Whom our fathers would not obey: but thrust him away and in their hearts turned back into Egypt,
ω ουκ ηθελησαν υπηκοοι γενεσθαι οι πατερες ημων αλλ απωσαντο και εστραφησαν τη καρδια αυτων εις αιγυπτον
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
But the Jews, being accustomed never to submit, did not obey him even after the signs and wonders that took place over forty years. Then follows the accusation against the forefathers. After signs and wonders, and after receiving the living oracles, “they would not,” he says, “be obedient.” “But they thrust him away and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,” where they groaned, where they cried out, and from where they called upon God.
In order afterward to defend himself against the charge of insulting Moses and his law, he dwells at length on this great Old Testament figure (vv. 20-43). He strives to show all his reverence both for Moses and for the law given through him.
In God's special providence over Moses' salvation and destiny, his particular calling is already revealed (vv. 20-22). Stephen indicates that Moses, while still at Pharaoh's court, already foresaw this calling. He did so, of course, by reflecting on the extraordinary circumstances of his life. His calling was to be the deliverer of his people from the Egyptian yoke (v. 25).
Then the person of Moses is fully honored in his dignity and significance. This appears when Stephen describes his call by God to the work of Israel's deliverance (vv. 30-35), and the deliverance itself. It also appears in his leading Israel toward the promised land with many signs and wonders (v. 36).
To express still more fully the dignity of Moses, Stephen shows him as a type of the Messiah, as one who conversed with angels, and as mediator between God and Israel (vv. 37-38). By this alone Stephen's whole reverence for the Mosaic law is fully expressed. Yet it is expressed still more when he calls this law "living words" (v. 38).
At the same time, however, this speech is accusatory. In reading it, one cannot fail to notice that Stephen tries, wherever possible, to contrast the benefactions of the saving God with the ingratitude and unbelief of the Israelites.
Thus, even in the life of the patriarchs, he points to Joseph's suffering from the envy of his brothers, the forefathers of the Israelite people (v. 9). In Egypt, the descendants of these sons of Jacob reject the saving hand of Moses (vv. 25-28, 35). In the wilderness they reject Moses and God (vv. 39-43).
"They would not be obedient," and so forth. Although Moses had been so greatly exalted by God, the Hebrew people of that time did not wish fully to submit to his guidance, or to be obedient.
On the contrary, they rejected him, or pushed him away. This is the same word as in verse 27. This was expressed especially in the making of the calf.
"They turned in their hearts to Egypt." According to the context of the speech (v. 40), this turning was a turning to Egyptian idolatry. It was expressed in the making of the calf, in imitation of the Egyptian bull worshiped by the Egyptians.
Perhaps, however, this also means such a turning to Egypt as is mentioned in Numbers (Num 11:5ff.). This was a remembrance of the easy material life in Egypt, despite oppression. It was joined to dissatisfaction with Moses and with the wandering through the wilderness.
It was a sensual attraction to the meats of Egypt, which later reached the strange desire to return to Egypt (Num 14). Yet here, as in Moses' account of this event (Ex 32), no direct desire of the Jews to return to Egypt is expressed.
Only sensual and fleshly inclinations toward Egyptian sensual pleasures are expressed.
The disobedience of the Jews to Moses is now indicated in their most vile apostasy from God. This occurred precisely when, by their own authorization, he was receiving the complete law from the Lord, dwelling for this purpose on the summit of Mount Horeb (see Ex 32).
When Saint Stephen speaks of the hearts of the Jews turning to Egypt, he shows that they thought of God like pagans. They desired to see an image of God, or of gods according to the Septuagint, after the likeness of pagans and Egyptians.
They also plainly had a perverse and purely external understanding of God's guidance.
In relation to Moses, not only faithlessness is noted on their part, but also a kind of contempt. It is expressed in the word "this," which suggests that he was supposedly some unknown person. In this their spiritual rejection of him as leader and prophet was expressed.
The Jews of that time wanted the guidance of the Egyptian gods. The Jews contemporary with Christ said, "We have no king but Caesar" (Jn 19:15). Yet the expected Messiah was in everyone's mind and on everyone's lips, above all as king.
"Horeb is mentioned not without purpose, but to show the extreme madness of the Israelites. Here God appeared to Moses. Here too they made idols and offered sacrifices to them."
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 18 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS