf. Calm.); verum omnes testes miro consensu in Abraham conspirant, excepto uno gig, ubi v. 16 legitur : et translati sunt in Sichem ; neque aliud additur. Uti textus traditur, de altera emptione Abraham mentio fit, quae probabilissime refertur ad Gen. 19,6. 7; nam in loco Sichem aedificavit Abram altare, cum ei ibi Dominus apparens promissionem dedisset de terra semini 6108 danda. Iam in aliena possessione altare aedificare non potuit ; ut altare 8 profanatione tutum redderet, debuit agrum emere. Sichemitae appellabantur filii Emor principis, qui adeo celeber erat, ut nobiles Sichem tempore Iudicum vocentur viri Emor patris Sichem (Iudic. 9,98). Pro lectione vu/g. Emor fi/ti Sichem lege cum graeco in Sichem. Alteram emptionem hanc Stephanus ex traditione accepit, uti pariter ex traditione corpora patriarcharum esse translata in Palaestinam (cf. Beel. Patr. Felt.), sicut ex traditione hausta sunt nomina illa 2 Tim. 3,8 et effatum Enoch (lud. 16,15) et alia.
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v. 17 cum autem appropinquaret tempus promissionis χαθώς particula temporis accipitur in utraque versione syra, latina et eadem notione 2 Mach. 1,31; item 8 Beel. Felt.; alii notionem eius usitatam retinent : prout, pro ratione qua appropinquabat (Grimm. s. v. Dl. Wendt, Weiss), quam confessus erat. ὡμολέγησεν promiserat (vide lect. var.) Deus Abraae, crevit. populus et multiplicatus est 1n Aegypto, Ex. 1,7; quod incrementum populi continuabat (neque tum cessabat ullo pacto; cf. Ex. 1.12)
Repetito notat CÀr. etiam tempore mosaico magna beneficia a Deo esse collata, cum tamen nusquam templi vel sacrificiorum mentio fiat, ita indicans ad quid oratio tendat;
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v. 18 quoadusque surrerit alius rex in Aegypto qui non sciebat loseph, Ex. 1,8 rex novus i. e. ex alia familia vel dynastia, uti Josephus dicit τῆς βασιλείας εἰς ἄλλον οἶχον μετεληλυθυίας (Antiq. 2,9,1); cum Hebraei egressi sunt sub dynastia Thebaea, huic dyna- Stiae regem a/ium accensere poterimus (cf. de Hummelauer, Comment. in Ex. Lev. p. 32); is non norat Ioseph neque eius de Aegypto merita agnovit; vel si fortasse nomen eius resque gestas noverit, Pharaonem cui ille servierat usurpatorem reputabat, eius nomen et imagines e monumentis delebat, et contribules Ioseph aversabatur (de Hummelauer l. c.);
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v. 19 Atc circumventens genus nostrum χατασοφισάμενος l. €. πανούργοις ἐπινοίαις αὐτῶν περιγενέσθαι βουλευσάμενος (Oec.), dolo, malis artibus cireumveniens, a/flirit patres nostros, ut ezponerent infantes suos ne vivificarentur; Ex. 1,22 praecepit enim, ut pueri nati proiicerentur in flumen;
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v. 20 eodem tempore natus est Moyses et fuit gratus Deo ἀστεῖος τῷ Θεῷ (Ex. 2,2 ,טוב LXX ἀστεῖος), explicat vocem Oec. (06ד602250 ἤτοι θεοφιλής; notat tamen : ἢ ἀστεῖος χυρίως ὁ ἐν παιδιχῇ ἡλιχίᾳ χατὰ σῶμα ἀμώμητος. Recte itaque Ex. 2,9 vulg. puerulum e/egantem fuisse legimus. Additur τῷ Θεῷ i. e. Deo iudice, coram Deo, ipsi Deo talis erat et habebatur, qua dictione non solum enuntiatur eum vere fuisse formosum (Beel. Patr. Felt.) neque additum illud tantum superlativum sensum adiectivo tribuit )2/.( , verum Dei peculiarem curam, providentiam, benevolentiam designat (vide quae dixi ad Ion. 3,9). Eius venustatem laudat Philo : γεννηθεὶς εὐθὺς ἔψιν ἐνέφηνεν ἀστειοτέραν ἢ χατ᾽ ἰδιώτην (vita Moys. 1,3) et pluribus eam celebrat Iosephus (Antiq. 2,9,6); qui nutritus est tribus mensibus in domo patris sui. « Quando humana nullam spem offerebant, et illum abiecerant, tunc Dei providentia fulsit » (CÀr.)
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v. 21 exposito autem illo, ab eo servati sunt quem perdere volebant; id accidit in Iosepho, id similiter in Moyse (cf. CÀr.); en, idem in Iesu — sustulit eum fita Pharaonis et nutrivit eum 3108 in filium; Ex. 29,3-10; nomen filiae fuisse Θέρμουθις refert losephus (Antiq. 9,9,7; vide de Hummelauer 1. c.); « nusquam templum, nusquam sacrificium, licet tot tantaque dispensentur, et educatus est in barbara domo » (Chr.). Ergo alienigenis Deus commisit curam servandi et educandi eum quem ipse principem et redemptorem populi sui elegerat! Ita fastum deprimit iudaicum; pariter fastum hunc excludit
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v. 99 et eruditus est Moyses omnt sapientia Aegyptiorum , id Philo pluribus narrat (vita Moys. 1,5) et eum secutus Clemens alex. (Strom. 1,93; M. 8,900), qui etiam refert puero in circumcisione nomen Ioacim esse impositum ; et erat potens in verbis et in operibus suis; minime hoc pugnat, ut Weiss vult, cum Ex. 4,10 seq; nodum iam.solvit 0/0/01. : scimus impeditiore fuisse sermone, lingua gravi ac difficili; at orationi vis inerat, gravitas, robur; neque enim tardior lingua impedit, quominus in sententiis insit vis, gravitas, pondus et copia et eximia sapientia (cf. Bee/. Felt.); etsi facundia desit, δύναμις seu δεινότης omnino inesse potest orationi. De rebus potenter et sapienter ab eo gestis plura refert Iosephus (Antiq. 2,10,1 seq.) quae tamen qua fide dicantur incertum | est. Magis sobrius est Stephanus; ab incertis abstinet, paucis sed certis contentus. Eum per 60 annos versatum esse in aula regis traditio est hebraea (cf. Lightfoot, Wetst. ad h. 1.) quam sequi videtur Stephanus
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v. 23 cum autem impleretur ei quadraginta annorum tempus, i. e. natus cum esset 40 annos, ascendit in cor eius, hebraismus est : עלתה על לבי (cf. ler. 32,35) venit ei in mentem, utique non sine divino quodam impulsu, vide v. 25, ut vist(aret fratres suos filtos Israel, ἐπισχέ- ψασθαι, apud LXX pro פקד invisere prospiciendi causa, curam agere; et se paratum esse ad eos iuvandos et ab oppressione vindicandos, reipsa exhibuit
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v. 98 οὐ cum vidisset quendam iniuriam patientem, iniuriam accipientem de genere suo (gig), vindicavit illum οἱ ῥεῖ ultionem ei qui iniuriam sustinebat percusso Aegyptio ; .א 12; quo iure hoc fecerit Moyses, aliquando dubitavit Augustinus : reperio non debuisse hominem ab illo qui nullam ordinatam potestatem gerebat, quamvis iniuriosum et improbum, occidi (c. Faust. 29,70; M. 42,444); sed postea bene ex hoc loco nostro v. 25 conclusit Moysen iam divinitus admonitum videri et hoc audere potuisse (Quaest. in heptat. 2,2; M. 34,597); factum itaque per Moysen signum fuit quod Deus per Moysen Aegyptios occideret, Israelitas liberaret (Oec.); =
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v. 25 existimabat autem intelligere fratres quoniam Deus per manum ipsius (frequens est hebraismus : per manum ,ביד per ipsum, sua ope et auxilio) daret salutem illis; at illi non intellexerunt ; accusat eorum tarditatem; nam ex divina promissione scire debebant se egressuros, tempus illud Abrahamo indicatum iam adesse, fore, ut Deus iudicaret gentem qua opprimerentur. Cum itaque nunc Moyses, vir in aula regia eximius, eorum suscipiat curam et iniurias illatas ulciscatur, pronum erat hunc mitti iis a Deo servatorem. En, aderat exspectatio messiana, signa temporis messiani manifestissima (cf.. Luc. 19,56) coram iis fiebant et fiunt; at iterum non intelligunt quis sit verus servator! Imo repellunt et abiiciunt servatorem
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v. 26 sequenti vero die apparuit. ilis litigantibus ὥφθη (cf. 3 Reg. 3,16 LXX, venerunt ad regem, vulg.); se illis ostendit, supervenit, e£ reconciliabat eos in pace συνήλλασσεν, imperfectum de conatu, dicens : viri, fratres estis, ut quid nocetis alterutrum? (ya τί cf. 4,25; quare mutuo iniuriam infertis? cf. Ex. 2,13; nocere iungitur in lingua vulgari cum accusativo! (Num. 5,19 non te nocebunt aquae istae; Sap. 14,29; Apoc. 11,5); v. דפ qui autem tnturiam faciebat prozimo repulit eum dicens : quis te constituit. principem et iudicem super nos;
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v. 8 numquid interficere me tu vis, quemadmodum interfecistt. heri Aegyptium? « eodem animo contra Christum videntur dicere : non habemus regem nisi Caesarem ; sic semper facere solebant ludaei, cum beneficia acciperent; vidistine insipientiam? eum qui se servaturus erat accusant, cum dicunt : sicut heri interfecisti Aegyptium » (Chr.);
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v. 299 fugit autem Moyses in verbo isto, à» indicatur causa fugae; intellexit in illo verbo se apud suos minime tutum esse ab ultione regis; cf. Ex. 2,15; insuper ex repulsa illa elucebat eum nullatenus ἃ suis popularibus agnosci tamquam aliqua auctoritate seu missione divina praeditum; et factus est advena $n terra Madian, ubi generavit filios duos;
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v. 30 et expletis annis quadraginta, nam Ex. 7,7 eratannorum 80 quando locutus est cum rege; cf.
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v. 23, apparuit illi in deserto montis Sina angelus tn igne flammae rubi, angelus erat qui apparuit, sed loquebatur in persona Dei (Cai.); est enim communis et vera doctrina S. Thomae et scholasticorum apparitiones illas factas esse per angelum personam Dei gerentem, cui doctrinae suffragium fert apostolus (Gal. 3,19, Hebr. 2,2; vide Suarez, de angelis 6,20); profugus, peregrinus, in aliena terra, in deserto videt angelum, non in templo; vide quot fiunt miracula et nusquam templum, nusquam sacrificia (CAr.); v. 34 Moyses autem videns admiratus est visum scil. quod rubus arderet et non combureretur, Ex. 3,2, et accedente illo ut consideraret facta est ad eum vor Domini dicens : v. 39 ego sum Deus patrum tuorum, Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac οἱ Deus lacob; nova haec Dei revelatio, quae foederis ineundi adeoque totius theocratiae veteris est initium ac fundamentum, procul a terra palaestinensi fit; tremefactus autem Moyses non. audebat considerare, Ex. 3,6 abscondit faciem suam; non enim audebat aspicere contra Deum; v. 33 dixit autem 111% Dominus : solve calceamentum pedum tuorum; locus enim in quo stas, terra sancta est; loca sacra nudis pedibus intrare solent orientales; pedibus nudis se alicui sistere insignis obsequii significatio apud eos habetur; sacerdotes hebraei nudis erant pedibus in templo; mahometani nunquam calceati in moschaeas ingrediuntur (Calm.); terra illa in qua Deus se manifestat declaratur sancta; iam quis limitem Moyses quem repulerant illa Dei manifestatione honoratur; v. 34 videns vidi (Ex. 3,7 LXX et hebr.) cum emphasi : etiam atque etiam vidi (Beel.); fortasse cum allusione quoque ad. v. 25 quo innuitur Deum iam ante &0 annos voluisse ex sua parte liberationem concedere; vidi afflictionem populi mei qui est ἐπ Aegypto et gemitum eorum audivi et descendi liberare eos; et nunc veni et mittam te in Aegyptum. Iam graviter exprobrat Stephanus cum aperta ad negationem et repulsam Christi allusione v. 35 hunc Moysen, eundem scil. illum ipsum quem aversati erant et despexerunt (Theoph.) quem negaverunt dicentes : quis te constituit. principem. et. iudicem? cf. Matth. 921,23 : in qua potestate haec facis et quis dedit tibi hanc. potestatem? Aunc Deus principem et redemptorem misit, vindicem, liberatorem , cum manu angeli simul cum potenti ope angeli, hanc opem ei adiunxit, qu? apparuit illi in rubo; cf. Ex. 23.20. 93; 32,84; 33,2. Proin quae illi negaverant Moysi, haec et maiora ei contulit Deus; v. 36 2/0 οὗτος « surgentem spiritum oratoris vel anaphora pronominis οὗτος
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v. 35. 36. 37. 38 indicat » (B/.) eduzit illos faciens prodigia et signa in terra Aegypti et in. rubro mari et in. deserto annis quadraginta;
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v. 81 hic est Moyses qui dizit filiis Israel : prophetam suscitabit vobis Deus de fratribus vestris tamquam me , ipsum audietis; cf. Deut. 18,15 et vide supra ad 3,92; proin tenebantur obedire illi qui per signa se probavit ἃ Deo missum. Iam quis maiora et plura signa patravit quam Iesus (cf. [oan. 15,94)?
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v. 38 λὲς est qui fuit in. ecclesia in coetu filiorum Israel ἐπὶ solitudine cum angelo qui loquebatur ei in monte Sina, et cum patribus nostris; Ὑενόμενος τά etc. hic versabatur cum angelo et cum patribus nostris in deserto, cum ibi scil. coetui Israelitarum lex Dei promulgaretur; ipse scil. erat mediator inter angelum loquentem et patres nostros (Ex. 19); qui accepit verba vitae dare nobis λόγια ζῶντα verba vim vitalem habentia, verba vivifica, secundum illud : constodite leges meas atque iudicia quae faciens homo vivet in eis (Lev. 18,5), verba non mortua, sed efficacia, in quibus Dei praecipientis vis quasi vivit, quippe qui verba promissionum et minarum ad effectum perducit (cf. Hebr. &,19). En, demonstrat Stephanus se magni aestimare legem a Moyse datam, agnoscere eius originem divinam, eius vim; pariter exponit qualis quantusque Moyses ἃ se habeatur; dein arguit qui sint contemptores Moysis
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v. 39 cui noluerunt obedire patres nostri, sed repulerunt et aversi sunt cordibus suits in Aegyptum; varia hic uno conspectu proponuntur (cf. Num. 11,5; 12,1; 1&,& constituamus nobis ducem et revertamur in Aegyptum; 16,2; 20,5 etc.); unum ex praecipuis exemplum affertur
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v. &0 dicentes ad Aaron : fac nobis deos qui praecedant nos ; Moyses enim hic qui eduxit nos de terra Aegypti, nescimus quid factum sit ei; Ex. 39,1;
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v. &4 et vitulum fecerunt in diebus illis et obtulerunt hostiam simulacro Ex. 32,& seq. Lev. 17,7. Ez. 20,7. 8; 23,8. Neh. 9,18, et laetabantur in operibus manuum suarum i. e. in idolo quod sibi fecerunt; in eo fundamentum gaudii sui collocarunt, in eo scil. quod ipsi confecerant; stultitiam idololatriae declarat. Nomine operis manuum idola saepe designantur; cf. Is. 2,8; 45,19 seq. Ier. 1,16; 10,15. Os. 154,5. Mich. 5,12 etc.; εὐφραίνοντο, Ex. 32,6 sedit populus manducare et bibere et surrexerunt ludere; cf. Ex. 39,18. 19. | | Neque semel tantum Deo neglecto idola colebant, verum illa apostasia multipliciter repetita est ira Dei iis ingruente
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v. &2 convertit autem Deus et tradidit eos servire militiae coeli ἔστρεψεν convertit scil. eos et tradidit; peccati poena quam meruerant cum emphasi effertur et indignatio Dei fortiter exprimitur. Dicitur autem convertit, tradidit, quia id quod Deus permittit fieri et quod subtracta in poenam gratia contingit Deus facere dicitur ex usu loquendi s. litterarum. Cum enim Deus sciat quid futurum sit et quia id impedire posset si vellet, at non impedit, idcirco sensu quodam latiore id facere dicitur. Illud ἔστρεψεν quandoque explicant intransitive : se vertit, se avertit (cf. 2661. Felt.), quae explicatio ab usu et notione verbi recedit (non est ἐστράφη); melius praebet fl : pervertit illos; de hac notione cf. Rom. 1,295. Militia coeli sunt sidera; cf. Deut. 17,3. 2 Par. 33,3. Ier. 8,2. Atque eos idola coluisse neglecto Dei cultu probat verbis Amos 5,25 : sicut scriptum est in libro prophetarum : numquid victimas et hostias obtulistis mihi annis quadraginta in. deserto, domus Israel? in variis illis per desertum migrationibus, uti circumcisio non observabatur, ita cultus Dei ille quotidianus non exercebatur; aliqua sacrificia esse oblata patet Ex. 24,5; Lev. 9,1; Num. 7; 9,*; neque id illis verbis negatur, sed solum asseritur eo tempore cultum sacrificalem generatim defuisse; at ex co iam tempore et deinceps idolis servierunt v. 4.8 et suscepistis tabernaculum Moloch et sidus dei vestri Rempham, figuras quas fecistis adorare eas; et transferam vos trans Babylonem, verba recitantur secundum LXX; solum additur προσχυνεῖν αὐτοῖς ; de textu hebraeo vide quae dixi ad Am. 5,95. Eos in deserto iam idololatriae deditos fuisse ex Lev. 17,7; Deut. 32,171; Ez. 20,8 et 23,3 certum est. Sed praeter illam eos postea quoque eidem vitio indulsisse, uti ex s. libris patet, ita hic quoque in v. 53 enuntiatur, quia in poenam idololatriae in exsilium transferentur (trans Damascum, hebr. LXX). De cultu Moloch saepius reprehenduntur (Lev. 20,2 seq. 3 Reg. 11,5. 7. 33;.8 Reg. 23,10. Ier. 32,35). Rempham, Rephan ex lectione Kaivan ortum esse, non est improbabile (Kaivan, Raiphan). — censetur Kaivan apud Assyrios, Kevan apud Arabes, Syros, Persas designare saturnum planetam. Testimonio itaque prophetae constat quam male legem divinam , verba illa viventia quae Moyses iis promulgaverat, ἃ migratione in deserto et deinceps observaverint. Unde Stephanus iam optime praeparat reprehensionem quam illis mox impinget.
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v. && tabernaculum testimonti τοῦ μαρτυρίου (ità LXX et vulg. pro ועד Ex. 30,36 etc.; hebr. explicant : ubi Deus convenit cum Moyse, sese manifestat) i. e. ubi Deus de se testatur — y testis — fuit cum patribus nostris in deserto , sicut disposuit illis Deus loguens ad Moysen, ut faceret illud secundum formam quam viderat, Ex. 95,9. 40; 26,30; 97,8. Num. 8,4; > revocat hic Stephanus in mentem exordium tabernaculi, uti versiculo consequenti exordium templi, ex his collecturus genuinam religionem carere utroque posse, cum patriarchae ante erectionem tabernaculi et Hebraei a Moyse usque ad Salomonem ante conditum templum fuerint, adeoque citra blasphemiam affirmari, templum eversum iri veramque religionem, quae nimirum Iesu Christi est, everso licet templo staturam » (Calm.). Atque Beda quoque notat : subintelligi vult, sicut tabernaculum in templi factura desertum, sic et ipsum templum intelligant meliori statu succedente delendum. Et CÀr. advertit dici ἐπ deserto, ut locum loco conferat, ibi enim locum sanctum esse, ubi Deus sit;
dum curavit; proin modum cultus religionisque praecipit novum, qui prius non exsistebat. Cur quod olim fecit, non iterum faceret tempore messiano? Ita ex ipsa historia sacra evadit probabile novum Dei colendi modum fore in nova epocha;
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v. &5 quod et indurcrunt suscipientes patres nostri cum Iesu i. e. Iosue in possessionem gentium διαδεξάμενοι quod scil. successione acceperant a Moyse. id duce ac comite Iosue introduxerunt ἐν τῇ κατασχέσει in possessione, in occupatione terrae gentium dum scil. terram occuparent gentium quas expulit Deus a facie patrum nostrorum, et ita habebant illud traditione acceptum usque in diebus David ; tabernaculum, sanctuarium tale, mansit usque ad tempora David. David erat acceptus Deo; ipse petiit, ut sibi concederetur aedificare templum; neque tamen impetravit;
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v. &6 qui invenit gratiain ante Deum; cf. 1 Reg. 16,13; 8 Deo electus Ps. 88,20; quem invenit virum iuxta cor suum 1 Reg. 13,15, et petiit ut. inveniret. tabernaculum Deo lacob σκήνωμα de habitaculo Dei dicitur LXX Ps. 15,1; 25,8; 42,3; 45,5; petiit, ut sibi concederetur aedificare templum; vide 2 Reg. 7,2 seq. 1 Par. 98,2; > petiit 66 non concessum est; οὐ λαμβάνει ὁ μέγας, ὁ θαυμαστές, sed aedificat abiectus ille Salomon; ita non magnum quidpiam erat templum » (CAr.). Si legitur τῷ zixo (cf. in v. 85 τοῖς πατράσιν), effertur habitaculum illud populo lacob inservire, ut perficiatur in commodum populi commercium cum Deo, expiatio etc.; verum aptius legitur τῷ Θεῷ i. e. habitaculum, ubi Deus suam praesentiam et benevolentiam exhibeat; idque congruit cum desiderio David (1 Par. 28,2). Templum igitur ne co quidem modo exstructum est, quo tabernaculum foederis, ex mandato Dei qui eius formam et figuram determinavit; sed templi aedificatio desiderio David concessa est a Deo, ita ut Salomoni liceret illud exsequi opus (2 Reg. 7,13; 3 Reg. 5,5. 1 Par. 28,6. 10);
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v. &7 Salomon autem aedificavit tlli domum; verum quam impar sit quodvis templum maiestati divinae, et ipse Salomon in dedicatione templi clare enuntiavit 3 Reg. 8,27 et Stephanus monet v. ₪8 sed non excelsus 1n manufactis habitat, ut scil. illic includatur neque alibi suam posset praesentiam et gratiam manifestare; ipse ad beneficia cunctis praestanda non indiget templo; sicut propheta dicit :
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v. 49 coelum mhi sedes est, terra autem scabellum pedum meorum; quam domum aedificabitis mihi? dicit Dominus ; aut quis locus requietionts meae est?
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v. 50 nonne manus mea fecit haec omnia? ls. 66,1. 2; quid enim est templum illud comparatione facta cum mundo adspectabili? quam angustum mundi amplitudine opibusque consideratis? docet dein propheta in animi pietate et prompta erga Deum obedientia id contineri quod Deus a suis exigat; vide meum Comment. in Is. 1] p. 498 seq. Ad quid tendat oratio, Iudaei bene advertunt. Unde ira et odio magis inflammantur et vultu, gestu, murmure in perorantem indi- . gnationem ostendunt; hac eorum pertinacia et perfidia Stephanus zelo accensus intermissa ulteriore oratione eos jncrepat. Ita nexum et transitum ad v. 51 explicant Oec. Theoph. Salm. Lap. Calm. Beel. Patr. Felt. εἰ merito quidem; nam ita haec abrupta et acerba reprehensio et compellatio subita optime explicatur;
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v. 51 dura cervice et incircumcisis cordibus et auribus , iis nominibus contumaces et veritati infensos compellat, quibus a Moyse et prophetis maiores reprehensi sunt; cf. Ex. 33,3. 5; 35,9. Deut. 9,6. 13; 31,97. Is. 48,4 nervus ferreus cervix tua, Ier. 7,96; 17,93 induraverunt cervicem suam etc.; proin Deo obedire, ei se subdere pervicaciter renuunt; sunt obstinato animo, ita ut veritatem ne audire quidem sustineant, cordibus incircumcisis, quorum scil. affectus mali et concupiscentiae nullatenus coercentur; cf. Lev. 26,41; Ier. 6,10; 9,26; Ez. 45,7. 9; vos semper Spiritui. sancto. resistitis, sicut patres vestri, ita et vos. Utrumque probatur
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v. 52 quem prophetarum non sunt persecuti patres vestri? idem 115 expvobraverat Christus Matth. 23,35-37; et occiderunt eos qui praenuntiabant de adventu Iusti 1. e. Messiae, cuius opus ἃ prophetis praenuntiatum est, ut scil. iustitiam instauraret et stabiliret in terra (cf. Ps. 71,7. Is. 9,7; 11,5; 42,3 etc.) ; ipsi vero mensuram patrum impleverunt, quia ipsum quem prophetae annuntiarunt interemerunt, cutus Iusti vos nunc proditores et homicidae fuistis; Iesum scil. iudici ro mano tradiderunt et mortem eius efflagitarunt cogentes praesidem invitum ; cf. 2,93; 3,13; v. 53 qui οἵτινες quippe qui accepistis legem in. dispositione angelorum et non custodistis, ab huiusmodi enim hominibus qui non solum prophetas persecuti sunt, sed ipsam legem per angelos traditam constanter abiecerunt, utique facinus illud occis ionis Iusti potuit perpetrari neque aliter exspectandum erat; εἰς διαταγὰς
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Proditores Iesu et homicidae potissimum erant synedristae, quos igitur ea reprehensione maxime tangit; legis minime .custoditae etiam pharisaeos scribasque accusat, eosdem Christus quoque arguerat. Reum ipsi egerant Stephanum; at factus est accusator acerrimus et iudices mala conscientia agitati in rabiem prorumpunt v. 5* audientes autem haec dissecabantur cordibus, ira et furore veluti disrumpebantur et stridebant dentibus in eum furentium more frendebant dentibus; explicant ϑρύχειν dentibus collisis stridorem emittere (Beel.); cf. 5,33; Ps. 34,16; Iob 16,9. Stephanus autem superna virtute roboratur contra furorem eorum et ad martyrium confortatur
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v. 55 cum autem esset plenus Spiritu sancto ὑπάρχων novum scil. ac vehementem in se experitur impulsum Spiritus, inZendens in coelum vidit gloriam Dei, Deum videre impossibile est; ideo dicit gloriam Dei (Ammon:?us in cat.), 1. e. claritatem quandam tamquam prae se ferentem praesentiam Dei (Salm. Cai. Patr.) cf. Ex. 24,17; Ez. 1,27. 43,9; et Iesum stantem a deztris Dei, « stantem et non sedentem beatus Stephanus videt Iesum, ut suam exhibeat Iesus protectionem et magnam suo athletae tribuat fortitudinem et alacritatem ; auxiliantis enim habitus ostenditur » (Oec.); sedere iudicantis est, stare vero pugnantis et adiuvantis: Stephanus in labore certaminis positus stantem vidit quem adiutorem habuit (Gregorius Magnus, in evang. hom. 29; Patr.) et Dasilius scribit τὴν δεξιὰν δὲ χώραν δηλοῦν τὸ τῆς ἀξίας διμέτιμον (cat.). Hac manifestatione et visione ei divinitus facta approbantur quae dixerat et ipse videns ea ad testimonium de Iesu eiusque doctrina iis afferendum omnibus enuntiat : et att : ecce video coelos apertos et. Filium hominis stantem a dextris Dei cum Iesus assumptus sit in coelum (1,11), eo ipso quod ei exhibetur Iesus, coelos se videre sibi apertos fateri debet; 68 voce synedristis in memoriam revocat quod ab ipso Iesu audierant : ex hoc autem erit Filius hominis sedens a dextris virtutis Dei (Luc. 22,69); hoc impletum a se cerni Stephanus iis testatur. Iam tali recordatione et affirmatione eorum rabiem in immensum accendi necesse erat; nam, ut TÀeoph. notat, quemadmodum ea verba in Iesu blasphemiam et crimen laesae maiestatis divinae vocantes impetum in Iesum fecerunt, ita hic quoque minime ferre poterant praedicari talem Iesu gloriam. Qua visione ipse praeparatur ad fortiter subeundum martyrium , ut bene prosequitur Beda : « ad confortandam ergo beati martyris patientiam coelestis regni ianua panditur, 66 ne innoxius homo lapidatus titubet in terra, Deus homo crucifixus apparet coronatus in coelo ». Iesus se vocat Filium hominis; a nullo ita vocatur excepto hoc loco; verum hoc loco haec appellatio consulto a Stephano est selecta cum allusione ad Dan. 7,13.15 et praeprimis, ut verba Iesu synedristis dicta iam esse eventu completa sollemniter affirmaret. Quare prae furore illi iam non sunt sui compotes
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v. 56 ezclamantes autem voce magna continuerunt aures suas , ne blasphemiam audirent, ita maximum horrorem exhibentes, e impetum fecerunt unanimiter in eum; res prae rabie et furore agitur tumultuarie; qui aderant oratione eius quasi in insaniam acti statim nulla synedrii sententia exspectata ultionem et poenam ipsi infligunt
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v. 57 et 6010160165 eum extra civitatem lapidabant; Lev. 24,14 educ blasphemum extra castra... et lapidet eum populus universus. Ius gladii Iudaeis utique ablatum erat a Romartis (cf. Ioan. 18,31) ; at uti postea Iacobum fratrem Domini occiderunt opportunitatem nacti ex morte Festi et absentia Albini (cf. 1056phus, Antiq. 20,9,1), it& nunc tumultu populari sententiam legis exsequuntur. Re generatim narrata (/apidabant) adduntur quaedam particularia : et festes quorum erat primos in eum lapides coniicere; Deut. 17,7 manus testium prima interficiet eum; quia ex legis praescripto blasphemus erat lapidandus et ea lege sibi ius vindicant, id religiose servant quod lege cautum erat, deposuerunt vestimenta sua, pallium scil. exterius, quo expeditiores essent ad lapides iaciendos (Caém.), secus pedes adolescentis qui vocabatur Saulus, Saul ,שאיל nomen ex vet. test. notum (1 Reg. 9,2 seq. 1 Par. 1,48; 1,48; 54,94 etc.); γεανίας dicitur de viris iunioribus aetatem annorum 23-40 nondum egressis (Patr. Grimm). Mirantur aliqui quod testium mentio fit; sed vide 6,13; mirantur et incredibile ducunt, quod in tumultu illo legis praescriptum sit observatum. Sed res est valde obvia; uti iam dixi, ex lege sibi esse ius lapidandi blasphemum autumant, ergo observant formam legis et hac observatione zelum legis demonstrant. Bene monet 60. coutra eiusmodi « criticos », sententia contra Iesum lata sacerdotes sibi religioni duxisse argenteos mittere in corbonam (cf. Deut. 23,18; Matth. 27,3) et Bl. ait esse qui formam legis observatam inepte mirentur. | Additur alterum :
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v. 58 et lapidabant Stephanum — repetitio habet emphasin, quae augetur oppositione — habes repetitionem , quae fit post aliqua narrationi inserta, uti 2,19; 9,92 (BJ.) , invocantem et dicentem : Domine Iesu, suscipe spiritum meum; orat in similitudinem Christi morientis (Luc. 23,56) et in eandem similitudinem rogat pro carnificibus suis
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v. 59 positis autem genibus clamavit: voce magna dicens : Domine, ne statuas illis hoc peccatum; « pro se quidem stans oravit, pro inimicis genuflexit, quia ipsorum - maior iniquitas maius supplicandi remedium flagitabat; et mira beati martyris virtus, qui sic zelo fervebat, ut eis a quibus tenebatur palam suae perfidiae culpas exprobraret, sic dilectione ardebat, ut in . morte quoque pro eis a quibus occidebatur oraret » (Beda); indicat &rdentem suam caritatem qua lapidantium salutem efflagitabat (Salm. Cai. Lap. Calm.) ; quam bene qui primus pro Christo mortem oppetebat, Christum morientem imitabatur! gemina namque haec sunt illorum : Pater, dimitte illis (Luc. 93,35^; Patr.); et cum 06 dixisset , obdormivit (in Domino), gig : et hoc dicto dormivit; χοι- μᾶσθαι mori usitatum est in novo testamento (13,36. 1 Cor. 7, 39 al.), ut iam in vetere Is. 14,8 al., et Beda notat : « pulchre dicit obdormi- 11, et non dixit mortuus est; obtulit enim sacrificium dilectioftis et obdormivit in spe resurrectionis »; Saulus autem erat consentiens neci etus; quae de morte Stephani etc. habet Lucas, a Paulo didicit; cf. 99,90 et cum funderetur sanguis Stephani testis fui et ego astabam et consentiebam 6% custodiebam vestimenta interficientium illum. Furor autem ille non est sedatus morte unius; ignis ille zeli legis in maius exarsit incendium 8,1 facta est autem $n 1110 die illo ipso die quo Stephanus occubuit (Patr. sim. Beel. Feit.); cf. 2,41; Luc. 10,19; 17,31; sensu generali dicitur ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐχείναις, 1110 tempore, persecutio magna in ecclesia quae erat lIerosolymis, ἐπὶ τὴν ἐχχλησίαν in ecclesiam, contra ecclesiam , et omnes disperst sunt per regiones Iudaeae et Samariae praeter apostolos qui sint isti omnes, colligi iam potest ex mentione apostolorum, indicatur in v. 3 et 4; non enim intelligendi sunt fideles omnes, sed illi qui eminentiorem quendam locum occupabant et praedicationi operam dabant; unde Cai. censet intelligi omnes discipulos in quos descenderat Spiritus sanctus. Et contra aliquos acutos criticos notat Bl. * « ridiculum est πάντες mathematica ratione accipere, magis etiam ridiculum mirari quod postea quoque Christiesni Hierosolymis reperiuntur (c. 11. 12 al.) tamquam haec ἀειφυγία fuerit; videntur autem maxime Helleni- 5686 fugisse ». Apostoli autem remanebant, ut afflictis fidelibus (v. 3) essent solatio et adiumento; eos itaque peculiari protectione providentia divina tuebatur, ut nascenti ecclesiae servarentur et ab incursu hostili redderentur immunes. Refertur apostolos 1018808 esse ἃ Domino per annos duodecim in urbe manere, ne cui praedicatio evangelii posset esse ignota (cf. Fe/t.) Non obstante illo furore reperiebantur qui auderent funus Stephani solitis honoribus prosequi
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Annas (Ānānō: corresponds to Heb. Hānan[jah])
interrogation was conducted by him (ibid. 18, 19-24). He presides over the sanhedrin together with Caiaphas (Acts 4, 6). It is debated whether the high priest of Acts 7, 1 and 9, 1 is A. or Caiaphas.
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… After his father's death, God addressed to him the definitive invitation (he had already spoken to him at Ur, cf. Acts 7, 2) to leave his kindred and his country to go toward the land that He would show him. On this occasion, God blessed A. for the first time, granting him his favor and his assistance, …
in some way to reconstruct its broad outlines (discourses of Peter: Acts 2:14-40; 3:12-26; 5:29-32; 10:34-43; discourses of Paul: Acts 13:16-41; 17:22-31; discourse of Stephen: Acts 7:2-53). Above all in the Synoptic Gospels we have the reflection and expression of apostolic catechesis. …
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… the Masoretic text, besides the "semi-popular" one (P. Kahle) that underlies the Septuagint (v.), a third type close to the Samaritan one was in use. This is confirmed by citations of Philo of Alexandria and by references in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 7, 4; 7, 32; 7, 35; Heb. 9, 3), which find their counterpart only in the S. P.
7:6
… The sojourn in Egypt was, according to Ex. 12:40 (cf. Gen. 15:13; Acts 7:6: 400 years), 430 years; it therefore lasts, in the first theory, from the year 1878 to 1448, in the second, approximately from 1655 to 1225. Anyone who establishes an intermediate …
7:8
Circumcision (From Lat. circumcisio, «cutting around»; Gr. περιτομή; Heb. Milāh)
… But this hypothesis clashes with Jos. 5:4-7, in which an interpolation by the redactor is wrongly seen, and with other biblical texts (not least Jn. 7:22 and Acts 7:8) and the entire Jewish tradition, which concordantly trace circumcision back to a period earlier than Moses, that is, to Abraham. …
… Also called P. are Abraham (v.), Isaac (v.), Jacob (v.), and other figures in the Septuagint (cf. 1 Chron. 24:31; 27:22; 2 Chron. 9:8; 23:20; 26:12), and in Acts 7:8, 9; 2:29 the sons of Jacob and David. …
7:23
Moses (Mōšeh, Μω[θ]σῆς, Vulg. MoySES, Ancient Latin Moses)
At court M. remained perhaps some forty years (Ex. 2, 23; 7, 7; cf. Act. 7, 23): a period rich in experiences and decisive for the cultural and spiritual formation of the meditative young man. There is no difficulty in admitting that from the Egyptian environment …
7:29
Following the example of Abraham (Gen. 21:23; 23:4), of Moses (Ex. 2:22; Acts 7:29), of Israel drawn by God away from the pagan world (Wis. 18:3; Hab. 3:16: παρενία is a synonym of x.), every Christian is and must feel himself a "stranger" (ξένος) and a "foreigner" …
7:30
… heights of heaven, preceded by the Cross (Mt. 24, 30), surrounded by hosts of angels and saints (Mt. 24, 31; Mk. 8, 38; Lk. 9, 26; I Thess. 3, 13; II Thess. 1, 7), in a luminous halo of clouds and fire (Mt. 25, 30; 26, 64; Mk. 13, 26; 14, 62; Lk. 21, 27; Acts 7, 30; I Thess. 4, 17; II Thess. 1, 8), seated on a throne of majesty (Mt. 19, 27; 25, 31; Rev. 20, 11-12), assisted in the act of judging by the Apostles (Lk. 22, 2), by the martyrs and …
Horeb (Hebrew Hōrēb, «Drought», «Desolation»)
… In fact, Horeb and Sinai have in common the vision of the burning bush, the divine command to Moses to return there to offer sacrifice after the departure from Egypt (Ex. 3:2-12; Acts 7:30 ff.); the assembly of the people of Israel with the terrible theophany and the so-called Sinaitic covenant (Ex. 19:18 ff.; Deut. 4:10, 15; 5:20; 18:16); the delivery of the tablets of …
7:31
as a divine messenger (of Yahweh or of Elohim) and at the same time speaks and acts as God. He makes promises like Yahweh himself (Gen. 16:10-13; 21:17-19; 22:11-17), identifies himself with God (Gen. 31:11-13; 48:15-16; Ex. 3:2-4, 10 [Act. 7:31-35]; Iud. 2:1-4; 6:11-24; 13:6-23; Zach. 3:1-6). At the end of the "covenant code", Yahweh promises "his angel" who will lead Israel (Ex. 23:20-23), the "angel of the covenant" …
7:32
… Masoretic text, besides the "semi-popular" one (P. Kahle) that underlies the Septuagint (v.), a third type close to the Samaritan one was in use. This is confirmed by citations of Philo of Alexandria and by references in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 7, 4; 7, 32; 7, 35; Heb. 9, 3), which find their counterpart only in the S. P.
7:35
… text, besides the "semi-popular" one (P. Kahle) that underlies the Septuagint (v.), a third type close to the Samaritan one was in use. This is confirmed by citations of Philo of Alexandria and by references in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 7, 4; 7, 32; 7, 35; Heb. 9, 3), which find their counterpart only in the S. P.
7:36
… The miraculous crossing of the Red Sea is a historical fact such that it cannot be suppressed without shaking the whole edifice of the Old Testament (Ex. 14; 15:4; 22; Num. 33:8; Deut. 11:14; Josh. 2:10; 4:24; 24:7; Ps. 105 [106]:8; Id. 11:16; Neh. 9:11; Wis. 10:8; 1 Macc. 4:9; Acts 7:36).
7:37
… contemporaries of Christ likewise appeal: the Pharisees (Matt. 19:7; John 8:5; Acts 6:14), the Sadducees (Matt. 22:24), the disciples (John 1:45). The conviction passes to the Apostles (Acts 3:22; Rom. 10:5, 19; 1 Cor. 9:9 etc.) and to the first believers (Acts 7:37; 28:23).
… There is no record of other prophets (cf. I Mach. 14:41) until John the Baptist (Mt. 11:9 ff.; Le. 7:26 ff.), precursor of the prophet par excellence, Jesus (Act. 3:20 ff. = Deut. 18:15-19; Io. 1:21, 45; 6:14; 7:40; Act. 7:37; Hebr. 1:1 ff.; A. Clamer, Ste Bible, II, Paris 1940, p. 634 ff.).
7:38
Other passages call the Old Testament writings τὰ λόγια τοῦ Θεοῦ (= "oracles of God": Rom. 3, 2); λόγια ζῶντα (= "living oracles": Acts 7, 38); λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ (= "word of God": Mk. 7, 13) etc. The biblical Books are designated as "holy" (Rom. 1, 2) and "sacred" (II Tim. 3, 15), that is, of divine origin.
… In the New Testament it indicates the revelations made by God to Moses (Acts 7, 38), the revelations contained in the Old Testament, especially the Messianic prophecies (Rom. 3, 2), the Christian Revelation (Heb. 5, 12), the sayings of the charismatics (Rom. 12, …
7:42
Amos (Hebrew 'Āmōs «Who Bears a Burden», distinct from the name of Isaiah’s father 'Āmōs «Robust»)
… The divine authority of the book is attested in Tob. 2:6, in the allusion of I Mach. 1:41 (Am. 8:10) and in the quotation by St. Stephen (Acts 7:42).
… struggle with his own passions and with the seductions of the external world (Job 7:1; 14:17; II Cor. 10:4; I Tim. 1:18; Jas. 4:1; I Pet. 2:11), and compares the heavenly hierarchies to armed hosts (Deut. 17:3; II Par. 33:3; Isa. 24:21; Jer. 8:7; Luke 3:13; Acts 7:42).
… information, must perhaps be understood as a vast movement of rebellion against Moses, a breaking up of unity into many autonomous groups that went off and dispersed, and together an effective abandonment of religious commitments (Josh. 5:4-7; Amos 5:25-26; Acts 7:42-43; Talmud Yerushalmi, Ta'anith 3, 4), an apostasy.
7:48
… The New Testament, whose characteristic task is the spiritualization of worship (John 4:23; Acts 7:48; Rom. 2:29), transposes the Mosaic cultic institutions into the messianic-celestial sphere. …
7:51
Circumcision (From Lat. circumcisio, «cutting around»; Gr. περιτομή; Heb. Milāh)
… Already in Deut. 30:6 the necessity of this spiritual circumcision is emphasized (cf. Jer. 4:4: "circumcision of the heart"), and in Lev. 26:41 the wicked and rebellious are called "uncircumcised in mind" (cf. Jer. 6:10; 9:26; Acts 7:51: "uncircumcised in heart and ears"). …
7:53
In the Epistle to the Hebrews (v.), to which must be acknowledged, at the very least, no little affinity with the thought of St. Paul, one encounters the antithesis between the economy established through the angels (cf. Acts 7:53), which was only an L. or a revelation (λόγος), and that inaugurated by Christ, which is a salvation (σωτηρία), that is, a religious institution that saves (Hebr. 2:2 ff.); between …
7:54
… the cult, sign of the end of the era of the Old Testament and fulfillment of Jesus' prophecies (Lk. 13:34ff.; 19:42ff.). It also marked the end of the fierce Jewish persecution against the Church (Hebr. 13:7; 10:32ff.; Act. 4:1-31; 5:17ff.; 6:11ff.; 7:54-8:3; 12:1-4; etc.). …
7:55
… Stephen is spoken of: "Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, was doing great wonders and signs." And further on: "Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, looking steadfastly into heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God" (ibid., 7:55).
… The passages are examined by P. Vannutelli (pp. 1-17). In the rest of the New Testament, the formula occurs one more time on the lips of St. Stephen: "I see the S. of M. standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55, an allusion to Dan. 7:13) and twice in Apoc. …
… Some supposed that the lost apocryphon recounted the mysteries revealed to the Protomartyr when he "saw the heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55), and Sixtus of Siena (Biblioth. …
7:56
… 307) identified N. with the companion of Cleopas (Lk. 24:13-35); from the 16th century onward isolated conjectures identify him with Matthew or Matthias (whose name = N.), John the Evangelist, Simon the Cananaean ("of Cana"), Stephen (Jn. 1:51 = Acts 7:56).
7:57
Epistles I-II to the Thessalonians
… They feign a popular uprising in order to kill St. Stephen without authorization (Acts 7:57-60); only the providential intervention of a tribune snatches Paul from their hands, as they drag him out of the sacred place to kill him (ibid. 21:27-34); and the tribune must send …
… Popular fury readily resorted to such a torture (Io. 8, 59; 10, 31, 33; 11, 8; Act. 7, 57 f.; 14, 5, 18; I Cor. 11, 25).
Saul (Heb. Šāʾūl "Obtained with Prayer")
The name S. was also borne by a king of Edom (Gen. 36, 37), by an ancestor of Samuel, of the Levite family of Kohath (I Chron. 6, 24; this S. is probably identical with Joel of I Chron. 6, 36), and finally by St. Paul (Acts 7, 57-13, 9), a Benjaminite like King S. - See plate CXXX.
7:60
… knees (Eusebius, Hist. eccl., II, ch. 23, 6). St. Stephen knelt in his final prayer, St. Peter and St. Paul prayed on their knees, and the Christians who accompanied St. Paul to the ship that was carrying him far away knelt to pray on the seashore (Act. 7, 60; 9, 40; 20, 36; 21, 5).
… 18:22-32; 20:7: Abraham intercedes for Sodom and will intercede for Abimelech; Ex. 32:11-14; Num. 14:13-20: Moses intercedes for the people; 1 Sam. 7:8 ff.; Samuel; Job 42:8: Job), and of the New (e.g., the plural form in the petitions of the Pater; Acts 7:60; 12:5; Rom. 15:30; Eph. 1:15; 6:8-20; 1 Tim. 2:1-4; Jas. 5:16-18), as well as by the documents of ecclesiastical tradition on the practice of the faithful, both private and liturgical, …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.