And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
All Commentaries on Acts 8:2 Go To Acts 8
John Chrysostom
AD 407
If they were devout, why did they make great lamentation over him? They were not yet perfect. The man was gracious and amiable: this also shows that they were men— not their fear alone, but their grief and lamentation. Who would not have wept to see that mild, that lamb-like person stoned, and lying dead? Fit eulogy to be spoken over his grave has the Evangelist recorded, in this one speech, Lay not this sin to their charge.— And made, he says, great lamentation over him.— But let us look over again what has been said.
He mentions the cause of his (angelic) appearance Recapitulation, 7:54; 8:2; But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And when he said, I see the heavens opened, they stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord. (v. 56, 57.) And yet in what respect are these things deserving of accusation? Upon him, the man who has wrought such miracles, the man who has prevailed over all in speech, the man who can hold such discourse! As if they had got the very thing they wanted, they straightway give full scope to their rage.
