Matthew Henry

Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint this responsibility to them

“Note, Those that are employed in any office in the church ought to be men of honest report, of a blameless, nay, of an admirable character, which is requisite not only to the credit of their office, but to the due discharge of it.”

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, as well as Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from…

“The first named is Stephen, the glory of these septemviri, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost; he had a strong faith in the doctrine of Christ, and was full of it above most; full of fidelity, full of courage (so some)…”

They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

“Having by prayer implored a blessing upon them, they did by the laying on of hands assure them that the blessing was conferred in answer to the prayer; and this was giving them authority to execute that office, and laying an obligation upon the people…”

So the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith.

“(1.) They embraced the doctrine of the gospel; their understandings were captivated to the power of the truths of Christ, and every opposing objecting thought brought into obedience to him, 2 Cor. x.”

But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They began to argue with Stephen,

“Some historians say that Stephen had been bred up at the feet of Gamaliel, and that Saul and the rest of them set upon him as a deserter, and with a particular fury made him their mark. (4.)”

but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

“It is not said, They were not able to resist him, but, They were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke, that Spirit of wisdom which spoke by him.”

So they stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and confronted Stephen. They seized him and brought him before the Sanhedrin,

“Having caught him, they brought him triumphantly into the council, and, as it should seem, so hastily that he had none of his friends with him.”

For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

“But did Stephen blaspheme Moses? By no means, he was far from it. Christ, and the preachers of his gospel, never said any thing that looked like blaspheming Moses; they always quoted his writings with respect, appealed to them, and said no other things than…”

And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

“Secondly, But let us see what this is to Stephen's case. They had charged him as a blasphemer of God, and an apostate from the church; therefore he shows that he is a son of Abraham, and values himself upon his being able to say…”

Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him

“Secondly, Joseph, the darling and blessing of his father's house, was abused by his brethren; they envied him because of his dreams, and sold him into Egypt.”

Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt. He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

“Their base ingratitude: They were oppressed by another king that knew not Joseph, that is, did not consider the good service that Joseph had done to that nation; for, if he had, he would not have made so ill a requital to his relations and…”

When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

“And did he thus protect the child Moses? Much more will he secure the interests of his holy child Jesus (as he is called ch. iv. 27 ) from the enemies that are gathered together against him.”

And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.

“If they had but understood the signs of the times, they might have taken this for the dawning of the day of their deliverance; but they understood not, they did not take this, as it was designed, for the setting up of a standard, and…”

I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them.

“(2.) The determination he fixed to redeem them by the hand of Moses: I am come down to deliver them.”

This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’

“Now this is very full to Stephen's purpose; in asserting that Jesus should change the customs of the ceremonial law, he was so far from blaspheming Moses that really he did him the greatest honour imaginable, by showing how the prophecy of Moses was accomplished…”

He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers.

“But Christ is the president and guide of a more excellent and glorious church than that in the wilderness was, and is more in it, as the life and soul of it, than Moses could be in that.”

Has not My hand made all these things?’

“His following this, occasions divers variations from the Hebrew original in this discourse, which the judges of the court did not correct, because they knew how he was led into them; nor is it any derogation to the authority of that Spirit by which he…”

God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.

“(2.) To show the great value and esteem they had for this faithful servant of Jesus Christ, this first martyr for the gospel, whose memory shall always be precious to them, notwithstanding the ignominy of his death.”

But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

“(1.) He entered into every house, making no difficulty of breaking open doors, night or day, and having a force attending him for that purpose.”

The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform.

“And the nature of the miracles was such as suited the intention of his commission, and gave light and lustre to it. [1.]”

They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.

“Let us not despair of the worst, when even those whom Simon Magus had bewitched were brought to believe. (2.)”

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

“Observe, [1.] Philip preached the things concerning the kingdom of God, the constitution of that kingdom, the laws and ordinances of it, the liberties and privileges of it, and the obligations we are all under to be the loyal subjects of that kingdom; and he…”

Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.

“Though he had been a very wicked man, a sorcerer, a pretender to divine honours, yet, upon his solemn profession of repentance for his sin and faith in Jesus Christ, he was baptized.”

On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit.

“The Spirit is given, not to ourselves only ( Luke xi. 13 ), but to others also, in answer to prayer: I will put my Spirit within you ( Ezek. xxxvi. 27 ), but I will for this be enquired of,”

Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

“They laid their hands on them, to signify that their prayers were answered, and that the gift of the Holy Ghost was conferred upon them; for, upon the use of this sign, they received the Holy Ghost, and spoke with tongues.”