Acts 7:56

He mentions the cause of his angelic appearance: "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 in this manner He appeared to him: that, were it but so, the Jews might receive Him: for since the idea of His sitting at the right hand of God was offensive to them, for the present he brings forward only what relates to His Resurrection. This is the reason also why his face was glorified. For God, being merciful, desired to make their machinations the means of recalling them unto Himself.

And when he said, "I see the heavens opened, they stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord." And yet in what respect are these things deserving of accusation? "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.

Standing and not sitting, the blessed Stephen sees Jesus, in order to show the attention directed toward him, and to provide the contestant with great eagerness; the posture of the one assisting is shown: Moreover, since sitting was burdensome for them, he said first that …

Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Since the Lord Christ is the perfect Son of both God and man, why did the blessed martyr prefer to call Him the Son of man rather …

Behold, I see the heavens opened. What we say in Latin as "I see," in Greek is called θεωρῶ, from which is derived the name of the theoretical, that is, contemplative life. Through this, some of the elect, still retained in this life, with the …

"Jesus, standing at the right hand of God." By standing he signifies firmness and immovability. And even they already admitted this: they already at that time considered Him to be standing.

If you take a straight look at the leaders of the city, the foremost chief is Christ. In terms of the fight, although the angels and the saints help, yet the principal contender is Christ. Hence, in the Psalm: "I set the Lord ever before …

1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v1-3

And said, behold, I see the heavens opened,....

I see the heavens opened - A figurative expression, denoting that he was permitted to see “into” heaven, or to see what was there, as if the firmament was divided, and the eye was permitted to penetrate the eternal world. Compare Eze 1:1.

I see . . . the Son of man standing, &c.--This is the only time that our Lord is by human lips called THE SON OF MAN after His ascension (Re 1:13; 14:14 are not instances).

TRUE Christian zeal will seek to do the highest work of which sanctified humanity is capable. Stephen is first heard of as a distributor of the alms of the Church to needy widows. He exercised what was virtually, if not nominally, the deacon's office. Being grave, and not double-tongued, and holding the mystery of the faith in a good conscience, he was well fitted for his work. Doubtless he used the office of a deacon well, and so purchased to himself a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

TRUE Christian zeal will seek to do the highest work of which sanctified humanity is capable. Stephen is first heard of as a distributor of the alms of the Church to needy widows. He exercised what was virtually, if not nominally, the deacon's office. Being grave, and not double-tongued, and holding the mystery of the faith in a good conscience, he was well fitted for his work. Doubtless he used the office of a deacon well, and so purchased to himself a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. Although the burdensome duty of serving tables might well have excused him from other service, we soon find him, full of faith and power, doing great wonders and miracles among the people. And not content with that, we see him defending the faith against a synagogue of subtle philosophical deniers of the Truth of God. These, with their allies, made the valiant deacon the object of their attack, and he at once rose to be an irresistible witness for the Gospel. Stephen the deacon became Stephen the preacher! This holy man not only used such gifts as he had in one department, but having abilities for a more spiritual form of service, he laid them at once upon the altar of Christ. Nor is this all, he had a higher promotion yet—when he had thus become Stephen the wise apologist and brave defender of the faith he did not stop there—he mounted to the highest rank of the Christian army! He gained the peerless dignity, the foremost nobility, the brightest glory—I mean the martyr's name and honor. Stephen the deacon is first Stephen the preacher, and afterwards Stephen, God's faithful and true witness, laying down his life that he may seal his testimony with his blood. Put a man without zeal into the front place and he will gradually recede into his native insignificance, or only linger in the front to be an impediment and a nuisance.