Acts 7:31

Act_7:31-33. See Exo_3:3-5.

τὸ ὅραμα] spectaculum. See on Mat_17:9.

κατανοῆσαι] to contemplate, Luk_12:24; Luk_12:27; Act_11:6.

φωνὴ κυρίου] as the angel represents Jehovah Himself, so is he identified with Him. When the angel of the Lord speaks, that is the voice of God, as it is His representative servant, the angel, who speaks. To understand, with Chrysostom, Calovius, and others, the angelus increatus (i.e. Christ as the λόγος) as meant, is consequently unnecessary, and also not in keeping with the anarthrous ἄγγελος, which Hengstenberg, Christol. III. 2, p. 70, wrongly denies. Comp. Act_12:7; Act_12:23.

λῦσον τὸ ὑπόδημα τῶν ποδ. σου] The holiness of the presence of God required, as it was in keeping generally with the religious feeling of the East,[206] that he who held intercourse with Jehovah should be barefooted, lest the sandals charged with dust should pollute (Jos_5:15) the holy ground (γῆ ἁγία); hence also the priests in the temple waited on their service with bare feet. See Wetstein; also Carpzov. Appar. p. 769 ff.

[206] Even in the present day the Arabs, as is well known, enter their mosques barefooted. The precept of Pythagoras, ἀνυπόδητος θῦε καὶ προσκύνει, was derived from an Egyptian custom. Jamblich. Vit. Pyth. 23. The Samaritan trode barefoot the holiest place on Gerizim, Robinson, III. p. 320.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 7:31 . κατανοῆσαι : this careful observation is implied in the narrative of Exodus though the word is not employed. It is a favourite word with St. Luke, and is used by him four times in his Gospel and four times in Acts, elsewhere in Gospels only in Mat 7:3 (five times in Epistles). On its force see Westcott on Heb 3:1 : “oculos vel mentem defigere in aliquo” Grimm; properly = to take notice of, so in classical Greek; it is used also in the sense of observing, looking at, cf. Jas 1:27 ; and in a general sense, to see, cf. LXX, Ps. 93:9, cf. Psa 90:8 ; and also, to consider, Heb 10:24 (Mayor, note on Jas 1:27 ). In the LXX, where it is frequent, it is used with both shades of meaning.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31. He wondered at the vision. Let us know that God did use thus to deal with our fathers, that they might assuredly know his majesty; for he meant to make a manifest distinction between the visions which he showed, and the juggling casts of Satan. And this certainty is more necessary, for what credit should the oracles of God otherwise carry, wherein the covenant of eternal life is contained? Therefore, forasmuch as this alone is the true stay of faith, to have God to be the author thereof, that he may [he must needs] undoubtedly declare that it is he that speaketh. Again, forasmuch as Satan walketh about continually, and doth by many and strange shifts insinuate himself, and hath so many ways to deceive, and especially seeing he doth pretend the name of God craftily, we must take great heed of his mocks. We see how in times past he deluded all nations, and [how he deludes] the Papists also. For all the monsters of superstitions, all the dotings of errors which were in times past, and do as yet reign in Popery, did proceed from dreams, visions, and false revelations; yea, furthermore, even the Anabaptists have their illusions thence. Therefore, this is the only remedy that God do distinguish by certain marks those visions which he showeth; for then are we without danger of erring, when he hath revealed his majesty unto us. For this cause was the mind of Moses stricken with admiration, and then afterwards he draweth near to consider; after that he is come nearer, the Lord toucheth him with a more lively feeling of [I confess indeed] his presence, so that he is afraid. For I confess that there are none of all these things which Satan cannot imitate, yet falsely like an ape. And the Lord doth not only show himself by such signs, but helping our dullness, he doth also open our eyes that we may not be deceived. Again, the Holy Ghost doth imprint in our minds certain marks and tokens of God’s presence, that there may no doubt remain.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(31) The voice of the Lord came unto him.—The speech agrees with Exo_3:4 in ascribing the voice to the Lord, the Eternal, while the visible manifestation was that of the angel of the Lord. It hardly belongs to the interpretation of the speech to discuss the relation between the two statements. Speaking generally, it may be said that all, or nearly all, theophanies, or divine manifestations, in the Old Testament addressed to the sense of sight resolve themselves into angelophanies, all manifestations addressed exclusively to the sense of hearing into revelations by the Son, as the LOGOS, or eternal WORD.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31–34. Here we have in substance the history as given in Exo_3:2-10.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight,.... To see a bush on fire was no extraordinary thing; but to see a bush on fire, and yet not consumed by it, which was the case here, was wonderful indeed: and that an angel of the Lord, or the Lord himself, should appear in it, made it still more amazing; though, as yet, this was not observed by Moses, only the former; and which struck him with wonder, and excited his curiosity:

and as he drew near to behold it; to take a more exact view of it, and satisfy himself with the truth of it, and, if it was possible, to find out the reason why it was not burnt:

the voice of the Lord came unto him; to his ears, out of the bush, and expressed the following words.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,

Ver. 31. He wondered at the sight] How many come to the ordinances to see and to be seen! they may hear that, with Moses here, that may do them good for ever.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He wondered ... - What particularly attracted his attention was the fact that the bush was not consumed, Exo 3:2-3.

The voice of the Lord - Yahweh spake to him from the midst of the bush. He did not see him. He merely heard a voice.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

He wondered at the sight; seeing the bush on a flame, and not consumed, contrary to the nature of devouring flames; that he might be convinced of God’s presence, and made the more attentive to what God should say, and prepared to yield obedience unto it.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

31. Guide me—The eunuch understands that he is challenged to an exegesis of the passage he is reading, and indirectly accepts the indirect proffer. He invites the stranger to a seat and to a biblical investigation.

The Christian often needs a commentator, but never needs a pope. When headstrong ignorance rejects the aid of the skill and learning which able expositors have gathered upon the word of God, illustrating its statements by the aid of history, geography, grammar, and suggestive thought, and assumes ability to draw right conclusions from the bare words of the English text, it is very likely to land where rash ignorance ever lands, in the depths of error. But when men, with all the aids of learning and sagacity and the blessed Spirit, give themselves over to a supposed infallible living expounder, they are very likely to be consigned to bondage and perdition. Men must use the right of private judgment by the aid of the best facts, lights, and counsels; but the right itself they have no right to renounce.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when for when, A.V.; behold for behold it, A.V.; there came a voice of the Lord for the voice of the Lord came unto him, A.V. There came a voice. The A.V. is surely right. The Lord has only one voice; and fwnhou is that voice. The grammatical effect of Kuriou upon fwnh is to make it definite, as in aggelov Kuriou. (see Act_5:19, note)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31-33. Out of the burning bush Jehovah now commissions the sons of Amram to go and preach to the Pharaohs and princes of Egypt. Even the earth in that august presence is so sacred that sandals must be removed from their feet. The Arabs in that country still adhere pertinaciously to that precept, positively requiring me to take off my shoes every time I entered the holy mosque.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See notes on verse 30

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

he marveled at the sight

Moses was surprised that the bush was not burning up in the fire. This was previously known by Stephen's audience. AT: "because the bush was not burning up" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

as he approached to look at it ... Moses trembled and did not dare to look

This may mean Moses initially drew close to the bush to investigate, but then drew back in fear when he heard the voice.

I am the God of your fathers

"I am the God whom your ancestors worshiped"

Moses trembled

Moses shook from fear. This can be made clear. AT: "Moses trembled with fear" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

amazed

voice

lord

God

ancestor

Abraham

Isaac

Jacob

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

31–34. These verses give in substance the history as recorded in Exo 3:2-10

31. Omit πρὸς αὐτόν with אAB. Vulg. has ‘vox Domini, dicens.’

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The sight [το οραμα] . Always in the New Testament of a vision. See on Mt 17:9.

To behold [κατανοησαι] . See on Mt 7:3. Compare Luk 12:24, 27.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.