Acts 7:53

53 You had God's Law handed to you by angels - gift-wrapped! - and you squandered it!"

Acts 7:53 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:53

Who have received the law, by the disposition of angels,
&c.] Who attended the angel that spake to Moses on Mount Sinai, ( Acts 7:38 ) who is the head of all principality and power, and whom he might make use of in giving the law to Moses: hence the law is said to be ordained by angels, in the hand of a Mediator, and is called the word spoken by angels, ( Galatians 3:19 ) ( Hebrews 2:2 ) and certain it is, that there were great numbers of angels on Mount Sinai, when the law was given, ( Deuteronomy 33:2 ) ( Psalms 68:17 ) And so the Jews say F13, that

``when the holy blessed God descended on Mount Sinai, there came down with him many companies of angels, Michael and his company, and Gabriel and his company''

Indeed they often say F14,

``the law was not given to the ministering angels:''

their meaning is, it was not given to them to observe and keep, because there are some things in it, which do not concern angels; but then it might be given to them to deliver to Moses, who gave it to the Israelites, and so may be said to receive it by the ministration of angels, through the hands of Moses. And now the law being given and received in so grand a manner, was an aggravation of the sin of the Jews in violating it, as it follows:

and have not kept it;
but broke it in innumerable instances, and scarce kept it in any; for no man can keep it perfectly.


FOOTNOTES:

F13 Debarim Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 237. 3.
F14 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 25. 2. Yoma. fol. 30. 1. Kiddushin, fol. 54. 1.

Acts 7:53 In-Context

51 "And you continue, so bullheaded! Calluses on your hearts, flaps on your ears! Deliberately ignoring the Holy Spirit, you're just like your ancestors.
52 Was there ever a prophet who didn't get the same treatment? Your ancestors killed anyone who dared talk about the coming of the Just One. And you've kept up the family tradition - traitors and murderers, all of you.
53 You had God's Law handed to you by angels - gift-wrapped! - and you squandered it!"
54 At that point they went wild, a rioting mob of catcalls and whistles and invective.
55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed - he only had eyes for God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.