You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.
All Commentaries on Acts 7:51 Go To Acts 7
John Chrysostom
AD 407
What is the reason that at this point he speaks in the tone of invective (καταφορικὥς)? Great was his boldness of speech, when at the point to die: for in fact I think he knew that this was the case. You stiffnecked, he says, and uncircumcised in heart and ears. This also is from the prophets: nothing is of himself. You do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Acts 7:51 When it was not His will that sacrifices should be, you sacrifice: when it is His will, then again ye do not sacrifice: when He would not give you commandments, you drew them to you: when you got them, you neglected them. Again, when the Temple stood, you worshipped idols: when it is His will to be worshipped without a Temple, you do the opposite. Observe, he says not, You resist God, but, the Spirit: so far was he from knowing any difference between Them. And, what is greater: As your fathers did, he says, so do ye. Thus also did Christ (reproach them), forasmuch as they were always boasting much of their fathers.
