Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/82

76 (3.) He saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God; (v. 55.) the Son of man, so it is, v. 56. Jesus, being the Son of man, having taken our nature with him to heaven, and being there clothed with a body, might be seen with bodily eyes, and so Stephen saw him. When the Old Testament prophets saw the glory of God, it was attended with angels. The Shechinah or divine presence in Isaiah's vision was attended with Seraphim; in Ezekiel's vision with Cherubim; both signifying the angels, the ministers of God's providence. But here no mention is made of the angels, though they surround the throne and the Lamb; instead of them Stephen sees Jesus at the right hand of God, the great Mediator of God's grace, from whom more glory redounds to God than from all the ministration of the holy angels. The glory of God shines brightest in the face of Jesus Christ; for there shines the glory of his grace, which is the most illustrious instance of his glory. God appears more glorious with Jesus standing at his right hand, than with millions of angels about him. Now, [1.] Here is a proof of the exaltation of Christ to the Father's right hand; the apostles saw him ascend, but they did not see him sit down, a cloud received him out of their sight. We are told that he sat down on the right hand of God; but was he ever seen there? Yes, Stephen saw him there, and was abundantly satisfied with the sight. He saw Jesus at the right hand of God, noting both his transcendent dignity, and his sovereign dominion, his uncontrollable ability, and his universal agency; whatever God's right hand either gives to us, or receives from us, or does concerning us, it is by him; for he is his right Hand. [2.] He is usually said to sit there; but Stephen sees him standing there, as one more than ordinarily concerned at present for his suffering servant; he stood up as a Judge to plead his cause against his persecutors; he is raised up out of his holy habitation, (Zech. 2. 13.) comes out of his place to punish, Isa. 26. 21. He stands ready to receive him and crown him, and in the mean time to give him a prospect of the joy set before him. [3.] This was intended for the encouragement of Stephen; he sees Christ is for him, and then no matter who is against him. When our Lord Jesus was in his agony, an angel appeared to him, strengthening him; but Stephen had Christ himself appearing to him. Note, Nothing so comfortable to dying saints, nor so animating to suffering saints, as to see Jesus at the right hand of God; and, blessed be God, by faith we may see him there.

(4.) He told those about him what he saw; (v. 56.) Behold, I see the heavens opened. That which was a cordial to him, ought to have been a conviction to them, and a caution to them to take heed of proceeding against one whom Heaven thus smiled upon; and therefore what he saw he declared, let them make what use they pleased of it. If some were exasperated by it, others perhaps might be wrought upon to consider this Jesus whom they persecuted, and to believe in him.

2. His pious addresses to Jesus Christ; the manifestation of God's glory to him did not set him above praying, but rather set him upon it; They stoned Stephen, calling upon God, v. 59. Though he called upon God, and by that shewed himself to be a true-born Israelite, yet they proceeded to stone him, not considering how dangerous it is to fight against those that have an interest in Heaven. Though they stoned him, yet he called upon God; nay, therefore he called upon him. Note, It is the comfort of those who are unjustly hated and persecuted by men, that they have a God to go to, a God all-sufficient to call upon. Men stop their ears, as they did here; (v. 57.) but God does not. Stephen was now cast out of the city, but he was not. cast out from his God. He was now taking his leave of the world, and therefore calls upon God; for we must do that as long as we live. Note, It is good to die praying; then we need help—strength we never had, to do a work we never did; and how must we fetch in that help and strength but by prayer?

Two short prayers Stephen offered up to God in his dying moments, and in them as it were breathed out his soul.

(1.) Here is a prayer for himself; Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Thus Christ had himself resigned his Spirit immediately into the hand of the Father. We are here taught to resign ours into the hands of Christ as Mediator, by him to be recommended to the Father. Stephen saw Jesus standing at the Father's right hand, and he thus calls to him, "Blessed Jesus, do that for me now, which thou standest there to do for all thine, receive my departing spirit into thy hand." Observe,

[1.] The soul is the man, and our great concern, living and dying, must be about our souls. Stephen's body was to be miserably broken, and shattered, and overwhelmed with a shower of stones, the earthly house of this tabernacle violently beaten down and abused; but, however it goes with that, " Lord," saith he, "let my spirit be safe; let it go well with my poor soul." Thus while we live, our care should be, that though the body be starved or stripped, the soul may be fed and clothed; though the body lie in pain, the soul may dwell at ease; and when we die, that though the body be thrown by as a despised broken vessel, and a vessel in which there is no pleasure, yet the soul may be presented a vessel of honour; that God may be the strength of the heart and its Portion, though the flesh fail.

[2.] Our Lord Jesus is God, to whom we are to seek, and in whom we are to confide and comfort ourselves living and dying. Stephen here prays to Christ, and so must we; for it is the will of God that all men should thus honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. It is Christ we are to commit ourselves to, who alone is able to keep what we commit to him against that day: it is necessary that we have an eye to Christ when we come to die, for there is no venturing into another world but under his conduct; no living comforts in dying moments, but what are fetched from him.

[3.] Christ's receiving our spirits at death, is the great thing we are to be careful about, and to comfort ourselves with. We ought to be in care about this while we live, that Christ may receive our spirits when we die; for if he reject and disown them, whither will they betake themselves? How can they escape being a prey to the roaring lion? To him therefore we must commit them daily, to be ruled and sanctified, and made meet for heaven, and then, and not otherwise, he will receive them. And if this has been our care while we live, it may be our comfort when we come to die, that we shall be received into everlasting habitations.

(2.) Here is a prayer for his persecutors, v. 60.

[1.] The circumstances of this prayer are observable, for it seems to have been offered up with something more of solemnity than the former. First, He kneeled down; which was an expression of his humility in prayer. Secondly, He cried with a loud voice; which was an expression of his importunity. But why should he thus shew more humility and importunity in this request than in the former? The answer is this, None could doubt of his being in good earnest in his prayers for himself, and therefore there he needed not to use such outward expressions of it; but in his prayer for his enemies, because that is so much against the grain of corrupt nature, it was requisite he should give proofs of his being in earnest.

[2.] The prayer itself; Lord, lay not this sin to their charge; therein he followed the example of