“Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;”
Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them' - Stephen's final petition is for forgiveness of his killers: 'Do not hold this sin against them' (mē stēsēs autois tautēn tēn hamartian). This directly parallels Jesus's crucifixion prayer (Luke 23:34), 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' Stephen becomes a living icon of Christ's mercy and forgiveness, even as he is martyred for witnessing to Christ. His forgiveness speech may well have planted seeds in the watching Saul.
Church Fathers on Acts 7:45
Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion he had seen. Acts 7:44 Even when there was a Tabernacle, yet there were no sacrifices. Did ye offer unto Me slain beasts and sacrifices? Amos 5:25 There was the tabernacle of witness, and yet it profited them nothing, but they were consumed. But neither before, nor afterwards, did the miracles profit them anything. Which also,…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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