Acts 7:32

Act 7:32. Τῶν πατέρων, of thy fathers) These are presently named.—σου, thy) Whomsoever GOD intends to employ, so as to be a help to others, He previously confirms that very person in faith.—ἔντρομος γενόμενος, having been thrown into a tremor) Revelations from heaven begin with striking terror into a man, especially one who has heretofore had no experience of them, and end in consolation. It is by terror that the Divine instruments are prepared.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 7:32 . ἔντρομος γεν . ( cf. Act 10:4 , ἔμφοβος γεν .), Act 16:29 , cf. Exo 3:6 , expression used only in Acts in these two passages (Heb 12:21 , quotation from LXX). ἔμφοβος is found five times in Luke, Luk 24:5 ; Luk 24:37 , in Act 10:4 ; Act 24:25 (only once elsewhere, in Rev 11:13 . with ἐγένοντο ), and in each passage with γενόμενος . ἔντρομος , Dan. (Theod.) Act 10:11 , Wis 17:10 , 1Ma 13:2 , and in Psa 17:7 (Psa 18:7 ), psa 76:18 (Psa 77:18 ), ἔντρομος ἐγενήθη ἡ γῆ the word is also used by Plutarch.

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

32. I am the God of thy fathers. Now, we see to what end the vision was offered to Moses; to wit, that the word of God might have his [its] authority. For bare visions should do but little good, unless doctrine were joined therewithal; and it is joined with them not as an inferior part, but as the cause of all visions and the end. And whereas he calleth himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, there is a double reason why he calleth himself so. As the majesty of God is infinite, if we will comprehend it, it doth rather swallow up our senses; if we endeavor to ascend unto it we vanish away; therefore, he adorneth himself with titles under which we may comprehend him. But we must mark that God maketh choice of such titles, as that he may by them call us back unto his word. For he is called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for this cause, because he committed unto them the doctrine of salvation, that he might thereby be known to the world. But God had respect properly unto the present circumstance when he spake to Moses on this wise; for both this vision, and the hope of the delivery of the people, and the commandment which he was about to give to Moses, did depend upon the covenant which he had made in times past with the fathers. So that the suspicion of novelty is taken away, and the mind of Moses is lifted up to hope for redemption, which was grounded in the whole promise.

Therefore, this title is as much as if God had said, I, which have promised in times past to your fathers, that I have a care of your safety, which have taken the kindred of Abraham to my tuition by a free covenant, yea, which have appointed this time for an end of your bondage, I appear now unto thee, that I may perform that which I promised, like as at this day all the promises of God must lean and be stayed upon this foundation, that they may be sure and certain to us, that God hath adopted us in Christ, and hath promised that he will be our God and our Father. And Christ gathereth out of this place by good reason that the godly live after they be dead, (Matthew 22:32;) for if the whole man perish in death, this were an unfitting speech, I am the God of Abraham. Let us suppose that there is no Rome, shall not he be laughed at which shall call himself consul of Rome? For this is requisite in relation, that the members be answerable between themselves. There is also another reason to be considered, that forasmuch as God hath in his hand both life and death, without all doubt he preserveth those alive whose father he will be, and whom he counteth his children; therefore, though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob died, concerning the flesh, yet do they live in spirit with God.

And Moses being afraid. This might seem to be an absurd thing, that a voice full of consolation doth rather terrify Moses than make him glad; but it was good for Moses to be thus terrified with the presence of God, that he might frame himself unto the greater reverence; neither doth the voice of God alone strike his mind, but his majesty, whereof he saw a sign in the burning bush. And what marvel is it, if man be afraid when he seeth God? and especially let us remember that men’s minds are by this means prepared unto fear and reverence as in Exodus 20:22,

“Thou hast seen signs, thou hast heard the sound of the trumpet, that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord.”

But some will say, Why dare not Moses now for fear consider, who was not afraid to draw near before? I answer, that the nearer we draw unto God, the more his glory doth appear, so are we the more afraid, and that by right. And God maketh Moses afraid for none other cause, save only that he may make him obedient unto him. This fear was a preparation not unfit for greater boldness; and to this end tendeth that which followeth, Put off thy shoes from thy feet; for he is admonished by this sign with reverence to receive the commandments of God, and to give him due glory by all means.

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.

(32) The God of Abraham.—It is probable, on the assumption that Stephen had been one of the Seventy disciples of Luk_10:1, that he knew that these words had been cited by the Lord Jesus (Mat_22:32) as witnessing against the unbelief of the Sadducees. In any case, the fact could hardly have been forgotten by the priestly and therefore Sadducean members of the Council, to whom Stephen addressed his defence. They had then been urged as a new proof of immortality, and therefore of the resurrection. They are now connected with the proclamation that He who then spake had himself been raised from the dead and exalted to the right hand of God.

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

32. the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob] The oldest authorities omit “the God” in the second and third places.

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.

Saying, I am the God of thy fathers,.... Who made a covenant with them, promised the land of Canaan to them, and to their posterity, and to bring the children of Israel out of their servitude and bondage, and into the possession of the promised land:

the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; words which our Lord makes use of to prove the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, since God is not the God of the dead, but of the living; see Gill on Mat 22:32.

Then Moses trembled; this Stephen had by tradition; in which way also the author of the epistle to the Hebrews had the account of his trembling and quaking at the same mount, when the law was given, Heb 12:21

and durst not behold; either "the sight" of the burning bush, and curiously consider and inquire into that, as the Syriac version reads; or him, as the Ethiopic version; that is, God, and which is expressed in

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

32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

Ver. 32. See Exo 3:6.

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.

Saying, I am the God ... - See this explained in the notes on Mat 22:32.

Then Moses trembled - Exo 3:6.

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

I am the God of thy fathers; that he might know from whom he had his commission, and by whom he was to be sent.

The God of Abraham, &c.; mention is made of these, because God had made unto them the promise of delivering their posterity, which he was now about to do, the time being fully come.

Moses trembled: all great admiration hath some fear joined with it: God’s appearing, though in mercy, was ever full of terror and amazement; what will his appearing be, when he shall come in judgment to render vengeance! Who then shall be able to abide?

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

32. The place of the Scripture—The section. When the persecutor Antiochus forbade the Law to be read, the Jews divided the prophets into fifty-four sections for reading in the public service. The section now being read by the eunuch was 53-56. The passage given by Luke (Isa_53:7-8) is undoubtedly from the Septuagint, a version made in Egypt, and familiar, of course, to the Ethiopian. It differs somewhat in meaning from the Hebrew.

Sheep… lamb dumb—A vivid description of our Lord’s silent submission to sentence and death.

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

Saying, A.V., is omitted; of Isaac and of Jacob for the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, A.V. and T.R.; and for then, A.V.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — 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.

32. Omit ὁ θεὸς before Ἰσαὰκ and Ἰακώβ with אABC. The Vulg. has ‘Deus’ in each place.

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.

32.] The order of Exo 3:6, is here somewhat varied. The command to put off the shoe was given on the approach of Moses, and before these words were spoken.

οὐκ ἐτόλμ. καταν. = εὐλαβεῖτο κατεμβλέψαι, LXX.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Trembled [εντρομος γενομενος] . Lit., having become trembling; having fallen into a tremor.

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