Acts 7:53

53 Which took the law in ordinance of angels, and have not kept 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 With hard neck [With hard nol], and uncircumcised hearts and ears ye withstand evermore the Holy Ghost; and as your fathers, so ye.
52 Whom of the prophets have not your fathers pursued, and have slain them that before-told of the coming of the rightful man [and have slain them that before-told of the coming of the just man], whose traitors and manslayers ye were now?
53 Which took the law in ordinance of angels, and have not kept it.
54 And they heard these things, and were diversely tormented in their hearts, and they grinded [and gnashed, or grinded,] with teeth on him.
55 But when Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost, he beheld into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right half of the virtue of God.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.