“Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.”
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God - as the Sanhedrin rages, Stephen has a vision (optasia, appearance). 'Full of the Holy Spirit' (plērēs pneumatos hagiou) contrasts with their rejection of the Spirit. Stephen 'saw the glory of God' (tēn doxan tou theou) and, most significantly, 'Jesus standing at the right hand of God' (Iēsoun hestōta ek dexiōn tou theou). Jesus is standing, not seated; standing is the posture of witness or readiness for action, suggesting Jesus witnesses Stephen's martyrdom and stands to receive him.
Church Fathers on Acts 7:40
To whom, he says, our fathers would not obey: Acts 7:39 after the wonders done in those forty years. And not only so, but just the contrary: but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt. Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us; for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has become of him. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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