Acts 7 · The Lantern

Stephen’s Address: The Call of Abraham

The high priest asked then, “Whether these things are so?”

And he was speaking: “Men, brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia before his dwelling in Haran,

And still further, Stephen, who was chosen the first deacon by the apostles, and who, of all men, was the first to follow the footsteps of the martyrdom of the Lord, being the first that was slain for confessing Christ, speaking boldly among the people, and teaching them, says: "The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, ...

See here again how from the preface Stephen strips off the glory of those very ones, not assigning the glory to the temple, not to the nation, but to God alone. For "the God of glory," instead of "the glorified one," is said, God. This glorified one, working resourcefully out of the helpless, and making the dishonored honorable, will also make us so.

They themselves did not even consider that they were permitting themselves blasphemous actions, yet they accuse him of blasphemy for his words. Moses was always on their mind – they were not so much concerned with the works of God as with the ordinances of Moses.

and He said to him, ‘Go out from your country and from your kindred, and come into the land which then I may show to you.’

"And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into a land which I shall show thee." "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.

"Leave your country and your kindred and come into the land I will show you." Then he left the land, etc. The land and kindred of Abraham refers to the homeland and race of the Chaldeans, from where he had long since left, who now lived in Mesopotamia, but because he left with hope of returning and longing, he hears from the Lord: "Leave your country." Not to physically move hi…

"Go out of your land and from your kindred." How then does Scripture say that Abraham's father wished to go out (see Gen. 11:31), while here it says that Abraham was told "go out of your land"? From this we conclude that the appearance of God to Abraham influenced his father, and he wished to go out from the land of the Chaldeans.

Then, having gone out from the land of Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran. And from there, after the dying of his father, He removed him into this land in which you yourselves now dwell.

And He did not give him an inheritance in it, not even the length of a foot; but He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him, there being no child to him.

Thus, then, the promise of God, which He gave to Abraham, remains stedfast. For thus He said: "Lift up thine eyes, and look from this place where now thou art, towards the north and south, and east and west.

In many ways, through the present discourse the blessed Stephen refutes both his own gentleness toward the Jews and their ferocity toward him. For when he addresses them as brothers and fathers, what else is shown by these names than the proper relation of kinship? to behave toward them accordingly?

"And gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on." Observe how by his discourse about the promised land he leads them to the truth. Why did the Lord not give an inheritance to Abraham? Because this land was a type of another land.

God spoke, however, thus, that ‘His seed will be a sojourner in a strange land, and they will enslave it and will mistreat it four hundred years.

For whence was Noah "found righteous," if in his case the righteousness of a natural law had not preceded? Whence was Abraham accounted "a friend of God," if not on the ground of equity and righteousness, (in the observance) of a natural law?

For his seed shall be a stranger in a foreign land, and they shall subject them to slavery and mistreat them for four hundred years.

"And God said to him that his descendants would be sojourners in a foreign land." See how many years before the promise was given and its type existed, and there was never a type of sacrifice, never a type of circumcision. But by this he also shows how God allowed the Israelites to endure misfortunes, even though there was nothing for which they were guilty.

And the nation to which then they will be in bondage, I myself will judge,’ God said, ‘and after these things they will come forth and they will serve Me in this place.’

And He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and thus he fathered Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.

Joseph Sold into Egypt

And the patriarchs, having envied Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him,

and rescued him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he appointed him ruler over Egypt and over all his house.

Then came a famine upon all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction; and our fathers were not finding sustenance.

Now Jacob, having heard there is grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers first;

and on the second time Joseph was recognized by his brothers, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh.

Having sent then, Joseph called for Jacob his father and all the kindred, in all seventy-five souls.

Israel Oppressed in Egypt

And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he himself died, and our fathers,

and they were carried over into Shechem and were placed in the tomb which Abraham bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

Now even as the time of the promise was drawing near that God agreed to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

until that there arose another king over Egypt who did not know Joseph.

He, having dealt treacherously with our race, he mistreated our fathers, making them abandon their infants so that they would not be given life.

The Birth and Adoption of Moses

In that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful to God; who was brought up three months in the house of the father.

"In which time," it says, "Moses was born, and was exceeding fair." If the former circumstance was wonderful, that Joseph was sold by his brethren, here again is another circumstance more wonderful still, that the king "nourished" the very person who was to overthrow his dominion, being himself the person that was to perish.

At that time, then, Moses was born, it says, and he was pleasing to God, that is, well-pleasing or beloved of God. The word "pleasing" primarily signifies one sinless in body in childhood.

"Moses… was beautiful before God." The parents gave birth and saw that the child was beautiful, because grace was flourishing in him. Having seen that he was beautiful, they spared him, but, frightened by the decree, they hid him.

Then when he is being exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up and brought him up for herself for a son.

And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; now he was mighty in his words and deeds.

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.

Thus Moses led the people out of Egypt, and everyone who follows in the steps of Moses in this way sets free from the Egyptian tyrant all those guided by his word.

"And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians." Neither Moses, nor Ananias and Daniel with those who were with them, would have received a foreign education if necessity and the violence of despots had not compelled them to it, because it was of no use to them for anything—unless, perhaps, someone might say that receiving an education was good in order to uproot the…

The Rejection and Flight of Moses

Now when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.

And having seen a certain one being wronged, he defended him and did vengeance for the one being oppressed, having struck down the Egyptian.

"And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: for he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not." See how up to this point he is not yet offensive to them; how they listened to him while he said all this.

Moses killed the Egyptian, not moved by anger or wrath, but by zeal. For whatever is done for the sake of God's word is devoutness; and though it be murder when done for God, it is not murder. Now Phinehas, having slain two with one hand (Num.

"Having struck down the Egyptian," Moses avenged the one being oppressed by him. He did not kill the Egyptian out of frenzy or anger, but out of zeal for God. And that which is done out of zeal for God, even if it be killing, is not murder. Here is what Moses heard from the Lord concerning Phinehas, who killed two with one hand: "Phinehas… took a spear in his hand.

Now he was supposing his brothers to understand that God is giving salvation to them through his hand; but they did not understand.

And on the following day he appeared to those who were quarreling, and was reconciling them to peace, having said: ‘Men, you are brothers; why wrong one another?’

But the one mistreating the neighbour pushed him away, having said, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us?

Surely you yourself do not desire to execute me the same way you executed the Egyptian yesterday?’

Moses fled then at this remark, and became exiled in the land of Midian, where he fathered two sons.

The Call of Moses

And when forty years were passing, there appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai an angel in a flame of fire of a bush.

"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." Do you mark that it is not hindered by lapse of time?

Now he calls the Son of God an angel, just as elsewhere he calls him a man. For he is the angel of great counsel. (Isa. 9:6 LXX) Therefore shortly afterwards he shows him speaking to the blessed Moses: "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob." He is revealed in a flame of fire in a bush.

But his flight did not disrupt God's plans either, because it is said: "when forty years were fulfilled, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai" — He appeared when Moses was in flight, when he did not even hope to return, since he already had two sons. But notice: Stephen now calls the Son of God both an Angel and a man.

And Moses, having seen it, was marvelling at the vision. Then when he is approaching to behold it, there was the voice of the Lord:

‘I myself am the God of your Fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ Having become terrified then, Moses was not daring to look.

The Lord said then to him, ‘Take off the sandal of your feet, for the place on which you have stood is holy ground.

It is upon us who continue in this quiet and peaceful course of life that the truth will shine, illuminating the eyes of our soul with its own rays. This truth, which was then manifested by the ineffable and mysterious illumination that came to Moses, is God.

What then is the riddle signified by the sandal? It is necessary to say that the sandal is a sign of death and corruption. For every sandal is a remnant of an animal already dead. Therefore the mind attempting to ascend to the divine contemplations must cast off every dead and fleshly imagination like some pair of sandals, and understand the mystery according to Christ.

"Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground." The place is holy because of the appearance of Christ and is worthy of greater wonder than that which was in the Holy of Holies, because there was never such an appearance there.

Having seen, I saw the oppression of My people in Egypt, and I have heard their groans, and I have come down to deliver them; and now come, I may send you to Egypt.’

This Moses, whom they rejected, having said, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge?’ — him God has sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush;

this one led them out, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness forty years.

This is the Moses having said to the sons of Israel, ‘A prophet God will raise up for you out from your brothers, like me myself.’

"But also a witnessing voice was heard from heaven, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him.' And in addition to this, willing to convict more fully of error the prophets from whom they asserted that they had learned, He proclaimed that they died desiring the truth, but not having learned it, saying, 'Many prophets and kings desired to see what ye s…

This is Moses who said to the sons of Israel: God will raise up for you a prophet from among your brothers, like me. Like me, visible in the flesh, but more wonderful in majesty and more terrible in majesty than I.

"This is that Moses who said to the sons of Israel: 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet from among your brethren, like me,'" that is, like me, counted as nothing for that for which he should much sooner have been deemed worthy of honor. Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses, and Moses fled; and Herod wanted to kill the Lord, and the Lord escaped into Egypt.

This is the one having been in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who is speaking to him in Mount Sinai, and of our fathers, who received living oracles to give to us;

Luke also has recorded that Stephen, who was the first elected into the diaconate by the apostles, and who was the first slain for the testimony of Christ, spoke regarding Moses as follows: "This man did indeed receive the commandments of the living God to give to us, whom your fathers would not obey, but thrust Him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, s…

"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." Again no mention of temple, none of sacrifice.

"This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai." The words before us show that people become better or worse not because of their location, for those spoken of here, though already outside of Egypt in terms of place, were in Egypt in their disposition and did not abandon thoughts of Egyptian customs, as the Gospel also s…

The Rebellion of Israel

to whom our fathers did not want to be obedient, but they thrust him away and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,

How, therefore, can such a hydra of delinquencies fail to offend the Lord, the Disapprover of evils? Is it not manifest that it was through impatience that Israel himself also always failed in his duty toward God, from that time when, forgetful of the heavenly arm whereby he had been drawn out of his Egyptian affliction, he demands from Aaron "gods as his guides; "when he pours…

Then follows the charge, in the first instance, against the patriarchs [after], the "signs and wonders," after the receiving of the "lively oracles: To whom," he says, "our fathers would not obey." But concerning those, Ezekiel says that they are not "living;" as when he says, "And I gave you statutes that are not good." It is with reference to those that he says, "Living.

having said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us; as for this Moses, who brought us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what happened to him.’

And they made a calf in those days and offered a sacrifice to the idol, and they were rejoicing in the works of their hands.

But God turned away and delivered them to worship the host of heaven, even as it has been written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you offer to Me slain beasts and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

"Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; 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?" The expression, "gave them up," means, He suffered. Even when there was a Tabernacle, yet there were no sacrifices.

And he handed them over to serve the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets. He says this in the singular because among the Hebrews there is one book of the twelve prophets, and not twelve books, according to the number of those same prophets.

The expression "gave over… to serve" is used in place of "permitted," just as in the Apostle Paul's words "God gave them over to a debased mind" (Rom.

And you took up the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship them; and I will remove you beyond Babylon.’

The Tabernacle of the Testimony

The tabernacle of the testimony was to our fathers in the wilderness, even as the One speaking to Moses had commanded to make it according to the pattern that he had seen;

Seest thou, how the holy place is there wherever God may be? For to this end also he says, "in the wilderness," to compare place with place. 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.

The tabernacle of testimony was with our fathers in the desert. Because they said he was acting against the holy place, here he shows that the Lord does not greatly esteem decorated stone but desires the splendor of heavenly souls.

"The tabernacle of witness was with our fathers in the wilderness." They had it in order to have God as a witness. He calls it the tabernacle of testimonies, that is, of miracles and commandments. "As He who spoke to Moses commanded." The establishment of the tabernacle took place on the mountain, and in the wilderness it was portable, not fixed in one place.

which also our fathers, having received by succession, brought it with Joshua in the taking possession of the nations whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David,

who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob.

Solomon, however, built the house for Him.

Yet the Most High does not dwell in hand-made places, even as the prophet says:

‘Heaven is a throne to Me, and the earth a footstool of My feet. What kind of house will you build Me? says the Lord — or what is the place of My rest?

Has not My hand made all these things?’

Stiff-necked and uncircumcised hearts and in ears, you yourselves always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, also you.

What is more manifest than the mystery of this "wood,"-that the obduracy of this world had been sunk in the profundity of error, and is freed in baptism by the "wood" of Christ, that is, of His passion; in order that what had formerly perished through the "tree" in Adam, should be restored through the "tree" in Christ?

"You always resist the Holy Spirit." He did not say, "you resist God," but, "the Holy Spirit." Therefore he recognizes no distinction, since the Spirit is also God, even if he does not appear so to the godless. Therefore you always, he says, resist God. For when he desires that sacrifices be made, you do not sacrifice to him; but when he does not desire it, you sacrifice.

Why does he who until now had been speaking to the people gently here use harsh words? Because he saw that they were paying no attention to what was being said. "You always resist the Holy Spirit" – not only now.

Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those having foretold about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now you yourselves have become betrayers and murderers,

"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."

"Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?" If your fathers killed these foreheralds, then there is nothing surprising that I, who preach the One foretold by them, will be killed by you, who take too much pride in your ancestors.

The third high reputation concerns merits, miracles and martyrdom. And this certainty of truth appears when a man wills to die for the truth he preaches, such as Isaiah who was cut up, Ezechiel who was killed, Jeremiah and also the other prophets. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?

who received the law by the ordination of angels, and did not keep it.”

For he, too, says that the world was originated by those angels; and sets forth Christ as born of the seed of Joseph, contending that He was merely human, without divinity; affirming also that the Law was given by angels; representing the God of the Jews as not the Lord, but an angel.

For this is, "certain of you have received the law as commands of angels." And some also say this, that the one who was ordered by angels and entrusted through an angel to Moses, the one who appeared to him in the bush. "As regulations," instead of "according to the commands," just as those gave orders to Moses, having appeared in the bush and on the mountain. [CHRYSOSTOM]

For he says: "You have now become betrayers and murderers… you who received the law through the ministry of Angels and did not keep it," that is, arranged by Angels and delivered by the One who appeared in the bush. He shows that they did not obey and do not obey either God, or Angels, or prophets, or the Spirit.

The Stoning of Stephen

Now hearing these things, they felt cut up in their hearts and were gnashing the teeth at him.

See, once more, the wrong-doers in trouble. Just as the Jews are perplexed, saying, "What are we to do with these men?" so these also are "cut to the heart." And yet it was he that had good right to be incensed, who, having done no wrong, was treated like a criminal, and was spitefully calumniated. But the calumniators had the worst of it in the end.

"Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth. "The unbelieving, unable to tolerate Stephen's preaching, were hastening unanimously to effect his death. Stephen, raising his eyes to heaven, saw the Son standing on the right hand of the Father.

If the Jews wanted to kill Stephen, then why did they not kill him immediately? Because they wanted to present a plausible pretext for their audacity, since the insult he had caused them was not a plausible pretext for killing him; moreover, what they considered an insult to themselves was not his own insult, but rather a rebuke made to the Jews by a prophet.

He being, however, full of the Holy Spirit, having looked intently into heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

He is seen by Stephen, at his martyrdom by stoning, still sitting at the right hand of God [Acts 7:55] where He will continue to sit, until the Father shall make His enemies His footstool. [Hebrews 10:12-13] He will come again on the clouds of heaven, just as He appeared when He ascended into heaven. [Acts 1:11]

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!

We must consider what it means that Mark says: He sits at the right hand of God; while Stephen says: I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. What does it mean that Mark testifies he is sitting, while Stephen testifies that he saw him standing?

and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees therefore placed James upon the pinnacle of the temple, and cried out to him and said: 'You just one, in whom we ought all to have confidence, forasmuch as the people are led astray after Jesus, the crucified one, declare to us, what is the gate of Jesus.' And he answered with a loud voice, 'Why do you ask me concerning Jesus, the Son of Man?…

This is Stephen the first martyr of the New Testament and the first Deacon, who had for his slayer the great Paul while he was as yet zealous for the law—who alone by himself contended against the whole synagogue and made the Judge of the contest rise from his seat to witness the spectacle.

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.

Having cried out then in a loud voice, they held their ears and rushed with one accord upon him,

and having cast him out of the city, they were stoning him. And the witnesses laid aside their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

And as they were stoning Stephen, he was calling out and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

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. Oh, happy also he who met all the violence of the devil by the exertion of every species of patience!

O martyr, embark on struggles which will cause happy deaths, where punishment is glory and to fall is a rising, and by slaughter is born immortality embracing the rewards of everlasting life. Lo, to have merited thus to die was the beginning of a blessed life without end.

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" is a saying that teaches and shows them that he will not perish. "They were stoning Stephen." Since justification is accomplished by faith in Christ, and in Him human nature received innocence in abundance and granted us a new right, by virtue of which our souls no longer go to Hades, but, as before, are sent into the hands of the Living God, kno…

Having fallen then on his knees, he cried in a loud voice, “Lord, may this sin not be placed to them.” And having said this, he fell asleep.

What beyond;-that you should not swear nor curse; that you should not seek again your goods when taken from you; that, when you receive a buffet, you should give your other cheek to the smiter; that you should forgive a brother who sins against you, not only seven times, but seventy times seven times, but, moreover, all his sins altogether; that you should love your enemies; th…

And in the Acts of the Apostles, blessed Stephen prays for those by whom he is being stoned, because they had not as yet believed in Christ and were not contending against that universal grace.

"Having knelt down, he cried out with a loud voice: Lord! do not charge them with this sin." He does not simply pray, he says, but with fervor, since God permitted his soul to remain in his body until that moment. Notice the voice and the excess of patience in suffering.