an utterance (individually · noun — accusative plural neuter
against
εἰςeis
G1519
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) · preposition
Moses
ΜωϋσῆνMōusēn
G3475
Moseus · noun — accusative singular masculine, a proper name
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
God
θεόν·theon
G2316
figuratively · noun — accusative singular masculine, a title
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Matthew 26:59-60 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
1 Kings 21:10-13 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him…
Matthew 28:12-15 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
John 5:45-47 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
John 9:29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
John 16:3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
Acts 6:13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Acts 6:8–end
Stephen, no doubt was diligent and faithful in the discharge of his office as distributor of the church's charity, and laid out himself to put that affair in a good method, which he did to universal satisfaction; and though it appears here that he was a man of uncommon gifts, and fitted for a higher station, yet, being called to that office, he did not think it below him to do the duty of it. And, being faithful in a little, he was entrusted with more; and, though we do not find him propagating the gospel by preaching and baptizing, yet we find him here called out to very honourable services, and owned in them.
I. He proved the truth of the gospel, by working miracles in Christ's name, Act 6…
blasphemous words against Moses--doubtless referring to the impending disappearance of the whole Mosaic system.
and against God--This must refer to the supreme dignity and authority which he claimed for Christ, as the head of that new economy which was so speedily to supersede the old (compare Act 7:56, Act 7:59-60).
Adam Clarke on Acts 6:11
Then they suborned men - Ὑπεβαλον. They made underhand work; got associated to themselves profligate persons, who for money would swear any thing.
Blasphemous words against Moses, and against God - This was the most deadly charge they could bring against him. We have already seen, Mat 9:4, that blasphemy, when against God, signifies speaking impiously of his nature, attributes, or works; and, when against men, it signifies speaking injuriously of their character, blasting their reputation, etc. These false witnesses came to prove that he had blasphemed Moses by representing him as an impostor, or the like; and God, by either denying his being, his providence, the justice of his government,…
Then they suborned men,.... Hired false witnesses, which seems to have been commonly done by the Jews; so they did in the case of Christ:
which said, we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God; that is, against the law of Moses, and so against God, who gave the law to Moses, as appears from Acts 6:13 the blasphemous words seem to be, with respect to the ceremonial law, and the abrogation of it, which Stephen might insist upon, and they charged with blasphemy; see Acts 6:14.
The Church Fathers
For "we have heard him," say they, "speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God." O ye shameless ones! Ye work blasphemous deeds, and think nothing of it. This is why Moses is added - because the things of God were no great concern to them: and it is ever and always Moses that they make mention of: "This Moses, which brought us out."
"Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words." In the case of the Apostles they were annoyed that they preached the Resurrection, and that much people flowed unto them: but in this case, that they were getting their diseases healed. The things for which they ought to give thanks, they made matter of blame: O the madness! The men who overcame them by works, they expected to overcome by words! It is just what they did in the case of Christ, and always they forced them to words. For they were ashamed to seize them without more ado, having nothing to charge them with. And observe, not the persons themselves who bring them to judgment bear witness against them; for they would have been refuted: but they simply hire others, that it may not seem to be an act of mere violence. It is all of a piece with their proceeding in the case of Christ. And observe the power of the preaching, that, though they are not only scourged but stoned, it still prevails: not only, private individuals as they are, dragged to the bar, but assailed from all quarters: and, their enemies themselves being witnesses, not only were these worsted, but "they were not able" even "to resist," though they were exceeding shameless: so mightily did it overthrow them, for all that they could do with their preposterous figments (as the saying that He had a devil-He that cast out devils!). For the battle was not man's, but God's against men. And there were many combined together; not only they in Jerusalem, but others as well.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Deacon — Anglicized form of the Greek word diaconos, meaning a “runner,” “messenger,” “servant.” For a long period a feeling of mutual jealousy had existed between the “Hebrews,” or Jews proper, who spoke the…
Philip The Evangelist — is first mentioned in the account of the dispute between the Hebrew and Hellenistic disciples in Acts 6. He is one of the deacons appointed to superintend the daily distribution of food and alms, and…
Stephen — One of the seven deacons, who became a preacher of the gospel. He was the first Christian martyr. His personal character and history are recorded in Acts 6. “He fell asleep” with a prayer for his…
Accusation, False · .Against Stephen — .Against Stephen
Blasphemy · Charged upon saints — Charged upon saints
Church Of Israel · Attachment of the Jews to — Attachment of the Jews to
Court · 3:11;7:3; — 3:11;7:3;
False Teachers · Against Stephen — Against Stephen
Greece · .Persecute the early Christians — .Persecute the early Christians
Indictments · .Stephen for blasphemy — .Stephen for blasphemy
Intolerance, Religious · .In persecuting Stephen — .In persecuting Stephen
Jews, The · National character of: Attachment to Moses — National character of: Attachment to Moses
John Calvin on Acts 6:11–end
Acts 6:11-15
11. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard this man speak blasphemous words against Moses and God. 12. And they moved the people, and the elders, and the scribes. And invading him, they took him and brought him into the council. 13. And they brought forth false witnesses) which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. 14. For we have heard him say, That this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the ordinances which Moses hath given us. 15. And when all which sat in the council had beholden him, they saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
12. Being overcome with the power of the Spir…
The Jewish leaders did to Stephen as they had done to Jesus (cp. Matt 26:3-4, 59-66): They got someone to lie about him, accused him of blasphemy, incited a riot, arrested him, and posted false charges against him.
Law Of Moses, The · The Jews: Accused Christians of speaking — The Jews: Accused Christians of speaking
Perjury · .Stephen — .Stephen
Slander · Exemplified: Enemies of Stephen — Exemplified: Enemies of Stephen
Stephen · False charges against — False charges against
Witness · Corrupted by money — Corrupted by money
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
