Then the high priest said: Are these things so?
ειπεν δε ο αρχιερευς ει αρα ταυτα ουτως εχει
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
What then does the high priest do? He says, "Is this so?" Do you see how mild his question is, and how it contains nothing insulting? Therefore Stephen also begins his speech meekly and says, "Men, brethren and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran."
They themselves did not even consider that they were permitting themselves blasphemous actions, yet they accuse him of blasphemy for words. Moses is always in their mind. They cared less for the works of God than for the ordinances of Moses.
In the speech that Stephen delivered in the hall of the Sanhedrin, in answer to the high priest’s questioning, he recalls before his judges the history of the people of God.
He begins with their forefather Abraham and ends with Solomon (vv. 1-50). In conclusion he reproves the persecutors of Christians for resisting the Holy Spirit, who calls them to salvation (vv. 51-53).
This speech of Stephen is as much defensive as it is accusatory. The accusation reported that he had spoken blasphemous words against the law of Moses and the temple of Jerusalem, against Moses and God.
The basis for this accusation was that, in his contests with the Jews, Stephen expressed the thought that in the New Testament the Mosaic law was abolished.
This included all its many varied ordinances and institutions, not excluding the temple of Jerusalem, which was no longer the sole place of true worship (Jn 4:21 and following).
Now Stephen briefly recounts the history of God’s divine economy for the salvation of Israel.
By the simple telling of this history, he already defends himself against the charge of blasphemy. Through it he clearly shows what God he confesses, and how he confesses Him.
For this purpose, among other things, at the beginning of his speech he calls God the God of glory (v. 2). By this he shows the reverence with which he treats this holy name.
Then, by pointing in the history of the Israelite people to the world-governing right hand of God, he confesses the whole greatness of God still more clearly.
When the false witnesses had exhausted themselves in their fabricated testimony, the high priest asked, "Is this so?" To this question Saint Stephen answered with a God-inspired speech of defense. In it he explained the origin of Christianity as a new and higher stage of the divine economy in comparison with Judaism. Recalling the whole Old Testament history from the calling of Abraham, he proved by the very narrative that the formation of the Jewish religion and Law contained a gradual development of the covenant and the better promises. Yet the chosen people constantly resisted this.
While those present in the Sanhedrin, probably not without astonishment at the angelic brightness in Stephen's face, kept silence, the high priest, as chairman of the assembly, broke the silence. He required the accused to answer the charges against him. "Is this so?" That is, did you say what the witnesses report (Acts 6:11; Acts 6:13-14)? Do you acknowledge the truth of the accusation against you, or not?
The wondrous speech of Archdeacon Stephen contains many answers to the accusation brought against him. It also reveals the true reason why he was brought to trial.
First he sets forth the history of his people, beginning with Abraham and ending with Solomon (vv. 2-50). Then he utters direct reproofs (vv. 51-53).
In the historical part these reproofs had been prepared as factual foundations for the Jews’ continual faithlessness toward the forefathers and prophets, even such men as Joseph and Moses.
At the very beginning of the speech he calls the God of Abraham the God of glory. This means the One who appears in visible glory and is therefore worthy of every glorification, not of blasphemy, as the slanderers say.
He calls Abraham his father and the father of all who were in the Sanhedrin. Therefore he honors Abraham as well.
In speaking of God’s appearance to Abraham, he defines God’s living and providential relation to the whole Jewish people in the person of the forefather.
Thus by this also he overthrows the slander that he blasphemed God. By the detailed account of events dear to the Jews, St. Stephen evidently wished to calm his listeners.
At the same time he wished to ground historically his answer concerning the substance of his evangelical preaching.
This answer was expressed in parts, in various conclusions from history, and in a special presentation of the prophetic and typological predictions concerning Christ the Savior, His teaching, His sufferings, and His glory.
“Observe,” says blessed Theophylact, “how he draws their thought away from the sensible, beginning with locality, since the discussion concerned a place.
If God is the God of glory, then He does not need to receive glory from you through your temple. He Himself is the source of every glory and every good.”
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 8 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS