Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 7:31
When Moses saw [it,] he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold [it,] the voice of the Lord came unto him,
31 34. Here we have in substance the history as given in Exo 3:2-10.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He wondered … – What particularly attracted his attention was the fact that the bush was not consumed, Exo 3:2-3.
The voice of the Lord – Yahweh spake to him from the midst of the bush. He did not see him. He merely heard a voice.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
He wondered at the sight; seeing the bush on a flame, and not consumed, contrary to the nature of devouring flames; that he might be convinced of Gods presence, and made the more attentive to what God should say, and prepared to yield obedience unto it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight,…. To see a bush on fire was no extraordinary thing; but to see a bush on fire, and yet not consumed by it, which was the case here, was wonderful indeed: and that an angel of the Lord, or the Lord himself, should appear in it, made it still more amazing; though, as yet, this was not observed by Moses, only the former; and which struck him with wonder, and excited his curiosity:
and as he drew near to behold it; to take a more exact view of it, and satisfy himself with the truth of it, and, if it was possible, to find out the reason why it was not burnt:
the voice of the Lord came unto him; to his ears, out of the bush, and expressed the following words.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The sight ( ). Used of visions in the N.T. as in Mt 17:9.
As he drew near ( ). Genitive absolute with present middle participle of .
A voice of the Lord ( ). Here the angel of Jehovah of verse 30 is termed Jehovah himself. Jesus makes powerful use of these words in his reply to the Sadducees in defence of the doctrine of the resurrection and the future life (Mark 12:26; Matt 22:32; Luke 20:37) that God here describes himself as the God of the living.
Trembled ( ). Literally, becoming tremulous or terrified. The adjective (, from , to tremble, to quake) occurs in Plutarch and the LXX. In the N.T. only here and Ac 16:29.
Durst not ( ). Imperfect active, was not daring, negative conative imperfect.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The sight [ ] . Always in the New Testament of a vision. See on Mt 17:9.
To behold [] . See on Mt 7:3. Compare Luk 12:24, 27.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “When Moses saw it,” (ho de Mouses idon) “Then Moses perceiving or recognizing it,” as something extraordinary, unusual in a desert place, with no one around to start or kindle the fire, Exo 3:2-3.
2) “He wondered at the sight:” (ethaumazen to horama) “He marveled at the vision,” at the sight his eyes were beholding, and considered what it meant. His philosophy could not explain how a bush could burn, yet not be consumed. In some way it surely indicated God’s care of His own people and property from fire and destruction, Dan 3:19-27; Mat 16:18.
3) “And as he drew near to behold it,” (proserchomenou de autou katanoesai) “Then as he approached it to take close observation,” Exo 3:3; Perhaps he did not realize that in drawing near to God, nearer than he had ever been before, and drawing near to receive the Emancipation Mission Mandate as commander-i n-chief to liberate Israel from Egyptian bondage, Jas 4:7-8; Psa 73:28.
4) “The voice of the Lord came unto him,” (egeneto phone kuriou) “There was or came (a) voice of (the) Lord;” It is therefore believed that Jesus Christ, the Redeemer from the foundation of the world, was the angel-form messenger that spoke to him, Exo 3:4, as surely as he spoke to Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road, and in the nighttime on a stormy sea, Act 9:5-6; Act 27:20-25.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
31. He wondered at the vision. Let us know that God did use thus to deal with our fathers, that they might assuredly know his majesty; for he meant to make a manifest distinction between the visions which he showed, and the juggling casts of Satan. And this certainty is more necessary, for what credit should the oracles of God otherwise carry, wherein the covenant of eternal life is contained? Therefore, forasmuch as this alone is the true stay of faith, to have God to be the author thereof, that he may [he must needs] undoubtedly declare that it is he that speaketh. Again, forasmuch as Satan walketh about continually, and doth by many and strange shifts insinuate himself, and hath so many ways to deceive, and especially seeing he doth pretend the name of God craftily, we must take great heed of his mocks. We see how in times past he deluded all nations, and [how he deludes] the Papists also. For all the monsters of superstitions, all the dotings of errors which were in times past, and do as yet reign in Popery, did proceed from dreams, visions, and false revelations; yea, furthermore, even the Anabaptists have their illusions thence. Therefore, this is the only remedy that God do distinguish by certain marks those visions which he showeth; for then are we without danger of erring, when he hath revealed his majesty unto us. For this cause was the mind of Moses stricken with admiration, and then afterwards he draweth near to consider; after that he is come nearer, the Lord toucheth him with a more lively feeling of [I confess indeed] his presence, so that he is afraid. For I confess that there are none of all these things which Satan cannot imitate, yet falsely like an ape. And the Lord doth not only show himself by such signs, but helping our dullness, he doth also open our eyes that we may not be deceived. Again, the Holy Ghost doth imprint in our minds certain marks and tokens of God’s presence, that there may no doubt remain.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(31) The voice of the Lord came unto him.The speech agrees with Exo. 3:4 in ascribing the voice to the Lord, the Eternal, while the visible manifestation was that of the angel of the Lord. It hardly belongs to the interpretation of the speech to discuss the relation between the two statements. Speaking generally, it may be said that all, or nearly all, theophanies, or divine manifestations, in the Old Testament addressed to the sense of sight resolve themselves into angelophanies, all manifestations addressed exclusively to the sense of hearing into revelations by the Son, as the LOGOS, or eternal WORD.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
31. Guide me The eunuch understands that he is challenged to an exegesis of the passage he is reading, and indirectly accepts the indirect proffer. He invites the stranger to a seat and to a biblical investigation.
The Christian often needs a commentator, but never needs a pope. When headstrong ignorance rejects the aid of the skill and learning which able expositors have gathered upon the word of God, illustrating its statements by the aid of history, geography, grammar, and suggestive thought, and assumes ability to draw right conclusions from the bare words of the English text, it is very likely to land where rash ignorance ever lands, in the depths of error. But when men, with all the aids of learning and sagacity and the blessed Spirit, give themselves over to a supposed infallible living expounder, they are very likely to be consigned to bondage and perdition. Men must use the right of private judgment by the aid of the best facts, lights, and counsels; but the right itself they have no right to renounce.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Act 7:31-33 . See Exo 3:3-5 .
] spectaculum . See on Mat 17:9 .
] to contemplate , Luk 12:24 ; Luk 12:27 ; Act 11:6 .
] as the angel represents Jehovah Himself, so is he identified with Him. When the angel of the Lord speaks, that is the voice of God, as it is His representative servant, the angel, who speaks. To understand, with Chrysostom, Calovius, and others, the angelus increatus ( i.e. Christ as the ) as meant, is consequently unnecessary, and also not in keeping with the anarthrous , which Hengstenberg, Christol . III. 2, p. 70, wrongly denies. Comp. Act 12:7 ; Act 12:23 .
. ] The holiness of the presence of God required, as it was in keeping generally with the religious feeling of the East, [206] that he who held intercourse with Jehovah should be barefooted, lest the sandals charged with dust should pollute (Jos 5:15 ) the holy ground ( ); hence also the priests in the temple waited on their service with bare feet. See Wetstein; also Carpzov. Appar. p. 769 ff.
[206] Even in the present day the Arabs , as is well known, enter their mosques barefooted. The precept of Pythagoras, , was derived from an Egyptian custom. Jamblich. Vit. Pyth. 23. The Samaritan trode barefoot the holiest place on Gerizim, Robinson, III. p. 320.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
31 When Moses saw it , he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it , the voice of the Lord came unto him,
Ver. 31. He wondered at the sight ] How many come to the ordinances to see and to be seen! they may hear that, with Moses here, that may do them good for ever.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 7:31 . : this careful observation is implied in the narrative of Exodus though the word is not employed. It is a favourite word with St. Luke, and is used by him four times in his Gospel and four times in Acts, elsewhere in Gospels only in Mat 7:3 (five times in Epistles). On its force see Westcott on Heb 3:1 : “oculos vel mentem defigere in aliquo” Grimm; properly = to take notice of, so in classical Greek; it is used also in the sense of observing, looking at, cf. Jas 1:27 ; and in a general sense, to see, cf. LXX, Ps. 93:9, cf. Psa 90:8 ; and also, to consider, Heb 10:24 (Mayor, note on Jas 1:27 ). In the LXX, where it is frequent, it is used with both shades of meaning.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
sight. Greek. horama. Occurs twelve times, all in Acts, except in Mat 17:9. Always trans, “vision”, except here. Not the same word as in Act 2:17.
behold = inspect, or consider. Greek. katanoeo. App-133.
the Lord. App-98.
unto him. The texts omit. The quotations are from Exo 3:32
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
and as: Exo 3:3, Exo 3:4
Reciprocal: Num 12:7 – My servant Hos 6:5 – have I
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1
Act 7:31. He wondered because the bush was burning but was not being consumed, and decided to investigate the situation. (See Exo 3:1-3.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
See notes on verse 30
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
31-33. Out of the burning bush Jehovah now commissions the sons of Amram to go and preach to the Pharaohs and princes of Egypt. Even the earth in that august presence is so sacred that sandals must be removed from their feet. The Arabs in that country still adhere pertinaciously to that precept, positively requiring me to take off my shoes every time I entered the holy mosque.