Acts 7:38 - Exposition

Sinai for Sins, A.V. (Hebrew for Greek form); living cracks for the lively cracks, A.V. In the church. St. Stephen probably used the word ἐκκλησία without any reference to its special meaning, "the Church." It is used in a secular sense in Acts 19:32 , Acts 19:39 , and of the congregation of Israel in the LXX . of 1 Chronicles 13:2 ; 1 Macc. 2:56; Ecclesiasticus 44:15; and elsewhere. In Stephen's time it could hardly have become widely known as the designation of the flock of Christ. On the whole, the marginal rendering, "the congregation," seems best, but with the idea attached that it was the Lord's congregation. The angel which spake . It may be doubted whether the phrase, "the angel which spake to him in the mount Sinai," refers to the angel spoken of in verse 30, or to the angel by whose mouth God spake the words of the ten commandments on Mount Sinai, as recorded in Exodus 20:1-17 ; Deuteronomy 5:1-22 . Chrysostom and most commentators seem to understand it of the angel who gave the Law; but Whitby, not without reason, thinks the reference is to the burning bush. Living oracles . In like manner, St. Paul calls the Holy Scriptures "the oracles of God" ( Romans 3:2 ), and in Hebrews 5:12 we read again of "the first principles of the oracles of God," and St. Peter says, "Let him speak as the oracles of God" ( 1 Peter 4:11 ). For the force of the living or lively oracles, see 1 Peter 1:23 , 1 Peter 1:25 . Stephen magnifies Moses by reminding his hearers how he had received the Law from God to give to the people.