Acts 7:53

Act 7:53. Οἵτινες, who) He proves, from the deed which they had perpetrated upon the Christ, that they had not kept the law. Comp. Joh 7:19.—ἐλάβετε, have received) with subjection, in the first instance.—εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων, into, as to [by] the dispositions of angels) [as being the ordinances established by angels]. This indicates the majesty of the law: Gal 4:14, “Ye received me as an angel of God.” The angels on Sinai appeared under the appearance of a flame. Comp. Gal 3:19 (διαταγεὶς δἰ ἀγγέλων), Heb 2:2. Εἰς, at, in respect to, or by reason of, as in Rom 4:20 (εἰς τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν: he staggered not at it in unbelief, as being the promise of God). The Jews received the law as that which was to be regarded in the light that angelical ordinances would deserve to be regarded; namely, with the highest reverence. God has the angels for His ministers. Hence, what is angelic, is certainly also divine.—οὐκ ἐφυλάξατε, have not kept it) with all your phylacteries [alluding to the verb ἐφύλαξατε]. He who believes on Christ, establishes the law: he who sets aside Christ, sets aside the law. Reason would think that these last words of Stephen ought to have been suppressed by him, because he had by this time completed his defence. But in the state of one making confession of the truth, all things ought to be said, which the glory of GOD and the salvation of the hearers demand.

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

Act_7:53. Οἵτινες] quippe qui. Stephen desires, namely, now to give the character, through which the foregoing οὗ νῦν ὑμεῖς προδόται κ.τ.λ., as founded on their actually manifested conduct, receives its explanation.

ἐλάβετε] ye have received, placed first with emphasis.

εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων] upon arrangements of angels, i.e. so that the arrangements made by angels (the direct servants of God), which accompanied the promulgation of the law,[212] made you perceive the obligation to recognise and observe the received law (comp. the contrast, κ. οὐκ ἐφυλάξ.) as the ethical aspect of your ἐλάβετε. Briefly, therefore: Ye received the law with reference to arrangements of angels, which could not leave you doubtful that you ought to submit obediently to the divine institution.

εἰς denotes, as often in Greek writers and in the N. T. (Winer, p. 371 [E. T. 496]), the direction of the mind, in view of. Comp. here especially, Mat_12:41; Rom_4:20.

διαταγή is arrangement, regulation, as in Rom_13:2, with Greek writers διάταξις. Comp. also Ezr_4:11; and see Suicer, Thes. I. p. 886. On the subject-matter, comp. Gal_3:19; Heb_2:2; Delitzsch on Heb. p. 49. At variance with linguistic usage, Beza, Calvin, Piscator, Elsner, Hammond, Wolf, Krause, Heinrichs, Kuinoel, and others, taking διαταγή in the above signification, render: accepistis legem ab angelis promulgatam, as if εἰς stood for ἐν. Others (Grotius, Calovius, Er. Schmid, Valckenaer, and others) explain διαταγή as agmen dispositum, because διατάσσειν is often (also in the classics) used of the drawing up of armies (2Ma_12:20), and διάταξις of the divisions of an army (Jdt_1:4; Jdt_8:36), and translate praesentibus angelorum ordinibus, so that εἰς is likewise taken for ἐν. But against this view (with which, moreover, εἰς would have to be taken as respectu) there is the decisive fact, that there is no evidence of the use of διαταγή in the sense assumed; and therefore the supposition that διαταγή = διάταξις in this signification is arbitrary, as well as at variance with the manifest similarity of the thought with Gal_3:19. Bengel (comp. Hackett, F. Nitzsch, also Winer doubtfully, and Buttmann) renders: Ye received the law for commands of angels, i.e. as commands of angels, so that εἰς is to be understood as in Act_7:21; comp. Heb_11:8. But the Israelites did not receive the law as the commands of angels, but as the commands of God, in which character it was made known to them διʼ ἀγγέλων. Comp. Joseph. Antt. xv. 5. 3 : ἡμῶν τὰ κάλλιστα τῶν δογμάτων καὶ τὰ ὁσιώτατα τῶν ἐν τοῖς νόμοις διʼ ἀγγέλων παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ μαθόντων; and see Krebs in loc.

Moreover, the mediating action of the angels not admitting of more precise definition, which is here adverted to, is not contained in Exodus 19, but rests on tradition, which is imported already by the LXX. into Deu_33:2. Comp. on Gal_3:19. For Rabbinical passages (Jalkut Rubeni f. 107, 3, al.), see Schoettgen and Wetstein, ad Gal_3:19. It was a mistaken attempt at harmonizing, when earlier expositors sought to understand by the angels either Moses and the prophets (Heinrichs, Lightfoot) or the seniores populi (Surenhusius, καταλλ. p. 419); indeed, Chrysostom even discovers here again the angel in the bush.

[212] Angels were the arrangers of the act of divine majesty, as arrangers of a festival (διατάσσοντες), dispositores.

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 7:53 . οἴτινες , quippe qui (“ye who,” R.V.), as often in Acts and Epistles not simply for identification, but when as here the conduct of the persons already mentioned is further enlarged upon (Alford), cf. Act 8:15 , Act 9:35 , Act 10:41 ; Act 10:47 , and Winer-Schmiedel, p. 235, but see also Blass, Grammatik , p. 169. εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων : “as it was ordained by angels,” R.V. εἰς : at the appointment of, cf. its use in Mat 12:41 , or better εἰς as in Act 7:21 = received the law as ordinances of angels ( νόμον being regarded as an aggregate of single acts and so with plural “ordinances”), so Rendall, who takes εἰς = ὡς , and Page, cf. Heb 11:8 , i.e. , it was no human ordinance. But see on the other hand Wendt’s note, p. 192, where he points out that the law was not received as commands given by angels but by God. This was undoubtedly the case, but St. Stephen was here probably referring to the current tradition in Philo and Josephus, and LXX, Deu 33:2 . ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ ἄγγελοι μετʼ αὐτοῦ , cf. Ps. 67:17; Philo, De Somn. , p. 642 Mang., so Jos., Ant. , xv., 5, 3, and also Book of Jubilees , chap. i. (see Wetstein and Lightfoot (J. B.) on Gal 3:19 ). Others again take εἰς = ἐν , “accepistis legem ab angelis promulgatam” = διατασσόντων ἀγγέλων , so Blass. Certainly it does not seem possible to take διαταγή = διάταξις = agmen dispositium ( cf. Jdt 1:4 ; Jdt 8:36 ), and to render “præsentibus angelorum ordinibus,” so that here also εἰς = ἐν (Meyer and others). Lightfoot (J.) takes the “angels” as = Moses and the Prophets; Surenhusius as = the elders of the people, whilst St. Chrysostom sees a reference to the angel of the burning bush. It must not be thought that St. Stephen is here depreciating the Law. From a Christian standpoint it might of course be urged that as Christ was superior to the angels, so the introduction of angels showed the inferiority of the Law to the Gospel ( cf. Heb 2:2 , Gal 3:19 ), but St. Stephen’s point is that although the Law had been given with such notable sanctions, yet his hearers had not kept it, and that therefore they, not he, were the real law-breakers. οὐκ ἐφύλαξατε : “cum omnibus phylacteriis vestris,” Bengel. Note the rhetorical power of the words cf. Act 7:25 (Page).

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

By the ministry of Angels.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Who have received the law by the disposition--"at the appointment" or "ordination," that is, by the ministry.

of angels, and have not kept it--This closing word is designed to shut up those idolizers of the law under the guilt of high disobedience to it, aggravated by the august manner in which they had received it.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 53. By the disposition of angels] εις διαταγας αγγελων. After all that has been said on this difficult passage, perhaps the simple meaning is, that there were ranks, διαταγαι, of angels attending on the Divine Majesty when he gave the law: a circumstance which must have added greatly to the grandeur and solemnity of the occasion; and to this Ps 68:17 seems to me most evidently to allude: The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even many thousands of angels: the Lord is among them as in SINAI, in the holy place. It was not then by the mouths nor by the hands of angels, as prime agents, that Moses, and through him the people, received the law; but God himself gave it, accompanied with many thousands of those glorious beings. As it is probable they might be assisting in this most glorious solemnity, therefore St. Paul might say, Ga 3:19, that it was ordained by angels, διαταγεις δι αγγελων, in the hand of a Mediator. And as they were the only persons that could appear, for no man hath seen God at any time, therefore the apostle might say farther, (if indeed he refers to the same transaction, see the note there,) the word spoken by angels was steadfast, Heb 2:2. But the circumstances of this case are not sufficiently plain to lead to the knowledge of what was done by the angels in this most wonderful transaction; only we learn, from the use made of this circumstance by St. Stephen, that it added much to the enormity of their transgression, that they did not keep a law, in dispensing of which the ministry of angels had been employed. Some think Moses, Aaron, and Joshua are the angels here intended; and others think that the fire, light, darkness, cloud and thick darkness were the angels which Jehovah used on this occasion, and to which St. Stephen refers; but neither of these senses appears sufficiently natural, and particularly the latter.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

53. Who have received the law. They called that fury wherewith they raged against Stephen zeal of the law, as if he had been a forsaker of the law, and a revolt and had enforced others to fall away in like sort. Although he was determined to clear himself of this false accusation, yet he did not go through with his answer. For he could not be heard, and it was to no end to speak to deaf men. Therefore, he is content, at a word, to take from them their false color and pretense. It is evident, saith he, that you lie, when you pretend the zeal of the law, which you transgress and break without ceasing; and as he objected unto them in the words next going before, the treacherous murder of the Just, so now he upbraideth unto them their revolting from the law. Some man will say that Stephen’s cause is no whit bettered hereby, because the Jews break the law. But as we have already said, Stephen doth not so chide them, as if his defense did principally consist in this issue, but that they may not flatter themselves in their false boasting. For hypocrites must be handled thus, who will, notwithstanding, seem to be most earnest defenders of God’s glory, though indeed they condemn him carelessly. And here is also a fit antistrophe, because they made semblance that they received the law which was committed to them, which was, notwithstanding, reproachfully despised by them.

In the dispositions of angels It is word for word, into the dispositions, but it is all one. Furthermore, we need not seek any other interpreter of this saying than Paul, who saith that the law was disposed or ordained by angels, (Galatians 3:16;) for he useth the participle there whereof this noun is derived. And his meaning is, that the angels were the messengers of God, and his witnesses in publishing the law, that the authority thereof might be firm and stable.

Therefore, forasmuch as God did call the angels to be, as it were, solemn witnesses when he gave the Jews his law, the same angels shall be witnesses of their unfaithfulness. And to this end doth Stephen make mention of the angels, that he may accuse the Jews in presence of them, and prove them guilty, because they have transgressed the law. Hereby we may gather what shall become of the despisers of the gospel, which doth so far excel the law, that it doth, after a sort, darken the glory thereof, as Paul teacheth, (2 Corinthians 3.)

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.

(53) Who have received . . .—More accurately, who received.

By the disposition of angels.—Better, as ordained of angels; or, more literally, as ordinances of angels. The Greek preposition cannot possibly have the meaning of “by.” The phrase expressed the current Jewish belief that angels were the intermediate agents through whom Israel received the Law; that it was their voice that was heard on Sinai. Here also St. Paul, in speaking of the Law as “ordained by angels” (Gal_3:19), reproduced St. Stephen. Comp. also Heb_2:2 and Jos. Ant. xv. 4, § 3, for like statements. The idea rested mainly on the LXX. version of Deu_33:2, “on His right hand were angels with Him” and “the thousands of angels” as connected with Sinai in Psa_68:17.

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

53. who have received] Better, ye who received the Law from Sinai.

by the disposition of angels] Better, at the ministration of angels. St Paul (Gal_3:19) has the same expression concerning the Law, that it was “ministered by angels.” The LXX. have in Deu_33:2, speaking of the giving of the Law, “On his right hand were angels,” and Josephus (Antiq. xv. 5. 3) represents the same tradition, “We have learned from God the most excellent of our doctrines and the most holy part of our Law by angels.” So Pesikta Rabbathi, par. 21, “There came down with the Holy One to Sinai twenty-two thousand ministering angels like the camp of the Levites.”

and have not kept it] Read, and kept it not. Stephen here points back along the whole history of the Jews, and shews how the Law, which was intended to lead men to Christ, had not been guarded in its best sense, the spirit having been sacrificed to the letter, and so the result had been that they rejected and slew Him of whom the whole Law was speaking. The Law, given by angels, was the glory of Israel, the perverse use of it had turned to their shame and destruction.

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.

But he being full of the Holy Ghost,.... That is, Stephen, as Beza's ancient copy, and some others express it; and so the Ethiopic version; the Syriac version reads, "full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost", as in Act 6:5 and so some copies; being under the influences of the Spirit of God, and filled with his divine comforts, and strong in the faith of Jesus Christ, and having a holy boldness, courage, and intrepidity of mind; instead of being discouraged and dejected, of being cast down in his spirits, and looking down upon the ground, he

looked up steadfastly to heaven; where he desired to be, and hoped and believed he should be; and from whence he knew his help came, and which he might now implore, as well as forgiveness for his enemies.

And saw the glory of God; not the essential glory of God, but some extraordinary light and brightness, which was a token and representation of him:

and Jesus standing on the right hand of God; of that glory which was a Symbol of him: Jesus being risen from the dead, and ascended on high, was set at the right hand of God, in human nature, and so was visible to the corporeal eye of Stephen; whose visual faculty was so extraordinarily enlarged and assisted, as to reach the body of Christ in the third heavens; where he was seen by him standing, to denote his readiness to assist him, and his indignation at his enemies.

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

53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

Ver. 53. And have not kept it] The Jews were so far from being a law to themselves, αυτονομοι (as the Thracians are said to be), that (more like the Athenians) whereas they had excellent laws, but naughty natures, Moribus suis quam legibus uti mallent, they lived not by their laws, but by their lusts rather. (Val. Max.)

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.

Who have received the law - The Law of Moses, given on Mount Sinai.

By the disposition of angels - There has been much diversity of opinion in regard to this phrase, εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων eis diatagas angelōn. The word translated “disposition” does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It properly means the “constituting” or “arranging” of an army; disposing it into ranks and proper divisions. Hence, it has been supposed to mean that the Law was given “amidst” the various ranks of angels, being present to witness its promulgation. Others suppose that the angels were employed as agents or instruments to communicate the Law. All that the expression fairly implies is the former; that the Law was given amidst the attending ranks of angels, as if they were summoned to witness the pomp and ceremony of giving “law” to an entire people, and through them to an entire world. It should be added, moreover, that the Jews applied the word “angels” to any messengers of God; to fire, and tempest, and wind, etc. And all that Stephen means here may be to express the common Jewish opinion that God was attended on this occasion by the heavenly hosts, and by the symbols of his presence, fire, and smoke, and tempest. Compare Psa 104:4; Psa 68:17. Other places declare that the Law was spoken by an angel, one eminent above all attending angels, the special messenger of God. See the notes on Act 7:38. It is plain that Stephen spoke only the common sentiment of the Jews. Thus, Herod is introduced by Josephus (Antiq., book 15, chapter 5, section 3) as saying, “We have learned in God the most excellent of our doctrines, and the most holy part of our Law by angels,” etc. In the eyes of the Jews, it justly gave increased majesty and solemnity to the Law, that it had been given in so grand and imposing circumstances. It greatly aggravated their guilt that, notwithstanding this, they had not kept it.

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

The disposition of angels: or ministry of angels; the commandments were published from them ministerially; or the Son of God, (called an Angel, Act 7:35), accompanied with the militia of heaven, (for it is a military metaphor), did in the midst of that glorious retinue give the law, Deu 33:2; Psa 68:8; Gal 3:13,19.

And have not kept it; they transgressed the law, though so gloriously delivered by angels; and therefore it was no wonder if they despised the gospel, that was published by so mean and contemptible ministers.

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

53. Law… angels—We have intimated on Act_7:38 that, according to Scripture, the law on Sinai was given by the Angel-Jehovah; but here the law is said to have been given at the dispensation or disposition of angels, in the plural. We understand this plural to be parallel to the plural of the name for God in Hebrew, Elohim. This plural grammarians explain by what they call the plural of excellence, or majesty, such as when a king styles himself We. We prefer to think it arises from the infinite variety and manifoldness of God, as when we call him the Heavenly Powers. So the Angel-Jehovah of Sinai is angels, from the manifoldness of his manifestations on that memorable occasion. Thus for the Hebrew phrase, (Deu_33:2, describing the same scene,) “From his right hand went a fiery law for them,” the Septuagint reads, “On his right hand angels were with him,” where the plural angels is their rendering for the singular fiery law. In this same sense (Heb_2:2) we have the word spoken by angels as being inferior to the utterances of the Son—the visible fiery symbol being less than the living reality, Christ. So, also, “ordained by angels,” (Gal_3:19,) used in the same sense.

There is, indeed, nothing requiring us to deny that God was attended by angels on mount Sinai; but there should be more precise proof than we have that the law, or word, was spoken even instrumentally by personal angels before we can adopt that view. The former point is confirmed by several passages. Thus in Deu_33:2, “He shined from Paran, and he came with holy myriads,” (as it should be rendered,) the word myriads probably denotes myriads of angels. Josephus says, “Our best doctrines and holiest laws have been learned from God through angels.” And Philo says, (on the Decalogue,) “There were present at the giving of the law voices visible, flames of fire, spirits, trumpets, and divine men running hither and thither to publish the law.”

This uninspired testimony is over fanciful. Admitting, in deference to Deu_33:2, that Jehovah was attended by personal angels, we doubt that the law was GIVEN by angels in any other sense than the plural of the Angel-Jehovah, unfolding himself by his multitudinous manifestations on the mount.

Have not kept it—Though the Angel-Jehovah, amid angel ranks and with manifold unfoldings of his own power, had given the law, these Jews had not kept it.

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

Ye who received for who have received, A.V.; as it was ordained by angels for by the disposition of angels, A.V.; kept it not for hove not kept it, A.V. Ordained by angels. This phrase, thus differently rendered (eijv diatagalwn), is one of extreme difficulty: diatagh means properly appointment," or "ordinance," as in Rom_13:2; and eijv, which has a great variety of uses in the Greek of the New Testament, means "at," or "upon," or "on the occasion of," as Mat_12:41, "At the preaching of Jonah." So here they received the Law "at" or "on the occasion of," the "ordering" or "appointing" of angels. When the angels, who were commissioned by God and spoke in his Name, gave the Law, the Israelites so received it. The A.V., "by the disposition of angels" very nearly ex- presses the true sense. Another sense of eijv view of comes to nearly the same thing. St. Paul speaks of the part taken by the angels in the giving of the Law, and in language strikingly resembling the text. He says of it, that it was "ordained through "by," A.V. angels" God ordained or appointed the Law, but the angels were the instruments or ministers of its promulgation. And it is also distinctly referred to in Deu_33:2, where the LXX read, "On his right hand the angels were with him." In the foregoing verses the application which Stephen had all through been contemplating is hurled with accumulated force at the consciences of his hearers, and cuts them to the heart, but does not bring them to repentance.

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

Who have received the law by the administration of angels - God, when he gave the law on Mount Sinai, was attended with thousands of his angels, Gal. iii, 19; Psalm lxviii, 17.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

angels

(See Scofield "Heb 1:4").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See notes on verse 51

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.

53. οἵτινες κ.τ.λ., ye who received the Law, from Sinai.

εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων. Literally, ‘unto ordinances of angels,’ which signifies ‘at the ministration of angels’ or ‘as it was ordained by angels.’ St Paul (Gal 3:19) has the same expression concerning the Law, that it was ‘ministered by angels.’ The LXX. have in Deu 33:2, speaking of the giving of the Law, ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ ἄγγελοι μετ’ αὐτοῦ, and Josephus (Ant. XV. 5. 3) represents the same tradition, ‘We have learned from God the most excellent of our doctrines and the most holy part of our Law by angels.’ So Pesikta Rabbathi, par. xxi., ‘There came down with the Holy One to Sinai twenty-two thousand ministering angels, like the camp of the Levites.’

καὶ οὐκ ἐφυλάξατε, and ye kept it not. Stephen here points back along the whole history of the Jews, and shews how the Law, which was intended to lead men to Christ, had not been guarded in its best sense, the spirit having been sacrificed to the letter, and so the result had been that they rejected and slew Him of whom the whole Law was speaking. The Law, given by angels, was the glory of Israel, the perverse use of it had proved their shame and destruction.

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.

53.] The use of οἵτινες, instead of οἱ, so very frequent in the Acts and Epistles, occurs when the clause introduced by it contains a further explanation of the position or classification of the person or persons alluded to, and not when the relative serves for simple identification. See Rom 1:25, Rom 1:32.

εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων] Many explanations have been given. Chrys. διαταχθέντα νόμον λέγει, τὸν ἐγχειρισθέντα αὐτῷ διʼ ἄγγελον τὸν ὀφθέντα αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ βάτῳ: and Œ νόμον λαβόντας διατάξεις ἔχοντα, αἵτινες ἰσάγγελον ἐποίουν πολιτείαν ἔχειν τοὺς τελοῦντας αὐτόν. Heinsius and Lightfoot understand by ἀγγέλ. the prophets: Grot., Calov., and Krebs, ‘præsentibus angelorum ordinibus,’ taking διαταγάς = διατάξεις in the sense of divisions of an army (Judith 8:36), in which it never occurs,—not to say that εἰς will not bear this: Beza, Calv., Pisc., Elsn., Hamm., Kuin., &c., ‘ab angelis promulgatum,’ which εἰς will not bear (ἐν): Winer, Gr., edn. 6, § 32. 4, b, ‘as commands of angels’ (but see below), which, however, was not the fact (Mey., who refers to Jos. Antt. xv. 5. 3, ἡμῶν τὰ κάλλιστα τῶν δογμάτων καὶ τὰ ὁσιώτατα τῶν ἐν τοῖς νόμοις διʼ ἀγγέλων παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ μαθόντων):—the Syriac version, ‘per mandatum angelorum:’—Vulg. and Calv., ‘in dispositione (or -onibus) angelorum:’ Schöttg., ‘per ministerium angelorum.’ These three last are precluded by the foregoing remarks. The key to the right rendering seems to be the similar expression in ref. Gal., ὁ νόμος διαταγεὶς διʼ ἀγγέλων. The law was given by God, but announced by angels. The people received God’s law then, εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων, at the injunction (a sense of διατ. amply justified, see Palm and Rost’s lex. διάταξις, and Polyb. iv. 19. 10; 87. 5: and preferred by Winer in his last edn., ut supra) of angels. So Mat 12:41, μετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰῶνα, ‘they repented at the preaching of Jonas.’ The only other legitimate rendering, ‘as the injunctions of angels,’ comes under the objections made to Winer’s former view, above.

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

Who [οιτινες] . Stronger than the simple relative who, and emphasizing their sin by contrast with their privileges : inasmuch as ye were those who received, etc.

By the disposition of angels [εις διαταγας αγγελων] . Lit., unto ordinances of angels. Eijv means with reference to. Disposition [διαταγη] is used by A. V. in the sense of arrangement, as we say a general disposed his troops. The word occurs only here and Rom 13:2, where it is rendered ordinance. The kindred verb diatassw occurs often, mostly in the sense of command or appoint. See Mt 11:1; Luk 3:13. In 1Co 11:34, it is translated set in order. The reference is most probably to the Jewish tradition that the law was given through the agency of angels. See Deu 32:2. Compare Psa 68:17. Paul expressly says that the law was administered by the medium of angels (Gal 3:19). Compare the word spoken by angels (Heb 2:2). Render, therefore, as Rev., as it was ordained by angels.

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