Act 7:27, 35, 39-43 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 27. But he that did , etc. Intent on his purpose, filled with rage and passion, he rejected all interference, and all attempts at peace. It is usually the man that does the injury that is unwilling to be reconciled; and when we find a man that regards the entreaties of his friends as improper interference, when he becomes increasingly angry when we exhort him to peace, it is usually a strong evidence that he is conscious that he has been at fault. If we wish to reconcile parties, we should go first to the man that has been injured. In the controversy between God and man, it is the sinner who has done the wrong that is unwilling to be reconciled, and not God. His neighbour . The Jew with whom he was contending. Who made thee , etc. What right have you to interfere in this matter? The usual salutation with which a man is greeted who attempts to prevent quarrels.

Acts 7:27

Verse 27. But he that did, etc. Intent on his purpose, filled with rage and passion, he rejected all interference, and all attempts at peace. It is usually the man that does the injury that is unwilling to be reconciled; and when we find a man that regards the entreaties of his friends as improper interference, when he becomes increasingly angry when we exhort him to peace, it is usually a strong evidence that he is conscious that he has been at fault. If we wish to reconcile parties, we should go first to the man that has been injured. In the controversy between God and man, it is the sinner who has done the wrong that is unwilling to be reconciled, and not God.

His neighbour. The Jew with whom he was contending.

Who made thee, etc. What right have you to interfere in this matter? The usual salutation with which a man is greeted who attempts to prevent quarrels.

Acts 7:35

Verse 35. When they refused. That is, when he first presented himself to them, Ex 2:13,14. Stephen introduces and dwells upon this refusal in order, perhaps, to remind them that this had been the character of their nation; and to prepare the way for the charge which he intended to bring against those whom he addressed, as being stiff-necked and rebellious. See Acts 7:51,52, etc.

A ruler. A military leader, or a governor in civil matters.

A deliverer. A Redeemer--λυτρωτην--. It properly means one who redeems a captive or a prisoner by paying a price or ransom. And it is applied thus to our Lord Jesus, as having redeemed or purchased sinners by his blood as a price, Tit 2:14, 1Pet 1:18, Heb 9:12. It is used here, however, in a more general sense to denote the deliverance, without specifying the manner. Comp. Ex 6:6; Lk 24:21, 1:68, 2:38.

By the hand of the angel. Under the direction and by the help of the angel, Nu 20:16. Acts 7:30.

Acts 7:39-43

Verse 39. Would not obey, etc. This refers to what they said of him when he was in the mount, Ex 32:1,23.

In their hearts turned, etc. They wished to return to Egypt. They regretted that they had come out of Egypt, and desired again the things which they had there, as preferable to what they had in the desert, Nu 11:5. Perhaps, however, the expression means, not that they desired literally to return to Egypt, but that their hearts inclined to the habits and morals of the Egyptians. They forsook God, and imitated the idolatries of the Egyptians. Verse 40. Saying unto Aaron. Ex 32:1

Make us gods. That is, idols.

(n) "Saying unto Aaron" Ex 32:1 (=) "wot" "know" Verse 41. And they made a calf. This was made of the ear-rings and ornaments which they had brought from Egypt, Ex 32:2-4. Stephen introduces this to remind them how prone the nation had been to reject God, and walk in the ways of sin.

(o) "calf" De 9:16 Verse 42. Then God turned. That is, turned away from them; abandoned them to their own desires.

The host of heaven. The stars, or heavenly bodies. The word host means armies. It is applied to the heavenly bodies, because they are very numerous, and appear to be marshalled or arrayed in military order. It is from this that God is called JEHOVAH of hosts, as being the Ruler of these well-arranged heavenly bodies, Isa 1:9. The proof that they did this, Stephen proceeds to allege by a quotation from the prophets.

In the book of the Prophets. Amos 5:25,26. The twelve minor prophets were commonly written in one volume, and were called the Book of the Prophets; the book containing these several prophecies, Daniel, Hosea, Micah, etc. They were small tracts separately, and were bound up together to preserve them from being lost. This passage is not quoted literally; it is evidently made from memory; and though in its main spirit it coincides with the passage in Amos, yet in some important respects it varies from it.

0 ye house of Israel. Ye people of Israel.

Have ye offered, etc.

That is, ye have not offered. The interrogative is often an emphatic way of saying that the thing had not been done. But it is certain that the Jews did offer sacrifices to God in the wilderness, though it is also certain that they did not do it with a pure and upright heart. They kept up the form of worship to idols. Through the continuous space of forty years they did not honour God, but often departed from him, and worshipped idols.

(p) "gave them up" Psa 81:12 (q) "host of heaven" De 4:19 (r) "as it is written" Amos 5:25,26 (*) "wilderness" or, "Desert" Verse 43. Yea, ye took up. That is, you bore, or you carried with you, for purposes of idolatrous worship.

The tabernacle. This word properly means a tent; but it is also applied to the small tent or house in which was contained the image of the god; the house, box, or tent, in which the idol was placed. It is customary for idolatrous nations to bear their idols about with them, enclosed in cases or boxes of various sizes, usually very small, as their idols are commonly small. Probably they were made in the shape of small temples or tabernacles; and such appear to have been the silver shrines for Diana, made at Ephesus, Acts 19:24. These shrines, or images, were borne with them as a species of amulet, or charm, or talisman, to defend them from evil. Such images the Jews seem to have borne with them.

Moloch. This word comes from the Hebrew word signifying king. This was a god of the Ammonites, to whom human sacrifices were offered. Moses in several places forbids the Israelites, under penalty of death, to dedicate their children to Moloch, by making them pass through the fire, Lev 18:21, 20:2-5. There is great probability that the Hebrews were addicted to the worship of this deity after they entered the land of Canaan. Solomon built a temple to Moloch on the Mount of Olives, 1Kgs 11:7; and Manasseh made his son pass through the fire in honour of this idol, 2Kgs 21:3,6. The image of this idol was made of brass, and his arms extended so as to embrace any one; and when they offered children to him, they heated the statue, and when it was burning hot, they placed the child in his arms, where it was soon destroyed by heat. It is not certain what this god was supposed to represent. Some suppose it was in honour of the planet Saturn, others the sun, others Mercury, Venus, etc. What particular god it was, is not material. It was the most cutting reproof that could be made to the Jews, that their fathers had been guilty of worshipping this idol.

And the star. The Hebrew in this place, is "Chiun your images, the star of your god." The expression here used leads us to suppose that this was a star which was worshipped, but what star it is not easy to ascertain; nor is it easy to determine why it is called both Chiun and Remphan. Stephen quotes from the LXX. They have rendered the word Chiun by the word Raiphan, or Rephan, easily changed into Remphan. Why the LXX. adopted this is not known. It was probably, however, from one of two causes.

(1.) Either because the word Chiun in Hebrew meant the same as Remphan in the language of Egypt, where the translation was made; or,

(2.) because the object of worship called Chiun in Hebrew, was called Remphan in the language of Egypt. It is generally agreed that the object of their worship was the planet Saturn, or Mars, both of which planets were worshipped as gods of evil influence. In Arabic, the word Chevan denotes the planet Saturn. Probably Rephan, or Remphan, is the Coptic name for the same planet, and the Septuagint adopted this because their translation was made in Egypt, where the Coptic language was spoken.

Figures which ye made. Images of the god which they made. See the article Chuin in Robinson's Calmet.

And I will carry you away, etc. This is simply expressing in few words what is stated at greater length in Amos 5:27. In Hebrew it is Damascus; but this evidently denotes the eastern region, in which also Babylon was situated.