And set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceases not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
All Commentaries on Acts 6:13 Go To Acts 6
John Chrysostom
AD 407
We have heard him, they say, speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God Acts 6:13: and again, This man ceases not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law, and with an addition, the customs which Moses delivered to us Acts 6:14; Moses, not God. Upon the supposition of a design to overturn their manner of life (πολιτείας), they accused him of impiety also. But to show that it was not in the nature of such a man to speak such things, and harshly [Then all, it says, which were in the council, looking steadfastly upon him, saw his face, as it had been the face of an angel] Acts 6:15: so mild was he even in countenance. For, in cases where persons were not falsely accused, Scripture mentions nothing of this kind: but as in this case it was all false accusation, with reason does God rectify it by the very look of the man. For the Apostles indeed were not falsely accused, but were forbidden: but this man is falsely accused: and therefore before all else his countenance pleads for him. This abashed even the priest. And he said, etc. Acts 7:1 He shows here, that the promise was made before the Place, before Circumcision, before Sacrifice, before the Temple, and that it was not of their merit that these received either Circumcision or Law, but that the land was the reward of obedience alone. Moreover, that neither on the giving of circumcision does the promise receive its fulfillment. Also, that these were figures, and (so was) both the leaving his country at God's command— not against the law (for home and country is where God shall lead): Then came he out, it says, of the land of the Chaldeans Acts 7:4:— and that if one look closely into the matter, the Jews are of Persian origin: and that, without miracles, one must do as God bids, whatever hardships be the consequence; since the Patriarch left both the grave of his father and all that he had, in obedience to God's command. But if Abraham's father was not allowed to take part with him in the privilege of migrating to Palestine, because he was unworthy: much more shall the children (be excluded at last), for all that they may have gone a good distance on the way.
