[343] The accusations against Stephen were probably true in part and false in part. He had doubtless spoken against Jewish legalism and narrowness and had perhaps shown the bearing of O.T. prophecy and of Jesus' doctrine of fulfilment upon the fate of the Jewish system. The charge that he had spoken "against Moses" had, then, a certain verbal truth which made its moral falseness all the more subtle. The perversion of his words was due in part to their utter incapacity to apprehend Christianity as the fulfilment of their own religion which necessarily involved the passing away of the latter, and partly from their bitter jealousy and hatred of the Christian "sect" and the determination to find some excuse to bring against it all the legal and social forces of the whole Jewish people. In his preaching Stephen had doubtless sought to set forth the distinctive character of Christianity as a religion historically founded in Judaism, but not to be limited and bound by its forms. He but developed germs of truth found in the teaching of Jesus concerning the Sabbath, ceremonial purifications, etc. He was the forerunner of Paul, who brought upon himself the same accusations (Acts xviii. 13; xxi. 21).--G.B.S.
[344] E. "And observe how the charge is twofold. Shall destroy,' say they, the place,' and, shall change the customs.' And not only twofold, but bitter," etc. So Edd. but Savil. adds, "and shall introduce others instead."
[345] A. B. C. N. Ouchi semeion edeethe, kai (A. B. ou) pollen epedeixato ten parresian. Cat. has pollon for semeion, and reads it affirmatively. Edd. ouchi semeia eirgasato; ou (D.F. kai) pollen k. t. l. Perhaps the passage may be restored thus: "Did he not work miracles--though he needed not many--and show great boldness?"
[346] Chrys. commonly denotes the oriental nations, generally, by the name "Persians." Ben.
[347] Edd. from E. "And how, it may be asked, doth the Scripture say this concerning Abraham's father? Because it does not trouble itself about matters that are not very essential. What was useful for us to learn, this only it has taught us, that in consequence of his son's vision, he went out with him: the rest it leaves untold, by reason that he died soon after settling in Charran. Get thee out of thy kindred.' Here he shows that these men," etc.
[348] E. Edd. "but these disobedient: or rather, we learn from what he does, as he was bidden, that he endured," etc.
[349] A. C. N. Ei gar eipen, dosei, delon hoti, kai ouden par auton Cat. Ou gar k. t. l. B. Ou gar eipen, dosei, all', Ouk edoke, delon hoti ta par ekeinou, kai ouden par auton. So E. D. F. Edd. except that for delon hoti ta these have delon hoti panta. The meaning seems to be: "They boasted of their possession of the land, as the token of God's favor to themselves. See how Stephen will not allow them to rest in this conceit. Abraham was the friend of God,' yet to him He gave none inheritance,' etc. True He promised to give it': but if God said (that) He will give it (spoke of giving it at some future time); this very circumstance shows that the Jews had it from Abraham, in consequence of God's favor to him; not as deserved by themselves."
[350] tous sozomenous. Edd. from E. tous thaumazomenous, "they that are admired."--Below, all our mss. and the Catena have 'Epi men ton apostolon elegon, "In the case of the Apostles, they said." We read, conjecturally, elgoun.
[351] C. N. have ouchi idioton onton alla kai elaunomenon pantothen: B. F. D. E. Edd. oude es dikasterion agomenon, alla kai el. p. In the translation we assume the full reading to be, ouchi, idioton onton, es d. agomenon, alla kai e. p. In the next sentence E. alone (followed by Edd.) has the unnecessary alteration, 'Enteuthen kai pseudomarturounton auton, ou monon ouk ekratoun, all' k. t. l. A. ouchi id. onton alla kai rhetoron, ou monon [ouch?] hettonto, alla kai [kata?] kratos enikon, kaitoi k. t. l. i. e. ["their adversaries"] being not private individuals, but public speakers too, they not only were [not] worsted, but mightily conquered: [so that they were not able to resist'] though," etc.--Below, for plattontas: A. E. prattontas C. we read prattontas kai plattontas: after which, Edd. have (from E. alone): "As also in the case of Christ: who did everything to compass His death: insomuch that it became manifest to all men that the battle," etc. And, instead of the next sentence; "And mark what say the false-witnesses, who were got up by those who murderously dragged Him before the council: We have heard,'" etc.
[352] to euripiston tou ochlou. Edd. add anerethizontes, "irritating the fickle-minded multitude." Below, for 'All' ho ochlos ho ataktos k. t. l., A. has 'All' ouch ho ochlos tauta all' hoi grammateis. Emeis ak. k. t. l. "But not the multitude (said) this, but the scribes: We have heard," etc. Edd. from E., "But such is envy: it makes them demented whom it possesses, so that they do not so much as consider the meaning of the words they utter."
[353] ou para ton nhomon. For this, E. alone has kai sungeneian, and instead of the text, "Then came he out," etc. kai to kleronomian entautha me labein: so Morel. Ben. Savile retains the reading of E., but adds ou para ton nomon after sungeneian.
[354] E. F. D. Edd. "And how there may be rejoicing where these are, learn (thus). He who in nothing is conscious of evil," etc.
[355] parresias hupothesin echon ta traumata. Ben "argumentum audaciæ." Erasm. "testimonium libertatis."
[356] stigmata, i.e. "the marks of Jesus may be gained in these encounters also, and the spirit of a confessor may be exhibited under these tortures likewise."
[357] alla ton agroikon. Edd. from E., alla ton oiketen: which is idle, for it appears below that the pais here is a servant. We supply ekalese or eipen: and indeed an palin eipe below shows that the insult spoken of was some contumelious speech.--Also before Me nomises, something needs to be supplied, e.g. Me su mimese touton, "Do not thou imitate him." And perhaps indeed ton agr. may belong to this: "He insulted my boy." But do not thou imitate the rude, uncivil man: deem it not, etc.
[358] hos zetoumen skepasai. A.B.C. The other mss. omit the clause, and Edd. except Savile who reads from N. ou zetoumen auten spasai, "we do not seek to draw it." We adopt spasai.--Below, E. F. D. Edd. tou Despotou, "thy Master's sufferings," for sautou, which the context shows to be the true reading.
[359] an me para sauto ta niketeria ides an me lamprous labes stephanous. This depends on hina mathes at the beginning of the sentence. Erasmus wrongly, "Si non videas:" Ben. "Si non videbis."
[360] gune en sklera hemera eimi, Chrys. gune he sklera hemera (or hemera) LXX.
[361] Memphibaal, Chrys. here and Synops. Sacr. Script. t. vi. 349. and Theodoret Quæst. 31, in lib. 2. Reg. Memphibosthe, LXX. Elsewhere he is called Meribbaal, 1 Chron. viii. 34. So Jerubbaal, Judg. vi. 32. Jerubbesheth, 2 Sam. xi. 21. Memphibaal is compounded of the two forms. Ben.